2014 Toyota Tundra: Photo Gallery

With little in the way of structural changes to speak of, the 2014 Toyota Tundra's unveiling at the 2013 Chicago Auto Show today was all about the full-size pickup truck's redesigned exterior. With a larger, more angular front grille and face, along with more character lines and visual depth over each fender well, the new Tundra gains a beefier, more imposing presence. In the rear, the truck gets a new tailgate with an integrated spoiler.

More 2013 Chicago Auto Show Coverage

Another notable update to the Tundra is on the inside: new, modern instrumentation, which replaces aging features that have elicited criticism in recent years. Some segment-first technological enhancements also have been added, including a standard backup camera and cross-traffic alert system. Check out the gallery below.

All You Need To Know About the 2014 Toyota Tundra

Toyota took to the floor first thing this morning at the 2013 Chicago Auto Show to reveal the redesigned 2014 Toyota Tundra. The pickup truck isn’t as completely redesigned as you may think. PickupTrucks.com editor Mark Williams delivers all the specifics on the Tundra in his First Look story. Expect more details, photos and video of the truck in the next two days.

2014 Toyota Tundra: First Look

2013 Chicago Auto Show: What to Expect

The Windy City is considered one of the fan-friendliest destinations during auto-show season, and to that end the 2013 Chicago Auto Show is unlikely to disappoint. This show will give visitors a first glimpse of a few new vehicles along with a closer look at a host of exciting cars that made flashy debuts at the Detroit auto show.

The 2013 Chicago show — the 105th time the event has been held since 1901, according to organizers — will be open to the public 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Feb. 9-17 and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 18, with media and charity previews Feb. 7-8, at McCormick Place, 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive. Organizers promote the Chicago show as the largest in terms of exhibit space used, as it occupies 1 million square feet of floor space and hosts about 1,000 vehicles.

For those most interested in the latest thing, the Chicago show will host the world debuts of the redesigned 2014 Toyota Tundra full-size pickup truck and the Kia Cross GT Concept. That's in addition to the North American reveal of the new Chevrolet Cruze Diesel. The 2014 Ram ProMaster van and the custom Superman-inspired Kia Optima Hybrid also are expected to be unveiled.

Recall Alert: 3,235 2009-13 Toyotas

Southeast Toyota Distributors is recalling 3,235 vehicles spanning model-years 2009-13 due to problems with the occupant sensing system, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The affected vehicles were modified by Southeast Toyota Distributors to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or head-restraint DVD system. During the installation process, the passenger seat occupant sensing system may not have been tested. This could cause the airbags to not deploy or to deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size, increasing the risk of injury. 

Car Backseats You Want to Sit In

We’ve told you which cars to call front-seat dibs to avoid being stuck in the backseat with leg cramps and neck spasms. It only seems appropriate to fill you in on which cars allow you to relax comfortably in the backseat and let the friend who called shotgun play road-trip navigator while you chill out and enjoy the scenery. 
 
It’s a safe bet that anything with L or XL after the model name will be an obvious candidate for calling rear-seat dibs; you’ll likely be lounging in extended-wheelbase luxury. But luxury cars aren’t the only class with big backseats. Some gems within their own classes have enough backseat room and surprise features to feel like the car was designed just to provide maximum comfort for rear passengers.

Recall Alert: 2011 Toyota Tundra

Toyota is recalling 502 Tundras from the 2011 model year because a label on the pickup trucks lists the wrong load-carrying capacity, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

An inaccurate label could lead to vehicle overloading, which could result in tire failure and increase the risk of a crash. The recall will begin in February.

Owners will be given a corrected label at no charge, or they can have a dealer apply it for free. For more info, owners can call Gulf States Toyota at 800-444-1074 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236.

Which Automaker Has the Best Pickup Truck for $30,000?

The latest PickupTrucks.com Shootout is a different beast from its predecessors. Instead of choosing between similarly equipped pickup trucks, the focus of this Shootout is pricing. All the trucks in the competition had to stick to a firm $30,000 budget, leading to significant differences between them.

Five trucks participated in the Shootout:

• 2011 Chevy Silverado 1500 extended cab
• 2011 Ford F-150 regular cab
• 2011 Nissan Titan King Cab
• 2011 Ram 1500 Quad Cab
• 2011 Toyota Tundra Double Cab

To see how the trucks fared through a vigorous barrage of testing, including four days of back-to-back driving and a long stint at Ford’s Michigan Proving Grounds, go to PickupTrucks.com.

2011 $30,000 Shootout (PickupTrucks.com)

Toyota's U.S. Production Returns to 100%

Toyota confirmed that production at its North American plants has returned to normal this week. The news comes after nearly five months of slowed production due to limited supplies from the automaker’s Japanese part suppliers. Toyota’s 13 North American plants make the company’s best-sellers in the U.S., including the Camry, RAV4, Corolla, Highlander and Sienna. In all, nearly 70% of the cars Toyota sells in the U.S. are made in North America.

The recovery is ahead of schedule; Toyota originally stated that it didn’t expect to get everything up and running again until November or December at the latest.

The company will now focus on replenishing dealer inventories with overtime and Saturday shifts at some plants. Toyota expects there to be a 15% increase in its supply in the last three months of 2011.

The company also says that construction work on its 14th North American assembly plant, a Corolla factory in Mississippi, is almost complete. Production will begin there in October, employing 2,000 workers. 

Toyota Launches New Incentives to Fight Slow Sales

Toyota said today that it will initiate new incentives for key products for June. The news comes after a poor sales showing in May.

Incentives will be offered on many of Toyota’s best-selling vehicles, such as the Toyota Camry, and others, like the Tundra pickup.

The Camry is being offered with 0% financing for 60 months nationwide and lease rates below $200, said Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager of the Toyota division.  That nationwide incentive is significant because Toyota typically offers only region-specific deals.

Recall Alert: 2007-11 Toyota Tundra

Toyota is recalling 1,629 Toyota Tundra vehicles from the 2007-11 model years because the tire pressure monitoring system on the pickup trucks may not be properly calibrated, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In the affected vehicles, which were installed with accessory light-truck tires before arriving at dealerships, the tire pressure warning lamp may not illuminate if the inflation pressure falls below the threshold for when the lamp should light up. Driving with one or more underinflated tires can increase the risk of a tire failure that could lead to a crash.

The recall is expected to begin next month. Dealers will recalibrate the tire pressure monitoring system for free. Owners can call Southeast Toyota at 800-301-6859 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236.