Tundra Vs F-150 – Reliability, Power, Safety, and Value

Two very popular trucks are the Toyota Tundra and the Ford F-150. When comparing the Tundra vs F-150 – which has better reliability, which has better value, and simply, which is a better overall truck to choose?

The Toyota Tundra is an excellent choice for anyone who needs a full-size truck. The Ford F-150 is a more well-rounded truck. The reliability and performance of the Toyota Tundra are difficult to beat. The Ford F-150 has created a higher degree of refinement and comfort.

Deciding which is better, the Tundra or the F-150 requires comparing several different specs and features for both trucks. There are many things by which the Tundra is better than the F-150 and vice versa. There are just too many things that you need to consider to arrive at a well-informed decision.

Read on to learn more about the F-150 vs Tundra, so that you can choose the right truck for you.

tundra vs f150

Tundra Vs F-150 – Which Is Better?

The Toyota Tundra is an excellent choice for anyone who needs a full-size truck. The Ford F-150 is a more well-rounded truck. The Ford F-150 has created a higher degree of refinement and comfort. The reliability and performance of the Toyota Tundra are difficult to beat.

What are the things that make the Toyota Tundra a better choice than the Ford F-150? And what are the things that make the Ford F-150 better than the Toyota Tundra? Let us explore this topic in detail. I will help you decide which of these two most popular pickup trucks is just right for your needs.

Power and Performance Are Number One

One of the best ways when evaluating pickup trucks is to determine how much power they can deliver. So, let us start with the engine. The Tundra has a bigger V8 variant, while the F-150 has a smaller V6 engine. Naturally, a truck with a bigger engine has more power and more torque.

The Toyota Tundra has a 5.7-liter V8 engine. It’s the only pickup truck in its class that has a V8 engine as a standard. That means this engine is larger than the standard engine installed on the F-150s. There are a few F-150s with V8 engines, but they are pricier than the Tundras.

This V8 engine provides the required strength for towing and gives you more than enough power when you need to go off-road. With eight cylinders burning up the fuel, Tundra is naturally expensive on the gas. Its EPA rating is 13 miles per gallon in the city and 18 mpg on the highway.

The Ford F-150 has V6 engines that produce 450 horsepower. It’s a smaller engine than the Tundra’s, but it is better in the get-up-and-go and fuel economy. With 3.3 liter engines, it can reach 19 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.

It’s even better than the F-150s run by a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6. These machines can achieve 20 mpg city and 26 mpg highway.

Value for Money

The next thing we will look at in our comparison of the Tundra vs F150 is value for money. What value will the pickup truck give you for the sum of money you will pay? Again, it’s one of the basic considerations that you must take into account. And it is not just because one pickup is cheaper than the other.

Tundra’s base model is tagged at $33,000, while the F-150 base model goes at $28,495. That’s already a $4,000 plus the difference in favor of the F-150. But whoa! Wait a minute! Don’t be too fast on the trigger.

While the base Tundra is $4,000 more than the base F-150, it has more value. The F-150 has only essential and minimum features. So, it is basically a stripped-down truck. On the other hand, the Tundra has way more features; therefore, it has more value per dollar.

There are more safety features in the Tundra than the F-150. Additionally, it comes with a standard integrated trailer brake controller, a user-friendly 7-inch touchscreen display, and Bluetooth. A six-speaker sound system is also included in the standard, including Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity.

You will only have these neat features if you upgrade the base F-150 to the XLT trim, which is definitely more than $33,000.

Safety Is Important

To many, safety is of the utmost concern. And in this area, the Tundra is ahead of the F-150. The Toyota safety suite is standard in its base model. It includes everything that the F-150 XL trim has and more.

Apart from the F-150 base model’s safety features, the Tundra has automatic high-beam headlights, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control.

The standard safety features of the F-150 XL trim include automatic emergency braking, curve control, pedestrian detection, a rearview camera with hitch assistance, and forward-collision warning. All these features are included in the Tundra safety package base model.

f150 vs tundra
F150 vs Tundra – Safety

Tundra vs F150 Reliability

What about the Tundra vs F150 reliability? The Kelly Blue Book and J.D. Power study hundreds of vehicles, and they use driver testimonials from people to determine which options are the most reliable

According to studies from both Kelly Blue Book and J.D. Power, the Toyota Tundra has the least amount of reported issues compared to hundreds of other vehicles over a period of 3 to 5 years.

The 2020 Ford F-150 is the thirteenth generation of this legendary pickup. Since its debut in 2015, which was one of the F-150’s better model years, the 2020 Ford F-150 hasn’t had good reliability ratings from Consumer Reports. [1]

The Consumer Reports’ review gave the Ford F-150 a total score of 57. It was by no means at the bottom of the Consumer Reports list of 18 trucks. It was in the number five spot. The 2020 Toyota Tundra did beat out the F-150 in terms of overall reliability.

Comfort Is King

Next, when comparing comfort between the Ford F150 vs Tundra, the F150 is better. This factor will be one of your main concerns if you will be the one driving the truck full time. But it really doesn’t matter if it’s otherwise. In addition, the F-150 offers more room at the rear.

And if you are really looking for luxurious amenities, the lure of the F-150 is stronger than the Tundra. Admittedly, the F-150 has more to offer in the comfort department than the Tundra. Things such as heated steering wheel, massaging front seats, and heated rear seats are with the F-150, not the base Tundra.

A Luxurious Interior Will Make You Feel Like a King

When it comes to the F150 vs Tundra interior quality, the F-150 eclipses the interior of the Tundra. Toyota made some minor upgrades to Tundra’s interior. But after more than a decade, its interior remains largely the same. The plush interior of the F-150 2020 model makes it the clear winner in this department.

Dimensions Of A Pickup Truck: How Wide, Long, and Tall?

Toyota Tundra

If you’re looking for a full-size pickup truck that is great for regular and occasional heavy-duty work and is comfortable enough for daily drives, then the Toyota Tundra is your best choice.

Toyota Tundra’s base model is the SR trim. It delivers outstanding performance with its i-Force 5.7-liter V8 engine and its 4-piston, 13.9-inch front brake calipers. It’s the kind of engine that provides the power and endurance required for both work and play.

The Tundra comes with a key smart system that can give you the convenience of a truck for weekend adventures. It is a very capable workhorse that can handle everything that you may require for it to do.

This full-size pickup truck comes in 11 color choices: Midnight Black Metallic, Voodoo Blue, Cavalry Blue, Magnetic Gray Metallic, Silver Sky Metallic, Cement, Smoked Mesquite, Army Green, Quicksand, and Barcelona Red Metallic.

Tundra’s V8 engine can produce 381 hp at 5,600 revolutions per minute and 401 lb-ft. of torque. It’s EPA fuel rating is 13 mpg in the city, 18 mpg on the highway, and 15 mpg combined. This truck has a rack and pinion steering with a base model equipped with a rear-wheel drive train. A four-wheel drive (4WD) option is also available.

The external dimensions of the Tundra are as follows:

  • Overall Length – 228 in.
  • Height – 76.0 in.
  • Width – 79.9 in. (without the side mirrors)
  • Wheelbase Length – 145.7 in.

Payload, Towing Capacity, and Other Features

The Tundra has a maximum payload of 1,730 lbs. and a maximum towing capacity of 10,200 lbs. Some of the most important features of this full-size pickup truck are the following:

  • Toyota Safety Sense™ P (TSS-P) 
  • 7-in. touch screen multimedia system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility
  • Power windows and door locks
  • Integrated Trailer Brake Controller (ITBC)
  • Integrated backup camera 
  • Daytime Running Lights (DRL)
  • Easy lower and lift tailgate

There are six available trims or variants of the Toyota Tundra. They are:

  1. SR
  2. SR5
  3. Limited
  4. Platinum
  5. 1794 Edition
  6. TRD Pro

To know more information about Tundra vs F150, let’s look at the different Ford F-150 variants’ specs and features.

What Is an Automatic Limited-slip Differential (Auto LSD)?

Ford F-150

When it comes to which is more well-rounded between the Toyota Tundra vs F150, the F150 is more well-rounded. It has a broad range of engine options, a higher quality of driving comfort and refinement, and more configurations.

This full-size pickup truck gives you the best-in-class payload. You can use it to haul things for your work and play. Its military-grade, high-strength aluminum-alloy body and high-strength steel frame will be able to handle whatever you may subject it to, and it will never complain.

The Ford F-150 is available in seven trims with assorted engines, payload, and towing capacities. These variants are as follows:

  1. XL
  2. XLT
  3. Lariat
  4. XL King Ranch
  5. Platinum
  6. Limited
  7. Raptor

There are 11 color options that you can choose from. They include Blue Jeans, Velocity Blue, Oxford White, Magnetic, Iconic Silver, Rapid Red, Agate Black, Stone Gray, Race Red, Magma Red, and Silver Spruce.

The external dimensions of the F-150 may vary depending on the trim. The base model’s external dimensions are the following:

  • Overall Length – 209.3 in.
  • Cab Height – 75.1 in.
  • Wheelbase – 122.4 in.
  • Width – 79.9 in. (excluding mirrors)

The following are the important specifications of each Ford F-150 trim:

toyota tundra vs f150

F-150 XL Specs

  • Engine – 3.3-liter Ti-VCT V6 Engine with Auto Start/Stop Engine Technology
  • Transmission – Electronic 6-speed Transmission with Tow/Haul and Sport Modes
  • Tank Capacity – 23 gallons Regular Cab, SuperCab; 26 gallons SuperCrew
  • Payload Capacity – 1,720 lbs. to 3,230 lbs. (3.5L Ecoboost V6)
  • Towing Capacity – 7,600 lbs. to 12,100 lbs. (3.5L Ecoboost V6)

F-150 XLT Specs

  • Engine – 3.3-liter Ti-VCT V6 Engine with Auto Start/Stop Engine Technology 
  • Transmission – Electronic 6-speed Transmission with Tow/Haul and Sport Modes
  • Tank Capacity – 23 gallons Regular Cab, SuperCab; 26 gallons SuperCrew
  • Payload Capacity – 1,720 lbs. to 3,230 lbs. (3.5L EcoBoost V6)
  • Towing Capacity – 7,400 lbs. to 11,300 lbs. (5.0L EcoBoost V8)

F-150 Lariat Specs

  • Engine – 2.7L EcoBoost V6 Engine with Auto Start/Stop Engine Technology
  • Transmission – Electronic 10-speed Transmission with Tow/Haul, Snow/Wet, EcoSelect, and Sport Modes 
  • Tank Capacity – 23-gallon (Regular Cab, SuperCab) and 26-gallon (SuperCrew)
  • Payload Capacity – 1,740 lbs. (3.3L TI VCT V6) to 3,270 lbs. (5.0L TI VCT V8)
  • Towing Capacity – 5,100 lbs. (3.3L TI VCT V6) to 12,100 lbs. (3.5L Ecoboost V6)

F-150 King Ranch Specs

  • Engine – 5.0L Ti-VCT V8 Engine with Auto Start/Stop Engine Technology 
  • Transmission – Electronic 10-speed Transmission with Tow/Haul, Snow/Wet, EcoSelect, and Sport Modes 
  • Tank Capacity – 26-gallon (SuperCrew)
  • Payload Capacity – 1,730 lbs. (2.7L EcoBoost V6) to 3,270 lbs. (5.0L TI VCT V8)
  • Towing Capacity – 5,100 lbs. (3.3L TI VCT V6) to 12,100 lbs. (3.5L Ecoboost V6)

F-150 King Platinum Specs

  • Engine – 5.0L Ti-VCT V8 Engine with Auto Start/Stop Engine Technology 
  • Transmission – Electronic 10-speed Transmission with Tow/Haul, Snow/Wet, EcoSelect, and Sport Modes 
  • Tank Capacity – 26-gallon (SuperCrew)
  • Payload Capacity – 1,740 lbs. (3.3L TI VCT V6) to 3,270 lbs. (5.0L TI VCT V8)
  • Towing Capacity – 5,100 lbs. (3.3L TI VCT V6) to 12,100 lbs. (3.5L EcoBoost V6)

F-150 Limited Specs

  • Engine –  High-output 3.5L V6 EcoBoost Engine with Auto Start/Stop Engine Technology; Dual Exhaust with Dual Tailpipes Under Rear Bumper
  • Transmission –  Electronic 10-speed Transmission with Tow/Haul, Snow/Wet, EcoSelect, and Sport Modes
  • Tank Capacity – 36-gallon
  • Payload Capacity – 1,860 to 1,990 lbs.
  • Towing Capacity – 7,600 to 12,100 lbs. (for 3.5L EcoBoost V6)

F-150 Raptor Specs

The Baja-bred F-150 Raptor boasts of a high-output engine exhibiting raw power. The 3.5L V6 EcoBoost twin-turbo engine with 24 valves and Ford port-fuel direct-injection (PFDI) can generate a massive 450 hp and 510 lb-ft. of torque.

This mean machine is equipped with high-tech Trail Control. It is a cruise control system that will provide you with low traction on rugged off-road terrain. Just set the speed, and this system will manage acceleration and braking.

It will automatically send torque and stopping force to the four wheels individually according to the changing conditions. You only need to steer the truck over challenging terrain. The Raptor also comes with high-output, off-road Fox Live Valve Racing Shox.

These are monotube shocks that will deliver superior control. They have electronic solenoid valves that can provide continuously variable compression damping, enabling them to adjust to the ever-changing conditions of very challenging terrains.

Here are the essential specs of the F-150 Raptor:

  • Engine – High-output 3.5L V6 EcoBoost® Engine with Auto Start/Stop Engine Technology; Dual Exhaust with Dual Tailpipes Under Rear Bumper
  • Transmission – Electronic 10-speed Transmission with Tow/Haul Mode 
  • Tank Capacity – 26-gallon (SuperCab) and 36-gallon (SuperCrew)
  • Payload Capacity – 1,730 lbs. (2.7L EcoBoost V6) to 3,270 lbs. (5.0L TI VCT V8)
  • Towing Capacity – 5,000 lbs. (3.3 TI VCT V6) to 12,100 (3.5L EcoBoost V6)

What’s More Reliable Chevy or Ford?

Conclusion – F150 Vs Tundra

Toyota Tundra is an excellent choice for people who need a full-size truck. On the other hand, the Ford F-150 is a more well-rounded truck.

The reliability and performance of the Toyota Tundra are difficult to beat. But being in the market for so long, the Ford F-150 has a higher degree of refinement and comfort.

Ultimately, your choice will depend on the most important thing you need in a full-size pickup truck. Is it reliability or comfort? Is it power or luxury? The choice is yours. Choose wisely and do it well.

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