Ford F-150 vs Toyota Tundra

Though the Ford F-150 is certainly the best selling truck on the market, Toyota's Tundra has attracted more than a few loyal customers with its promises of durability and reliability. With the 2019 Raptor and the 2019 Tundra TRD Pro on the horizon, competition is really starting to heat up between these two full-sized pickups. Although the Tundra is assembled in San Antonio, Texas, it was the first full-size pickup to be produced by a Japanese manufacturer. The F-150 has been around for much longer than the Tundra, but Toyota has managed to create a very capable competitor. Both favored by off-roading enthusiasts and avid trailblazers, the Tundra and F-150 are both powerful rigs on and off the pavement. But what’s the difference between the Tundra vs F-150?

Tundra vs F-150: Specs

How does the Ford F-150 stack up against the Toyota Tundra? Here’s a comparison between the 2018 F-150 XL and 2018 Tundra SR, which are the base models for each truck.

Tundra vs F-150: Exterior

You definitely aren’t going to mistake these two trucks out on the road or blazing down the trail. Both the Tundra and F-150 have very distinct styles. The F-150 has a more horizontal, elongated grille while the Tundra’s grille is much more geometric. When it comes to headlights, the F-150’s lights wrap around the grille and extend from basically the top all the way down to the front of the bumper. The Tundra’s headlights are located towards the top of the grille and wrap more around the nose of the truck rather than into the grille itself.

2018 Toyota Tundra

2018 Ford F-150

Both are half-ton, full-size pickups, so they are going to be relatively similar in size. The Tundra features more angular wheel wells while the F-150 sports the rounded wheel wells. The F-150’s taillights are similar in style to that of the headlights, while the Tundra’s taillights are a pretty basic rectangular shape. They both have a slight indentation at the bottom of the tailgate and relatively pronounced bumpers. All-in-all, they are both good-looking trucks. Of course, your own personal tastes are going to be the determining factor when it comes to appearance.

The F-150 has an extensive color selection, including Ingot Silver, White Platinum, Lightning Blue, Oxford White, Magnetic, Ruby Red, White Gold, Shadow Black, Stone Gray, Blue Jeans, Race Red, Magma Red, Guard, and Lead Foot Gray. Three new colors will be available for the 2019 Raptor — Performance Blue, Velocity Blue, and Agate Black. The 2018 Tundra also has a pretty decent variety of colors to choose from. One of the most popular colors, both for the Tacoma and Tundra, is an orangey-red color cleverly dubbed Inferno. Other colors for the Tundra include Blazing Blue Pearl, Cavalry Blue, Midnight Black Metallic, Smoked Mesquite, Magnetic Gray Metallic, Cement, Silver Sky Metallic, Super White, Barcelona Red Metallic, and Quicksand. Voodoo Blue will be an exclusive color only available for the 2019 Toyota TRD Pro models, including the Tundra.

2018 Toyota Tundra Rear

2018 Ford F-150 Rear

Tundra vs F-150: Interior

When it comes to the interior of the F-150 and Tundra, Ford is going to be hard to beat. The F-150, the best-selling truck in America for the past few decades, is known for having a quality interior, especially on the higher-end models. While the Tundra has a nice interior as well, it’s not going to have the same type of quality that the F-150 will. Both have heated and cooled seats available as an upgrade and offer tons of tech features.

2018 Toyota Tundra 1794 Edition Interior

2018 Ford F-150 Platinum Interior

One advantage that the Tundra has over the F-150 is that the base model comes with more standard features than the least expensive F-150. The base Toyota Tundra SR seats six people compared to the base F-150 XL that can only seat three. Standard features for the Toyota include power windows, door locks, and mirrors along with Bluetooth capabilities — all of which are only optional for the F-150 XL.

Other additional features that come standard for the Tundra are voice-activated controls, keyless entry, cruise control, six speakers, and steering wheel-mounted controls. Both the basic models of the Tundra and F-150 will have a backup camera for easy reversing. That being said, the F-150 does have a few more interior features available than the Tundra overall.

Tundra vs F-150: Engines

For the 2018 model year, Ford offers six powerful engines. With three EcoBoost engines — a 2.7L V6, High-Output 3.5L V6, and 3.5L V6 — Ford offers a nice balance of both power and fuel economy. The three other engine choices are the 3.3L V6, 5.0L V8, and a 3.0L Power Stroke diesel engine. The F-150 Raptor will more than likely be getting a new engine for 2019, but Ford has yet to disclose what it will be. The 3.3L Ti-VCT V6 engine, which comes in the base F-150 XL, is equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission. The remaining engines utilize Ford’s innovative 10-speed automatic transmission.

Although the Tundra offers significantly fewer engine choices than the F-150, there are still two powerful options to choose from. In fact, the engine in the base Tundra model has more horsepower and torque than Ford’s base model. It’s worth noting that the Toyota doesn’t offer a diesel engine for the Tundra, while major competitors including the Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado 1500, and Ram 1500 all offer diesel engines. Even though there are only two engine options, Tundra still offers powerful contenders that can keep up with Ford. However, because they are both V8 engines, there’s not really any fuel-efficient engine choices for the Tundra. Both engines are paired with a six-speed automatic transmission.

Tundra TRD Pro vs Ford Raptor

We’ve compared the Raptor and F-150, but how does Ford’s off-roading monster compare to Toyota’s legendary Tundra TRD Pro? While the F-150 SVT Raptor was first released in 2010, the first-generation only lasted until 2014. Ford didn’t release a second-generation Raptor, this time without the SVT nameplate, until 2017. Although no major changes took place for the 2018 Raptor, Ford is definitely taking it up a notch (or several) for the newest 2019 Raptor.

2019 Ford F-150 Raptor Features

• Class-exclusive electronically controlled FOX 3.0 Internal Bypass shocks (new for 2019)
• Trail Control system for low-speed off-roading (new for 2019)
• Recaro sport seats with blue Alcantara inserts (new for 2019)
• Beadlock-capable wheels (new for 2019)
• Terrain Management System
• Grille with FORD block letters
• Raptor-specific badging
• Quad-beam LED headlights and taillights with black accents
• Hood with air extractors
• Heavy-duty engine and front skid plates

In order to compete with the Raptor and Ram’s off-roading truck, the Rebel 1500, Toyota released its TRD Pro line in 2015. As an upgraded version of the TRD Off-Road package, the TRD Pro is definitely geared more toward heavy-duty off-roading. Although Toyota stopped selling the Tundra TRD Pro in recent years, it is making a comeback for 2019. With the next-generation of TRD Pro trucks, Toyota is hoping to make even more of a name for itself in the off-roading community.

2019 Tundra TRD Pro Features

• 2.5-inch TRD Pro-exclusive Fox Internal Bypass shocks
• Rigid Industries LED fog lights
• LED headlights with LED accent lights
• Redesigned TOYOTA grille
• New hood scoop
• TRD Pro stamping on rear quarter panels
• 18-inch BBS forged-aluminum five-spoke, satin black wheels
• Leather-trimmed seats with red accent stitching
• TRD Pro floor mats, center console emblem, and shift knob
• TRD Pro exhaust with black chrome exhaust tips
• Skid plate with red Toyota lettering

2019 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro Shocks

2019 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro Wheels

Tundra vs F-150: Value

When looking at the prices of the F-150 vs Tundra, the base model F-150 is going to be cheaper than the Tundra. However, the Tundra offers more features right off the bat. With a double cab rather than a regular access cab, the base model Tundra has more interior room, more power, and power towing capacity in comparison to the cheapest F-150. If you choose to upgrade the F-150 XL to the SuperCab, then the price is going to jump up to $31,790. So, the prices are relatively similar if you take into account that the cheapest F-150 is much more basic than the Tundra’s least expensive model.

When it comes to the high-end models, Tundra’s most expensive model, the 1794 Edition, starts at $47,280. For the F-150, there are several more luxurious models available. The 2018 F-150 King Ranch, similar to the 1794 Edition for the Tundra, begins at $51,930. Ford even has two more models even more expensive than that — the Platinum and Limited models, starting at $54,485 and $61,360, respectively. If you want the feel of a luxurious truck but at a less expensive cost than the F-150, the Tundra is a great option. However, the F-150’s interior is going to be a higher quality than the Tundra.

In general, trucks aren’t known for the amazing gas mileage. When it comes to fuel economy, the F-150 is definitely more efficient than the Tundra. You’ll be spending more money on gas to fill up the Tundra than you would for the Ford F-150. With only V8 engines available, the Tundra doesn’t offer any engines catered toward fuel efficiency. Thanks to Ford’s EcoBoost engines, the F-150 is able to achieve a much better fuel economy rating than the Toyota Tundra. While it may not seem like a huge difference, it can certainly add up over the years. Either way, both of these trucks are extremely capable and are known for their durability and high resale value.

Sources: Toyota, Ford | Image Credit: Toyota, Ford, Top Speed

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