Half-ton hauler: the Toyota Tundra is gaining a following.

The heat is on in the pickup truck segment. As the Japanese automakers continue to intrude on the once solely dominated American-made half-ton pickup truck market, the competition is hot--and it's only getting hotter.

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In the past few years, competition from Japan has made headway and could continue to slice away at the American auto manufacturers marketshare.

Enter the Toyota Tundra. While the American manufacturers continue to lead in sales (Ford, Chevy and Dodge), the Tundra is gaining a following. According to some late 2005 sales estimates, the Tundra was the leader for foreign-made half-ton pickups. According to those estimates, only Toyota's smaller Tacoma led the Tundra in sales.

Although it's not new (first versions were introduced in 2000), the Tundra is Toyota's flagship pickup. The half-ton hauler offers plenty of goods and options for serious and not-so-serious pickup truck lovers.

After spending a few days with a 2006 Tundra Double Cab Limited, we …