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2004 Toyota Tundra Double Cab
by Gary S. Vasilash
The sport utility vehicle was borne of the pickup truck. And although the SUV’s central term is utility, the pickup truck has, by and large, remained more utilitarian than the SUV. Which is changing, as vehicle manufacturers attempt to draw more people into vehicles that still provide a more than a reasonable return on their investment. For example, at the introduction of the Ford F-150 at the North American Auto Show, the focus was on the interior trim levels that the company hopes will prove to be more appealing to a wider swath of the public.
Arguably this change to more amenities is being revealed in a BIG way with the 2004 Tundra Double Cab pickup truck. Fundamentally, this four-door truck is a Camry with a cargo bed. And while the backlight in a Camry stays put, the Tundra offers a vertical power-sliding rear window, which is said to be the first such setup in the segment. When trimmed out in its “Limited” package, the vehicle which they are colloquially calling the “Big Rig” (more about that in a moment), is replete with leather seats, a DVD player, (plastic) wood accents and is available with a moon roof. The rear seats have a 24-degree seatback angle, which is just a one-degree difference to the Camry rear seats. The rear seats are a 60:40 split fold; they also tumble forward. If this is an SUV-like vehicle, then think along the lines of Sequoia.
When it comes to size, there’s nothing in moderation. For example, consider the 2004 F-150. The Tundra's overall length, 230.1 inches, is said to be approximately 6 inches longer than the F-150 Super Crew. The bed, at 76.5 inches, is said to be almost a foot longer than Ford’s Super Crew. Sure, there’s utility. But that’s probably not the primary reason why someone would be interested in the Double Cab Tundra. There’s too much to be said for the comfort.
Perhaps not surprisingly, Toyota has announced that it is building a second assembly plant where Tundras will be produced, supplementing the capacity at Princeton, Indiana. This plant, which will go into production in 2006, will have a capacity of 150,000 units per year. It is located in San Antonio, Texas... and Texas, perhaps not coincidentally, is where one out of seven full-sized pickups sold in the U.S. move off the dealer lots.
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