While the 2014 Toyota Tundra may not have changed much mechanically from the previous generations, one of the big changes is the new 1794 package. This trim level is the equivalent of what a Lexus pickup truck would look like. Here is our review.

The Toyota Tundra has slowly grown in popularity among truck buyers thanks to its quality, reliability and dependability. While Toyota continues to improve their only full-size truck offering in the world, one area that needed attention was in the higher end packages. The truth is that Ford, GM and Ram all have come out with luxury trim offerings and Toyota really didn’t have a true luxury package like these. This “whole” in their product lineup has been filled with the 1794.

For this review, I drove a 2014 Toyota Tundra 1794 with the iForce 5.7L V-8. Mine was equipped with the upgraded navigation system and 4×4 which priced it at $47k.

Exterior

The new 2014 Tundra changes to the grille, hood, sides and tailgate have added a touch of largeness to the already big pickup. It just looks more bold and while this styling is polarizing to some, the 1794 really shows it off. The full chrome grille matched with the special 1794 badging, create a bold and strong looking pickup.

Also, new for this model year is a really smart 3-piece bumper. This after-market innovation has been a smart addition for quite a while. Now, you can get it straight from the factory. They have also moved the trailer hookups to above the bumper that helps with wiring issues. Lastly, the shoulder lines and slight spoiler on the taligate set off a great looking truck.

Interior

The big news for the 2014 model is all the interior changes. Pretty much everything was redone by Toyota including a new dash, improvement in ergonimics and changing out the slide and recline rear seats for fold up ones. While the truck did lose a lot of small storage pockets, these were mostly overlooked anyway.

The 1794 edition has many interior styling touches including custom floor mats to the leather seats. The seats are really special with their two-tone leather (pulled from Lexus models) and 1794 stitching. They also have a new cooling feature where the hot air is pulled away from your back instead of pushing cold air to your back. Drawing the hot air away from you stops your shirt from feeling cold and damp.

Toyota has also incorporated the leather into the door panels, above the glove box and throughout the cab. These Toyota interior parts are of high quality and will satisfy the naysayers who thought previous generations had too much plastic. This styling really shines and makes the 1794 a strong contender with the other luxury truck offerings.

Driving Impressions

The Toyota Tundra has an incredible engine and lots of torque. Combine this with an improved steering response and on-center feeling, you have a large truck that drives very easy. While, you do have to take your time when turning and realize you aren’t driving a compact car, it has a great turning radius. Most drivers, including myself, find the Tundra to be really easy to drive.

While turning and driving are pretty easy, the 5.7L V-8 engine is really the gem. It puts out 381 hp and 401 lb.-ft of torque. Quite literally you can feel this power, yet it isn’t jerky like other large trucks. The Tundra is mated to a 6-speed transmission, most commonly paired with a 4.10 differential. This gearing with the transmission shifting points delivers a smooth ride.

Safety Features

One of the big surprises of the 2014 Tundra is the amount of great innovations in safety features. While it has the standard, class-leading, air bags and crash test ratings, it also has two new features: blind spot monitoring and cross-traffic alert.

The blind spot monitoring is exactly like it sounds. There is an icon on the mirror that illuminates when a vehicle is in your blind spot. With a vehicle of this size, it is easy for vehicles to enter your blind spot. A smart innovation.

Also, smart and a really great feature is the cross-traffic alert. This system is used when pulling out with the Tundra in reverse. When the system senses a vehicle approaching behind you from cross-traffic, it beeps to alert you. In order to really understand this imagine you are pulling out of a parking spot at the mall. Now imagine that there are two large vehicles blocking your view each way. Instead of doing the “pull out and hope,” this system “looks” for you and alerts you when someone approaches. I had several instances where this system really helped. In the end, I was really surprised at how much I liked this feature.

In the end, this is an expensive truck. Yep, expensive truck. However, if you are looking for a comfortable, reliable pickup it is really tough to beat this Tundra.

Written by Tim Esterdahl