Tacoma Versus Tundra: Which Is Best for You?

Toyota has been building trucks known for their durability for several decades and has built quite a loyal following. The brand doesn’t redesign its trucks often, but both the mid-size Tacoma and full-size Tundra were completely redesigned last year and two years prior. Like Toyotas in general, both models have a reputation for quality of construction and long-term reliability, and lately, both models have added available hybrid drivetrains to their lineups. If you value these elements in a truck, Sharp Automotive is the right place to shop—but which of these trucks is the right one for you? 

Where They Come From 

The Tacoma name was first introduced in 1995, but the truck itself dates 13 years earlier when the first models were assembled in Long Beach, California, from truck chassis shipped from Japan in 1972. It was compact-sized, four-cylinder-powered, and led the compact truck movement of the 1980s. Later, after its name change, the Tacoma grew to the mid-size category and gained V-6 power. The current model is the fourth generation of the Tacoma. 

Tacoma’s size increase in the 1990s retained many of its customers, but others had transitioned to the needs of a full-size truck. Not wanting to lose these customers to the domestic brands, Toyota introduced the Tundra in 1999. Its predecessor was the T-100 mid-size, which was positioned between the Tacoma and full-size models, but the Tundra was Toyota’s resolve that a full-size truck was needed. It was available with 3.4-liter and 4.0-liter V-6 engines and a 4.7-liter V-8, making it the first V-8-powered Toyota sold in the U.S. Built in Texas, it was aimed directly at the full-size models from Ford, GM, and what is now known as Ram, and was available in two-door, extended two-door, and four-door crew cab models. Today’s Tundra is the third generation since its debut. 

An important consideration is that both trucks are built on Toyota’s advanced TNGA-F platform, which has been adjusted only in size for the two models.  

If Size Counts 

Let’s jump right into the obvious. The Tundra is bigger and higher-powered than the Tacoma. The logical outcome is that the Tundra has a greater maximum payload (1,485-1,940 pounds) than the Tacoma (1,230-1,680 pounds) and almost twice the maximum towing capacity (6,000-6,500 pounds versus 8,300-11,450 pounds). If the highest amounts of those figures are of primary importance to you, you probably don’t have to read further. But if maximum payload and towing capacity are not prime concerns or your needs are in the overlapping areas between the two model lines, read on. 

Most Tacoma models come in a four-door Double Cab, though SR, SR5, and PreRunner grades are also available in a two-door extended cab. All Tundras have one of two different-sized four-door cabs. The Double Cab is best for occasional passengers, while the CrewMax can easily seat five adults. All four-door cabs from both trucks are designed to seat five. Three adults in the Tundra will be spared some shoulder rubbing with about four more inches of width. They will also have more legroom. The Tacoma cargo bed is 56.4 inches wide, while the Tundra adds another 10 inches at 66.4. The Tacoma has a choice of 5.0- and 6.0-foot bed lengths. The Tundra bed choices add another half-foot to each. Plus, there is an 8.1-foot long-bed available on smaller Double Cab lower-grade Tundras. 

Pick Your Powertrain 

Ironically, both the Tacoma and Tundra powertrains represent a partial return to form. The first Toyota trucks were all powered by four-cylinder engines, including one with 2.4 liters. A 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine powers all current Tacomas. Likewise, the first Tundras were available with a 3.4-liter V-6, which is now under the hood of all current Tundra models. The big difference is that all the engines are now turbocharged. Plus, being Toyotas, a hybrid powertrain tops off each truck line.  

The Tacoma model line pairs its engines with an eight-speed automatic, though for those who like three-pedal driving, a six-speed manual is available on the SR and TRD Sport grades. All Tundra models use Toyota’s ten-speed automatic. Each model line has three different power outputs, which are listed below. The EPA figures assume the eight-speed automatic for the Tacoma. 

Exterior 

The Tacoma and Tundra are very similarly styled. Both emphasize straight lines, sharp corners, and thick framing for the grilles and other contours, as if the bodies were formed by origami using inch-thick iron plating. Both even share the same kick-up angle on the rear lower corner of the rear door window. The Tacoma has an upper grille and lower intake, while it’s just one really big grille for the Tundra. Grille framing and mesh, wheel designs, and other trim pieces vary by trim for both models.  

Interior 

The Tacoma interior closely follows the exterior design theme, with the straight-edge and T-square being the designer’s favorite tools. If a 90-degree corner won’t do, a beveled corner will. The result is a straightforward, well-organized dashboard with large physical controls that can be operated with a gloved hand when needed. And, like the exterior, it looks indestructible. The lower five models have an analog gauge cluster and an 8.0-inch multimedia touchscreen. This changes to a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and 14.0-inch multimedia screen on the Limited and above grades. 

The Tundra interior has the same design theme but allows some angles on the HVAC vents. Its increased room is used for soft surfaces and trim that gets richer by the grade hierarchy. Like the Tacoma, the Tundra starts with an analog gauge cluster and 8.0-inch multimedia touchscreen, but graduates to the 14.0-inch screen at the Limited grade level.  

In the Tundra, the Limited is just two levels above the base, as opposed to six levels up on the Tacoma. This tells you something about the directions these two models take in their model lines. The Tacoma model line features several specific directions. The TRD Sport takes a street-style direction. The PreRunner specializes in rear-wheel-drive fun and takes its name from two-wheel-drive models that pre-run Baja-like events to survey the route before the main event. The TRD Off-Road, as the name implies, is off-road focused but falls short of the hard-core TRD Pro, which is designed to blast over rough trails and sand dunes with abandon. The equally hard-core Trailhunter is the tortoise to the TRD Pro’s hare, ready to go over almost anything between here and your destination methodically and slowly when necessary, presumably carrying extensive overland gear. 

The Tundra also has its very hard-core TRD Pro grade, but the other three grades above the Limited all add luxury. Toyota probably would have saved its open-pore wood trim, massaging seats, and other indulgences for Lexus (if the brand had a pickup truck line). Instead, they are lavished on the Tundra 1794 Edition and Capstone grades. 

Pricing 

Smaller and with a smaller engine, it stands to reason that the Tacoma costs less than the Tundra. An SR Tacoma has a starting MSRP of $31,500, which is about $8,600 under the starting MSRP of $40,090 for the Tundra SR. With so many grades in each model line, there is plenty of price overlap between the model lines, although you will always get more features on the Tacoma for a same-priced Tundra. 

Still, things tighten up as you reach the similarly equipped Limited grades, which start at $52,100 for the Tacoma and $54,305 for the Tundra. That is still a difference, but here, your consideration may be more about weighing the Tundra’s greater room and capability against the nimbler and more efficient Tacoma, which is also easier to fit in the garage. 

Decisions, Decisions 

Your capability needs may already dictate which truck you buy, but if one thing is clear, it’s that these are two great choices. Both have a tough chassis, modern powertrains, a wide choice of models and features, and both have great reputations from a brand known for quality. We welcome you to take your indecision to Sharp Automotive in Watertown and test drive both models to see which fits you the best. We have plenty of inventory from which to choose.