Test Drive: 2019 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro CrewMax

The all new 2019 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro CrewMax (Photo Credit: Neda Khalilian)

Having lived in Texas for over thirteen years, you would think I’d start to think of myself as a country girl.  On the contrary and for whatever reason, I have never thought of myself as anything but a city girl through and through.  From what I wear to the activities I’m involved in… a city girl.  Growing up in New Jersey, the only people I knew who drove pickup trucks were mainly in some type of construction business.

Having worked with TOYOTA before, it was with a mixture of excitement and apprehension when they approached me to spend a week driving their 2019 Tundra TRD Pro CrewMax.  The plan for the first weekend was to take a trip to Stillwater, Oklahoma and  tailgate at the Oklahoma State vs West Virginia football game. Up to now, this girl had never experienced a true tailgate nor a college football game! No laughing folks - I’ve been to more soccer games than I can count - just no football games. I know, I know….

When the “Super White” colored Tundra was delivered, I was immediately struck by not only its presence but those halo shaped piercing LED headlights.  As you can tell from the pictures, it looked mean as if it were screaming “bring it on,” and that was when it was still parked! The shape is clean and fluid and the big scoop on the hood is telling you something big is lurking under there. 

Amidst all of this shock and awe from the Tundra’s looks, my mind started to realize the size and I veered into a mild panic.  How was I going to drive this truck, and worse, park it in close quarters? I’ve never driven something this long and this tall!

Now, mind you, I used to own and am a die-hard fan of the Toyota Land Cruiser - not a small truck by any means.  Having driven one for well over a decade, to this day, it is my favorite vehicle to drive. Ever. Driving this Tundra, made me miss my Land Cruiser so much! Essentially, it was an extremely similar ride with its commanding driving position and exceptional visibility.

Here are some things that stood out for me during the 10 days I had this truck:

The Interior of the 2019 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro CrewMax (Photo Credit: Neda Khalilian)

1. Safety

First and foremost, with any vehicle, safety is the number one factor for me as a mother. Being a full size pickup truck, I was definitely intrigued by all the safety features of this vehicle including the 8 airbags that helped earn this truck the Government’s 5-Star Safety Rating for frontal crash, side crash, rollover and overall vehicle safety.

My favorite safety feature was the Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert with Sway Warning System. I also loved the automatic High Beams - just one less thing for me to worry about.

Interior Controls along with Integrated Navigation and App Suite (Photo Credit: Neda Khalilian)

2. Interior Space

I was most skeptical about the second row seating and the amount of usable space.  For me, a pickup truck is known for its bed not its cab space and comfort. My son who is six-feet tall and has trouble sitting in the back seat of my SUV, surprisingly, not only got in easily but had ample leg and headroom.

The Tundra TRD Pro Crewmax rear cab space is a spacious 42.3 cubic feet. Comparing that to the 42.5 cubic feet of space for the front gives you an idea of the well-proportioned dimensions.  Going out to dinner or to Costco, the kids all consistently pleaded to take the Tundra.

Leather Trimmed 10-Way Power Adjustable Driver Bucket Seats (Photo Credit: Neda Khalilian)

3. Interior Luxury

Let's just say, I was impressed. Impressed with the perforated, leather-trimmed, heated and ventilated front bucket seats with embroidered upper backrests; 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat, which includes power thigh and lumbar support and a 2-position memory function. The 6-way power-adjustable front passenger seat with power lumbar support is perfect for those long drives.

My favorite part, especially when driving the 4+ hours to Stillwater for the OSU vs West Virginia game was the Entune™ Premium JBL®54Audio that made listening to music a pure joy. This truck had basically every feature that a sedan would have including Integrated Navigation32 and Entune®App Suite65 – includes 7-in. high-resolution touch-screen with split-screen display, AM/FM cache radio, HD Radio™,29 CD player, 12 JBL ®54 speakers including subwoofer amplifier, auxiliary port, USB media port,53advanced voice recognition,38 hands-free phone capability, phone book access and music streaming47 via Bluetooth®47wireless technology, Siri ®Eyes Free,45 HD Radio™29Predictive Traffic and Doppler Weather overlay, and SiriusXM® Satellite Radio. Now that’s a mouthful of features!

Detailed stitching of the 2019 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro CrewMax interior leather dashboard (Photo Credit: Neda Khalilian)

4. Reputation

I think we can all agree Toyota has a pretty impeccable and consistent reputation and at the end of the day, that’s an important part of the whole driving experience. Fortune Magazine, in January of this year, named Toyota as one of the “World’s Most Admired Companies” and for the fourth consecutive year, named the No. 1 motor vehicle company. Who wouldn’t want to drive a car with that type of reputation? 

I can honestly say my family and I really enjoyed the time with the 2019 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro CrewMax. The car's looks, driving position, ability to comfortably transport the family and the long list of convenience features made it a sad time when we had to part ways. 

Do you drive a Toyota Tundra? Tell me how you like it in the comments below - would love to hear about it!

Hugs, Mama K

A great time tailgating at the OSU vs West Virginia football game in Stillwater, OK (Photo Credit: Neaka Khalilian)

The 2019 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro CrewMax is perfect for a day of Black Friday shopping. Plenty of room for all the shopping bags! (Photo Credit: Kian Khalilian)