2007 Toyota Tundra First Impressions

Exceptional braking
Since I had no measuring tape, I was unable to officially record my stopping distances. However, I can assure you that the CrewMax rapidly comes to a stop in emergency situations. I estimated the average braking distance at under 40 meters on a wet track.

Toyota made no compromises in the braking department. All Tundras are equipped with four oversized disc brakes, 4-piston callipers up front and a very effective antilock and pressure control system. Simply put, I had the feeling I was driving a BMW X5. I'm anxious to compare the Tundra with all its competitors, though I'll bet this new Toyota will put them to shame. And that will be a good thing, because the Big Three will have no other choice than to improve once again.

Great handling
Thanks to a better weight distribution, the CrewMax proved to be smoother than the two other models tested. The rear end virtually

Tundra Double Cab is shown here

never hops, as opposed to the Regular Cab model (8.1 feet cargo bed) and most conventional pickups.

Ford managed to somewhat fix the problem by reconfiguring the shock absorbers of their F-150, while the recently tested 2007 GMC Sierra also felt stable at the rear compared to previous models.

But the Toyota Tundra delivers a more refined ride than both of these trucks. In addition, steering is precise and makes handling easier in city traffic. The rear suspension trapezoidal blades, on 2WD models, help to prevent understeer -- even on a rain-soaked surface.

Conclusive
All in all, my first impressions of the new Tundra are positives. Toyota successfully designed and built a true American pickup truck. It won't satisfy everybody, because some people would like more and more options to maximize the available models and trims. A diesel engine will most likely be added to the mix, and perhaps a three-quarter ton variant as well.

With their newly acquired wisdom and experience in the pickup segment, the folks at Toyota now want to enjoy success with blue-chip products that are well equipped and strongly built. Let's wait for the pricing to be announced and a full, week-long road test to be conducted before making our final judgements. That said, the Japanese automaker clearly knew what it was doing when it opened a new assembly plant in Indiana.

_{Photo credits: Toyota}


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