I just so happened to be commuting today next to a brand new dark green 2007 Tundra TRD Access Cab on the 73 tolllroad/55 south freeways around 2pm today. The female driver (distributor plate 797) was first behind me, and the new style Tundra front end caught my eye. I slowed a tad so she could pass me for a complete side view for a good 2 minutes. I then pulled behind her for a rear view as well, so I can comment on a full 6 minutes of "in the flesh" viewing before I had to exit. Here are my initial impressions:
-Large 5.7L engine badge on the front fender was BIG, and the lettering was red to make a statement to other drivers. Yes, I am packing the same displacement as a Dodge Ram Hemi!
-The TRD Off Road decal on the bed does not stick out as much. Really had to look for the decal to notice it.
-Truck is definitely full size this time around. No mistaking the new Tundra for a mid size or 7/8 size pickup truck.
-From a styling standpoint, I feel the Big 3 have nothing to worry about. The new Tundra won't win any styling awards or be purchased on it's looks alone. The new 2007 Chevy Silverado styling simply blows the Tundra out of the water. I was disappointed to say the least.
-The front end is the best styling feature. The tailgate styling looks funky in my opinion.
-I see the core market as being current Tundra owners from 2000-2006, Tacoma owners who want to move up, full size domestic truck owners who are fed up with poor quality and inferior fit and finish, and contractors who truly use and abuse a full size truck.
I didn't bother taking photos because Toyota has released plenty of pics that are floating around on the internet.
I just so happened to be commuting today next to a brand new dark green 2007 Tundra TRD Access Cab on the 73 tolllroad/55 south freeways around 2pm today. The female driver (distributor plate 797) was first behind me, and the new style Tundra front end caught my eye. I slowed a tad so she could pass me for a complete side view for a good 2 minutes. I then pulled behind her for a rear view as well, so I can comment on a full 6 minutes of "in the flesh" viewing before I had to exit. Here are my initial impressions:
-Large 5.7L engine badge on the front fender was BIG, and the lettering was red to make a statement to other drivers. Yes, I am packing the same displacement as a Dodge Ram Hemi!
-The TRD Off Road decal on the bed does not stick out as much. Really had to look for the decal to notice it.
-Truck is definitely full size this time around. No mistaking the new Tundra for a mid size or 7/8 size pickup truck.
-From a styling standpoint, I feel the Big 3 have nothing to worry about. The new Tundra won't win any styling awards or be purchased on it's looks alone. The new 2007 Chevy Silverado styling simply blows the Tundra out of the water. I was disappointed to say the least.
-The front end is the best styling feature. The tailgate styling looks funky in my opinion.
-I see the core market as being current Tundra owners from 2000-2006, Tacoma owners who want to move up, full size domestic truck owners who are fed up with poor quality and inferior fit and finish, and contractors who truly use and abuse a full size truck.
I didn't bother taking photos because Toyota has released plenty of pics that are floating around on the internet.
Its starting to grow on me...you know, like a fungus. I think the front end looks like a bull-dog.
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Its starting to grow on me...you know, like a fungus. I think the front end looks like a bull-dog.
I fully agree.
The female driver was of Asian decent under 30 years old wearing sunglasses. I'm sure she was a Toyota employee.
The new Tundra styling looks much better in the photos than it does in person, but that's totally subjective. I am sure the Texas built Tundra will be a big sales hit.
Interesting comparisons on the looks of the Tundra to the new Chevy 2007 trucks. I think those new Chevys look bad. Is it me, or do they look like they're smiling? Bring on the new Tundra! I'll take some pics at SEMA next week of the Tundras that'll be there, and I bet they'll win anyone over that's still undecided, and even change more then a few minds.
I'm sure that one had to have come from Texas because we have yet to ship one out of the plant.
I am sure it was a pre-production build from the brand new $800 million dollar San Antonio 2007 Tundra assembly plant. Members, I am a Toyota truck owner and wanted nothing more than to be blown away by the new 2007 Tundra styling.
"The No.1 Japanese auto maker plans to produce 150,000 next-generation Tundra pickups annually at the plant, which will be its sixth in North America."
Well I've liked the styling of the new tundra since it was revealed earlier this year. I bought my 06 because I wasn't willing to take a chance on a first year build. Every single one I've bought before has had problems and it didn't matter who built it.
Well I've liked the styling of the new tundra since it was revealed earlier this year. I bought my 06 because I wasn't willing to take a chance on a first year build. Every single one I've bought before has had problems and it didn't matter who built it.
I didn't care for it, so that's why I went with an '06. I figure by the time I'm done with this truck, the new gen will be more palatable.
Also, they probably won't be dealing on the new models & the idgits that pay over MSRP to have the latest & greatest will kill it for the rest of us.
That's how/why I had a '98 T-100 when the Tundra first came out...
Having lurked on the '07 threads for a bit... noting that I'm not in the market as the '06 I bought 3 weeks ago still has only 95 miles on the ODO, I'll offer my cut...
First Year Production: It can be a bit of a crapshoot. I bought one of the 'first off the boat' 1989 Toyota 4WD X-Cab SR5s when I lived in California back in the 80's and it was basically flawless. I paid $17k for it, put 250,000 miles on it with basic maint., and sold it for $5.5k in '98 because it still looked and ran like a truck with on 20k miles on the ODO.
Toyota Design Trends: The materials in my '89 truck and even our '95 4Runner were excellent. Nothing cheap looking or feeling inside or out and cup holders were carefully integrated into a fold-away device in the dash which, incidentally, put cold beverages in front of the A/C vents which actually kept them cooler. The shape of the Toyota trucks was clearly something that caught Detroit's attention as they were dragging Toyota trucks into wind tunnels and shortly there after Ford's trucks took on a decidedly more aero and Toyota-like front end. However, it appears as though Toyota has gone "native" since moving its design studios and production into the US. My '06 has a hard plastic (albeit lightweight) dash instead of the padded material used before, all of the other plastic pieces and even the switches appear to have been hit by the accountants, and the once clean lines of the center console are not littered with cup holders that are there whether you like 'em or not. What were once subtle blanks in the dash for options now litter the console and while the nifty hid-a-way cup holders are still there (good grief, like I need to have four beverages sitting in the cab), they're no longer benfiting from the cooling breeze of the A/C. As for the exterior, the basic 4Runner has as many plastic side body blisters as an Escalade -- all fashion and no function -- which to a certain extent is the same with the overfenders on my SR5. In short, Toyota has incorporated most of the things that I didn't like about domestic products.
2007 Styling: The '07 design seems to affirm that Toyota has decided to follow the pack instead of leading the way. The '07 Tundra design reminds me of a politician running for office and trying to be all things to all people: the hood lines mimic what was once a bold raised hood retro look from Daimler-Chrysler that has also been picked up by GM and Ford on their larger GVW commercial trucks, and also gone the way of "bigger is better" with all other aspects of the design. The reference to the big motor has already been spoken to (good grief, I would have expected Toyota to find a better, smarter way to more efficient power). The interior has also gone "industrial" -- although not nearly as far off the reservation as Honda went with the ghastly Ridgeline -- and looks more like a Ford or Nissan than it does a Toyota. I guess this is what "most" consumers must be looking for as it's certainly not striking a chord with me.
Summary: We'll see what comes when they appear in the flesh and the newness reaction wears off. After all, even a hiddeous dent or scratch becomes less upsetting the more you get accustomed to seeing it. Then again, the FJ (Toyota's answer to the Hummer H2/H3) seems less appealing in the flesh than it did when I first saw it. On the bright side, most of the other new offerings from the lastest generation of auto designers and stylists, i.e., wanna-be Banglers and Mays, who are dominating the auto industry are equally as bad so perhaps the '07 Tundra will fit right in. Guess I'm just getting old.
I had the first run Tundra when it came out, 112,000 at trade in, no problems at all. I currently own a 04 DC, no probs with it, except my wifes 06 Sequoia can smoke my truck. I may have to upgrade! I wish they would just put the 5.7 in my truck.
Followed a brand new 2007 Tundra today
Re: Followed a brand new 2007 Tundra today
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