30 Days Of 2013 Ram 1500: Heading West
Our 30-Day 2013 Ram 1500 has made its way safely to our Little Rock bureau. If you're following our... Read More
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buyers won't feel as if they've compromised when they 'settle' for this 4.6-liter
a firm, progressive pedal feel and respectable stopping distances
Holding back the Tundra’s performance, we believe, is its 6,000-rpm redline – 1,000 rpm less than the F-150 – and the five-speed automatic transmission. The gearbox also seems to hold back fuel economy.
Since the 5.7-liter makes 71 horsepower more than the 4.6-liter and gets almost the same fuel mileage as the V6, the vast majority of Tundra buyers select the big engine.
We’d rank the 4.0 well ahead of the single-overhead-cam 215-hp (235 pounds-feet) 3.7-liter V-6 in the Ram 1500 and the 25-year-old 195-hp (260 pounds-feet) 4.3-liter pushrod V-6 in the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 half-tons.
PERFORMANCE | 8 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
buyers won't feel as if they've compromised when they 'settle' for this 4.6-liter
Popular Mechanics
a firm, progressive pedal feel and respectable stopping distances
Edmunds
Holding back the Tundra’s performance, we believe, is its 6,000-rpm redline – 1,000 rpm less than the F-150 – and the five-speed automatic transmission. The gearbox also seems to hold back fuel economy.
Cars.com
Since the 5.7-liter makes 71 horsepower more than the 4.6-liter and gets almost the same fuel mileage as the V6, the vast majority of Tundra buyers select the big engine.
Kelley Blue Book
We’d rank the 4.0 well ahead of the single-overhead-cam 215-hp (235 pounds-feet) 3.7-liter V-6 in the Ram 1500 and the 25-year-old 195-hp (260 pounds-feet) 4.3-liter pushrod V-6 in the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 half-tons.
Cars.com
The Tundra is offered with a V-6 at the base level, but there's really no good reason to choose it instead of one of the available V-8 engines, which are far stronger and, at least for the smaller V-8, nearly as efficient.
The base engine is a 270-horsepower, 4.0-liter V-6 with variable valve timing; it's not as much a gas miser as V-6 models of the Ford F-150 or Ram 1500--not as powerful either--but it can be a reasonable way to keep the Tundra's price tag low when it counts. Fleets are the intended mission for this model anyway, and that's why it's available in abbreviated Regular Cab form.
A couple of years ago, Toyota replaced the mid-line (and middling) 4.7-liter design with a revised 4.6-liter eight, and this one's not only stronger but better on gas (with ratings of up to 15/20 mpg). Its 310 horsepower and 327 pound-feet of torque match some other V-8s in the segment, although those new V-6 engines from Ford and Ram come close to it. This V-8's strength is its utterly smooth power delivery, however.
The 381-horsepower, 5.7-liter V-8 provides the most Lexus-like driving experience--if you don't mind a little more bassy exhaust note than the other models. It's a sharp, responsive engine, twisting out enormous torque just off idle, with the passing power to rival some luxury sedans, even when towing. And it's no surprise that its gas-mileage rating is just 14/18 mpg.
There are no manual transmissions here; base Tundra pickups get a five-speed automatic, but you get a six-speed with V-8 versions; in either case it's a smooth-shifting, responsive transmission.
Overall, the Tundra feels light and precise and quick to take direction, and controls its body roll very well, especially for its size, though ride quality is choppy when the truck's running a light payload. The brakes are among the best in the class, big and firm to the foot. Dynamically we can't say the Tundra is at the top, however; the quick electric steering in the F-150 and the smoother hydraulic responses of the latest Ram 1500.
With the available Tow Package--offered on all V-8 models--the Tundra can tow up to 10,400 pounds. While impressive, that's more than a thousand pounds off the max for some of its rivals.
Conclusion
Performance is strong with either V-8 in the 2013 Toyota Tundra, and pricing is the only reason to get the V-6.
