Chevy guys really seem to hate it when you remind them that isuzu makes their precious duramax engine. I would think ford making their own engine and transmission is gonna be way more cost effective than contracting both of them out the way gm does. As to which is faster, put a backhoe on a trailer behind all 3 and the results would be more impressive to me.

 

Can't get a diesel Toyota pickup in the US.

Toyota "trucks" feel cheap to me. At least the one tacoma that I drove did. The steering wheel felt flimsy and very plastic in my hands.

 

Diesel engines is one area where Ford has no bragging rights. What a roller coaster this has been for the blue oval. It seems to me that over the past few decades, Isuzu has done right by GM and in the past, Honda.

 

 

I am in the market for a new truck to pull a travel trailer. So, I test drove the 2012 Tundra 5.7 today. Had to have tires put on my car and thought what the heck, I'll waste some time at the Toyota dealer across the street. I've already driven the EcoBoost twice now, but haven't been in a Tundra yet. I will say it rides smoother than I expected but quite frankly I didn't come away excited about the truck at all (like I do every time I drive the F-150!!!). Yes, it has great acceleration but no better than the EcoBoost, in fact, it has a more hesitation.

Now, to put this "review" in perspective, I'm not biased toward "Ford guy" trying to bash the competition. In fact, my last 7 cars have been Toyotas, so I know what they can build and what to expect. Quite frankly, they just haven't brought this truck into the 21st century yet. Without comparing the numbers on paper, I can say that the F-150 is a much nicer truck to drive.

Quite frankly, the Tundra feels like a "plain Jane" truck from 5-7 yrs ago. Yes there are your obligatory cub holders and storage compartments, but the interior seems almost like an afterthought. The Big clumsy control ***** just look stupid and there's no flow to the dash area, it just seems thrown together with no design thought what so ever. I just got the feel of an basic, old design pick up.

On the other hand, the F-150 interior looks and feels much more like a modern vehicle with features and designs more up to date. The gauges, controls, etc. are much more modern looking and functional. You feel like you're getting a 2012 vehicle with up to date technology.

What I also didn't realize is that when you get the towing package on the 5.7, it comes with a 4:30 rear end!! Yet it is only rated to tow 9900lbs. However, the Ecoboost with the HD payload can tow 11,300lbs with a 3:73 rear and if you only need the towing capacity of the Tundra, you can get one without the HD and it will do the job with a 3:55 rear end!!! That's a significant gas savings when you are not towing.

The Tundra costs about the same as the Ecoboost XLT but offers far less. Heck, if I'm gonna spend $34k, I want a vehicle that has a modern look and feel, with advanced technology at my fingers and that I can drive everyday without wanting to strangle someone at the gas station when I fill up

 

That's not quite a fair comparison as only Toyota is tow rating as per the J2807 towing standard I believe so far - I think it is supposed to become the industry standard in 2013. The SAE J2807 standard establishes more performance requirements (ie. the maximum tow weight rating can only reduce the unloaded performance a certain percentage, etc.) plus I think it adds a passenger and some cargo weight (most other manufacturer's current maximum rating is with the driver only).

The change in rating on the Tundra was a decrease anywhere from 400 - 1300 lbs from the previous year where it wasn't rated per SAE J2807.

It's going to be interesting what the other manufacturer's tow ratings do when rated to that same standard.

http://www.automobilemag.com/feature...est/index.html

 

IMO it does not matter. Anybody who relied on tow ratings made a big mistake to begin with, and that does not change with that new rating system. Payload was (and still is) the real limiter, and they are not touching that, as far as I know. The tow ratings are theoretical numbers. Neither the F150 nor the Tundra can realistically tow 10K lbs TT trailers.

 

I think the new tow ratings will help as people now think they can tow the max rating with people and cargo - the lower tow rating will be more realistic for the way people actually option and use their trucks.

Plus everybody will have to use the same rating methods for their vehicles so the tow rating should be a more useful comparison than it is now.

 

Payload will be there to be the real limitation, before and now, even if they reduce the tow rating by 10 or 20%. But I agree, it could limit what some people are towing, especially those that tow the max rated trailer plus fill up the truck bed and a cab full of people. :-)

 

And it is well documented that the early Tundra frames rusted out.

I've seen them on the dealer lots being switched out. Once when I was shopping around. Really inspired confidence.