:..Buy a 2016 or 2017 or 2018 -- 1794 model which year and why..:

I believe the LED headlights were on the 2018...but what else and why?

I've been researching for hours on each model and their particular pricing via CARS.com etc.

Should I be looking at the '16 as it is "just as good" as the '17 & '18?

(*note : I do know that the tranny cooler is on the '18 and older models, thus these model years and nothing newer*)

Ok, speak up -- help a fella out...

I thank you all for your responses.

 

I have a 2018 1794 which does not have a tranny cooler to my knowledge. I would feel pretty dumb if i had not noticed this option.

 

look under the hood and look near the radiator on the passenger side .... it should be there

 

2018 higher trim models only for the LED. Also 2018+ have a sensor on the grill that some have problems with when lifting the truck.

 

not gonna lift it

higher trim would be the 1794 - so I know it has the LED's if it is a 2018 *(I believe*)

not sure of the 17 or 16 though

 

If you don’t like chrome just go with a platinum. Same features but don’t have to worry about color matching later on down the road

 

You can add the LED headlights for relatively cheap (under $800 or so, depending on where you source them) and just need to get iHacker's harness to make them plug and play.

 

yeah, I know the Plat has black leather etc.

I think I'm pretty thick with the 1794 edition though.

I have test driven the Plat in dark metallic with twin TRD pipes/exhaust -- nice truck nice sound

The Stealership wants $50K large for a 2018 with 58000 miles.

 

chrome doesn't matter to me - I dig the seating and baseball glove leather of the 1794

 

18 and up is going to have all the TSS stuff. Some like that, other don't. Glad my truck does not have it.

 

wow prices are going through the roof. Just for giggles i picked mine up last year with 32,000 miles from a private party with a very long list of completed mods for $42,000. I very happy with the truck and glad i opted for the 1794 trim.

 

I assume this is the crazy cruise control nanny and the lane departure thing.

what about parking sensors? Rear collision assist?

 

If you like the quicksand color, a fellow has a nice 2018 limited model 4x4 crewcab with 20,000 miles for sale in the for sale forum asking $50,000 and he's done some really nice mods.

 

That is incorrect. It's the 2019+ that deleted the tranny cooler.

 

I have 2018 1794 Ed. It has both, parking sensors (front/rear) and rear collision assist too. I like 1794 Ed. because it looks elegant with that chrome IMO. In the near future I plan to change it from an elegant to a more aggressive look and that includes the chrome delete.

 

I really don't think you will go wrong with any of those years. It just depends on which features want or must have.

 

That's exactly what I'm doing to my '16. Genuine Toyota LED housings in black, with the plug and plug adapter. $800ish bucks.

 

In my opinion, 2018 is one of the best years of the Tundra.

It was the first year of the micro refresh and included LED head and fog lights, safety sense (which works fine with my lifted truck and I actually love the radar cruise), upgraded instrument cluster, transmission cooler, honeycomb grill on the SR5 and a few other little things.

 

WXman : does your '16 have front and rear collision prompts, does it have the nanny cruise control and lane departure control???

 

These features are 2018+.

 

yeah...thought so. Not sure I'd really need them - but the '18s are getting more of my attention than anything else these days.

Thanks for your reply.

 

the only downside i have seen so far having a 2018 is there are very little performance tuners available. I am patiently waiting for a good performance tested tuner to be available for my 2018.

 

...interesting...
tuning for performance or for mpg - or both.?

 

Some of the tuners advertise improvement in bot categories, I would like to have more of a selectable tuner for multiple different applications. Towing, Performance, MPG, etc.

 

The 18s are indeed a sweet spot for the Tundras. I think if you want an 18, you'll just need to be more patient, part with a bit more cash, and maybe expand the area of your search (if you haven't already). As others have said, some of those features on the 18s, like the LED lights, can be added, but some features, like radar cruise, cannot (at least easily). If those features aren't as important, then I'd just find the 1794 in the best condition, with reasonable miles and a decent price, and go with that, regardless of year.

 

I looked and don’t see the obvious tranny cooler.

 

No, I purposefully avoid those options. Even on the last two trucks I ordered brand new since 2020 I avoided getting those options. It complicates the vehicle needlessly, and I'm a firm believer that it's making people worse at driving.

Also, I've read that the TSS trucks can be more of a pain to modify and customize.

 

Love my 17. None of that safety sense crap and trans cooler

 

To minimize electrical/sensor issues 10-15 years down the road I would avoid the Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) equipped models. I believe it either started in '18 or '19. I am sure at some point one of those sensors will malfunction and need to be replaced and re-calibrated. I will admit that I have been surprised by the TSS a few times when vehicles on the highway came to an immediate stop. The TSS was already braking before I lifted my foot off the gas.

 

Picked up my 2016 1794 with 66k for just under $40k certified with a decent list of mods. Not sure when they started adding electronic tailgate lock but i plan to do that soon. LED headlights are next, then platinum, honeycomb grill.

I'm happy with it. Has most of the features my 2014 Kia Optima had (no pano roof) and sound is way worse than that infinity system, but i can live with that.