2007 Toyota Tundra: Hauling the Challenger

So let's be honest. If you were going to drive a 38-year-old, 607-horsepower muscle car across the American west would you really do it without some kind of contingency plan?

Neither would we.

Which is exactly why we brought along our long-term Toyota Tundra for support on the Ultimate Challenger Road Trip.  And, as it turns out, we used it. Not that we had to. Just that sometimes, like in Death Valley, the comfort of a modern vehicle is a little easier to reconcile than than the unforgiving world of old muscle. And up the 4,963-foot Towne Pass we were glad we did.

And those Ford stickers covering the Toyota logos?  I've got a feeling they just might have been a product of the, shall we say, domestically oriented friends who were along on this trip.

Josh Jacquot, Senior road test editor @ about 15,500 miles (yes, this was weeks ago)

 

Posted by Josh May 7, 2008 4:07 pm

Permalink

Categories: 2007 Toyota Tundra SR5 Double Cab


Comments

toyota4life - May 11, 2008 4:34 pm (#13 Total: 13)  

 
 
And who the heck are "we"?are we disappointed that the Tundra could'nt rearrange our trailer park as we had hoped?please dont blame it on the Tundra.
 
On the other hand,what am i doing?no need to feed the troll.
you should have used this for your towing needs http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/07/dear-dodge-thank-you-for-giving-the-ram-a-really-strong-frame/

forzav12 - May 11, 2008 2:15 pm (#12 Total: 13)  

 
 
"Man ,you guys must be idiots to think (forzav12)is actually a edmunds editor,come on now,you guys have got to be smarter than that.hondacura4,please tell me your smarter than that.good lord!!.does this sounds like a editor or a troll? you decide"
 
Hey ***clown, believe what you like. Never said we were Edmunds editors. But we did drive that rig for the entire week-end and that's the truth- regardless of what you choose to believe.
Sorry that our review of the Tundra didn't meet your expectations. It simply was a disappointment as a tow rig. I'm sure that you will find it more than adequate for hauling your frappachinos and boxes of Toyota promotional materials. However, people that might actually tow with it, may find our review helpful.

toyota4life - May 11, 2008 3:20 am (#11 Total: 13)  

 
 
Believe what you want"firstwagon",atleast you know where i stand each and every time ,no need to be a pretender.

firstwagon - May 10, 2008 7:40 pm (#10 Total: 13)  

 
 
Good question, editors... is this guy for real or should we believe someone with a name "toyota4life"

toyota4life - May 10, 2008 6:21 pm (#9 Total: 13)  

 
 
Man ,you guys must be idiots to think (forzav12)is actually a edmunds editor,come on now,you guys have got to be smarter than that.hondacura4,please tell me your smarter than that.good lord!!.does this sounds like a editor or a troll? you decide.

firstwagon - May 10, 2008 4:32 pm (#8 Total: 13)  

 
 
forzav12
 
Thanks for the comments on the trip.
 
I've towed enough stuff over the years to know you can't just go by the manufactors numbers. It's great to get a real world view on it.
 
I get tired of truck tests of which is best empty, driving around a city.

hondacura4 - May 9, 2008 5:59 pm (#7 Total: 13)  

 
 
"The last time we towed this identical rig,it was with an old Ford Expedition with over 200K-surprisingly, the Ford was the superior tow rig."
 
Ive towed my 16ft double axle trailer/Honda Civic with my mothers former Expedition EB 4X4 and it wasnt a pleasant experience. That truck only had around 48K (at the time), the 5.4 struggled with the load and the tranny sounded like your experience with the Toyota.
 
The last time I towed my car was with a friends 2003 Dodge Ram Cummins diesel (with a few upgrades..wink) and towing was not a problem.

forzav12 - May 8, 2008 9:13 pm (#6 Total: 13)  

 
 
We(the Challenger wranglers) did the majority of the driving with that Tundra. We were towing a 3400lb car and about a 1200lb trailer.
 
After reading a few reviews, We were expecting a competent truck and looking forward to driving the Toyota.
By our way of thinking, a full size truck should be used for hauling loads or trailers, not the daily Starbucks run.
 
Initial impressions were not good.
 
Nearly the entire dash was nasty plastic, well assembled, but nasty non the less. The main instrument panel gauges were set so far back into the panel that they were nearly unreadable. They reminded me of an arcade Skee Ball game. The steering wheel was nice, though.
 
The auxilary gauges inset into the top, middle of the dash were completely unreadable in most conditions. To make matters worse, they sported an awful digital read out that looked like it was pilfered from an 80s Kcar.
 
The column shift lever was an oddly shaped affair with a ridiculous manual shift option mounted at the end of the stalk. Additionally, the gear selection call out in the dash was an awkward, hockey stick looking thing that always required a second look to ensure the correct gear.
 
The center console/storage area was nice and the truck had a ton of cupholders.
 
OK, on to the driving.
 
Engine fires right up and sounds potent. Hit the highway and immediately encounter difficulty. The trans takes so long to shift that it reminded me of an old GM Powerglide. Drones on and on, finally shifting with a very mushy action(yeah, we had the magic tow button activated). The engine does have plenty of power, but we didn't care for the high reving aspect of the powerband. Maybe you would get used to it, but we prefer the
traditional feel of torque in an OHV or diesel mill.
 
Even more disappointing was the floppy feel of the chassis. At anything above 60mph, it began to float, bounce and sway. All the things that increase the "pucker factor" in a towing situation. We even stopped to check tire pressures on the truck and trailer and found them to be OK. The ride was just not confidence inspiring.
 
At the end of the week-end we were very glad to give this truck back. Maybe in a non towing situation it would be OK, but it was terrible compared to other tow rigs we've used. Very disappointed. The last time we towed this identical rig,it was with an old Ford Expedition with over 200K-surprisingly, the Ford was the superior tow rig.
As we wallowed across the Interstate, we amused ourselves by observing the continual stream of passing traffic. Every time we would spot a truck towing a serious load, we checked the brand. Plenty of GMs, Fords and Dodges-not one Toyota. Certainly not a scientific survey, but an interesting way to kill time.
 
We were glad to have the Tundra way out in the desert, though. When the ghosts of Goldfield began to work their mojo on the carb(a Demon, no less), it was nice to know that we had an exit strategy in reserve.
 
Taking a final glance at the Tundra before it was returned to it's handlers, we were reminded of a line from the great Rodney Dangerfield, "The last time I saw a mouth that ugly, it had a hook in it!"

boxermike - May 8, 2008 8:47 am (#5 Total: 13)  

 
 
Stingray,
 
We have a Tundra in our fleet, it was strong enough for the task so it got the job.

stingray454 - May 8, 2008 7:33 am (#4 Total: 13)  

 
 
Shouldn't it be a Dodge Ram hauling the Challenger? Doesn't seem right being a Toyota.

SubyTrojan - May 7, 2008 7:42 pm (#3 Total: 13)  

 
Santa Monica, CA, USA  
John Adolph's hat is awesome!

zoomzoom22 - May 7, 2008 6:40 pm (#2 Total: 13)  

 
 
The weak 5.4 Triton in the F150 wouldn't have been able to tow the Challenger up that pass with the Tundra's authority, I can tell you that right now. I have a hard time believing that it's rated at 300 hp.

hondacura4 - May 7, 2008 5:18 pm (#1 Total: 13)  

 
 
How did the awsome 5.7L V8/6AT combo do towing the load?






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