Test Drive: Tough 2018 Toyota Tundra is built to last

The 2018 Toyota Tundra is one of the top-selling pickup trucks in the United States.
The 2018 Toyota Tundra is one of the top-selling pickup trucks in the United States.

The Toyota Tundra is an honest truck.

While not cheap - our decked-out tester lists for $44,800 - it feels like it could easily last 300,000 miles or more without a major repair. (We currently have about 300,000 miles worth of personal Toyotas in our driveway, so this is no idle prediction.) If you are around my age - 60ish - this Tundra could be the vehicle that lasts the rest of your life.

photo The Toyota Tundra is shown with a two-tone interior.

FAST FACTS

* Model: 2018 Toyota Tundra Limited Double Cab 4X4* Exterior color: Cement* Interior color: Black and gray* Engine: 5.7-liter, V-8* Horsepower: 381* Transmission: six-speed automatic* Fuel economy: 17 mpg highway, 13 mpg city* Price (as tested): $44,800* Local Dealerships: Capital Toyota, North Georgia Toyota, Toyota of Cleveland

Even the name of the exterior color, "cement," is honest - not some made-up shade like "cloudy-day gray," but cold, hard "cement."

We like it.

Another thing: The Tundra is big. So big that lining it up in a parking place becomes nerve-racking once the white lines disappear under the mammoth hood. It's available in two cab configurations and three bed sizes. You can also choose between rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive, so their are dozens of possible set-ups.

WHAT IS IT? The Toyota Tundra is a full-size, half-ton pickup that competes with the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado. Last year, Toyota sold about 116,000 Tundras, only a fraction of the sales volume of the American brands, but Tundra owners swear by their trucks. The Tundra is assembled in San Antonio, Texas.


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Looking for a used or new car?

All the local Toyota stores show an ample digital inventory of Tundras in stock, and holiday weekend pricing will be in effect. It's a good time to buy.

POWERTRAIN SPECS: Our Tundra Limited Double Cab 4X4 comes with a 5.7-liter, V-8 engine that makes 381 horsepower and can pull up to 10,000 pounds. A smaller, 4.6-liter, V-8 is available if you have more modest towing needs.

The transmission is a six-speed automatic. Although our tester sends power to all four wheels, a rear-wheel-drive set-up is also available.

WHAT WE LIKED: Everything about the Tundra feels well-built, and at cruising speeds the engine is amazingly quiet - dare we say, relaxing. The 18-inch split-spoke alloys, part of the TRD off-road package, are quite attractive and the Cement paint has just the right masculine vibe for the truck.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: On a day trip to Rome, Georgia, seat comfort began to wane on the way home. Also, maneuvering through fast-food, drive-through lanes was a chore.

IT'S GOOD FOR CHATTANOOGA BECAUSE: Legendary durability and high resale value make the Tundra a great "long play" for value buyers - which, let's face it, in Chattanooga includes most of us.

BOTTOM LINE: If you're looking for a full-size truck, don't sleep on the made-in-America Tundra.

Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook.com/mkennedycolumnist.

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