Toyota Tacoma vs Tundra: Which Pickup Is Better?

Is there any kind of vehicle that Americans love more than their pickup trucks? Well, they do like a good SUV too, but the pickup truck remains the best-selling vehicle format year on year.

While SUVs are soaring in popularity, the good old pickup truck remains the best-selling vehicle format in the US year on year. With their body on frame constructions that make them great off-roaders and superior towing power, it’s the versatility of modern pickups that makes them so popular.

It’s not just American brands that are doing well in the marketplace, either. Japanese giant Toyota has a lot of skin in the pickup truck game, and their legendary reliability makes them especially compelling. If you’re in the market for a new Toyota truck, this article will help you choose between two of the most popular models, the Toyota Tacoma and the Toyota Tundra.

Quick Summary

The Toyota Tundra is a full-size pickup truck, whereas the Toyota Tacoma is a smaller mid-size pickup. While the Tacoma is a capable and tough truck, the Tundra has just entered its third generation in 2022, making it the more sophisticated and exciting Toyota truck.

Toyota Tacoma rear view
Tacoma
Toyota Tundra rear 3/4 view
Tundra

Pricing

The Toyota Tacoma is the more budget-friendly of the two models, starting at $26,700 for the base-level SR trim. There are 5 other trim levels on top of that, namely: SR5 (from $28,490), TRD Sport (from $33,610), TRD Off-Road (from $34,890), Limited (from $39,455) and the TRD Pro (from $46,135). It seems, therefore, that there is a Tacoma to match just about every budget.

The Toyota Tundra starts higher at $35,950 for the SR base trim and has 4 other available trim levels on top of that, namely: the SR5 (from $40,755), Limited (from $46,850), Platinum (from $56,990), 1794 Edition (from $57,690). Two further trims, the TRD Pro and the Capstone are scheduled for release in the 2022 model year, but no pricing information has been confirmed.

Exterior Styling

Since both the Tacoma and the Tundra are within the Toyota pickup truck family, it’s hardly surprising to see that they do share a few design cues. Having said that, the Tundra does have a noticeably more aggressive and imposing front-end design with its larger grille, strong metallic trims, larger standard wheels, and selection of larger rear beds.

Looking at exterior styling further, the Tacoma has somewhat more rounded edges and a “softer” overall demeanor compared to the somewhat boxier and more imposing Tundra.

Toyota Tacoma Trail side view
Tacoma
Toyota Tundra side view
Tundra

Cab Options

The Toyota Tacoma truck is available as a 5- or 6-foot cargo bed lengths. Get the longer bed and you’ll have the Access Cab, which only has 2 doors and squeezes in 2 extra passenger seats behind the front row of seats. If a bigger cab size is important, get the Double Cab which offers seating for 5 and 4 doors.

The Toyota Tundra truck comes with 5.5, 6.6, and 8.1 feet beds as options. The 6.6 and 8.1 feet beds are available with the decently sized double cab. But the Tundra’s ace up its sleeve is the CrewMax cab that is paired with a 5.5-ft bed, which offers an incredibly roomy interior.

Interior

Moving inside, it’s not that surprising to find that higher prices on the Toyota Tundra equate to a vastly improved interior. The new generation of Tundra models, especially at the higher trims, have gone all out with wood accents, soft-touch materials, an optional 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, tons of storage, as well as a fresh, bold new look that matches the powerful exterior.

The Tacoma’s interior is more of the same you’d expect from Toyota, which isn’t in itself bad, but perhaps just a bit tired and predictable, especially when put next to the new Tundra. The Toyota Tacoma still feels a bit cramped inside, only sitting 4 adults comfortably. The rear storage bed is more than sufficient, but the interior storage and looks are a bit lackluster.

Toyota Tacoma interior view
Tacoma
Toyota Tundra interior view
Tundra

Performance

The Toyota Tacoma comes with 4 powertrain options, starting with the standard 2.7L 4-cylinder 2WD unit paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission outputting 159-hp and 180 lb-ft of torque.

A second option is a 4WD version of the same engine. The other 2 options are also a 2WD and 4WD pair, a 3.5L V6 paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The V6 engine outputs up to 278-hp and 265 lb-ft of torque.

The Tundra only offers the bigger 3.5L twin-turbo V6, either in 2WD or 4WD. The unit is paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and is boosted by the i-FORCE hybrid technology that helps it deliver up to 437-hp and 583 lb-ft of torque.

The Toyota Tundra offers a lot more in the way of horsepower, but both of them are well-matched with good suspension, damping, and mean tires for off-roading adventure. On the road, the Tundra’s coil-spring rear suspension and improved steering and handling capabilities make it the better Toyota truck for driving on regular roads.

As pure off road vehicles, things become a bit more complicated. While the Tundra produces more power, the Tacoma’s more compact size and angle differences make it more adept at traversing unpredictable terrain.

Toyota Tacoma front view
Tacoma
Toyota Tundra front view
Tundra

Practicality

For payload capacity, the larger beds of the Toyota Tundra are equipped to carry more goods and equipment, up to 2,290-lbs in fact, compared to just 1,685-lbs on the smaller Toyota Tacoma.

The Tundra vastly outdoes the Tacoma when it comes to towing capacity, too. The Tacoma gets up to 6,800-lbs maximum, whereas the Tundra gets up to 12,000-lbs. That’s 1,800-lbs more maximum towing capacity than the previous 2021 Tundra.

Fuel Economy

As for how fuel efficient the Toyota trucks are, they both perform about the same on average, despite the differences in size. The Toyota Tacoma can get 18-mpg in the city, and 22-mpg on the highway.

The Toyota Tundra gets 17-mpg in the city, and 22-mpg on the highway, so they’re well matched. We’re unaware yet of what the new Tundra trim levels will achieve.

Technology & Features

We mentioned above that the new Tundra has a well-updated interior, which at the higher trim levels also features a very smart 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The infotainment system in the Tundra has also been upgraded with Toyota’s all-new 14-inch screen known as the Human Machine Interface (HMI). It’s the most advanced version of infotainment Toyota has ever offered, and makes the Tacoma’s more dated and smaller screen with its dials and buttons feel outmatched.

The Toyota Tundra also gets wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, premium JBL audio options, trailer backup guide, wireless charging and more. Everything in the Toyota Tacoma feels dated compared to this, with Toyota highlighting just USB ports, surround-view monitor (which Tundra also has), and dual-zone climate controls. Those wanting more special features will pay extra for the Tacoma.

Safety

Both the Toyota Tundra and Tacoma come with Toyota Safety Sense, the Tacoma with version P, and the Tundra with the newer version 2.5.

Both include a pre-collision warning system, dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure alert, and automatic high beams. The Tundra’s 2.5 version also gets lane tracing assist and road sign recognition.

Key Rivals

The Toyota Tacoma is a midsize pickup whose biggest competitors include the Ford Ranger, Chevy Colorado, and Nissan Frontier. The bigger Tundra goes up against the Ford F-150, Ram 1500, and Chevy Silverado.

Verdict

The clearest divisions between the two are in size, power, technology, and features. The Toyota Tacoma is a solid pickup truck, available at a more affordable price. Those who need a great off-roader without all the fancy bells and whistles will do great with a more-than-capable Tacoma.

Those who want a substantially roomier cab and a high-tech festival of cutting-edge features will have to shell out more money to get the Tundra.

Comparison Table

2022 Toyota Tacoma2022 Toyota Tundra
Trim
Price$26700$38950
Performance
Engine2.7L Inline-4 Gas3.5L Twin-Turbo V6 Gas
Horsepower159 hp @ 5200 rpm348 hp @ 5200 rpm
Torque180 lb-ft @ 3800 rpm405 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
Transmission6-Speed Automatic10-Speed Automatic
DrivetrainRear-Wheel DriveFour-Wheel Drive
Handling
Steering TypeRack-PinionRack-Pinion
Rear Wheel SizeP245/75SR16P245/75TR18
Front Wheel SizeP245/75SR16P245/75TR18
Turning Diameter (ft.)40.648.6
Fuel Economy
MPG/MPGe - Hwy2323
MPG/MPGe - City2017
MPG/MPGe - Combined2119
Gas Tank Size (gallons)21.122.5
Cruising Range - Hwy (miles)485.3517.5
Size and Weight
Height (in.)70.678.0
Length (in.)212.3233.6
Weight (lbs)39155490
Max Width (in.)74.480.2
Wheelbase (in.)127.4145.7
Interior Dimensions
Seating Capacity45
Front Seat Leg Room (in.)42.941.2
Front Seat Head Room (in.)39.741.0
Front Seat Hip Room (in.)57.262.6
Front Seat Shoulder Room (in.)58.365.0
Rear Seat Leg room (in.)24.633.3
Rear Seat Head Room (in.)34.938.9
Rear Seat Hip Room (in.)51.760.5
Rear Seat Shoulder Room (in.)56.563.4
Infotainment Features
HD RadioNot AvailableStandard
MP3 PlayerStandardStandard
WiFi HotspotStandardStandard
Satellite RadioStandardStandard
Bluetooth ConnectionStandardStandard
Entertainment SystemNot AvailableNot Available
Premium Sound SystemNot AvailableNot Available
Auxiliary Audio InputStandardStandard
Smart Device IntegrationStandardStandard
Hard Disk Drive Media StorageNot AvailableNot Available
Interior Trim
Cloth SeatsStandardStandard
Vinyl SeatsStandardNot Available
Leather SeatsStandardNot Available
Premium Synthetic SeatsStandardNot Available
Bucket SeatsStandardStandard
Sun/MoonroofNot AvailableNot Available
Leather Steering WheelNot AvailableNot Available
Woodgrain Interior TrimNot AvailableNot Available
Comfort Features
A/CStandardStandard
Rear A/CNot AvailableNot Available
TelematicsStandardStandard
Seat MemoryNot AvailableNot Available
Seat-MassageNot AvailableNot Available
Keyless EntryOptionalStandard
Keyless StartNot AvailableStandard
Cruise ControlStandardStandard
Multi-Zone A/CNot AvailableNot Available
Power LiftgateNot AvailableNot Available
Climate ControlNot AvailableNot Available
Head-Up DisplayNot AvailableNot Available
Power Mirror(s)StandardStandard
Automatic ParkingNot AvailableNot Available
Navigation SystemNot AvailableNot Available
Power Driver SeatNot AvailableNot Available
Cooled Rear Seat(s)Not AvailableNot Available
Hands-Free LiftgateNot AvailableNot Available
Heated Rear Seat(s)Not AvailableNot Available
Remote Engine StartNot AvailableStandard
Cooled Front Seat(s)Not AvailableNot Available
Heated Front Seat(s)Not AvailableNot Available
Power Passenger SeatNot AvailableNot Available
Remote Trunk ReleaseNot AvailableNot Available
Heated Steering WheelNot AvailableNot Available
Adaptive Cruise ControlStandardStandard
Navigation from TelematicsNot AvailableNot Available
Universal Garage Door OpenerNot AvailableNot Available
Steering Wheel Audio ControlsStandardStandard
Safety Features
ABSStandardStandard
Brake AssistStandardStandard
Night VisionNot AvailableNot Available
Rear Parking AidNot AvailableNot Available
Traction ControlStandardStandard
Stability ControlStandardStandard
Blind Spot MonitorNot AvailableStandard
Cross-Traffic AlertNot AvailableStandard
Lane Keeping AssistNot AvailableNot Available
Tire Pressure MonitorStandardStandard
Lane Departure WarningStandardStandard
Airbags
Knee Air BagStandardStandard
Driver Air BagStandardStandard
Seatbelt Air BagNot AvailableNot Available
Passenger Air BagStandardStandard
Rear Head Air BagStandardStandard
Rear Side Air BagNot AvailableNot Available
Front Head Air BagStandardStandard
Front Side Air BagStandardStandard
Warranty
Basic3 Years / 36,000 Miles3 Years / 36,000 Miles
Corrosion5 Years / Unlimited Miles5 Years / Unlimited Miles
Drivetrain5 Years / 60,000 Miles5 Years / 60,000 Miles
Maintenance2 Years / 25,000 Miles2 Years / 25,000 Miles
Roadside Assistance2 Years / Unlimited Miles2 Years / Unlimited Miles