Opinion for best year and trim Tundra. Why?

It may be the one you own, it may be the one you want. Lets hear what you think and why.

 

16 or 17 SR5 with leather.

10 years of refinement,
bulletproof everything,
enough niceties to blur the lines of utilitarian truck and nice but not too blinged truck,
bigger gas tank option,
slightly higher payload than 07-13 (depends on a few things and partly negated by the larger fuel tank),
no safety sense nannies,
Can be readily supercharged….

Of course it’s gonna be a 5.7 4wd with tow package.

 

2021 SR5 with column shifter and bench seat, since it is a truck afterall.
Last year of the generation so highest level of design maturity and reliability. High resale value since it will be a lower production model since people would be waiting for the new gen.
Sharkfin antenna, standard features like auto dimming rear view with homelink, auto headlights, best instrument cluster, no bullshit parking sensors and blind spot stuff. I do like the pre collision warnings, that 1 sec you look away happens alot in California traffic, going 80 then in a second your dead stopped.

Like the above, has to be 4wd and all 21s were 5.7 with tow packages

 

2018 Platinum CM in MGM of course…

 

I’d vote 2018. Still had R134 refrigerant, and external trans cooler. 2019-2021 went backwards on that by going 1234yf and no external trans cooler.

 

I’d say any year pro. There’s a reason people make their trucks the faux pro. Not sure I’ve never seen a pro go faux sr5

 

2015 TRD Pro in actual Baja 1000 trim.

 

I'd vote for a 2018 SR5. 38 gallon tank. Last
year of the trans cooler. First year of the nicer dash display.

Only option that year is missing is Army Green.

 

I will agree on previous post of 2016/2017. They have been very reliable years, still have the trans cooler, no TSS. They are basic and bulletproof trucks.

 

I have a 22 and love it but I won’t get into that debate. The 20-21 I would think is the best of the prior generation. I had a 2020, everything on that truck was perfect, like all the Tundras out there. I know people get scared of “tech” but I had no issues whatsoever with the 90k miles I put on it. Why wouldn’t you want push button start, easy entry, apple car play, no antenna, and more those years offered. I know people knock the transmission cooler, but the engine seemed to be tuned better and I never towed anything that my truck didn’t laugh at.

 

This topic emerges almost every week, so henceforth I will copy and paste my typical response. I will temper this response by saying that I would be happy if I had bought ANY year Tundra, but Gen 2 and Gen 2.5 were really the ones to get my attention.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I have a 2018 and I believe it is the unicorn year.

It’s the last year with a transmission cooler, and the first year to have adaptive cruise and pre-collision protection. I waited for 18 so I could get the adaptive cruise, and mine has always worked as intended. I wish it would crawl in traffic like some competitors.

18 SR5 also had an upgradepackage that included LEDs and the 38gal tank. Offroad gave me more desirable 18” wheels (which I PC’d black).

At the time of purchase I had written dealer-installed leather seats into the deal.

They wanted $4500 for a Katzkin installation. I used my refusal to pay that to help get the overall price of the truck below $40k. Within a year I had installed the same Katzkin kit into my truck for $550.

For ME, the 2018 is the way to go.

 

Glad to see some great responses on this. @MadMaxCanon I had no idea there was bench seat option and a column shifter option. The Shark fin should be standard in my opinion also.
@Roctane84 the Baja trim is awesome, love that.

Also the transmission cooler that many of you mentioned, I had no idea they changed that at all!

 

Totally Agree. I sold my 2018 to get into my 2021 for the extra “tech” and final year of V8 reliability etc. it’s def a keeper…

PS feels like it has a tune compared to my previous 4 Tundras (although my first one was the 4.7L)

 

2003 Tundra Terminator 3 Special Edition

Beat that lol ok 2021 because thats what i own

 

Nice. Is a T-100 considered a Tundra? Almost traded in my 1992 White ExCab SR5 4X4 for a 1998 or 1999 (can’t remember) T-100 because that was the new thing. But our second kid was on the way and I got a 4Runner instead - I soon told my wife “I’m a truck guy don’t let us not have a truck in the family again” and thankfully we’ve had a Tundra in the driveway ever since…

 

2nd gen base model. You have a fairly inexpensive blank canvas that you can mod any way you want. Tech, offroad, utility, make it yours.

 

Love my 21. Wish it had tranny cooler. Will eventually add one

 

Tough call on either a 2018 Platinum (new updated display and last year of trans cooler), or a 2020 (keyless entry, push button start, shark fin antenna, but no trans cooler). If it was the one truck that had to last me the rest of my life, it would probably be a 2020 Platinum.

 

I purchased a White 2021 SR5 Double Cab, 6.5’ Bed.

I love the proportions of the Double Cab and obviously the last year of the V-8 Motor.

In my opinion, Toyota made a huge mistake dropping the V-8 in 22.

 

I really wounder if they kept the v8 option for 22 what percentage sales would be v8? I agree big miss not keeping v8.

 

21 Limited Crewmax TRD OFFROAD 4x4....Because it is mine...

 

Even if there was a v8 in the 22 id pass

 

So you’d pass on a mild hybrid V8 with an 8 or 10 speed transmission for better gas mileage and/or a twin turbo V8 option? Ok

that’s the direction I think many of us were hoping they’d go to update the V8 a bit…

That said, I bought the outgoing V8 and 6 speed transmission knowing they were taking it away and moving in a different direction and it was the best decision I’ve made for sure!

1) smooth power and reliability
2) TRD dual exhaust sound
3) 15 mpg on avg (reg unleaded gas)
4) classic good looks!
5) Bullet Proof in every way!!

 

Had a 2004 double cab limited.loved it wish I would have kept it. great body style and interior was awesome.

 

On point

 

The best Tundra is the one you have.

 

Agreed but also no front TSS, to mess up lifts and grills.

 

Flip phone guy here. They could shove all this tech into a dark hole and I would not miss it. 2 yrs in my 2020 and have no idea what that screen has to offer, I don't care. I wish they would make a bare bones no tech truck. Technology is driving us apart.

 

My '02 AC Limited 4x4

1st owner treated this truck Right and it has not let me down....

My truck quickly went from "Shiney Dad Ride" to workhorse thanks to Ian And it has not skipped a beat , driving through slimey river mud and then hauling debri to stockpiles.... all the while being the "Family commuter " because we "lost" our 2nd car

I did spoil it earlier this week and gave it a needed bath & vacuum

Now I do like the looks of the NEWBIE but will wait till that Turbo gets tested

 

I like my 19 Platinum. Last year of old school key ignition. I did have to add the transmission cooler despite the sticker saying it came with one for peace of mind. I don't tow anything, but do live in TX where as we all know it is HOT in the summer. Love the V8. Should be the last truck I have to buy baring accidents.
Cat shields are no longer an option in this day and age, they are a must.