The big three truck manufacturers all offer luxury versions of their full-size pickups: the Chevy Silverado LTZ, the Ford F150 Platinum and Ram 1500 Limited Elite. And Toyota wanted to join the club with its Tundra Capstone. The 1794 edition of the Tundra, named after the ranch where the Toyota factory now resides, used to be the pinnacle until the Capstone came into play. It offers all the luxuries of the 1794 but with an enhanced leather interior, extra soundproofing and special exterior touches. Toyota lovers looking for performance can look at the TRD versions, but the Capstone is the Lexus of pickups. Or, if you look at the white leather trimwork in my tester, the Bentley of pickup trucks!
Good Gas Mileage Too?
Under the hood is a hybrid twin-turbo V-6 connected to a 10-speed transmission. Called the i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain, it features 437 horsepower and 583 lb.-ft. of torque at a low 2,400 rpm. Leave it to Toyota to deliver the goods on a well-engineered hybrid powertrain. Moreover, the EPA-estimated 20 mpg city/24 mpg highway/22 mpg combined fuel economy ratings are very impressive, considering this a full-size super luxury pickup.
The electric motor does the bulk of the work at lower speeds. Once above 18 mph, the gasoline engine remains in constant operation for optimal performance in the mid- and high-speed range. Toyota did an excellent job with the exhaust note, making this the best-sounding V-6 this side of a traditional V-8. But with the hybrid system, it’s quiet when you want it to be.
Getting into Bed
According to Toyota, the Tundra’s bed is lightweight and extremely strong, thanks to the new sheet-molded compound construction and aluminum reinforcing cross members. The new SMC bed offers added protection against dents, impact dings and rust compared with traditional steel decks. Even the tailgate uses lightweight construction techniques to reduce weight by 20% over the previous generation.
All Tundras feature a power release tailgate controlled from the key fob. The Capstone takes it to the next level, with buttons integrated into the rear taillight housings that automatically drop the tailgate. A motorized step then appears, allowing the user to easily walk up into the cargo hold.
Tow the Line
With the extra available torque from the hybrid powertrain, towing is easy for items up to 12,000 pounds. For added visibility when trailering, the Panoramic View Monitor uses cameras to display a top-down view of the truck on the big center display. Views include the rear truck bed to check on cargo, a rear split view to show what’s nearby on each side of the trailer, and a hitch view to assist with trailer connecting. When the trailer is connected to Toyota’s integrated trailer brake controller, the blind spot monitor can watch blind spots for both the truck and the trailer, taking the pain out of merging with a trailer.
The Tundra comes with a rear air suspension system, which automatically adjusts the rear to help it stay level when hauling a heavy load or towing a trailer. You can also manually choose high, normal or low settings for the ride height. Being able to lower the truck while loading heavy objects is a great help.
On the Big Screen
Parking and towing in the Capstone are made easier with the large 14-inch center console screen. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are onboard.
One annoyance typically encountered among truck users is that if you’re pulling a trailer, you’re typically wearing work gloves. The radio is usually blasting just when you need to concentrate. To help you lower the volume quickly, Toyota mounted a large volume knob that’s easy to grip with gloves. Speaking of volume, the 12-speaker JBL audio system with subwoofer is good out of the gate. Audiophiles might want a speaker upgrade, but there’s a lot here to work with.
When I first jumped in the truck, the navigation system wouldn’t work out of the box. Toyota really wants you to link the Tundra to your smartphone. Once linked, the cloud-based native navigation system offers real-time over-the-air updates for mapping and points of interest, as well as integrating Google POI data for up-to-date search capability. To make searching easier, Toyota uses its Intelligent Assistant, which is similar to calling for Alexa. Saying “OK Toyota” wakes it up, then you can easily input destinations on the fly.
The Toyota Tundra Capstone, like all luxury pickup trucks, is not cheap at $80K. But with some of its competitors coming in at $10-$20K more depending on options, the Capstone looks like a bargain. Combine that with Toyota build quality, reliability and efficiency, and it literally could be the pickup for the long haul.
