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I drove a Toyota Tundra and a Chevy Silverado to see which full-size pickup is better — and the winner was clear (GM)

Matthew DeBord/BI

In the highly competitive world of full-size pickups, there are three main players: the Ford F-150, the Chevy Silverado, and the RAM 1500. That's 1-2-3 in the usual sales ranking.

Behind that formidable trio, one finds the Toyota Tundra. When the Tundra first arrived in the US, it was a daring move. Toyota intended to build on its legacy for reliability and quality by attacking the most American of vehicle segments. The Tundra was the first full-size pickup from a Japanese brand, and it was built in the USA.

That was 20 years ago. The Tundra has been moderately successful, but it hasn't cracked the top-three party. The situation has only worsened for Toyota over the years, as Ford, Chevy, and RAM has effectively captured all the share to be had in the upper reaches of the market.

The Silverado is usually number two, behind the F-150, and to maintain that position, Chevy has an all-new truck on dealer lots.

The Tundra, meanwhile, is completely not all-new. The 2007 second-generation design was upgraded in 2014, but the pickup is long in the tooth. That's not necessarily a bad thing for Toyota, as the company can continue to sell a lot of trucks without having to spend big money to steal customers from the Detroit Big Three.

So how does the Toyota Tundra match up against the Chevy Silverado? Glad you asked. I've driven both trucks. Here's how they compare:

Let's start with the underdog — the Toyota Tundra 1794 Crewmax, tipping the cost scales at about $53,000, landed at our test center in suburban New Jersey last year.Matthew DeBord/BI

Read the review »

The Tundra has been around since 2000 and has amassed a loyal following, even as it fails to seriously compete with the big three.Matthew DeBord/BI

The current generation arrived in 2007 and was updated in 2014, making it a pretty old platform. That certainly doesn't mean Toyota doesn't take the Tundra seriously. In a week of driving it around — with a nice long run to the Catskills in upstate New York thrown in — I found out why.



You're not going to confuse the Tundra for anything other than a full-size pickup. Ours had a 5-foot-5 double-walled bed and a power-sliding rear window, as well as a "Super White" exterior and LOTS of chrome.Matthew DeBord/BI

The 1794 backstory is intricate: The oldest cattle ranch in Texas, near San Antonio, dates to 1794. The property is where Toyota built its US pickup-truck factory.Matthew DeBord/BI

Tundra badging on the liftgate was subdued.Matthew DeBord/BI

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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