Full-size trucks have become America’s de facto default luxury vehicles, with the average transaction price for a new one eclipsing $60,000. The Big Three have embraced this with super-lux trims like the GMC Sierra Denali, the Ram 1500 Limited and the Ford F-150 Limited. Toyota hasn’t really followed suit — until now, that is, with the swanky new Tundra Capstone grade. It starts at $76,145, more than twice the Tundra’s base MSRP and nearly $7,000 more than what had been the flagship TRD Pro model.
The Capstone grade was not available (or even confirmed yet) when I drove the Tundra at its launch event. But earlier this year, I was able to get one in to test — technically a 2022 model but identical to the version on sale for 2023 — as a family car around my home outside Detroit for a week. And as painful as this is for me to admit — I do like the new Tundra — it’s hard for me to recommend leveling up to Capstone. The truck looks the part, and offers some nice features. But it’s not the ultimate, transformative Tundra experience its price point would prime you for.
Toyota hit the right note with the Capstone’s exterior
Tyler DuffyThe Capstone-grade Tundra nails what it needs to be on the exterior. It treads the fine line of being stately and flashy without crossing over into garish; think less King Ranch and more lord (or lady) of the high-end shopping center parking lot. The Capstone Tundra looks premium, with its big fancy wheels, but does not blare its presence with garish badging.
My chic two-year-old daughter still asks to take the white truck to preschool a month later. When told I was just borrowing it, she asked why we haven’t bought one yet.
