How is the Tundra lacking techology?

Interesting point there on the transmission. New cars have 9,10, 12 speed transmissions, its annoying as hell to have a car constantly (and I mean constantly) changing gears, you never know what gear your in, if you want to floor it and pass someone, the transmissions has to something shift down 5 or 6 gears. More moving parts, more to break, all to add a few MPG. I miss some simplicity (read that as reliability)

 

I don't know about high-trim Tundras, but as far as I'm concerned, the OEMs haven't perfected an automatic AC that works worth a crap and that's been around forever. Only had one that I never paid ANY attention to (it just worked without any fiddling or adjustment) and that was on a 2006 Corvette.

 

what is funny is the gear ratio should be the main concern... not how many gears you have. My dads muscle car would go 40 mph in 1st gear. In my daily driver i am in 4th gear by 40 mph. lol If my car had an OD on top of the OD I have now .... I would get 40+mpg. but I am at 2700 rpm at 70 mph in my car.

I had an exact same trim and car for my 2004 compared to my 2012. the 2004 had a better gear ratio and I got 30 mpg. In my newer car I get 24 mpg.
I drive a manual shift and at 70 mph in my old car 2400-2500 rpm.

 

Had a 110 v in the Chevy, didn't use it once in almost 3 years of owning. Nothing a little DC inverter can't do.

 

One thing that is puzzling to me is there is no standard transmission option. Towing or cruising you get to choose what gear your in. More crank hp to the wheels, better fuel mileage. And my wife wouldn't drive my truck

 

Would be awesome to have a 5.7 with a manual trans. Lazy people killed off manuals and it's a shame.

 

Only thing lacking to me on my 2019 is front center parking sensors and the lack of illuminated control buttons/knobs. Some more USB ports would be nice, but easily fixed with cigarette lighters freaking everywhere! Those Japs must be major chain smokers. LOL The audio/headunit is a joke too... but not that big of a deal to me.

 

To add a better sounding premium stereo, heated seats and steering wheels, remote start, auto up down or whatever windows, adaptive cruise control and other features people would like would keep buyers loyal I'd think. I've also had 5 other vehicles with more tech than the Tundra and I've never had any of the other features let me down.

 

Yeah but the new tacomas drive like dogshit so theres that....

 

Exactly..... less tech/soccer mom crap...>>>>more truck......

 

Anyway, how do you feel about the car? Be honest. Don't hold back. Are you a fan?

 

I graduated from high school in 1984, so I don't understand your question. I don't GET IT when people need MUCH MORE tech.

If so, ADD IT!

I have a 2018 Limited, and I don't have an illuminated ignition ring. This explains why I have never started my truck in the dark; I mean, I can't drive it at night because I can't figure out where to put the key.

Also, I can't fire missiles at other vehicles when I go 'road rage': I seriously need more tech.

NO. I need a truck that starts and runs and that I like. TUNDRA.

 

My first truck had 3 on the tree, a carburetor and 2-55 air. Everything else is just luxury or totally unnecessary. I don't need gps, a 100 watt amp stereo or cup holders for my latte'. I wanted a truck to haul stuff. Lumber, welding equipment, lawnmowers and brush. I own a truck. Nothing less nothing more.

 

Less things to break = Better reliability.

 

My last truck was a 1965 Chevy stepside. Great truck. Painted metal dashboard, no seatbelts, one speed wipers, 3-on-the-tree, 2 crank windows with side vents (the side vents I miss). High beam switch on the floor. It had a heater and a radio. It is easier to list everything it had then what it did not have. I would buy another exactly the same if sold today. I miss that truck. The Tundra is as good a modern truck as I could find.

 

The only thing I have missed that my 17 Tacoma had is the auto up and down windows. Funny how something so simple can be such a pain in the ass to deal with. I liked the keyless entry and push button start, but I was always losing my friggin keys!

 

Yeah, I had forgotten about that! It was actually easier to use my foot than my left hand.

Of course, 'auto' lights are a nice feature ...

 

Yeah, side vents. People today will never feel that bee that got knocked out, then roll around the floor then crawl up the inside your pants leg.

 

The auto high beams are nice, but only when they work. Mine are fairly decent on two-lane roads in rural areas and minimal traffic. Add in much of anything more and I start having issues with the computer high-beaming people.

Still, I use it as much as I can. That's the one more advanced feature I like.

 

For me I paid 50k for my trd pro which I love but I wouldn't mind having some cool features like push start and auto lights and ACC. My wife's ugly Kia was 25 and has more features than my pro. Lol!

 

The only tech you need that the tundra has and the rest don’t offer is “beast mode”

 

When I decided I wanted a 1500. I was looking at Chevy. Particularly a high country trim. Which is the top of the line trim package. I was looking at 2015-2016. Test drive a couple. Beautiful trucks. In the end I went with Toyota because i own Toyota and love the reliability. Now through my little knowledge and test drives. There were few things the high country had over my 2016 platinum and vise versa. The high country had lane departure. The seats would vibrate it did not have blind spot monitoring. Which my tundra does but doesn’t have lane departure. The high country had each individual wheel showing PSI. Tundra does not. The high country I think had a manul tilt steering wheel. The tundra is electronic. But the high country had electronic pedals that could be adjusted everything else honestly was the same. Really wasn’t much of a difference or a wow factor. I went with tundra because I know Toyota is reliable. Plus I like the BSM.

Now my dad owns a 2014 ford fx4. For a 2014 that thing is loaded. What I like abou it, is that ford really put their heads into little details. For example the rear seats when they fold up. They integrated grocery bag hooks. It might be dumb but that’s smart. Toyota.... doesn’t have that. The tailgate on my dads ford has a handle that pops up so it’s easier to climb into the bed. Also, the seat rails have plastic covers over the mounting bolts, and the key doesn’t look like 1989 corolla key lol.

 

But I will say. I went with 2016 platinum tundra. And I love it. I love how spacious it is. And simply the reliability of Toyota. In total I own 3 Toyota’s in my name.

 

I’ve had my 2019 Platinum CM for 2 weeks now and love the truck. But there are some stuff I wish it had:

1. Remote start option standard. I live in Utah and moving to Alaska!

2. Sensors in door handles. Just got use to it over the years.

3. Heated steering wheel (see #1) ... it’s a want not a need, got it!

4. Something better than JBL, it’s straight garbage! Wife’s Hyundai has Bose and it’s 100x better. The kiddos and I love to jam out in the truck on the way to/from school.

5. Better quality backup cam. My lines don’t match up and video good be lot better.

6. No chrome ... not tech but still a want!

But none of these “short falls” pushed me away from the Tundra. I test drove the GMC Sierra AT4 before buying. It had the 6.2L and was loaded beyond belief (priced at $63K). But when I sat in the drivers seat it was blah and the interior was cramped in comparison. All that technology was worthless when I wasn’t comfortable in the seat!

*Note: GMC tail gate is legit lol.

 

Fords too. One thing I noticed about Tundras is you don't see many used ones on dealer lots. Why? People keep them because they are reliable. Of course some of it is there aren't as many sold but I don't think that is the difference.

 

I like that people have mentioned the TSS safety features/adaptive cruise control as some of the “good tech” when there’s literally a hundred threads of hate towards these features.

 

What year is your Taco? I had a 2016 Taco TRD Sport (1st year of the Gen 3) and the technology in my 2018 Tundra SR5 TRD Off Road is basically the exact same, with the exception being that my Taco had that wireless phone charging, which I could never use, because it's not compatible with my iPhone. And I had that neat door opening technology where the door unlocks itself when you grab it in the presence of the key fob. Otherwise, you won't be missing out on anything at all. That said, Tundras are a bit more low tech than say a new F150 or Ram, which have dashboards like space ships. If that's your sort of thing.

 

If Lexus is offering all the tech which I see as a reliable brand, I don't see why Toyota can't put some in the Tundra.

 

Aside from tech, pretty much every other pickup truck out there in its class, will out perform, out spec the tundra (trucks with V8s that is). I cant see why anyone would buy a tundra in todays market (aside from seeking perceived dependability and it's cheaper). The last 4 years other manufactures have made great strides in leaving the tundra in their dust, in both tech and performance.