2021 Toyota Tundra Long Term Review -- Wait for the 2022?

[Music] today i'm going to talk about what it's been like owning my 2021 toyota tundra platinum and if you should consider buying one in 2021 i've had this 2021 tundra platinum for about 5 months and 4 000 miles while that's not exactly long term this isn't my first tundra in fact this is actually the third one i've owned my first one was a 2010 sr5 of the trd package which i had for five years and 80 000 miles the second was a 2015 limited which i had for about five years and 60 000 miles so i have a pretty good idea of how well they hold up over time and the quality and reliability issues that you might expect there are a lot of reviews that show how trucks look right off the showroom floor but what you really need to know is how it's going to be to own for three five or even 10 years after that point the reliability of used trucks very dramatically from make to make and doing your research beforehand can save countless dollars in aggravation is the tundra still worth considering even though it's seemingly years behind the advancements of its competition watch to find out if it's something you should consider and to hear my honest opinion about whether i'd recommend purchasing it if you enjoy automotive content and find this video helpful make sure to subscribe to the channel and hit the like button the tundra is the oldest of the full-size pickup trucks with this generation first premiering for the 2007 model year over 14 years ago there were many cosmetic refreshments later made in 2014 at which point the truck was already losing some ground to its competition the changes were mostly cosmetic and underpinnings have remained largely unchanged with the same engine transmission suspension and so on even though the powertrain was groundbreaking at the time with ford gm and ram having recently released all new trucks and nice ones at that the tundra is most certainly due for a refresh which we'll see for 2022. that's not to say it's not worth buying though actually many buyers prefer an older design for various reasons toyota only makes the tundra with the rock solid 5.7 liter v8 it puts out a competitive even today 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque power is still more than adequate with a 0-60 time of around 6-7 seconds acceleration is good off the line and there's plenty of passing power even on the highway there's a nice noise that comes from the v8 and there's a muted rumble from the exhaust while the tundra transmission is a great one it is showing its age with only six speeds it would certainly be nice to have the eight speed that's used in the land cruiser or even a ten speed to help reduce fuel consumption and increase acceleration but you have to keep in mind that a more efficient transmission will likely be coming soon more speeds generally means worse reliability too there have been reports of brand new land cruisers with a newer eight speed that had less than 100 miles that have had transmission problems gas mileage is decent and it's what you'd expect with a full-size truck around town doing errands and short trips or even towing average fuel economy will be about 10 to 12 miles per gallon on the highway at 75 miles per hour it will be around 18 miles per gallon at slower speeds around 55 miles per hour it could be as high as 22 or 23 miles per gallon but the overall average is around 17. that's pretty fair for a full-size pickup truck of this age especially considering it uses regular gas the fuel tank on this platinum trim is a convenient 36 gallon so stops for gas are infrequent even on long road trips this truck is frequently used to tow loads of 5000 pounds and it's handled phenomenally even with a mix of driving including mountainous highway and city there's never a lack of power and the transmission always works efficiently and comfortably braking is very strong and smooth even under significant loads and there's a nice firm but responsive feel to the pedal one advantage of the older design is that the truck is heavier than newer trucks with aluminum or lightweight bodies which can help when you're using it for things other than getting groceries this extra weight provides more stability in a more planted feel when towing which is particularly important if you're towing loads near the maximum capacity less weight will mean less confidence during emergency maneuvers in the highway sharp turns and uneven pavement where the trailer weight can have a tendency to wobble the truck around on the other hand that weight makes the handling extra cumbersome around town with more significant body roll front to back rise under acceleration and nose dive while braking which can get tiring the ride is comfortable and the bed doesn't exhibit significant shuttering over bumps in the road and is overall pleasant experience despite having leaf springs in the back the ram definitely has a more comfortable ride with the independent rear suspension but the new tundra is rumored to have a similar setup the engine gets a little noisy under load but the v8 has a nice sound paired with the stock exhaust system road noise is average without excessive tire or wind noise while it goes without saying that the interior is old dating back to 2014 it's still extremely comfortable materials are high quality with a splash of cheap plastic where you're least likely to notice them such as the lower door panels and part of the center console the seats are super comfortable with plenty of adjustments and support the high grade perforated leather exclusive to the top trims is exceptionally smooth with heat and ventilation even on long road trips the seats are comfortable and aren't fatiguing at all the driving position is nice and high with excellent visibility over the hood and out the windows it would be nice to see a heated steering wheel on the limited platinum and 1794 models but hopefully that will be available in the next generation that's one option that would have been easy for toyota to add even after tens of thousands of miles the interiors in these trucks still feel brand new holding up extremely well with little to no signs of deterioration the seats exhibit no loss of support excessive leather wear or degrading materials the only area that shows its age are the hard plastics that are easily scratched styling is still relevant in 2021 while showing some signs of age consider that while the ram has been stylishly updated the 2022 f-150 is remarkably similar to its predecessor and the gm has an interior and center stack that should have been replaced years ago the 8-inch touchscreen is on the small side however buyers will appreciate that everything isn't integrated into the screen and there are still buttons to perform basic functions the upgraded jbl sound system leaves a lot to be desired with a tinny sound this interior could absolutely use a refresh but it remains functional and comfortable reliability has been nothing short of phenomenal as to be expected none of the three tundras have had any problems whatsoever they've never even needed new brake pads despite being driven primarily around town everything on the tundras feels and drives exactly the way it did when it rolled off the assembly line the interior is solid with no creaks rattles and very few signs of wear all switches and electronics work reliably the suspension is tight with no clunks or rattles the engine is so smooth that at idle you can barely even tell it's running the transmission shifts extremely smoothly never having shown signs of age in any of the three tundras while the powertrain is old it performs flawlessly year after year and leaves no worries about reliability even when towing and using it how a truck is designed to be used there are some features missing that should be standard in the top trims such as led lighting heated rear seats rear climate controls remote start automatic windshield wipers a wireless charger and a more comprehensive camera system you can use the toyota app to lock and unlock and start the vehicle but it's very slow and doesn't work reliably it's free for one year and then you need to pay an exorbitant subscription fee which seems absolutely ridiculous when you have teslas being driven from their owner's phones power adjustable pedals would also increase comfort for shorter and taller drivers the tundra doesn't even come with a tailgate lock it needs to be deal or installed an additional charge having said that toyota offers items that other manufacturers charge extra for for example the 5.7 liter v8 is standard while other brands make buyers pay extra for a more powerful engine that one thing alone is a big factor for those buying entry level and lower trims toyota also provides things like wheel well liners which is something other manufacturers charge extra for when spending fifty thousand or sixty thousand dollars or even more on a new truck that's simply price gouging to make customers pay extra for the basics another huge advantage is that beginning in 2018 every tundra has come standard with toyota safety sense that includes pre-collision with pedestrian detection lane departure alert automatic high beams dynamic radar cruise control blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert a significant array of safety equipment if you're considering buying a new tundra the pricing is pretty competitive especially when considering the standard equipment this platinum stickered for less than fifty five thousand dollars where comparable ram gm and ford's are stickering for 70 000 or more a price that high is simply out of the question for a lot of buyers even though the manufacturers sometimes offer steep discounts to entice buyers resale value is extremely high making used tundras almost as valuable as new ones this is great if you're buying new but if you're buying used toyotas can seem expensive especially when considering that they might need new tires brakes fluids and other costly maintenance items i would strongly recommend purchasing a new or used tundra if you're looking for a traditional v8 with proven reliability and don't mind an older design missing out on some of the luxury features other brands are offering is worth it when getting the longevity that truck buyers expect in addition to the features that come standard it's rumored that toyota will be discontinuing the v8 and so if that's your preference you might want to buy one beforehand while the other manufacturers offer some nice styling and available features the amazing longevity of the tundra won't have you at the dealer every two weeks making the lack of some luxuries worth it to most

Channel: Chris Drives

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Id: e0dMPmAEt6I

Length: 10min 35sec (635 seconds)

Published: Tue Mar 30 2021