Guest Author - Evanne Schmarder

I recently had an opportunity to test a 2007 Toyota Tundra 4x4 V8 5.7L shortbed crew cab and I’ll cut to the chase…wow!!! The exterior, interior and overall performance hit every single mark. During my Tundra-time I experienced a wide range of wacky weather from nearly 100 degrees to hard, driving rain to sunshine to temperatures in the mid-30’s. I drove during the day and at night as well.

The exterior of the truck was a beautiful forest green they call timberland mica, the bed had a deck rail system to assist in securing cargo, the power towing mirrors were huge, the 18” wheels looked extremely capable, and the back bumper sported a 7-pin connector and hitch receiver. My first thought when sizing up the Tundra was “beefy”.

Once inside I was impressed with the creature comforts – and there are many. Front and rear leg room was plentiful and I liked the 60/40 split back seat. The bucket front seats were leather and comfy as could be – and I should know – we drove several hours at a time, they were heated which was very appreciated in the cold drizzle, and featured memory settings for multiple drivers (as did the power mirrors and steering wheel). The climate control system really cut down on the squabbling over temperature between my husband and me. The center console had plenty of room – in fact, much more than I needed. I even had a GPS system that provided (mostly) accurate directions – even if she was a little bossy – as well as a great 12-speaker CD system. As I was backing in to a parking spot at Trader Joe’s I made a teasing remark to my husband, “what, no backup camera?” A mere glance at the GPS screen proved me wrong – very handy to have! If everything I’ve mentioned didn’t clinch the deal this certainly did…the entire back window went up and down at the push of a button – the entire window!!

The instrument panel was intuitive and easy to read. The first morning we experienced cold weather in the Tundra a light appeared on the panel. I couldn’t make out the meaning of the icon so I looked it up in the hefty and complete manual. Turns out it was notifying me that my tires were under-inflated. Yep, not only did my Tundra have beauty but it had brains, too!

Driving was a dream. The ride was smooth, the engine and pickup powerful, the mirrors plentiful, and the four-wheel ABS brakes responsive. My gas mileage was reasonable and close to the reported 18mpg/highway. All of the safety features were there – airbags all around and seatbelts with pretensioners and force limiters – who knew!?! Although I didn’t tow an RVwith the Tundra I believe it would be smooth sailing and has a towing capacity of 10,100. The truck was equal to a ¾ ton pick-up and has a GVWR of 7200 pounds.

As I returned “my” Tundra I thought back on the all of the driving pleasure I encountered during the past week. I highly recommend this vehicle – which was priced at $45,123 MSRP as tested. If you’re in the market for a beefy truck that can do the job right stop by your local Toyota dealer and ask to test drive the Tundra.

Oh, yeah, I did have one issue. I like 12 ounce lattes and the coffee cup holder was too deep to make it easy to pick up the cup. Well, you can’t have everything I guess.