2021 Toyota Tundra Reviews, Pricing & Specs

The Toyota Tundra is somewhat awkward-looking compared to other new trucks. It was originally developed in the mid-2000s and released for the 2007 model year. This was a time of transition for cars and trucks, with the latter evolving into the “biggie-biggie” design language that dominates the segment today.

The Tundra has a massive grille, but it also has disproportionately small headlights. The result is a truck that looks oversized in some weird ways. For our test vehicle, Toyota chose the “Cement” paint colour. With the blacked-out wheels and badging, the Tundra looks far more modern than its underpinnings.

Like the exterior, the cabin is dated but has contemporary elements. The dash is dominated by hard plastics and big monotone panels. This is truck cabin styling at its most-mid-2010s. But all the buttons and dials are within easy reach, proving that an older design is perfectly fine for a pickup. Compared to the cabin of the new Ram 1500, anyone can get into this truck and know how to use every single feature. The Ram requires a five-minute acclimation session to figure out.

The Tundra interior is decidedly not a luxury cabin or a modern cabin, but Toyota has kept it fresh where it counts. Last year, Toyota added a standard 7-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Most drivers have more loyalty to their brand of smartphone than their brand of car or truck, so the infotainment update was absolutely critical.

In Canada, the Tundra is sold in Double Cab models and Crewmax crew cab models. TRD Offroad and TRD Sport Premium packages are available with the shorter boxes in both cab configurations, and Crewmax trucks also offer Trail, TRD Offroad Premium, and TRD Pro packages. The top-tier Crewmax Platinum grade is also available with the 1794 Edition package. The base Double Cab includes standard 18-inch alloy wheels, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, power-adjustable heated side mirrors, and heated front seats. We drove the entry-level crew cab trim, the CrewMax SR5, with the new-for-2021 Trail Special Edition package with black badging, dark grey wheels, a unique grille, and Predator side steps. (Note: U.S. model tested and shown; Canadian models are packaged with different equipment as reflected in this review.)

The TRD Off-road packages offer different add-ons, including Bilstein shocks, 18-inch off-road alloys with all-terrain tires, a power moonroof, and LED headlamps and fog lamps. TRD Off-road Premium also includes a spray-in bedliner, blind spot monitor, leather seats, and on-board navigation. TRD Sport swaps out the wheels for 20-inch alloys and the shocks for a sport-tuned set, and a hood scoop is added. Jump to the Toyota Tundra TRD Pro package and you’ll get a 5 cm lift, Fox off-road shock absorbers, all-terrain tires, beefed-up skid plates, and a TRD exhaust, plus a power-adjustable passenger seat and a 12-speaker JBL audio system. It also has unique styling touches, including massive "TOYOTA" lettering in the grille.

The Platinum trim features a blacked-out grille, unique “Platinum” badging, and chrome, heated, power-folding, memory side mirrors. Other features on the Platinum include heated and ventilated front seats, uniquely embroidered leather seatback upholstery, and a 10-way adjustable driver’s seat with memory. The 1794 Edition largely has the same content as the Platinum trim and features some unique visual and interior touches such as a leather and woodgrain wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.

For 2021, the Tundra comes standard with Toyota’s 5.7-litre V8 engine. In previous years, this was the high-feature powertrain, but Toyota dropped the 4.6-litre V8 after 2019, making the previously-optional 5.7-litre unit the only choice. Given how underpowered and inefficient the 4.6-litre engine was, we’re not shedding any tears over its departure. When properly equipped, the Tundra has a towing capacity of 4,400 kilograms (9,700 pounds) and a payload capacity of 599 kg (1,320 lb). This towing capacity is below that of trucks like the Ford F-150, which can tow up to 6,350 kg (14,000 lb) when properly equipped.

The 5.7-litre V8 makes 391 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. Power is routed through a six-speed automatic transmission with a manual tap-shift function. In Canada, the Tundra comes standard with four-wheel drive with low range. The traditional shifter design is far more intuitive than some of the newer shifter designs found in other trucks. The downside is those newer trucks have more gears in their transmissions, allowing for better fuel efficiency and power management. Still, the six-speed automatic is responsive enough and is eager to jump down a gear or two when you lay into the gas pedal. Acceleration from the V8 is strong at both low speeds and high. It’s never overly jumpy, but confident in all scenarios.

The Tundra is comfortable over just about any surface. Though it soaks up nearly any kind of bump in the road, its width ensures it’s never too top-heavy in corners. The steering is vague at low speeds but settles in on the highway. That’s where this truck feels most at-home—cruising along at 100 km/h.

There are two cab sizes and three bed sizes for the Tundra. The Double Cab is an extended-cab pickup. Though it looks like it may have clamshell doors like the F-150, they are actually conventionally-opening rear doors. The Double Cab is available with either a 2 metre (6.5 foot) or a 2.48 metre (8.1 foot) bed. We drove the CrewMax, which is a full four-door crew cab and comes with a 1.695 metre (5.5 foot) bed. The CrewMax is simply massive. With the front seats positioned as far back as possible, the rear seat passengers still have more legroom than first class on an airliner. The rear seats fold up, providing a large cargo area that’s lockable and protected from the elements.

The front seats have plenty of room and a massive centre console. In addition to a deep centre compartment, the area around the shifter has three cup holders and plenty of space for phones, keys, and wallets. The doors have trays and multiple cup/bottle holders, but they are not as large as those found in other full-size pickups.

When automakers design a vehicle, they general leave the infotainment for last. That’s because the technology has likely progressed from the time of the first CAD renders to the end of vehicle development. Still, the Tundra’s dated underpinnings meant for most of its production life, it had dated cabin technology. Toyota fixed that for the 2020 Tundra, completely updating the infotainment system. That update has been carried into 2021. It comes standard with long-overdue features such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It’s all operated via a standard 8-inch touchscreen with standard SiriusXM satellite radio and available navigation.

The touchscreen is easy to operate, has a sensible layout, and has the benefit of redundant hard buttons on either side of the screen. The truck also comes standard with multiple USB ports and Bluetooth connectivity.

The Tundra comes standard with a seven-speaker stereo on Double Cab trim levels and nine speakers on the CrewMax. An available JBL premium audio system provides 12 speakers including a subwoofer and amplifier.

In 2018, Toyota added its Toyota Safety Sense P suite of driver-assistance features as standard equipment. This includes forward-collision warning and avoidance, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. The Tundra was one of the first pickup trucks in the segment to include these advanced safety features as standard equipment. In this sense, Toyota knows exactly how to keep the Tundra up-to-date. Optional safety features include front and rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.

Every Tundra comes standard with eight airbags, including front- and side-impact airbags. Other standard safety features include a tire pressure monitoring system and a tow package with a heavy-duty hitch receiver and transmission cooler.

All Tundra grades receive the same fuel consumption ratings from Natural Resources Canada: 18.0 litres per 100 kilometres in the city, 14.2 on the highway, and 16.3 combined. In our week of combined city and highway driving, we observed an average fuel use of 17.0 L/100 km.

Base MSRP for the 2021 Toyota Tundra is $47,010, before fees and a destination charge of $1,860. That’s for the base 4x4 Double Cab with the 6.5-foot bed. The Double Cab with the long box starts at $48,640. The most affordable CrewMax trim is the SR5, which starts at $48,080. Pricing for the CrewMax Platinum starts at $64,250. Packages run from $3,300 all the way to $20,300 extra for the TRD Pro upgrade to the CrewMax SR5.

An all-new Tundra is expected to be announced in the second half of 2021 as a 2022 model. That means this current truck is the swan song for the second-generation Tundra. Though it may be a 13-year-old design, Toyota has kept the Tundra relevant with modern infotainment and high-tech safety features. For many truck buyers, this is the perfect combination of old and new. It has those modern features, but it’s still a rugged pickup that can take some abuse. As other full-size trucks have evolved, some have almost become too comfortable for real work. And as the Ram 1500 has shown, there’s such a thing as too much tech in a pickup. In this sense, the Tundra benefits from its age, sticking to what makes trucks so useful, while keeping up with the times.

Note: Images show a US model.