Tundra's a truck with flex appeal.

AuthorCouture, Peter
PositionCars

Byline: Peter Couture and Lyra Solochek

Toyota has long been trying to lure buyers with macho images of its Tundra: There's the truck climbing a flame-engulfed ramp in the Killer Heat commercial, while in another, it tows the space shuttle Endeavour. Now Toyota is pitching the redesigned 2014 Tundra as a truck for the family guy who needs to build a tree house or a baseball field.

Appearance: The new Tundra has a large in-your-face grille that gives it an industrial look, as does the ''Tundra'' stamped into the tailgate. The front end is more chiseled, and the amount of chrome varies depending on the truck's trim level. We liked our tester's Silver Sky Metallic paint, but the chrome would pop better with a darker color. The Tundra's hood line is high, even for a truck, perhaps to accommodate the integrated air scoop that spans the width of the grille. Our tester had a bed liner with an integrated rail with adjustable tie-down hooks. The ground clearance is 10.4 inches, so running boards are a must, especially for shorter drivers.

Performance: Our tester had Toyota's 5.7-liter DOHC i-Force V-8, a carryover from the last model year that packs 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. Lyra, who is a pickup owner with occasional towing needs, found even that big engine to be a sluggish performer, citing a lag when she stepped on the gas. It takes regular unleaded, E85, and it's towing capacity is 9,600 pounds. Peter, who drove it in the city, found the engine more than adequate. (Other engine choices are a 4.0-liter V-6 and 4.6-liter V-8.) The 6-speed automatic shifts smoothly. The Tundra rides like a...

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