Experienced by Adrian McQueen
Photos by Adrenaline Lifestyles
Pickup trucks are becoming bigger and better as each year goes by and I must say that the 2017 Toyota Tundra 1794 Special Edition Crew Max 4×4 has found its’ rightful seat on the throne. The 1794 edition Toyota Tundra was introduced in 2014 to go alongside the SR, SR5, Limited and Platinum models. The 1794 Edition is considered the top of the line Tundra, maintaining a Western theme. Why the 1794 moniker you ask? The 1794 Edition name originates from the founding year of the JLC ranch which was in 1794. The JLC ranch is the home of the Toyota Tundra, being that it is the pickup truck plant in Texas.
Being a family man, as well as someone that is involved in numerous equipment hauling activities, a pickup truck has become a necessity in my life. Routine use of my pickup truck involves moving furniture, hauling my motorcycles, lawn equipment, large purchases, etc.. With this being said, there is no greater feeling than having your own pickup truck to complete these duties. The crew max edition has a spacious and comfy cabin that affords the benefit in having the room to bring the whole family aboard in my travels. Speaking of the interior, the 1794 Edition includes perforated, leather trimmed, heated/cooled/powered front seats. I felt like there was more than enough leg room for the driver and passengers as well as elbow room. The wood trimmed steering wheel and dash, power sunroof and blind spot monitoring are just a few of the features that gave the Tundra the luxurious feeling that I alluded to earlier.
In all my rides, sound is a key component, so it was important that the Tundra pass the test. Well, when you outfit the truck with a premium JBL sound system, that has 11 speakers plus a subwoofer, consider the test passed with flying colors. I was blown away with the clarity in the speakers and impressed that the subwoofer did not bottom out with the rumbling of the deep bass. The 7 inch hi res touch screen comes with a navigation system, XM radio, Bluetooth and much more. More importantly, this system was user friendly with identifiable icons and not a bunch of excess menus, just to get to the apps. This often frustrates me, because when on the road you do not have time to fumble around. With a few taps of my finger, I need to efficiently get to what I need.
As far as safety is concerned, the 2017 Toyota Tundra comes with dual front, side-front, and side curtain airbags as well as standard knee airbags for the driver and front passenger. One should feel pretty well protected with all of this in the cabin. Unfortunately, the Tundra does not rate nearly as high in the fuel economy department. Averaging 13 city MPG and 17 highway MPG, Toyota has a bit of work to do in getting this pickup truck higher up in its’ class. The Tundra is offered in three cab styles, three bed lengths and in two or four-wheel-drive. The model tested was the crew max edition, with a bed that was a little over 5ft. long. When purchasing, I would prefer a bed that was bit longer and had a bed liner. These two key components are critical to me because when I tote around my motorcycle as well as lawn care equipment, I will have more space and safeguarded against destroying the bed paint. The Tundra also has a tow package that can tow up to 10,500 pounds.
The 1794 Edition has a 5.7-liter V-8 producing 381 hp and 401 lb-ft of torque with a six-speed automatic transmission. The Tundra also comes with a trailer brake controller. This powerful engine made for a smooth and stylish ride, sitting on the 20 inch 6 spoke chrome clad wheels. The Toyota Tundra’s key competitors are the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra Denali, Ram 1500 and the Nissan Titan XD. Overall this is a great truck, a pure head turner and will measure up well in the pickup truck market. Great job Toyota!
