Tag Archives: Toyota Tundra

2014 Toyota Tundra 1794 Edition Review: A Luxurious Family Workhorse

MSRP: Starting at $41,977
ESTIMATED MPG: 13 City / 17 HWY
ENGINE: 4.0-liter V-6, 4.6-liter or 5.7-liter V-8

Family Car Review - Test Drive

The 2014 Toyota Tundra 1794 is a workhorse disguised as a gorgeous pickup truck.   I have wanted to test drive a pickup truck for a long time.   Maybe it’s for my need to overcompensate for my shortness or because I want to feel tough on the road for once.  I am not an aggressive driver by any means so having the opportunity to drive an aggressive looking but fascinatingly pretty truck was impossible to pass up.   The Tundra 1794 handled our busy everyday family-life of hauling kids and their equipment to sports practices, taking several 7-year old girls to get ice cream, and driving up our local ‘mountain’, with incredible ease.

2014 Toyota Tundra 1794

The 2014 Toyota Tundra 1794 is a beautiful 4-door truck with a safe, luxurious family-sized cab and many utilitarian features.  It is the top of the line among Tundra’s, and that means it offers the best dashboard technology which will please the geekiest of Moms and Dads, like me. 😉 The price is top of the line, too, jumping over $44,000 compared to the base model’s $26,000 price tag.

Powertrain vs. Fuel Economy

The 2014 Toyota Tundra 1794 offers the 5.7 iForce V8.  This 32-valve engine cranks up 381 horsepower and an even better 401 lb-ft of torque. That’s significantly better than the other V8 engine with 310/327 hp/torque and the V6 engine with 270/278 hp/torque. The 6-speed automatic is paired with the V8. Rear wheel drive is a Tundra standard. Fuel economy is only 13 mpg/city and 18 mpg/highway. For a Dad who loves to tow, this high horsepower is a must. For a Mom who is worried about gas prices, the 1794 is a bit of a long shot but it sure is fun to drive!

Safety

Safety equipment includes child-related features such LATCH car seat connectors. This should keep kids’ car seats in place in an accident. Side impact beams and eight airbags should protect precious cargo. The active safety systems provide electronically-controlled stability and traction. The 1794 gains front and rear parking assist sonar systems in addition to its standard rearview camera. Mom and Dad will appreciate the help even when it’s just backing out of a familiar driveway.  A blind spot monitor is an important option, especially since it comes with rear cross traffic alerts for reverse maneuvers. The 1794 tightens up security by adding a glass breakage sensor to its anti-theft feature.

2014 Toyota Tundra 1794

Exterior

When I saw the Tundra 1794 being driven into my driveway I got goosebumps.  It’s massive size, ravishing red color, and bold silver grille took my breathe away.   The 1794 exterior exchanges the color-keyed bumper for a silver one with chrome end-caps and a chrome grille surround.  You can even opt to exchange the 1794’s 20-inch alloys for chrome ones.   The liftgate has an easy lower/lift feature that will moms and dads with kids who have to haul a lot of sports equipment to practice and games happy.  When it came time to put my son’s lacrosse gear in the truck bed and take it out, my 14-year-old welcomed the easy lower liftgate.   A windshield wiper de-icer and power-defrost mirrors take care of wet weather problems.  The 1794 adds embedded turn signals to the power-folding side mirrors, a must-have in my opinion.

Toyota Tundra 1794 Grille

Interior

The 1794 definitely upgrades the Tundra cabin.  It exchanges fabric for premium perforated leather. It adds ventilation and heating to the front seats.  It adds a dual zone climate system, which operates with both Mom’s and Dad’s input. To keep the kids cool, the rear window is a vertical-slide, power-operated one. I especially appreciated the 10-way power driver seat. I am 5’1″ and was worried that I wouldn’t reach the pedals easily but the practically endless driver seat adjustment options allowed me to get comfortable and ready for a drive quickly.  Front seat passengers will be pleased with their own 6-way power seat.

My kids found plenty of places to stash stuff since the cabin has numerous cup and bottle holders and the largest front cabin storage unit I’ve ever seen!   My daughter stored coloring books and more in the storage compartment.  As far as the back seat was concerned, my kids were in heaven.  You have to see the interior of the Tundra in order to believe it when I saw it’s gigantic!  Madelyn, 8-years-old, could barely touch the front seat with her toes.. great for me as she thinks that pushing on my seat with her feet is “giving me a back massage”.  I’ll take a professional masseuse, thank you. 🙂  The Tundra’s split rear seat folds away for extra cargo space, in the rare case that you’d need more cargo space.  Perhaps for a large stroller?

2014 Toyota Tundra 1794 interior

Technology

The 2014 Toyota Tundra 1794 offers top-of-the-line technology.  There’s an Entune screen with easy touch buttons and a premium JBL Audio system. Even GPS navigation is standard and the voice, along with all Toyota’s I’ve tested lately, is incredible polite and soothing.  I feel like I needed to say thank you after each directional command.  You also get regular Tundra standards such as Bluetooth connectivity, steering wheel controls, and streaming audio from sources including Pandora and iHeart radio.  For the price tag, the 2014 Tundra 1794 definitely packs in the luxuries, safety features, dash tech and utility prowess.
2014 Toyota Tundra 1794 storage

Utility

Dads who want a utility vehicle will find that the Tundra is one useful machine for the worksite, for hauling and for towing. To start, ground clearance is a generous 10.4 inches.  The towing package is standard and includes the receiver, 4/7 pin connector, tow/haul mode, and engine components like the oil and transmission coolers. This makes the Tundra CrewMax 1794 capable of towing 10,000 pounds. By comparison the standard Tundra can tow less than 7,000 pounds. Trailer sway control is standard, making this comparable to Ford F150 and similar brands.
Toyota Tundra test drive review
The only drawback I can think of after driving this stunning truck for a week is its low fuel economy.  That being said, I am hard-pressed to think the average driver of a pickup truck is as concerned about getting 30+mpg as they are being able to haul a good amount of stuff in the bed while enjoying a luxury driving experience.
The look on my daughter’s face is what she thought of the Tundra!  She and I relaxed in the bed of the Tundra 1794 Edition for a couple of hours while my son practiced Lacrosse.  We had a blast!
Toyota Tundra bed
Find a Toyota dealership near you and take the Tundra for a drive!
In order to facilitate this review, Toyota provided me with a 2014 Toyota Tundra 1794 for one week.  All opinions are my own.