2024 Toyota Tundra: Testing two trim levels reveals few differences but teaches some lessons

2024 Toyota Tundra Limited CrewMax and Tundra HV Capstone CrewMax: Two reviews in one.

Price: The Limited was $65,798 as tested. (I honestly expected higher.) Capstone, $80,695. The Limited also charged extra for heated seats, panoramic sunroof, and special Toyota Racing Development decals.

Conventional wisdom: Motor Trend liked the “modern technology, standard V-6 twin-turbo engine, spacious, comfortable cabin,” but not the “middling material quality, bouncy ride with Bilstein shocks.”

Marketer’s pitch: “Tough today. Tough tomorrow.”

Reality: There’s one key ingredient that makes the Capstone almost worth it.

What’s new: The current Tundra was introduced in 2022 and has received only minor changes. Being able to test two trim levels of the giant Toyota pickup makes for an unusual Driver’s Seat comparison.

Most of the differences of the trim levels amount to styling touches. I expected more in the Capstone but was unable to find it.

Competition: Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, Ram 1500, Nissan Titan.

Up to speed: Both versions of the Tundra were powered by a V-6 hybrid power train, with a 288-volt battery underneath the rear seats and an electric motor/generator designed to add more power through the transmission. It creates 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque.

The vehicles get to 60 mph quickly, in just 5.7 seconds, according to Car and Driver. But they note it’s slower than Chevy and Ford hybrid trucks.

A non-hybridized V-6 is also available, but it makes “just” 389 horsepower.

Shifty: In both cases, a 10-speed transmission quietly goes about its business. There’s no real shiftability in this Toyota, just like most other automatics and continuously variable transmissions from the company, just gear selection and limiting. Useful for holding a gear downhill, but that’s all.

On the road: The Capstone showed its worthiness here. It made for some far more enjoyable driving and taught me firsthand how much nicer its self-leveling suspension upgrade is. I even had a traffic-free evening commute home through the wilds of southern Chester County and found the Tundra almost fun while letting loose on country roads.

The Limited was not bad on the road, especially in comparison to previous Tundra models.

Driver’s Seat: Drivers are rewarded with roomy seats and a decent set of gauges.

The Capstone was a far more refined piece of machinery, with dead cow replacing the quite nice SofTex seats.

Friends and stuff: Either interior has a jillion cubic feet of space. Everyone has room to spread out.

Storage underneath the rear seat is sacrificed at the altar of hybrid power; the batteries live under there now.

The 5.5-foot bed came with a tailgate rack in the Limited version for turning into something longer. The rack removes nicely by tilting it at a 45-degree angle. Lots of hooks make securing things in the back a snap. (A 6.5-foot bed is another option.)

Corner tailgate steps helped on the Capstone, and power running boards also made getting in and out easier.

Towing capacity maxes out at 12,000 pounds. That’s below the F-150′s 13,500, Silverado’s 13,300, and Ram’s 12,750.

Play some tunes: Oy, despite all the fancy graphics and a 14-inch touchscreen, and no matter if you drop 65 or 80 grand, the Tundra retains the dismal sound system of the Sturgis family 2011 Toyota Sienna, and even 12 speakers and a JBL label aren’t going to bail out your ears. It’s a somewhat clear reproduction if you’re just a casual listener but dig into the poorly produced favorites and the bass is too bassy, the treble too tinny, and the result is sad indeed, about a B.

Furthermore this audio system adds $565 to the Limited price. (I have to wonder what the base stereo model sounds like; I’m imagining the 1970s toy Big Mouth Singers.)

Operation is via the touchscreen except for a big volume knob; it’s all easy to use unless you want to try adjusting bass, midrange, and treble, which are nested inside with delicate sliders.

Keeping warm and cool: Control is via a row of toggles underneath the infotainment. Big rectangular vents get the air around.

Fuel economy: The Tundra Limited was averaging 19.9 mpg when I got my mitts on it, and I quickly pulled that down to 17.9. A trip on highway-like roads to Delaware County brought it back a little bit, but most of my usage was low speed and close to home.

The Tundra Capstone was running 10 mpg on first start-up and wouldn’t get beyond 15 mpg for the whole test. Same power train, so perhaps some more highway miles would boost that a bit. I’d quote the Limited mileage above for normal drivers.

Where it’s built: San Antonio, Texas

How it’s built: The Toyota Tundra gets a 2 out of 5 from Consumer Reports.

In the end: Having the two trim levels to test made one thing clear — that extra $15,000 doesn’t get you that much, and yet it’s also invaluable.

And what it does get you — a drivable truck — the American makes offer on many different body styles. Because Toyota’s not killing it with Tundra reliability, any other truck would do the trick.