As one of the leading vehicle manufacturing companies in the world, Toyota has become a household name to anyone who knows what a car is. This famous Japan-based company is popular for manufacturing highly durable and superb fuel-economy vehicles for an affordable price. Toyota also manufactures aftermarket vehicle parts for visual and performance upgrades.
Coming to the pickup truck section of Toyota, the two trucks on the top of that list is Toyota Tundra and Toyota Tacoma. Both trucks have formed a massive customer base since their inception and have a fair competition with each other. Now it’s time to find out which one among these two trucks holds the crown for the best Toyota pickup truck.
In-depth Information on Toyota Tundra
Toyota Tundra is an FWD (Four Wheel Drive) truck and the first V8 engine to be used as a pick-up truck. Through its inception in 1999, the truck has gone through several upgrades and also raised the bar for current pickup trucks to new heights. This truck model has gone through 2 Generations of upgrades with the 3rd Gen model coming out in 2022.
The Toyota Tundra models you’ll find in the current market are Toyota Tundra Access Cab/Regular Cab, Double Cab, Crew Max, and Double Cab (2018). All of these models have their TRD counterparts as well. In addition to the 4-seater transportation system, this truck can be used for off-roading on all kinds of terrains.
In-depth Information on Toyota Tacoma
Toyota Tacoma is a popular brand of pickup truck with an FWD (Four Wheel Drive) feature and a V6 engine. This hardwired truck has gone through several visual and technical upgrades since 1995 and is still in mass production. The truck has undergone 3 Generation upgrades and rumors of its 4th Gen coming out in 2024 are still unbelievable.
The models you’ll find under the name of Toyota Tacoma in the present market are Toyota Tacoma Regular Cab 2WD, Double Cab, Double Cab Long Bed, Regular Cab 4WD, Access Cab, Double Cab Short Bed. The truck is a great vehicle for off-roading as well as a spacious mode of transportation for passengers.
Comparison Between Toyota Tundra and Toyota Tacoma
Toyota Tundra and Toyota Tacoma are two trucks that have thousands if not millions of customers all over the world. The versatile use of their payload bed added with the 4-seater option makes it a truck that can do almost anything you’d expect from a vehicle.
All in all, this is the comparison between Toyota Tundra and Toyota Tacoma which will determine the better truck between them through comparison on similar grounds.
Engine Power
Toyota Tundra
The power of the Toyota Tundra is in its V8 engine which can range up to 5.7l and has a torque of 401lb-ft. The best engine of Toyota Tundra can generate up to 381hp of power that comes in handy while passing through rough terrains and carrying moderate weighing payloads.
Toyota Tacoma
The latest version of Toyota Tacoma is a V8 engine that has a basic engine size of 3.7l and a moderately powerful torque of 265lb-ft. The best Toyota Tacoma can generate up to 278hp of power. The power is enough to drive the truck and its passengers through uneven terrain along with a payload at the back.
Result
Since the horsepower and torque of Toyota Tundra beat Toyota Tacoma by a long shot, Toyota Tundra takes the win for this round.
Mileage Competition
Toyota Tundra
A common complaint among Toyota Tundra customers is its unexpectedly poor mileage. This truck is unable to provide you with a good fuel economy even if you keep it well-maintained all the time. The average mileage of the 2021 Toyota Tundra is 14mpg but it does have a fuel capacity of 26.4l.
Toyota Tacoma
Toyota Tacoma provides the average mileage you might expect from a Ford F-150 or pickup trucks of the sort. The truck provides you with a moderate mileage of 20mpg on average. However, the truck has a smaller gas tank that can refill up to 21.1l.
Result
Both the Toyota Tacoma and Tundra might seem equal due to one having poor mileage and small tank but after calculating the distance these trucks can travel with a full tank, Toyota Tacoma wins this round.
Payload and Towing
Toyota Tundra
The latest 2nd Gen Toyota Tundra Double Cab can carry 1650lbs of payload on its back. The reason this truck is tilted and not leveled is that the truck will remain level when there’s a substantial amount of payload at the back. Meanwhile, this truck can tow up to 9,900lbs of carriage but the older versions can tow up to 10,200lbs of carriage.
Toyota Tacoma
This truck has a max payload of 1,155lbs because it has a smaller payload bed and a compact design. The truck has FWD which activates automatically and can protect the payload from tumbling over the bed. Anyway, the truck can tow a maximum of 6400lbs.
Result
After comparing the results of the payload and towing capacity of both trucks, Toyota Tundra is the clear winner in terms of carrying more payload and towing more carriage.
Design
Toyota Tundra
Although the Toyota Tundra 1st Gen is small in size, the 2nd Gen was made larger. The design has a length of 228.9inch and a height of 76.2inches. The truck has a ground clearance of 10.6 inches and the largest bed length available in a Toyota Tundra is 66.7inches.
Toyota Tacoma
Toyota Tacoma, although being more compact than the Toyota Tundra has a more stable and aerodynamic shape. It has a length of 212.3inches and the height of the truck is 70.6inches. Such dimensions help the truck to turn faster and use all of its power to move smoothly. Again, the 9.4inch riding height goes well with the 5foot1inch bed of the truck.
Result
For trucks, size doesn’t matter as long as it fits your vehicle’s other specifications. Toyota Tundra is good for towing and pulling excess weight due to its large size but the truck is not as stable as Toyota Tacoma’s aerodynamic design. For this reason, Toyota Tacoma takes the crown in terms of design.
Final Statement
After comparing both the trucks to one another, it’s clear that the winner of the Toyota Tundra Vs Toyota Tacoma competition is both of them but from different perspectives. The gained score of both trucks is 2:2 in terms of overall performance and design.
When you do a deeper calculation of both trucks and their features, it’s clear that Toyota Tundra is a great truck in terms of carrying more payloads and traversing difficult terrains whereas Toyota Tacoma is the better truck in terms of fuel economy and aerodynamic designs for faster acceleration. At the end of the day, your demands will determine the winning truck.
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