2015 Toyota Tundra

The 2015 Toyota Tundra CrewMax is available in five different trim levels, with the exception of the SR trim level in which the double cab and regular cab variants can be had. The trims range from the lowest priced SR5 to the most expensive TRD Pro. The 1794 Edition trim is a limited edition variant and is not to be confused with the accessibly priced Limited trim. AWD is available for an extra cost of around $3,000, and the off-road-focused TRD Pro offers AWD as standard.

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The capabilities of the 2015 Toyota Tundra don’t really differ across the trim levels, although they do go from barebones to almost luxury levels of premium from the SR5 trim to the 1794 Edition. Nevertheless, Toyota does charge heavy increments between trim levels, making the 1794 Edition rather expensive. For a good balance between affordability and usability, we recommend the Limited trim for its basic luxuries and necessary features.

The Toyota Tundra loses its V6 option coming into 2015, leaving the 4.6L V8 as the standard engine on offer, while the 5.7L V8 remains optional. Both these engines follow age-old architecture that has proven itself against the test of time but lacks the refinement offered in the powertrains of the competition. 

Both engine options come mated to a 6-speed automatic that does well to extract the available power and torque from either engine, sending it to the rear wheels or all four depending on your configuration. The smaller engine has an output of 310 horsepower that falls well below the competition, leaving the larger 5.7L V8 to do most of the heavy lifting in the competition.

The larger V8 engine in the Toyota comes with impressive output figures, belting out a competitive 381 horsepower and 401 lb-ft of torque for a decent mix between pulling power and driveability. Unfortunately for Toyota, the age of the powertrain and underpinnings begins to show as the competition eclipses its payload capacity, while narrowly beating its towing capacity too. The most powerful engine in the segment belongs to the Ford F-250, which also boasts best-in-class payload capacity. Despite the poorest engine output figures in the segment, the GMC Sierra 2500HD has the highest towing capacity at 13,000 pounds. 

Large V8 engines that displace amounts north of 4 liters aren’t exactly the most frugal, to begin with, and the Toyota Tundra engines are rather ancient in their design. This is showcased in its poor MPG figures of 13 in the city and 18 out on the highways. The lack of refinement in the engine results in a combined 15 mpg on all roads, and the smaller 26.4-gallon fuel tank in the 2015 Toyota Tundra doesn’t do it any favors, and its maximum range on a full fuel tank doesn’t cross 500 miles. Nevertheless, the other manufacturers in the segment refuse to get their engines EPA tested, suggesting Toyota is fairly confident that the engine is efficient enough for use.

Since EPA mpg figures aren’t available for the competition, we speculate that the rival trucks offer similar fuel economy if not slightly less than the 2015 Toyota Tundra and its 5.7L V8. The Ford engine displaces 6.2L, so we expect poorer fuel economy in both the city and on the highway. The rival trucks all have fuel tanks larger than 30 gallons, with the GMC Sierra 2500HD possessing the largest fuel tank altogether at 36 gallons, which should allow it to offer a better range on a fuel tank. 

The CrewMax cab layout in the Toyota Tundra is widely known as one of the most accommodating cab styles available in the full-size truck segment. The Tundra offers class-leading amounts of interior room across its two seating rows. The front row gets bench seats in lower trims, which gets upgraded to bucket seats for better individual passenger room in the higher trims. Unfortunately, the CrewMax cab style does not get the under-seat storage that Toyota offers in the Double Cab layout. 

Right off the bat, the 2015 Toyota Tundra CrewMax impresses with the amount of legroom it offers across both seating rows. Unlike the GMC Sierra 2500HD, the Tundra offers similar amounts of legroom at 42.5” and 42.3” in the front and rear row respectively. The GMC truck on the other hand offers a class-leading 45.3” of legroom in the front row, leaving the Toyota Tundra to take segment best in terms of rear legroom. The Sierra 2500HD also offers the best headroom in the front row, while the Ford F-250 offers best-in-class rear headroom at 40.8”. Interior features to look out for in the 2015 Toyota Tundra:

• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Dual-zone climate control
• Premium leather upholstery
• Heated and ventilated front seats 
• Auto-dimming inside rearview mirror

2015 Toyota Tundra CrewMax Infotainment Features

Toyota vehicles aren’t always the most advanced when it comes to infotainment systems. They have had their fair share of shortcomings in the technology department in a bid to maintain the no-nonsense reliability factor which is always marred with the use of too much technology. Nonetheless, the Japanese manufacturer manages to offer competitive infotainment set up in the 2015 Toyota Tundra that does well to rival the likes of the more tech-savvy Ford F-250 among others.

It is spearheaded by a 7” touchscreen that houses Toyota’s Entune software that is fairly easy to use, but not groundbreaking in any manner. It does, however, offer plenty of connectivity features, and the premium JBL audio system does well to spruce up the infotainment unit just enough for an enjoyable experience. Highlights of the infotainment system include:

• 7” touchscreen
• Premium JBL speaker system 
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio with a 90-day free trial
• Navtraffic Real-Time Traffic Display
• Entune App Suite and Smart Device Integration

The 2015 Toyota Tundra CrewMax is only available with one-bed style due to the length of its cab. It can be had with the shortest bed option, limiting the cargo space in favor of passenger room. Following its update in 2014, the Toyota Tundra doesn’t get any exterior upgrades or changes for the model year 2015. It still sports mammoth proportions that are only complemented by its large grille and bumpers. The cab is quite accessible, while the cargo bed is also at a convenient height, and the tailgate has a soft-open feature that prevents it from free-falling with a loud noise. 

The 2015 Toyota Tundra CrewMax is the lightest in its segment, which possibly affects its payload rating. It isn’t the largest truck in any regard, with a shorter length and width than at least one other truck in the comparison. It does boast the best ground clearance, which makes it an adept vehicle for off-roading, especially in its TRD Pro guise. The wheelbase of the Toyota Tundra is also the shortest, suggesting it isn’t the largest truck in terms of dimensions but is very practical nonetheless. Standout exterior features of the 2015 Toyota Tundra CrewMax:

• Rearview camera
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Heated outer rearview mirrors with integrated turn signals 
• TPMS

The 2015 Toyota Tundra is fairly safe but fails to get the ratings you would expect of a Toyota vehicle. Having gotten the best possible safety ratings in so many vehicles over the past, it is a little disappointing to see a 4-star NHTSA rating for one of their largest, most burly vehicles. It is fairly safe for a pickup truck though, and its high ground clearance and tall proportions are well controlled in terms of safety, as it receives a decent rollover risk rating of 4-stars, although only when equipped with AWD. In its RWD guise, the Toyota Tundra has a 3-star rollover risk rating. Notable safety features include:

• Electronic Stability Control (ESC) And Driveline Traction Control
• Front And Rear Parking Sensors
• Reverse Camera
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System
• Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Front Airbags and Seat-Mounted Side Airbags
• Airbag Occupancy Sensor

The Toyota Tundra CrewMax seems like a valuable purchase when looked at objectively. If it is looked at against the competition, its figures do let it down, making the competition look better. However, for vehicles of utilitarian nature, the Toyota promise of longevity carries immense value, and the Japanese manufacturer knows it. Their decision to make minimal changes to their proven mechanicals suggests the Tundra would be a great choice for anybody looking for a pickup truck for the long haul.