Toyota is well-reputed for producing some of the safest and most reliable cars. If you are a current owner or have been eyeing on a Tundra, you pretty much know what to expect. You know it’s a tough full-size truck that they can count on for a long period of time. Learn more about some of the most exciting features to look forward to in the 2021 Toyota Tundra.
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The 2021 Tundra is set to live up to Toyota’s reputation with the addition of a myriad of smart safety features that come standard. This is good news for all potential buyers because they do not need to spend premium on getting those sought after features.
2021 Toyota Tundra Features
Exciting New Features of the 2021 Toyota Tundra
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Relatively Advanced Safety Features Comes As Standard
Forward-Collision Warning (FCW) System which is called Pre-collision system with pedestrian detection (PCS with PD) in Toyota cars. In general, FCW systems give you visual, audible, and.or tactile alerts to warn you of an imminent collision with a vehicle or object directly forward in your path.
According to Toyota, the PCS with PD can help mitigate or prevent impact with a vehicle or pedestrian in certain circumstances. It uses a camera and radar by providing both audio and visual alerts. If you fail to respond, the system is made to brake automatically.
Other advanced features also include a lane departure warning system, and adaptive cruise control, a simple yet advanced technology. It uses radars in your vehicle to see the vehicle in front of you, and then it will increase or slow down the speed of your vehicle up to the maximum that you can set based on what the vehicle is doing.
For example, in a traffic situation where you don’t have adaptive cruise control, you’d have to speed up and slow down over and over again. Adaptive cruise control makes it easier for you when you are in this situation. Instead of repeatedly pressing on the gas pedal for a few seconds only to brake again, adaptive cruise control gets the job done for you.
So on top of the more generic standard safety features like an electronic stability control system, it has these standard smart safety features. If you want all the safety tools, you have the option to add blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert in the 2021 Tundra.
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Addition of Two Special Editions Packages
The 2021 Toyota Tundra is virtually the same as the 2020 model. Other than having advanced safety features as standard, the only significant updates for the 2021 model year are the addition of 2 special editions packages named the Trail edition and Nightshade. They are said to each cater to a different lifestyle.
Tundra Nightshade Edition
- Midnight Black Metallic Exterior
- Black Mirror Caps
- Black Leather Trim
- Black Alloy Wheels
- Black Exterior Trim
- Dark Chrome Grille
- Black Door Handles
- Magnetic Gray Metallic Exterior
- Super White Exterior
- Windchill Pearl Exterior
Tundra Trail Edition
- Midnight Black Metallic Exterior
- Army Green Exterior
- Super White Exterior
- Cement Exterior
- Black Exterior Badges
- Chrome Grille
- Black Interior with Tan Accents
- 38-Gallon Fuel Tanks
- 40-Quart Lockable Bed Storage
Other Features
2021 Tundra Engine
The Toyota Tundra is powered by a 5.7-L V8 engine that generates 381 horsepower and 401 lb-feet of torque. This truck has lively acceleration and good power, but some competitors have better-performing engines, and offer more engine options. Many experts find that its six-speed automatic gearbox runs smoothly.
2021 Tundra Gas Mileage
This model year Tundra gets EPA fuel economy estimates of 13 mpg in the city and 17 mpg on the highway no matter what drivetrain. Those figures are low compared to its rivals with smaller engines, but they’re also well behind compared to V8-powered competitions.
2021 Tundra Ride and Handling
There is much to be desired when it comes to this truck’s handling and ride performance, especially when compared to its rivals. It does not perform enough even by large truck standards. Its suspension performs poorly in absorbing road bumps, especially bigger ones. The handling of this Toyota also lacks luster and its size makes maneuvering it difficult in tight areas.
2021 Tundra Towing Capacity
A properly equipped Tundra can tow up to 10,200 lbs, and can haul up to 1,730 lbs. These figures aren’t that impressive since almost every other full-size pickup truck can tow and haul more than those.
2021 Tundra Interior
This pickup truck can accommodate six people, and the two cab styles have two row seats. You’ll have lots of head- and legroom in both the front and in the back. The legroom at the back seats are especially spacious in the CrewMax cab. However, it falls short in comfortability compared to its class rivals.
In terms of interior quality, the 2021 Tundra provides a spacious cabin with a functional design, but it already feels dated which is an obvious indication that the Tundra has gone without a redesign for a long time. The interior is lackluster with cheap-feeling materials and again, not able to keep with most of its rivals when it comes to being stylish, luxurious and modern.
All Toyota Tundra models come with two complete sets of rear-seat LATCH connectors plus a tether anchor in the back middle seat.
This Toyota truck is an impressive cargo hauler. It comes with 5-foot-6-inch, 6-foot-6-inch and 8-foot-inch beds which depend on the cab style. The only downside is that the bed has a high floor and tall sides, making it difficult to load heavy cargo.
2021 Tundra Infotainment, Bluetooth and Navigation
The 2021 Toyota Tundra comes standard with the Entune infotainment system. It works fine, and its touchscreen is responsive. Unfortunately, the interface is not as intuitive as some of its class rivals’ setups. Its virtual buttons are small, and some menus and functions are not that easy to navigate through.
Standard Infotainment Features:
- 7-inch touch screen
- Apple CarPlay
- Android Auto
- Amazon Alexa
- 3 USB ports
- Bluetooth
- Satellite Radio
- Six-speaker stereo
- Wi-Fi hotspot
Available Infotainment Features:
- 8-inch touch screen
- Seven- or nine-speaker stereo
- Navigation
- 12-speaker JBL premium stereo
Other Available Features:
- Rear-sliding Window (Double Cab)
- Power-Retractable Rear Window (CrewMax)
- Proximity Keyless Entry
- Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control
- Moonroof
- Push-button start
Which Tundra model is best?
The 2021 Toyota Tundra has 6 trims, namely, SR, SR5, Limited, TRD Pro, Platinum and 1794 Edition. In general, the Limited model is a good choice as it offers comfort features like leather upholstery and heated front bucket seats, as well as convenience upgrades such as navigation, dual-zone automatic climate control and power-adjustable front seats.
If you want to go for a trim cheaper than the Limited trim, the best Tundra model is the midlevel SR5 trim. It comes with a handful of upgrades over the base trim and a number of options such as the off-road-focused TRD Sport package.
But ultimately, the best Tundra model would depend on your needs. Before choosing a trim, you’ll need to choose which cab and bed you want since not every trim comes with both cab styles or all 3 bed lengths.
Quick Guide on Two Tundra Cab Styles:
Standard Double Cab – is spacious enough to accommodate adult passengers in the back comfortably. However, the legroom in the back is a bit smaller than what other Toyota models have.
CrewMax Cab – is recommended if you frequently travel with adults or taller passengers in the rear seat. It has more legroom at 42.3 inches.
Both cab styles have two row seats. You can get in and out of the back seats of each cab style with ease since both have conventional front-hinged rear doors.
Tundra’s Three Different Bed Lengths
- 5 feet, 6 inches
- 6 feet, 6 inches
- 8 inches, 1 inch
Selecting between them mainly depends on the cab. If you go with CrewMax cab, the smallest best is the only option. But if you go with the double cab, you can pair it with two longer beds. Take note that not every trim level offers both combos of cab styles and bed sizes.
The only reason to go with the 8-foot bed over the shorter one is if you regularly haul extra-long cargo. Keep in mind that the longest bed makes the pickup truck close to 21 feet long and hinders maneuverability and turning radius.
All Tundra beds have the same width which provide more than enough space for laying standard sheets of plywood. But the sidewalls in a Tundra are high, making it hard to reach over to retrieve your stuff.
Four-wheel drive is available to any model (other than the TRD Pro which already comes standard with 4WD). After choosing a cab/bed combo, you can proceed to choosing which trim to purchase.
How much will the 2021 Tundra cost?
Some of the most exciting features to look forward to in the 2021 Toyota Tundra are going to be available at different price points. Here are the six trims of 2021 Toyota Tundra along with their price:
Toyota Tundra SR
Base Price: $33,675
It comes standard with these features: four-way manually adjustable front seats, heated and power-adjustable outside mirrors, cloth upholstery, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that comes with Apple Carplay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, 3 USB ports, Bluetooth, voice recognition, Wi-fi hotspot, satellite radio and a six-speaker stereo.
Standard Driver Assistance Features
- Forward Collision Warning System
- Pedestrian Detection
- Automatic Emergency Braking
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Automatic High-Beam Headlights
- Lane Departure Warning
Toyota Tundra SR5
Base Price: $35,36
This trim adds an auto-dimming rearview mirror, an 8-inch touch screen, fog lights and a universal garage door opener. If you opt for a double cab version, you’ll get a seven-speaker stereo, while going for a CrewMax version will get you a nine-speaker stereo.
Toyota Tundra Limited
Base Price: $42,390
This trim comes with leather upholstery, heated front bucket seats, a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, a six-way power-adjustable passenger seat, LED headlights and fog lights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a deck rail system with 4 adjustable tie-down cleats, navigation and proximity keyless entry.
Toyota Tundra TRD Pro
Base Price: $48,775
TRD Pro trim comes with enhanced interior and exterior design elements, a front skid plate, front tow hooks, and TRD Pro front shocks and Fox rear shocks. This trim comes standard with 4WD. If you want a sunroof, go with a TRD Pro CrewMax model.
Toyota Tundra Platinum
Base Price: $48,895
The Tundra Platinum trim has a vertical power rear window, 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, ventilated front seats, and a 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat. It also comes standard with advanced safety features including front and rear parking sensors, rear cross traffic alert and blind spot monitoring.
Toyota Tundra 1794 Edition
Base Price: $48,895
This trim has almost the same features as the Platinum trim. It just has some different interior and exterior styling.
Recommendation for Towing and Hauling
As mentioned previously, the 2021 Tundra has lower max towing and hauling capacities than most other vehicles in its class–full-size pickups. The best option among the trims for towing and hauling is the base Tundra.
The SR trim with the 6-foot-6-inch model bed and rear-wheel drive has a towing capacity of 10,200 lbs and a max payload capacity of 1,730, the Tundra’s max capacity for each trim. If you want a trim with a few additional features to go with that capability, better go for the SR5 trim.
Recommendation for Off-Roading
For off-roading, go with the TRD Pro trim. This model comes standard with 4WD and upgrades like TRD Pro front shocks, Fox rear shocks, a front skid plate and front tow hooks. On top of that, it comes with uniquely branded aggressive exterior and interior design elements. But to get all these, you must be willing to pay more with a base price at $49,000.
Conclusion
It is a fact that the Toyota Tundra is one of the oldest vehicles in the American market. When the current Tundra made its debut in 2007, it was an impressive alternative to the Ford F-150 and Ram 1500.
There are many things to love about the Tundra such as its V8 engine, and spacious interior. However, the list of some of the most exciting features to look forward to in the 2021 Toyota Tundra is pretty short. It now comes standard with relatively advanced safety features which is good. But other than that, the only minor updates for the 2021 model year from the 2020 Tundra, are two new special edition models that focus on the styling rather than improvements to features. Those where some of the most exciting features to look forward to in the 2021 Toyota Tundra