When have we, or will we, reach "peak pickup truck"?

Excluding the heavier duty trucks (2500, F350 etc), among standard duty full size pickup trucks when did we, or will we reach peak pickup? By this definition, "peak truck" means the truck, as a means of transportation, function, and technology reached its maximum, the optimization of all. Are they at, near or past the point at which one cannot move away from where they are without lessening the truck as a truck? If you think we've reached or passed it, what is your example? If we're not there yet, what's left to achieve to strike the best perfection?

For example, I really loved my 2001 Chevy, but it was never able to optimize useful tech. The Onstar never, ever could complete setup. It had no backup camera meaning that a truck of that size was always a bit anxiety-provoking about pedestrians when reversing out of the driveway.

Subsequent Chevys almost without exception let me down as the reliability of the drive trains just didn't live up to standards. As the years went by GM obviously was implementing more and more technological bells and whistles as means to distract from and try and overcome the technical/physical limitations of their designs and manufacturing.

This moved me on to the 2021 Tundra. I'm exceptionally pleased with almost every aspect of this truck. It doesn't have some tech of other presently available models, which isn't a negative to me. If it had front bumper motion sensors, a longer bed, and a couple more MPG I would say that this is "peak truck". Unfortunately, from what I've seen so far, I think the 2022 moves away from the ideal, though I may be proven wrong on that or others will (likely) have other opinions.

What does the forum have to say?

 

‘08s were / are the best Tundra ever.

 

Funny question and even funnier premise in the post, in my opinion.
I believe its obvious that the vast majority of light duty trucks on the road are primarily passenger vehicles and are rarely used for ‘truck’ duty.
This has been a growing trend for over 20 years. The stuff that you mentioned as stuff you feel counts contribute virtually nothing to the actual attributes needed to haul, tow, pull, or transport goods.
That technology stuff just makes them more like the cars that people are used to driving

 

Maybe at some point in the past we reached the peak, and are just now descending.

 

Yep, and don’t get the wrong idea, it’s a trend I understand and doesn’t bother me at all. Retired now and a little limited at my age, I mostly use my truck as a passenger car. We tow the boat or a trailer maybe a dozen times a year.

 

My 2018 Tundra is peak truck in my opinion. I don't need any more than this.
Some new things are nice, but not needed.

 

Its pretty clear that there are two types of truck owners which is perfectly fine in my opinion. Those who insist that their truck should be as comfortable and entertaining as if they were sitting in their living room in front of their home entertainment system, and those of us who bought a truck for a different reason, and just want it to be rugged and reliable, and do truck shit.

 

I don't think we can know. As trends and tech develop, what we imagined as pinnacle will be eclipsed. Imagine an electric truck that charges fast, tows with better torque than a diesel for greater distances and with lower overall maintenance. Not there yet but maybe someday. When or if that happens, will that be the peak? What would possibly be the next level? Flux capacitor? Mr Fusion?

 

A 2007-2021 Tundra with a 10speed and aluminum body panels would be peak truck for me. Imagine the increased payload and better fuel efficiency if this platform kept the same 5.7L, same axles, same GVWR, lost several hundred pounds in curb weight, and added a 10speed.

My only complaints are payload and mpg, both of which I am willing to live with in order to have a truck that is more capable than it is rated, is ready to go whenever I want, always gets me home, and spends no time at the shop.

A midsize is too small for my family of 5 plus a dog. An HD truck is just huge, especially with the increased wheelbase and turning radius. The Tundra really does drive smaller than it is with the tighter turning radius.

 

hell yes. I’m not even as old as those trucks, but damn gotta respect the style and heavy duty parts those 250’s had.

I think fuel prices and political pressure will determine the future of consumer pickup trucks. I can see a possibility that one day midsize trucks will be a bigger market than fullsize for average consumers

 

Opposed piston engines getting 30+mpg and high torque numbers. I think the tech is there but mass manufacturing is not.

Achates Power is doing some interesting stuff, but they don't mass manufacture engines.

 

In 1974 I bought the new 1975 F-150 HD 1/2 ton 4X4 RCSB. Not exactly "peak". The 360 in mine had a measly 145 hp. heck, the F-250 only had 217 hp and 316 ftlbs of torque. The F series were built solid but weak as hell.

 

1994-1996 F150 Solid trucks, just enough tech and safety, good powertrains, decent fuel economy, nice styling, by far some of the best trucks I ever owned.

 

I really like the F-250's back then. Yep, the granny gear was freakin low

 

Then why are modern trucks easily making it 200,000 miles and even a million miles without major repairs? Trying doing that with a truck from the 70's.

 

Interesting how they’ve flipped: now they’re extremely capable but not built solid at all.

 

Ran a 79 Mazda with a ford 2.3 well over double that in my family, that truck went three generations and probably well over a half million miles. Not one trans fluid, brake fluid, or diff fluid change in it's life either. Quaker state 10 40 for the win on that one!

 

We are in the realm of the following

$100,000 pick up trucks
Tailgate wars
Raptor, TRX war with 700 hp now the bar to be measured by
HD trucks with 31,000 lb towing.
200,000 miles is pedestrian
Laptop screens as your center stack
Electric power steering
Hybrid and full electric pick ups

Call me a luddite, I don't care, but if this isn't peak pick up truck I won't care to see what is.

When, not if, we see 96 month financing look out. All the above are going to be antiquated in 5 years.

 

The IRONY

 

1973 Chevy LUV prolly doesn't fall into the peak truck category.................

 

Now this was a Peak Truck or at least I always kind of dreamed about one!

 

Surely you don’t mean on here as in on this Tundra forum…where are all these failed 2021 Tundras? I’ve seen some posts with a couple of issues, but failures?

 

I drove a 93 Toyota pickup for a while. As far as a truck doing truck shit, sure it was light duty but checks all the boxes. Mine was a single cab and had heat and AC, a custom stereo with two 10s behind the seat, that's all the tech I needed. Never had a problem aside from a failed tire here and there from running over nails at job sites (God damn framers).

My 03 has a bit more modern motor and ecu, it's more comfortable. Every bit as reliable, handles more load, more capable. Also has heat, AC, custom stereo, all the tech I need. I don't need blind spot detection or backup cameras as long as my neck works. I don't like big touch screen monitors, too distracting.

Peak? That's in everybody's personal view. I don't see a reason to need more for my use.

 

This is a “peak” Toyota truck

 

move to Australia mate this, this is always Peak Truck over there

 

Maybe doesn't get to the crux of your question but when I talk to guys I know who I consider true truck guys, they say the 2/2.5 gen Tundra is the only modern halfton they'd consider owning for their own personal use. Big NA V8, robust 6 speed transmission, 4.30 rear end. Sure payload numbers on the door jamb are lower than the competitors but it's going to feel more stable towing 7000 lbs than a 4500 lb Ford with twin turbos.

 

Hey, nothing wrong with having both. After a long ass day of putting yourself and your truck through its paces, sometimes you need a few minutes to close your eyes and decompress in your comfy cab so that you can be an awesome dad when you get attacked by your children as soon as you open the door.

…pretty sure there’s a commercial somewhere in that statement lol

 

This thread? Two guys had failures with a 2020 and a 2021 respectively. You said you had the same issue with your 2018 but you implied it was from user error. I agree that it sucks, but that’s hardly “so many guys on here with 2021 trucks…having failures already”.

The mechanic said that 292 rack and pinions are on back order. But that is nationwide and it appears that these parts are the same for 2007-2021 trucks. Again, I’d hate it if it happened to me, but this is not an issue that needs a recall to address it.

 

I've had multiple Tacoma's from late 80's to 2007. Wife is still driving a 2015 - 4 banger w/stick shift. I've had dodge, GMC & chevy full size including 3/4 ton trucks for pulling heavy boats when I was guiding. I like the utility, reliability and function of the Tundra's better than any of those. My Tundra is a platform that I mostly recreate with, but some work as well. I personally don't want them to get any more high tech as that is a recipe for disaster. Living in rural Montana and always ending up in the sticks, an electric truck will never be practical.

Heading towards retirement, it won't be practical to continue paying more for a newer version just to get bells & whistles...especially after getting all the mods in place to function the way I need my truck. The driving factor to upgrade from a 2017 to 2021 was to be able to still use some of the custom items I built/purchased and get an 8 cylinder engine that is proven and almost trouble free.

I think it would make sense to have two lines of Tundras - probably not monetary sense - one for the soccer moms/dads with all the bells and whistles and a line of more utilitarian trucks for those of us that want trucks. We have to go by the wayside to appease suburbia - after looking at hundreds of threads most of the photos of Tundras are in suburban driveways with not a speck of dirt on them.

The tipping point will be when they get to a price that demand falls to an unprofitable level. People are paying an unbelievable price for a simple phone let alone a vehicle. Most trucks & SUV's now cost as much as my first house. My salesman said he has had more customers walk away from Tundra purchases because of lack of tech & fancy interiors. He's optimistic the new Tundra will be better than sliced bread. I don't like sandwiches so guess I'll be happy with my old one.