I have owned several Toyotas and know how well they are made, so naturally when shopping for a new full size truck I went straight for Toyota. I even contacted my dealer on the internet first - Toyota has a GREAT internet shopping program, and the dealer I contacted responded promptly, and will very good prices.

Our needs call for a pickup truck for life on the farm, and an extended cab to occasionally transport our elder family members comfortably as well as for all the other little things (4 dogs, etc.) that the extra cab was designed for.

We went anxiously to our Toyota dealer to pick out a color. As we drove down the highway a Tundra passed us, and we noticed that the cab from the doormetal up curved in as it rose. Upon careful examination, there is a wide wheelbase, but the actual truck width is a few inches IN with flared wheelwell covers. From there, the cab gently curves in at the window height - further diminishing the actual cabin space. The dashboard is very close (yes, I'm short, but my GMC truck's dashboard doesn't 'hug' me). Toyota brags that it is the only extended cab pickup to feature external handles for the rear doors, but you still have to open the front door to open the rear door, so this external door handle is of no particular value - in fact, it's quite aggravating if you have to polish around it, and it interrupts the smooth lines of the truck.

With the rear doors open, we observed the rear seat - maybe an inch or so shorter than the GMCs, but the legroom was shorter by inches - down to about 6 inches from the seat edge to the back of the front seat. This was a major disappointment for us. For all it's outside dimensions, the interior is quite 'close' - even the bucket seats are a bit narrow.

However: the wide wheelbase provides excellent handling and traction. The V8 motor is top notch, quiet, responsive - everything we've come to expect from a Toyota. For me, the instrument cluster in the SR5 and Limited models was cluttered and confusing. I searched a long time before I located the gear indicator, located vertically and about 1/3 of the way in on the right side of the instrument cluster, crowded in between the tach, oil gauge, temp gauge, etc.. The digital odometers I suppose I'll have to get used to, since most vehicles seem to have them now, but you can't read them unless the key is at "accessory" or "on". Toyota still stubbornly uses little padding in their seats - but in this case, it would only take up space they couldn't afford to give up.

If you don't need a real, full size pick up truck, the Tundra is a very good vehicle with high ratings in crash testing safety, a best buy rating from Consumer Reports, and an international reputation for quality. I just wish it REALLY was full size - I'd have one in the driveway today.
Amount Paid (US$): 24,000
Model and Options: SR5 and Limited - had most options other than luxury leather