2021 Toyota Tundra

2021 is a carry-over year late in the second-generation (XK50, 2007–2021) run; the 4.6L V8 is gone, so the 5.7L V8 is the only engine across all trims including the volume SR5 CrewMax 4x4.

Respectable naturally aspirated V8 torque, but peak arrives high in the rev range and trails the turbocharged rivals (F-150 3.5L EcoBoost 500 lb-ft) of 2021.

The big V8 makes the Tundra brisk for a full-size truck of its era; instrumented results cluster in the low-to-mid 6s, with the heavier TRD Pro slower.

The 5.7L V8 is widely praised as the Tundra's best attribute — smooth, linear and sonorous with strong top-end pull — but it needs revs to deliver torque and feels thirsty and old-school next to 2021's turbo V6 and V8 rivals.

The 6-speed automatic shifts smoothly and is well-proven, but with two to four fewer ratios than the 8/10-speed gearboxes in the F-150, Silverado and Ram it leaves the engine revving higher and hunts more on grades and when towing.

A competitive figure for a half-ton in 2021, though below the 12,000–14,000 lb ratings available from the F-150, Silverado and Ram.

Payload is the aging Tundra's weak point — the max rating is well short of the 2,000–3,300 lb figures rivals published in 2021.

Integrated trailer brake controller, Trailer Sway Control and TOW/HAUL mode are standard, with a backup camera, but there is no trailer backup assist, trailer camera system, onboard scales or trailer light check like the 2021 F-150/Silverado/Ram offered.

Part-time 4WDemand 4WD with a true low range and A-TRAC is available on every trim, but there's no automatic/full-time 4WD mode or rear locker outside aftermarket, which keeps it below the best-equipped rivals.

The TRD Pro (Fox 2.5-in internal bypass shocks, extra travel, skid plate) and TRD Off-Road package give genuine trail credibility, though it lacks a locking rear differential and crawl control and doesn't approach Raptor/TRX-level hardware.

One engine and one transmission across every 2021 trim — the 5.7L V8 with the 6-speed — with no V6, turbo, diesel or hybrid alternative (the i-FORCE MAX hybrid arrived only with the 2022 redesign).

EPA combined for the volume 4x4 5.7L V8 — the bottom of the full-size class in 2021, a consequence of the sole V8 and 6-speed automatic.

EPA city figure for the 5.7L V8, identical for 2WD and 4WD.

EPA highway figure for the 5.7L V8; rivals' 8/10-speed gearboxes reached 20–26 MPG highway in 2021.

The volume SR5 4x4 with the standard 26.4-gallon tank manages about 370 miles at 14 MPG; the optional 38-gallon tank lifts it past 500 miles.

EPA's current annual fuel-cost estimate at 15,000 mi on regular gasoline — the highest in the half-ton class given the 14 MPG combined rating.

The 5.7L V8 runs on 87-octane regular across every trim; no premium requirement anywhere in the lineup. EPA lists only regular-gasoline configurations for 2021, so no flex-fuel or diesel alternative is credited.

The 2021 Tundra CrewMax earns a 4-star NHTSA overall rating, weighed down by a 4-star frontal result and a tall truck's 3–4 star rollover rating.

This aging 2007-origin second-generation platform scores Marginal in the driver-side small overlap test, Poor in the passenger-side test and Acceptable for roof strength, and earns no IIHS award. Rivals like the F-150 and Ram 1500 do much better here.

Toyota Safety Sense P is standard on every grade: AEB with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert, automatic high beams and radar cruise. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are standard only on Limited and above and optional on the volume SR5, and there is no lane-keeping steering assist.

IIHS rates the standard system Superior vehicle-to-vehicle, with collisions avoided at both 12 and 25 mph. Pedestrian detection is fitted but IIHS published no pedestrian or nighttime rating for it.

BSM and RCTA give mirror-icon and audible alerts only, with no active braking or trailer-aware coverage. The system is standard only on upper grades, not on the volume SR5.

Lane Departure Alert only gives audio and visual warnings (plus a sway warning) above about 32 mph. There is no steering-assist lane keeping and no lane centering.

Radar cruise is standard on every grade, but on the 2021 Tundra it is the high-speed-only type with no stop-and-go and no highway-assist integration.

No hands-free driving system is offered on any grade.

IIHS rates both the halogen and the LED headlights Marginal, so no trim has better than Marginal lighting. Auto high beams are standard.

The high seating position and large mirrors give a good view forward and to the sides, but the tall hood and bed leave big blind zones close in. A backup camera is standard, while no 360-degree camera is offered and parking sonar is limited to upper trims.

The CrewMax's very large rear cabin and wide doors make fitting car seats easy. However, IIHS rates LATCH ease of use only Acceptable, with full hardware in just 2 of the 3 rear positions.

The volume SR5 CrewMax keeps the 40/20/40 split front bench, making it a six-seater; bucket-seat grades drop to five.

Adequate front headroom, a touch below the domestic full-size rivals at around 40-41 in.

Mid-pack front legroom for a full-size pickup.

Rear headroom is fine for adults but not class-leading.

The CrewMax's limo-like sliding, reclining rear seat is the old Tundra's standout packaging strength.

The volume CrewMax is short-bed only; the long beds require the Double Cab.

The deep 22.2-in steel bed gives the short box competitive volume, slightly ahead of the F-150's 52.8 cu ft 5.5-ft box.

Big center console and under-rear-seat space are useful, but there is no fold-flat load floor, giga console or onboard generator; the Trail edition's lockable in-bed boxes are a niche exception.

Wide seats and a roomy reclining CrewMax rear bench, but the SR5's flat cloth bench offers little support or adjustment versus newer rivals.

Leaf-sprung rear and dated chassis give a stiff, jiggly unladen ride that trails the coil-sprung Ram and the newer F-150/Silverado.

Reasonably hushed at cruise, but the V8 is loud under load and wind noise exceeds the best domestic rivals.

Dual-zone auto climate and heated seats reach only Limited and up, and ventilated seats only Platinum/1794; no remote pre-conditioning for most buyers.

The 2021 Tundra opened with a Double Cab rather than a regular cab and still carried the 5.7L i-FORCE V8 as standard, so the entry price is low for what it buys, though domestic rivals' regular-cab work trucks start a few thousand lower.

Tundra sales concentrated on the SR5 CrewMax 4x4; with destination (~$43,000) plus the common SR5 Upgrade or TRD Off-Road package a typical truck landed in the mid-$40,000s, mid-pack for a 2021 half-ton crew cab.

Edmunds' 5-year projection for the 5.7L V8 Tundra is high because it front-loads full-size consumables (tires, brakes, 5.7L fluid capacity) — other trackers (RepairPal ~$606/yr, CarEdge ~$2,400/5 yr) are far lower, so real-world cost is likely better than this figure suggests.

Resale is the 2021 Tundra's best ownership argument: it won KBB's full-size pickup resale award for the model year, outranking the F-150, Silverado and Ram 1500.

Toyota's basic coverage is the industry floor, the same as Ford, GM, Ram and Nissan's half-tons — nothing here distinguishes the Tundra.

Powertrain coverage sits at the bottom of the band, matching the domestic full-size rivals; the 2021 Nissan Titan's 5 yr / 100,000 mi bumper-to-bumper is the outlier the Tundra doesn't answer.

ToyotaCare's two years of no-cost scheduled maintenance plus two years of unlimited-mileage roadside assistance beats the roadside-only coverage Ford, Chevrolet and Ram shipped on their 2021 half-tons, though 2 yr / 25,000 mi is short of the longest included-service plans in the market.

$46,500 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (59% retained, or about $27,435) leaves about $19,065 in depreciation. Add the projected $9,500 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $28,565 in total.

The 2021 Tundra is the final year of a second generation built since MY2007, with its problems long since worked out. Consumer Reports gives it its top predicted-reliability rating and J.D. Power rates it 'Great', ahead of the domestic full-size trucks.

Toyota consistently ranks near the top of Consumer Reports' brand reliability rankings and above the industry average in J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study. That puts it in the top tier among mainstream brands.

There are three recalls for the 2021 model year, which is moderate activity for a full-size truck. The headlight-circuit recall carries a fire risk, and two linked power-steering gear recalls cover oil leaks that can cause a sudden loss of assist. None is a systemic powertrain campaign, but two are safety-relevant.

The volume powertrain is the 5.7L i-Force 3UR-FE V8 with a 6-speed automatic. It has been in production since 2007 and is widely regarded as one of the most durable truck drivetrains on the market, with many examples past 300k miles. It is an old, simple design with no turbos, and its main costs are fuel economy and some air-injection-pump issues on earlier years.

The cabin dates from the 2014 refresh, and reviewers consistently note it is dated and plastic-heavy next to the Ram 1500 and the new F-150. The upper trims (Platinum, 1794) add leather and wood, but volume SR5 trims sit on hard plastics.

This is a mature, long-running assembly line in San Antonio, Texas, building a generation in its 15th model year, which supports consistent build quality. The J.D. Power quality score is strong and owner complaints are few, though J.D. Power rates it 'Great' rather than best-in-class, so it stays just below the top band.

Toyota has about 1,200 US dealers, one of the densest service networks in the country, and generally solid service-satisfaction results. A Tundra owner is rarely far from a dealer.

A 15-year generation means abundant OEM and aftermarket parts, a large off-road/TRD aftermarket and plenty of salvage supply. Repair costs are typical for a full-size truck, and the simple naturally aspirated V8 keeps major repairs uncommon.

The volume SR5's 8-inch Entune screen is small next to the 12-inch Ram and the larger available F-150 unit.

Entune 3.0 keeps physical knobs but its graphics and processing are dated and slow; most owners default to phone projection.

Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on every grade; wireless projection is not offered.

Basic command-based voice recognition; native Dynamic Navigation only from Limited up, with a trial-gated Destination Assist.

SR5 gets a nine-speaker Audio Plus system; a 12-speaker JBL with subwoofer is available on upper grades.

Analog gauges with a small multi-information display on every grade; no full digital cluster.

No meaningful over-the-air vehicle updates on the Entune 3.0 platform.

Toyota app with Remote Connect (remote start, lock, locate) is offered but subscription-gated after the trial; no digital key.

USB-A media and charge ports plus 12V outlets; Qi wireless charging and a 120V/400W outlet are upper-trim only, and there is no USB-C.

The volume SR5 uses a traditional key; Smart Key with push-button start is reserved for Limited, TRD Pro and higher.

Only a basic backup camera on the SR5; front/rear parking sonar is limited to Platinum and 1794 and no surround-view camera is offered.

No head-up display offered on any 2021 Tundra.

CrewMax's huge rear legroom and wide doors ease car-seat installs, but the tall step-in and Acceptable LATCH rating hold it back.

TSS-P is standard, but crash results are weak (4-star NHTSA overall, Poor IIHS passenger small overlap) and blind-spot monitoring costs extra on family trims.

Roomy rear bench and an open bed for luggage, but a stiff ride, thin rear amenities and frequent fuel stops limit long trips.

Smooth, strong V8 and light steering, but the busy ride, tall step-in and dated ergonomics make it more tiring than modern rivals.

Among the thirstiest full-size half-tons of 2021: the V8-only lineup returns mid-teens MPG with no efficient engine option.

Large footprint and 44-ft turning circle with only a rear camera on the volume trim; no 360-degree camera.

Respectable 10,200-lb max tow with a standard trailer brake controller, but modest payload and no heavy-duty variant trail the domestics.

The proven 5.7L V8 and 6-speed on a long-running platform carry a strong long-life reputation and excellent resale.

Deep 22.2-in bed, tie-downs and Toyota accessories, but no onboard generator, bed steps or multi-function tailgate, and a thinner upfit ecosystem than Ford/GM/Ram.

A large 38-gallon tank partly offsets poor MPG, but the stiff ride, no lane centering and non-full-speed radar cruise limit highway comfort.

Low-range 4WDemand, A-TRAC, the TRD Off-Road package and Fox-equipped TRD Pro make it a credible trail truck with plenty of tow capacity for toys.

Open 5.5-ft bed plus a flip-up rear bench and available hitch handle bulky gear, though the short CrewMax bed limits long items.

Secure but heavy and roly-poly, with more body motion than the newer domestic half-tons.

Hydraulic steering is light and slow with vague on-center feel.

Large four-piston front brakes stop it adequately, though the pedal is soft and distances are average for the class.

The 381-hp 5.7L V8 is smooth and responsive with no stop/start; the 6-speed is well-mannered if short on gears versus 8/10-speed rivals.

A satisfying V8 rumble that grows loud under hard throttle but stays free of vibration.

Reasonable turning diameter for a full-size crew-cab short bed.

Commanding view and chunky physical controls, but radio and climate controls sit a long reach from the driver and the step-in is tall.

The V8 soundtrack and the TRD Pro's off-road chops give it character, though the dated chassis keeps it short of fun on pavement.

Every 2021 Tundra came with the 381-hp 5.7L V8, Toyota Safety Sense P (automatic emergency braking, lane departure alert, adaptive cruise) and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto — safety content the domestic base trucks charged extra for — but the SR's cabin, cloth/vinyl trim and small 7-in screen feel sparse.

A standard V8 and strong resale give the Tundra fair value, but its roughly 14–15 MPG combined, dated interior, coarse ride and lower payload left it giving less truck per dollar than the newer F-150, Silverado and Ram 1500.

Eight trims and specials (SR, SR5, Limited, Platinum, 1794, TRD Pro, Nightshade, Trail) across Double Cab and CrewMax with 5.5/6.5/8.1-ft beds and 2WD/4WD, but no regular cab and only one engine — narrower than the domestic lineups' cab, bed and powertrain matrices.

As a runout year for an aging generation, the 2021 Tundra fell 25% to about 82,000 US sales — a distant fifth among full-size pickups behind F-Series, Silverado, Ram and Sierra.

Toyota's reputation for durability gives the Tundra a loyal following and the class's best resale, though in full-size trucks the domestic brands own the loyalty and the work-truck image.

Runout pricing on the outgoing generation brought some discounts early in the model year, but the 2021 chip shortage drained inventory and most trucks sold near MSRP by mid-year.

The 2021 truck was the final year of a second generation launched for 2007 and last refreshed for 2014, with the all-new 2022 Tundra already announced — the oldest design in the class and an imminent replacement.

Reviewers praised the V8's durability and the TRD Pro's off-road chops but routinely ranked the 2021 Tundra near the bottom of full-size truck comparisons for fuel economy, ride, interior and tech; its notable recognition was for resale rather than the truck itself.