2012 Toyota Tundra

The 2012 Toyota Tundra is offered in two trim lines, the base Tundra CrewMax and the more luxurious Tundra CrewMax Limited. There are two engines on offer, a 4.6 L V8 and a 5.7 L V8 while the only transmission offered is a 6-speed automatic. The base model Tundra CrewMax could be configured with either of the engines in 2WD or 4WD while the Limited trim comes with the stronger 5.7 V8 as standard in 2WD as well 4WD. The bed length for all models of the Tundra CrewMax is 5.5 ft. regardless of the configuration chosen. The following table shows the trims and features of the Tundra CrewMax-

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The 2012 Toyota Tundra CrewMax in the base trim, equipped with the stronger 5.7 L V8 engine in a 4WD configuration would be the best choice. It comes at a very great price and has plenty of power on offer along with the added functionality of 4WD. This model could also be equipped with either of these two impressive packages, the TRD Rock Warrior Package or the TRD Off-Road Package. These come with some impressive features that could make the Tundra more capable. 

The 2012 Tundra CrewMax comes with two engine options, a 4.6 L V8 and a 5.7 L V8 mated to a standard 6-speed automatic transmission. The base 4.6 L engine puts out 310 hp and 327 lb-ft of maximum power and torque while the stronger V8 produces 381 hp and 401 lb-ft. The sole transmission, the 6-speed Electronically Controlled automatic Transmission with intelligence (ECT-i), sequential shift mode and uphill/downhill shift logic, and Tow/Haul mode is impressive and works well with both the engines.

The Tundra Crewmax with the base 4.6 L V8 takes 7.9 seconds to reach 60mph and crosses the quarter-mile in 15.9 seconds while the stronger engine could boost these timings to 7.1 and 13.6 seconds respectively. The standard V8 is sufficiently powerful for most users, but people who need proper V8 grunt and a huge engine under the hood as well as maximum towing capabilities could also opt for the 5.7 L V8 at a slightly higher cost. Overall the Tundra CrewMax is a good truck with great ride quality and also is easy to drive around.

The 2012 RAM 1500 Crew Cab is the most powerful among these machines, while the GMC Sierra 1500 is the fastest. The Ford F-150 however has the least powerful engine and is the only one with a V6 while others all come with V8s under their hoods. The Ford F-150 however, is the most engaging one to drive and also comes with the best handling. The Toyota Tundra delivers one of the best ride quality whereas the Ford comes with the best towing capacity when properly equipped. 

The Tundra Crewmax is definitely not the most fuel-efficient truck in the segment. But it is also not a bad one in terms of fuel economy. The Tundra CrewMax delivers a fuel economy of 15 miles in the city, 20 on the highway, and a combined efficiency of 17 mpg. These are pretty much above the average figures of the segment. And with a large fuel capacity measuring 26.4 gallons, the Tundra CrewMax can go up to around 449 miles without a fuel stop in combined road and driving conditions.

The Ford F-150 with the smaller V6 engine delivers the most fuel efficiency as well as the highest range. The Tundra is second in the fuel efficiency department. The RAM 1500 and the GMC Sierra 1500 are the least efficient trucks among these. The Tundra has a slight advantage over the other as it comes with a 26.4-gallon fuel capacity while every other truck here comes with a 26.0-gallon fuel tank.

The interior of the 2012 Toyota Tundra CrewMax is highly functional and practical. The interior is certainly outdated and in the base trim, it looks pretty bad from a beauty standpoint. But still, everything was nicely placed and at the reach of hand. The main positive on the inside of the Tundra CrewMax is that it is extremely spacious. It is undoubtedly the most spacious truck in the segment. Both rows provide ample amounts of space for all the occupants and the seats are comfortable and spacious. 

The seats are fabric trimmed in the base trim while the Limited gets leather upholstery with heating and cooling. Opting for the Platinum Package with the Limited trim gets you perforated leather-trimmed seating surfaces, along with a wood-grain-style interior trim. Overall the interior is very spacious, but the interior quality is not the best in the lower trims. The Limited trim comes with a high-quality interior which is even elevated with the Platinum Package. 

The Tundra CrewMax is obviously the most spacious while the Sierra comes with a slightly longer cargo bed. The Tundra knocks it out of the ballpark as it has significantly more legroom in the second row than all the others. The Ford F-150 SuperCrew is the second most spacious while the GMC Sierra 1500 in the Denali trim is the most luxurious. The following are the most important interior features of the 2012 Toyota Tundra CrewMax- 

• Dual-zone automatic climate control with individual temperature settings for driver and front passenger
• Leather-trimmed and heated front bucket seats
• 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with power thigh and lumbar support
• 4-way power-adjustable front passenger seat with power lumbar support
• Leather-trimmed 60/40 split, sliding, reclining, fold-flat rear seat 
• Carpet flooring

How intuitive is the 2012 Toyota Tundra CrewMax’s infotainment unit?

The 2012 Toyota Tundra CrewMax comes with a 6.1-inch infotainment unit in the center console. The infotainment interface although is not the best is certainly acceptable and functions quite well. The audio system is a 6-speaker unit as standard and is upgradable to a 12-speaker JBL sound system which sounds much better. The following are the standout infotainment features-

• 6.1-in. high-resolution touch-screen with split-screen capability and integrated backup camera
• AM/FM CD player with MP3/WMA playback capability, six speakers
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio compatibility (additional hardware and subscription required), 
• HD Radio with iTunes Tagging
• USB port with iPod connectivity and 
• JBL 12 speakers including subwoofer

There is nothing that makes the Tundra stand out in terms of exterior beauty. It is pretty much a dull-looking, brick-like traditional truck that doesn’t raise any eyebrows. However, the Tundra gets a different attire according to the trim and the packages are chosen. The base trim looks pretty basic while the Limited trim gets more chrome and larger alloys. The exterior of the Tundra can be personalized via the TRD, Platinum, or other appearance packages offered with it. 

The base trim of the Tundra comes with 18-in. Tundra Grade styled steel wheels while the Limited trim gets 5-spoke alloy wheels of the same size. The Platinum Package available with the Limited trim equips the truck with larger 20-inch wheels along with some other exterior features. There is also a Chrome Appearance Package available for those who want an abundance of chrome on their Tundra. 

Based on exterior beauty, there isn’t a single clear winner here as all of them are dull-looking. However, the RAM 1500 is the only one here that doesn’t have a brick-like flat front end. The signature, RAM design is not comparatively very beautiful but it stands out really well. The Tundra also possesses a sleeker design language compared to the other duo. It also comes with the most ground clearance making it the most off-road friendly. The following are some of its prominent exterior features- 

• Color-keyed front bumper with chrome grille surround and matte silver billet-style grille insert
• Chrome heated power and auto-dimming outside mirrors with turn signal indicators and power-folding feature
• Front and rear mudguards 
• Front tow hooks
• Optional Power tilt/slide moonroof with sliding sunshade (deletes overhead console with sunglasses storage)
• 18-in. Tundra Grade styled steel wheels

The 2012 Toyota Tundra has been crash-tested by NHTSA and it gets a superb overall rating of 4-stars. For side crash safety, the Tundra gets all 5-star ratings while it gets a 3-star rating for rollover protection. IIHS however, has only tested the Tundra CrewMax for roof strength, and for that, it gets an ‘Acceptable’ rating. The following are the most important safety features in the Toyota Tundra CrewMax- 

• Vehicle Stability Control (VSC)
• Traction Control (TRAC)
• Brake Assist (BA) and Smart Stop Technology (SST)
• Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) 
• Trailer-Sway Control (TSC)
• Anti-theft system with alarm and engine immobilizer

The Toyota Tundra CrewMax is a capable option in the segment offering superior offroad capabilities. The engines offered are both powerful and the Tundra is easy to drive and handling is also pretty good. The interior quality is not the best in the base trim, but the cabin is the most spacious in the segment. It is a great choice in this segment offering supreme overall performance.