While the first day of the 2013 Chicago Auto Show didn’t offer much in the way of excitement, there were a few surprises, which we’ll get to later today. We already knew that the 2014 Toyota Tundra pickup was going to be unveiled at the event, but up until now it was all speculation as to what we could expect.

We had several ideas of what Toyota would do with the new Tundra, but we were hoping for a radical change. Well you know the saying that you never get what you wish for, because the 2014 Toyota Tundra has only received minimal improvements to the interior and exterior. However, the Japanese auto manufacturer has made some significant changes beneath the skin.

The first thing that you will notice with this refreshed model is the new grille, which certainly has a greater presence than its predecessor. The tailgate and the bed have also seen a small redesign, although they are subtle, they are just enough to make a difference in the overall look.

As for the interior, owners will now get to enjoy some new seats along with a much-improved instrument panel, and the rest of the features we’re told are “evolutionary than revolutionary“.

We recently said that the likes of Toyota were starting to claw into the lucrative pickup truck market that is dominated by the likes of GM and Ford, but these minor changes are going to stall Toyota’s plans to change that fact.

With the Chicago Auto Show taking place soon after Detroit you’d have thought that we would’ve seen all there was to see, but the former event will have a few exclusives, such as the 2014 Toyota Tundra, which we already explained a few days ago. We first assumed that all Toyota would give us was a slight refresh rather than an all-new design, but several enhancements has been spotted in the latest spy shots.

While the 2014 Toyota Tundra still might not have a complete redesign that we had hoped, there are still various improvements that could still make this a worthwhile refresh. You’ll notice from the image above, with more available here (thanks to KGP Photography) that we can see the front end has several changes, such as new headlamps and a redesigned grille.

This is a clear indication that there are many new features to the exterior, although we will not know until the camouflage panels are removed. However, if Toyota has any hope of taking bites of the American branded pickups then they will need to offer something very different in the 2014 Tundra compared to its predecessor.

Let’s hope that when Toyota go to Chicago and they introduce the all-new Tundra it really is something very different, because we have seen in the past that this was not the case. We hope to learn a few more details in the build up to next months show, such as the full 2014 Toyota Tundra specs and price.

With just 2 days left until the Detroit Show closes their doors for another year the attention has already turned to the next be event, which is the 2013 Chicago Auto Show. While we know that most of the vehicles that were at the former event will be coming to the latter, we do have reason to be a little excited, as you’ll be able to get a tour of the 2014 Toyota Tundra interior and exterior.

That’s not the best part though because it’s been reported that you will be able to watch a live stream of the unveil at HERE, which is to be aired on February 7 at 10am EST, which incidentally is a Thursday. This is the day after the Super Bowl, where Toyota already has a commercial set aside for their RAV4. We’re sure that many of you have been waiting to see what Toyota has done with their new pickup, so how great is it that you won’t have to travel to the Windy City and pay the entrance fee for the auto show to get a glimpse of this new vehicle?

Thanks to a few hints we already know that Toyota’s new truck will have a redesigned, but we can’t be certain if this will be a minor change or extensive, although there’s not long to wait. However, a change is needed because the current design has been used for the past 5 years or so and drivers are now getting tired of the design and feel that a change is needed, but would you agree?

Toyota will have a huge area set aside for their range of vehicles during this years Chicago Auto Show because their stand will be a massive 45,000-square-foot in size.

We’ve also got information on a few truck stops that provide a little luxury when you are tired after a long drive and want to relax a little. One such example is the truck stop in Ohio which is called 77 Gulliver’s Travel Plaza. It features private showers, a billiards room, lounge with cable tv, an electronic game room, a laundromat and even a hair and taning salon.

Alternatively, another luxurious truck stop location you can try is Sierra Sid’s, which is located in Nevada. This one is rather special as it apparently contains memorabilia from Elvis Presley, such as jewelry belonging to Presley’s father, and also four .45 handguns which Elvis was said to use.

If you’re interested in reading more about some luxurious truck stops across the USA, head to this report over at TruckInfo. If you are just looking for an A-Z of truck stops across 48 states in the US, you’ll find this guide useful from BigTruckDriving Jobs.

If you are a truck driver, let us know your opinions on America’s best truck stops.