| Income Bracket | Monthly Financing Cost Range | Cash Purchase Price Range | Toyota Tundra Years | Ford F-150 Years | Best Model Year: | Why? |
| < $5k | $42 – $83 | $1,500 – $3,000 | N/A | N/A | N/A | No ‘best of” trucks at this price point |
| $5k – $10k | $83 – $125 | $3,000 – $4,500 | 2003 | N/A | 2003 Tundra | Only truck with a “best of” rating in this price range |
| $10k – $15k | $125 – $187 | $4,500 – $6,750 | 2008 | 2007, 2008, 2012 | 2012 F-150 | Matching reliability scores, but F-150 has a higher safety rating |
| $15k – $25k | $187 – $312 | $6,750 – $11,250 | 2011, 2012, 2013 | 2013, 2014 | 2013 F-150 | F-150 has a better safety rating |
| $25k – $35k | $312 – $437 | $11,250 – $15,750 | 2014, 2016 | N/A | 2016 Tundra | No “best of” Fords at this price point |
| $35k – $50k | $437 – $625 | $15,750 – $22,500 | N/A | 2017, 2018, 2019 | 2019 F-150 | Only “worst of” Tundras in this price range |
| $50k – $74k | $625 – $925 | $22,500 – $33,300 | 2018, 2020 | 2020 | 2020 Tundra | Perfect 10 for FIXD Reliability Score |
| $75k – $99k | $925 – $1,238 | $33,300 – $44,550 | 2019, 2021 | N/A | 2019 Tundra | F-150s don’t hit this price range |
See the methodology for the table above.
The full-size pickup truck segment is the most popular by sales in America and also the smallest in terms of options. Since forever, The Big Three have been offering the F-150, the Silverado, and the Ram 1500. For the past 20-odd years, the Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan have also been on sale. And that’s it, which is relatively slim pickings for a vehicle segment.
So, when you’re in the market for a used pickup truck, it may seem easy to pick one. But given the staggering variety of powertrains, body configurations, and options within these trucks, this can be a tougher job than you think. Today, we’re here to help with a comparison of 2 of these 5 trucks – the Toyota Tundra and the Ford F-150.
The Tundra has been sold – and built – stateside since 2000. It trades on Toyota’s reputation for build quality and reliability that translates to another Toyota trademark – resale value. Fully redesigned in 2022 after an outrageously long second-generation production run, the Tundra sold a bit more than 125,000 units in 2023. Not bad.
Unless you’re comparing that to the Ford F-150. The Blue Oval doesn’t segment out F-150s from F-Series sales, but in 2023, they sold more than 750,000 F-Series, so it’s reasonable to assume the F-150 outsold the Tundra. After all, it has been the best-selling truck in the US for close to 50 years. But does that popularity make it the better truck?
That is what we’re aiming to discover in this comparison that looks at the 2001 through 2021 model years of both trucks. That span allows us to tap into reams of data on what makes each pickup tick. In particular, we’ll be leaning on the best and worst model year rankings of the Toyota Tundra and Ford F-150.
These articles are centered on objective reliability as calculated by FIXD devices installed in thousands of owners’ Tundras and F-150s. We also factor in owner-reported subjective reliability, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety scores, current market values according to Kelley Blue Book (KBB), fuel economy figures published on FuelEconomy.gov, and annual maintenance bills according to owners.
The goal is to create a comprehensive guide for choosing which Tundra or F-150 fits your needs and as a starting point, we’ve put together the table above. The rows are broken out by income range, financing costs, and average prices. Then, we’ve noted model years for each truck that are already “best of” options from our model year rankings series.
Finally, an overall winner is chosen with a brief explanation of the reasoning. You can think of it as a Cliffs Notes summary of everything detailed below. Another useful resource is our used car buying checklist and the best and worst model year rankings of competitors like the Chevy Silverado, Ram 1500, and Nissan Titan.
Price History Comparison | Toyota Tundra vs Ford F-150
Average Market Value – Based on Owners’ Self-Reported Mileages | Toyota Tundra vs Ford F-150
I mentioned Toyota Tundra resale values earlier and as you can see on the chart of market values above, there’s no denying its power. This chart uses published KBB figures, which show the Tundra (green bars) enjoys an advantage in resale values over the Ford F-150 every single year for the past 2 decades.
That’s interesting considering that back in 2001, a base Tundra cost nearly $6,000 less than a base F-150, but as of 2021, the reverse was true by closer to $8,000. Why is this the case? The slope of the depreciation curve is about the same as we’ll look at momentarily, but the Tundra is also quite a bit more reliable than the Ford, which we’ll also dive into below.
Plus, Toyota has a reputation for strong resale values and sometimes, reality follows perception. This is great news for sellers of used Tundras, but not necessarily for buyers. But with this chart, you can at least get a sense of how far your budget will go, whether you’re looking at a used Tundra or F-150.
And don’t forget about the role of mileage in all of this. In 2019, you can see there is a relatively huge gap in market value. That year, F-150 owners reported average odometer readings of 60,000 miles, but Tundra owners came in closer to 25,000. Lower mileage generally leads to higher prices, which is reflected in this case.
Depreciation vs Maintenance Expenses
Depreciation is a used car buyer’s best friend as it removes up to 15% of a new car’s value after one year of ownership and up to 50% of that value after five years. Looking over the Toyota Tundra depreciation curve (above left) and Ford F-150 depreciation curve (above right), we can see that over the long haul, the rate of decline is similar.
It’s worth noting that the F-150 loses residual value faster out of the gate, but both trucks hit the 50% mark around 2017, and by 2013, that residual value is closer to 25%. Which is where the black boxes, or sweet spots, start to come into play.
Within these zones, depreciation has done its job on the Toyota Tundra and Ford F-150, but maintenance costs per mile are still reasonable. In other words, these sweet spots highlight relatively inexpensive model years, but not so old that the cost to keep them on the road is no longer worth it.
For the Tundra, the sweet spot runs from 2005 to 2008, while the F-150s stretches from 2005 to 2013. A good starting point for buyers is the 2008 Tundra as it falls in the sweet spot and is a “best of” model year according to our rankings. For the F-150, that criteria applies to the 2007, 2008, 2012, and 2013 model years.
Reliability Comparison | Toyota Tundra vs Ford F-150
The chart above on the left comparing the FIXD Reliability Score of the Toyota Tundra and Ford F-150 year over year gives credence to the sentiment that Toyotas are reliable. That’s because in 15 of the 21 years we have data on, the Tundra was objectively more reliable than the F-150.
In some cases, like 2003, 2008, and 2020, the Toyota was A LOT more reliable than the F-150 and all those model years happen to have also earned a “best of” nod on the Tundra’s model year rankings. That’s not to say the Ford isn’t reliable, but it only bests the Tundra 3 times. Of those, the 2019 model year is notably more reliable and gets a thumbs up on the F-150 model year rankings.
We should also point out that the 2001 through 2006 F-150s should be avoided as evidenced by the short gray bars on the chart above. No surprise that all 6 of these trucks are also on the “worst of” side of the F-150 model year rankings.
Over on the right is a chart of how reliable owners think their Tundras and F-150s are. These results come from survey responses and as you can see, this subjective data backs up the objective information as Tundra owners report higher perceived reliability than the F-150 in 13 of 21 years.
Longevity Comparison |Toyota Tundra vs Ford F-150
Going hand-in-hand with better reliability is that Tundra owners report higher mileage than F-150 owners more than half the time between the 2001 and 2021 model years. This is reflected in the chart above and is intended to give you an idea of how much mileage to expect from a given model year of these pickup trucks.
Both the Tundra and the F-150 have no problem racking up miles, hitting the 100,000-mile mark around 2016 and the 150,000-mile mark around 2012. But, the Toyota crosses 200,000 miles several times, while the Ford does not.
More than 25% of both Toyota Tundra and Ford F-150 owners report using their trucks primarily for towing and hauling, which can lead to higher mileage. But it also can result in more wear and tear, a topic we’ll tackle below. For now, just remember that the older the truck, the higher the mileage – in general – which may make the cost of ownership less attractive.
Who Should Buy These Cars: The Legacy of The Toyota Tundra & Ford F-150
| Frequent Use Categories: | Toyota Tundra | How Useful? (Out of 5 Stars) | Ford F-150 | How Useful? (Out of 5 Stars) |
| Family Vehicle | * * * | * * * * * |
| Lots of Driving (travel/long commute) | * * * | * * * * |
| Hauling/Towing | * * * | *** |
| Office on Wheels | * | * |
| Sport/Fast Driving | * | * |
| Luxurious Driving | * | * |
| Outdoor/Off-Road | * * * | ** |
Right in line with their manufacturer’s stated mission, both the Toyota Tundra and Ford F-150 are used by about 26% of their owners primarily for hauling and towing as reflected in the table above. Even though they’re designed with this in mind, you should still do your homework with previous owners about how much towing they did as this leads to more wear and tear.
Lots of driving also rank highly here, which backs up the previous chart showing how fast these trucks rack up the mileage. But “Family Vehicle” is another top category according to owners, with the F-150 earning 5/5 stars in this category. That would indicate a truck with solid safety scores, which is the case for the F-150 as we’ll discuss below.
One more area of note is the “Outdoor/Off-Road” category. Like towing and hauling, these trucks are designed with this use in mind, and in both cases, it’s a popular category. But also like towing, it’s important to learn the ins and outs of how a previous owner used their Tundra or F-150 off-road as it can lead to unusually high wear and tear.
Driver Experience | A Summary of The Top 10 Toyota Tundra vs Ford F-150 Reddit Posts:
Nothing beats the What Car Should I Buy Reddit for gathering unfiltered perspectives on buying a car, making it a handy tool when comparing a used Toyota Tundra and a Ford F-150. To save you time scrolling through the endless maze of commentary, we’ve gathered the most frequently cited reasons as to why folks would choose one of these trucks over the other.
Common themes include Toyota’s reliability and resale value, which we know are valid points. Something we haven’t touched on, but equally true has to do with the 2nd-gen Tundra. It was built between 2007 and 2021, which is a relative eon in automotive years as many Redditors note with colorful language.
The only real downside to such a long stretch is that the Tundra remained largely the same for 15 years. This is a boon for reliability, but for anyone interested in modern technology and creature comforts, these Tundras simply can’t keep up with the F-150.
Other regular commentary includes the “bulletproof” build quality of Ford’s 5.0L V8 powertrain and how nice it is to have a rear window that goes up and down in the Tundra – which is a signature Toyota feature. But the biggest thing to be aware of when looking for insights on these trucks is extreme bias.
In particular, Ford, Chevy, and Ram have rabidly loyal truck owners who will scoff at any other pickup, regardless of reality. Phrases like “Ford sucks” are a common refrain across Reddit. So, take all these opinions with a grain of salt, do your homework on reliability, and be sure to go test-drive the trucks you’re interested in.
Year-by-Year Comparison | Toyota Tundra vs Ford F-150
Best & Worst Years | Toyota Tundra vs Ford F-150 | 2001-2024
In the interest of condensing our best and worst model year rankings of the Toyota Tundra and Ford F-150, we’ve created the above graphic. Any model years in the red are to be avoided, while those in the green have earned a “best of” nod. The yellow years are those that we do not yet have enough data on to make an accurate call.
Also important are the blue-circled years as these denote the start of a new generation. Typically, this occasion comes with a drop in reliability as the automaker irons out production problems. As you can see, this theme plays out in all of the past four F-150 generations and the start of second-gen Tundra production in 2007.
This graphic is also useful for pointing out where the “best of” model years overlap with our earlier “sweet spot” of depreciation and maintenance costs. For the Tundra, only the 2008 model year meets this criteria, but the F-150 hits these criteria for the 2007, 2008, 2012, and 2013 model years.
Important Features Timeline | Toyota Tundra vs Ford F-150
When looking across the past 20 years of used Tundras and F-150s, it’s helpful to know when popular amenities like heated front seats first became available. The above graphic aims to answer those questions, so you can make sure the truck you buy has the features you want.
Heated seats, for example, were available on the Ford F-150 as far back as 2002 with the Toyota Tundra offering them 2 years later. Cooled front seats followed with the 2010 F-150 and 2011 Tundra.
These days, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are seemingly ubiquitous, but Ford has been offering this tech in the F-150 since 2017 whereas the Tundra didn’t make it available until 2020.
Ford also led the charge on driver aids by offering blind-spot monitoring (BSM) and lane-departure warning (LDW) on the F-150 since 2015. Toyota made BSM available on the Tundra back in 2014, but LDW didn’t show up until 2018.
Pickup trucks used to be mostly fitted with manual transmissions, but you’d need to go back to a 2008 F-150 or 2006 Tundra to find one in these trucks. However, hybrid powertrains are a more recent option that has been offered in the Ford since 2021 and the Toyota since 2022.
Maintenance Costs (Year-by-Year Average) | Toyota Tundra vs Ford F-150
Although the Toyota Tundra is objectively more reliable than the Ford F-150 over the long haul, it’s not any cheaper to maintain. According to owners, the Tundra costs $671 per year – on average – to keep on the road. The Ford F-150 comes in nearly an identical figure of $665.
As well, only the Tundra has the dubious honor of running beyond $1,000 in annual upkeep costs, which it did in 2017. Little wonder that Tundra gets a “worst of” rating on the model year rankings. But be careful not to assume that high maintenance costs are an indicator of an unreliable truck.
That’s because an owner who is meticulous about service will naturally accrue a bigger stack of service bills than one who runs their truck into the ground and rarely gets it serviced. So, when shopping for your used Tundra or F-150, watch out for spotty service records.
Safety Rating Comparison | Toyota Tundra vs Ford F-150
One area in which the Ford F-150 stands out against the Toyota Tundra is safety. The chart above compares average NHTSA safety scores for these two trucks year over year and as you can see, the Ford (gray bars) generally performs much better for this metric.
In fact, in 13 of 21 years, the F-150 has a higher safety rating, which may help explain why it has a higher percentage of owners who report using it primarily as a family vehicle versus the Tundra. However, watch out for the 2011 F-150 and its poor safety rating.
This was the year that the NHTSA instituted a new, stricter testing protocol that drove crash test scores down across the industry. Interestingly, it didn’t seem to impact the Tundra, but these F-150s are also on the wrong side of the model year rankings, so they are best avoided anyway.
Fuel Efficiency Comparison | Toyota Tundra vs Ford F-150
Fuel efficiency is another area where the Ford outdoes the Toyota, at least since 2011. The chart above on the left compares the conventional gas-powered fuel economy of the two trucks. Along with the advantage going back to 2011, the F-150 steps further ahead of the Tundra in 2015, when the 13th generation debuted.
Generally speaking, fuel economy may not be the main factor in buying a full-size pickup truck. But you shouldn’t dismiss it as the F-150 averaged 19 to 21 mpg between 2016 and 2021 versus 15 to 16 mpg for the Tundra over that same period.
Ford also bests the Toyota on fuel efficiency when it comes to hybrid powertrains. Both automakers only recently started offering this, as shown on the above right chart, but as you can see, the F-150 offers a rating as high as 25 mpg versus 20 mpg for the Tundra.
So, which truck should you buy? Well, the 2008 Tundra is both a “best of” on its model year rankings and within the depreciation sweet spot. But, the 2007, 2008, 2012, and 2013 F-150s all meet this criteria, giving you a bigger pool to choose from. And though the 2018 and 2020 F-150s are not in the sweet spot, they are “best of” models and average 20 mpg, making them a good place to start looking.
Methodology
- Clearly state the purpose of the comparison, which is to compare two vehicles Toyota Tundra vs Ford F-150 and provide a comprehensive analysis.
- Gather relevant information and data on both vehicles from reliable sources, such as manufacturer specifications, expert reviews, customer feedback, industry reports, and data sources like manufacturer websites, FIXD App, Kelley Blue Book, FuelEconomy.gov, and NHTSA.
- Collect data on various aspects, including performance, safety features, fuel efficiency, maintenance costs, reliability, owner satisfaction, and market value.
- Identify the key criteria that will be used to evaluate and compare the two vehicles.
- Ensure the criteria cover both objective factors (such as performance metrics, safety ratings, and fuel efficiency) and subjective factors (such as owner satisfaction, comfort, and features).
- Examine the safety features and ratings of both vehicles.
- Evaluate crash test ratings, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), active and passive safety features, and any notable recalls or known issues related to safety.
- Consider both NHTSA safety ratings and IIHS awards for a comprehensive safety assessment.
- Analyze the fuel economy of both vehicles based on EPA mileage estimates.
- Compare their MPG ratings, average full-tank range, and any significant differences in fuel efficiency.
- Assess the average annual maintenance and repair costs for both vehicles.
- Consider data from surveyed owners and other reliable sources, such as FIXD App owner surveys, to determine the overall cost of ownership over time.
- Evaluate the reliability of both vehicles based on owner reports, FIXD App data, and any known issues or recalls.
- Consider factors such as engine reliability, common problems by model year, long-term durability, and owner reliability scores gathered from surveys.
- Consider owner satisfaction by gathering information from forums, online communities (Reddit: r/whatcarshouldIbuy), customer reviews, and owner reliability scores.
- Summarize key factors that owners appreciate and any common complaints or drawbacks mentioned by owners.
- Compare the features and technologies offered by both vehicles.
- Highlight any notable differences in terms of infotainment systems, connectivity options, driver assistance features, interior quality, and available upgrades.
- Assess the market value and depreciation of both vehicles.
- Compare average prices, resale value, and how the vehicles hold their value over time.
- Consider average private-seller valuations from Kelley Blue Book (KBB) for a comprehensive assessment.
- Summarize the findings of the comparison, highlighting the positives and negatives of each vehicle.
- Provide a fair and balanced recommendation based on the comparison, considering factors such as budget, personal preferences, specific needs of the buyer, and the comprehensive analysis conducted.
Sources:
- KBB Values: Average private-seller valuations as supplied by Kelley Blue Book (KBB), based on a Toyota Tundra and Ford F-150 with typical mileage for that respective model year.
- Fuel Economy: Mileage-per-gallon estimates according to the EPA MPG on Fueleconomy.gov.
- Annual Maintenance/Repairs: Upkeep expenses as reported by surveyed Toyota Tundra and Ford F-150 owners.
- Safety Ratings: Crash test data collected and reported by NHTSA. We average all ratings for each year to come up with a simplified, average safety score. This makes it easier to look at on a graph. We also collected IIHS Awards for this article.
- Vehicle Features: Most or all information gathered on vehicle features were from the manufacturer websites, in this case Toyota.com and Ford.com
Niel Stender grew up doing replacement work on his old Cherokee and sweet Mitsubishi Starion, which led to a degree in mechanical engineering and a job at Ford as a vehicle dynamics engineer. His writing infuses that automotive background with sales and marketing experience. Writing about cars for close to a decade now, he enjoys digging into some of the more technical mechanical systems under the hood and throughout a vehicle.
