Toyota To Heat Up Frigid Chicago With Action-Packed Auto Show

 2014 Toyota Tundra rolls into the Chicago Auto Show

Toyota upgrades its full size pickup to go toe-to-toe with the best from the US

Within the U.S. automotive industry the Chicago Auto Show is historically known as the venue for automakers to reveal new pickups. Toyota will debut the new TRD Pro Series for the Tundra, Tacoma and 4Runner in an area reminiscent of an adventurous desert landscape. Toyota is determined to keep up by offering a new Tundra for the 2014 model year.

The Japanese automaker promised a better, more chiseled looks for the Tundra, and a more refined interior, both of which are necessary to complete in the combative full-size pickup segment. 

The 2014 Toyota Tundra does have a more chiseled appearance. With this distinct look we think they are all sufficiently aggressive for the macho U.S. pickup market. Toyota claims a more refined interior, and that’s important with high quality new interiors from Ram, and soon General Motors. A quick look around the interior reveals improved materials with more and more soft-touch surfaces as you move up the model range. Eight airbags, including dual knee bags, Bluetooth connectivity, a rearview camera, are also standard on all grades.

The model lineup consists of the base SR, the SR5 (Tundra’s sales leader), the better equipped Limited and two upscale grades: the Platinum and the 1794 edition, named for the year a ranch was founded in San Antonio, Texas, the land where the Tundra is now built. The dashboard is redesigned, but it keeps large buttons that can be controlled while wearing work gloves. CrewMax, the crew cab, gets more front and rear legroom, and the rear seats can fold down for improved storage space.

The Platinum comes with components such as Toyota’s Entune infotainment system and segment-exclusive blind-spot monitor and rear-cross traffic alert, while the 1794 is Southwestern themed, with saddle brown leather covering.

How well the new Tundra drives will be determined by the test drive. The 2014 Tundra uses three carryover engines, all of which are quite efficient. The base engine is a 4.0-liter 270-horse power V6. The next step up is a 4.6-liter 310-horsepower V8, and the top-line engine is a 381-horsepower V8.

The 2014 Tundra should start around $25,000 and top out at, or above $50,000 when it goes on sale in September. The Tundra is a quality truck with plenty of capability, and the 2014 model looks better and promises to be more sophisticated.

Live stream: http://new.livestream.com/Toyota/TRDpro?sf1721157=1

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