I remember how impressed I was with the all-new, fullsize Tundra when I first drove it a few years back. It hit 80-90% of what Americans want out of their half-ton trucks, which is pretty impressive when you’re playing against companies like GM, Ford, and Dodge, who have been honing their rigs for decades. Aside from some initial quality lapses that too were reminiscent of the American companies’ track records, things got off to a good start.

Just as the Tundra’s sales numbers were beginning to reach Toyota’s goals though, we had the massive run up in gas prices. Then the housing market collapsed, followed by the broader economy, taking sales of pickups down with them. And let’s not forget that Ford rolled out a new version of the F150, and Dodge the Ram. Has Toyota’s most domestic of offerings kept pace with this brave new world?

In some critical areas, the answer is yes. When the Tundra was released, its biggest engine option, a monster 381hp, 5.7-liter V8, mustering more torque than anyone else’s, set the standard. But the standard V8, the venerable i-Force 4.7-liter, was a bit light-duty for many folks’ tastes—and it didn’t really do much better in real-world fuel economy, either. Toyota’s way to address these issues was to unveil a new eight, in 4.6-liter form. Its outputs of 310hp and 327lb-ft of torque are a nice increase over its predecessor; tied to a 6-speed auto, its fuel economy is not only better than the powertrain it replaces, but better than the base 4.0-liter V6. Rated at 14mpg city and 19mpg highway, it will net owners 1-2mpg over the 5.7-liter, while still running to sixty in the seven second bracket. It also is incredibly refined and quiet—as it’s descended from a Lexus sedan motor, one could say that it should be.

Cosmetic changes for 2010 are quite minor: different grill slats outside, changes in trim colors within. Some of my gripes remain unaddressed: many plastic moldings don’t match in color or texture; build quality is haphazard (why did they choose to copy those aspects of American truck engineering?), and the center stack’s controls are still set too far away from the driver. Finally, there’s still no full-time four-wheel drive setting for mixed conditions.

But other areas have improved: ride quality in the 2010 was much better than earlier vehicles I’d driven, and while the default traction/stability control settings were too invasive—aggressively cutting engine thrust just when you need it to pull out from a T-junction, for example—at least now you have multiple levels of safety net to choose from; turning off just the ‘Trac’ function makes the Tundra much more liveable, while leaving the stability control free to save your bacon in dire straits.

The cab is still roomy and hospitable, and the overall driving experience effortless. Neat new features like a fold-down bed step enhance utility, as does an (optional) backup camera built into the rear-view mirror. The Tundra lineup now is broad enough to meet the needs of almost all half-ton buyers, from basic two-wheel drive regular cab trucks with vinyl flooring to the Platinum edition CrewMax 4×4, with more room inside than your living room. Despite the new entries from long-established Detroit producers, the Toyota stays in the game as a viable player.

Price as tested: $43,405

For what Toyota has to say, go here.

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