Request for Community Help: Which 3rd Gen Tundra should I get based on my needs

Ok, community… I’ve really enjoyed reading and getting your inputs so far. One of my strengths and weaknesses is my over thinking. I’d like to know from the community based on experience and knowledge which Tundra I should consider. Mostly, I am debating now about going with 4x4 vs RWD.

My muddled thoughts things for narrowing my selection down:

1. I live in an area that does not budget for preparing the roads for winter. We see ice occasionally and there are a lot of cars stuck on the side of the road and accidents. People do not know how to drive in ice around here. I’ve only ever owned 2WD vehicles. I just sold my RWD Tacoma and wanted to get a Tundra. Occasionally, I’ll drive through muddy areas in the mountains as well. I see that it would be better to have 4x4 and not need it rather than need it and not have it. 4x4 on ice? Reading good and bad things about it. It’s my main reason for getting 4x4, is it flawed to have this as my main reason?
2. I don’t drive often. I put 10k miles on my Tacoma in about 3 years.
3. I read in order to maintain the drivetrain you need to activate 4x4 once every few months, but not on a drive paved road. Should I find a trail to do this every so often?
4. I want a 6.5 ft bed and Double Cab. Even though I had young kids, I’d rather have DC w/ 6.5 ft bed vs Crew with 6.5 ft bed.
5. Resale value! I heard 4x4 has a much higher resale value than 2WD.

Any help and discussion on this is really appreciated.


My current selection is 4x4 DC SR5 w/ TRD Off-Road package.

Pricing is a different topic, but let’s stick with SR5 for the trim selection.

 

Those young kids will turn into big kids. If you are keeping it for some time, I would get the crew max. Other than not engaging or using 4wd at higher speeds I really don't give it much thought. If it concerns you, engage it on gravel or on a rainy day. I'll bet that you use the 4wd more than you think you will. The thing that I am careful of when using 4wd is to unlock it before making sharp turns.

 

4x4 non trd , crew max

 

Ya , the new dc is a joke in the back seat, you’ll be kicking yourself for getting it

get the crew with whatever bed size works for you.

4wd is totally worth it with some good snow flake rated tires

 

Every comment helps me think about it in a different way, so thank you. We have a comfy SUV that has us covered for the long trips with the kids (even they are older). I think I would miss the longer bed more than I would the cabin space. Also, considering point #5 (maybe I’m too optimistic), I might have more need in the future for larger cabin vs bed size, in that event, I would probably sell the DC and buy a new truck if the price difference wasn’t much.

 

I’m coming from a 2020 Tacoma with access cab to a 2023 Tundra DC, I’d like to think it is a drastic improvement and I would not need more than the DC for my needs.

 

How tall are you is another consideration, if your tall enough at all to move the driver seat back, there won’t even be room in the dc for short trips either

some of the photos show the front seat damn near against the back, Toyota phucked up the dc this time around IMO

I had a 2010 and it was very useable, new one, not so much

 

I agree with the comments above.

My 2017 double cab worked well with kids but I don’t know what Toyota was thinking when they designed the double cab on the 2022 & 23’s? I can’t even put my kids backpack behind the front seats. It won’t fit.

The only way I would buy a non 4x4 is if you lived in Miami Florida.

Like you said it’s better to have 4x4 in case you need it rather than not having that option. I also am not sure if your dealership has a decent amount of non 4x4’s. I realize I’m up in the north but I rarely see any non 4x4 trucks up here.

So for my 2 cents. Crew Cab 4x4 6.5 bed.

 

wow! That’s awful. It doesn’t sound much better than the experience I had with the Tacoma Access cab.

 

My 2 year olds feet hit the passenger front seat in a crewmax, get a 4x4 crewmax 6.5 ft bed

 

Made the double cab mistake. There is barely any room back there. 5’8” children….
Kids grow go crewmax.
Limited gives ya a lot of features. SR5 if ur on budget. If u want to be extra cool. Go Pro.

 

I can hear it now, "stop kicking the back of the seat", "don't make me pull over"

HA

 

Double cab doesn’t have a power rear window? Is there a package that adds this functionality? Kind of strange to me that it doesn’t have this on DC.

 

no only the crewmax has the entire window that comes down. unless your talking about power slider where the little port hole opens, then I think the limited DC has that, but I could be way off on the little slider portion

go download the spec sheet at toyota.com

 

If you get a 5.5 ft crew cab, could you potentially gain extra length for putting something in the bed by rolling down the rear window. Has anyone used it that way yet? Example, putting a kayak(s) in the bed of the truck, can you use the extra space in the cab by rolling down the rear window?

EDIT: I saw that 4 was a bit specific and probably not a common case, so I changed it before I saw the next comment.

 

Not 4, just one. Not sure how you'd get 4 in there but one 10ft will fit. I know, this is my '14 but I'm sure the '22 can do it too.

 

my brother in law lays 4 of them on their side and has them hanging off the tail gate. Our kids are growing, and we have kayaks now, so we would be in the same situation, makes me uncomfortable having them hang off the back. Of course, putting them in the cab means the kids wouldn’t have any head room

 

You're putting requirements on this that only an HD crew cab flat bed can accomplish. Even an 8' long bed 1ton will have 10' kayaks hanging over the tailgate.

It sounds like you either need a trailer or an HD crew cab with a flat bed.

Honestly, don't get a truck. Your focus is too much on passengers. Get a Sequoia and a trailer.

 

Fair enough. I have just seen the inconveniences of having the shorter truck bed, so I’m just trying to weigh that in overall. Don’t get me wrong, I want to use the truck as a truck, not a luxury family vehicle. I just overthink things and having objective opinions helps me make a decision sometimes.

 

Yeah, I have seen those inconveniences as well, which is why I have a DC. We don't have kids and the 6.5' bed is more than enough for 2 people and a dog. My partner packs heavy, so the bed is always full on trips. We have an inflatable SUP and my 9' kayak. Daytrips are good, but camping with it causes issues. I'm planning on getting a RetraxPro XR and putting low bed bars on mine. You could do 4 with a kayak stacker in the middle of bedbars. Loading and unloading might suck though and they will be hanging over the end of the truck.

4x4 on ice isn't going to do anything. If all 4 are on an ice patch, you're sliding unless you've got chains or studs.

 

OP, I think you're convinced on buying a DC. The 6.5ft bed should be able to carry 4 single-person kayaks (8-11ft long) with the tailgate down. It will be easier to park than a CM longbed.

Given that you're getting rid of a newer (2020) vehicle, you're probably ok with getting another vehicle in a few years if your needs change.

Regarding the 4WD option, you've been driving a 2WD truck and have been fine. Perhaps testdrive both drivetrains on a snowy day and decide from there.

 

Ok so I found online a side by side comparison on the 2022 Crew Max back seat floor mats on the left and the 2022 Double Cab back seat floor mats on the right.

 

Incredibly tight fit by comparison to CM.

Your reply inspired me to do the math between my previous truck, our SUV, and the Tundra DC. Tundra DC sits squarely in between these. The SUV we have has a third row, we’ve had adults sit there before. The Tundra DC is 3in more than that 3rd row on the SUV. Tight, but not unbearable. The Tundra CM has more rear leg room than our SUV does…lol

In short, DC will fit our needs. I was however, surprised that the Tundra front seat is about an inch less leg room than the Tacoma front seat.

 

You can't just leave it in 4wd unless you are on a loose surface. If the ice or snow or mud are everywhere, then you can leave it engaged. If the slick surface is occasional, you can't. And in 2wd, pickups are pretty crappy since they are rwd and light in the rear end.

 

You asked, I would say, get the crewmax. The benefits of the extra space and roll down window are immense. You can get a CM w/ 6.5 bed. That size could be tricky to fit in a garage and parking would be a little tougher. Hell, if you want bed space, then get the double cab with the 8’.

As far as 4x4, I think it’s worth it. It’s nice to have, it might open up some new adventures for you, and resale is better. You can save a few bucks by foregoing the TRD OR package; for what your describing, regular 4x4 would be fine (TBF, it’s 95% or more all anyone needs.)

 

Regarding driving on snow...

If you're on true ice, the only thing saving you is studded tires. 4wd will get you going, maybe too fast, in snowy conditions. It'll help you get around turns. It will not help you brake.

I'd rather have snow tires and 2wd than 4wd and highway tires. The M+S Duelers that came on my tundra are a joke.

 

Hmmm…can someone point me to a thread or provide conclusions on what would be a good tire for the Tundra? It comes with All Terrain, which I hear is awful for snow and ice. We don’t get those conditions often, but when we do, it’s something I wish I was better prepared for. I do not plan to take it off-road much at all if ever (maybe once every other month to keep the drivetrain maintained). I don’t think I want to switch out the tires each season, probably just good a good tire that is well-rounded for my needs plus extra traction for the snow and ice. Maybe studded. Or something else.

 

The double cab isn’t bad for kids or shorter adults. If you move the front seats forward a little and are under 6ft tall the back is just fine for most trips. If you plan to haul tall adults on long road trips a lot the crew cab might be worth the price bump. If your kids are tall enough that the back is too small it’s probably time for them to get their own car or move out of the house lol

 

There are so many variables to choosing the "best tire". Unfortunately, it's not a one-size-fits-all (or one-tread-fits-all) decision. There are pages of valuable info on the 3rd gen wheels and tires forum. Also, get tires from a shop that would allow you to exchange them if needed.

 

Maybe not where you live, but in a lot of places studded tires are illegal to use on a dry road... because they tear it up. They also make a lot of noise. They are only sensible for places that have very cold temps and snow/ice on the road for months.

I've heard that good winter/snow tires make a big difference. The tread compound is specifically optimized for that surface. Swapping out some beater wheels with those for winter use is sensible... but only in places that really have winter, as they wear out quicker and do not perform well on dry roads.

The Tundra just isn't going to be a good vehicle for dealing with occasional spotty ice and snow. My wife had a Subaru that was pretty awesome. Well balanced weight, the best full time AWD system, and good ground clearance.