If you’re shopping for a new full-size pickup truck, the odds are that both the Ford F-150 and the Toyota Tundra are on your short list of choices. That’s because both trucks have been redesigned in the recent past and both have available hybrid powertrains for buyers that prioritize fuel economy. So which is right for you? Let’s take a closer look.
Key Takeaways
- The F-150 was redesigned for the 2021 model year, while the all-new Tundra debuted for 2022, so both trucks are freshly restyled and equipped with the latest safety and technology.
- The 2024 Ford F-150 has eight different trim levels, three bed lengths, and three different cab configurations to choose from. In addition to a selection of boosted V6 engines, a classic 5.0 V8 engine is still available.
- Toyota’s Tundra isn’t too far behind with seven trim levels, two cab sizes, and three bed lengths. However, buyers are limited to just three different powertrain options and they’re all based on the brand’s 3.4-liter twin-turbocharged V6.
- The Toyota Tundra has one unique feature available that no other full-size pickup truck can touch, including the F-150: A power rear window that lowers completely to ventilate the cab.
The F-150 is more budget-friendly.
The F-150 has a lower price of entry at $38,565 for the base XL trim, including a mandatory $1,995 destination fee. Meanwhile, the Tundra’s base model, the SR, rings in several thousand dollars higher at $41,815, including an $1,850 delivery fee.
If off-road capability is what you’re after, the F-150 Tremor model offers 33-inch all-terrain tires, a locking rear differential, and an upgraded suspension package. Aside from the Raptor, which we’re excluding from contention as something of a specialty vehicle, the brawny F-150 Tremor is as good as it gets from Ford in the dirt. The F-150 Tremor starts at $65,945, including a mandatory $1,995 destination fee.
If smart luxury is what you’re after rather than the ultimate off-road experience, choose either the King Ranch or Platinum trim level F-150s, both priced at $76,380 with destination.
Toyota’s answer to the Tremor’s rugged off-road capability is the brand’s Tundra TRD Pro which starts at $73,980, including delivery fees. Tundra buyers opting for over-the-top luxury will gravitate toward the top-of-the-line Capstone trim level for $80,695, including delivery fees.
So the F-150 wins the price wars, being less expensive across the board — at entry level, off-road, and luxury variants. To be fair, the more expensive Tundra has near-legendary resale value when it comes time to sell or trade for your next truck, so there’s that consolation.
Reliability is a tie.
Reliability ratings aren’t yet available for the 2024 model year trucks, but based on 2023’s F-150 and Tundra, which are minimally changed for the new model year, the big trucks from Ford and Toyota are locked in a dead heat. Ratings agency J.D. Power awarded the 2023 F-150 a 78/100 for quality and reliability while the Tundra scored exactly the same: 78/100.
What’s about towing and payload capacity?
Towing capacity of the F-150 with the optional 400-horsepower twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 engine is 13,500 pounds. F-150 buyers who opt for the classic 5.0-liter V-8 engine have a slightly lower towing capacity of 13,000 pounds, while the hybrid variant can pull up to 12,700 pounds. As far as how much weight you can put in the bed, the maximum payload capacity is 2,455 pounds.
On the other hand, the 2024 Tundra has a maximum tow rating of 12,000 pounds when properly equipped. That’s not insignificant, but it is less than any of the offerings from Detroit’s “Big Three” manufacturers. Similarly, the Tundra’s maximum payload of 1,940 pounds lags the competition by several hundred pounds.
Both trucks are formidable choices.
Toyota’s Tundra was long overdue for a clean-sheet redesign and the resulting truck doesn’t disappoint, not to mention stellar resale value as observed by Kelly Blue Book. That said, there’s a reason that the F-150 has been the best-selling truck in the U.S. for the past 47 years. A lower price of entry and higher towing and payload rating mean Ford’s entry into the full-size market is ready for whatever work or play you’re ready to throw at it.