Big Brother VS Little Brother: Tundra vs Tacoma

How do the Toyota Tundra vs Tacoma pickup trucks compare? That’s a good question? If you’re looking to buy either the Toyota Tacoma or Tundra, you’re going to find some serious differences. The Tacoma is the smaller of the two trucks, playing in the midsize truck market, while the Tundra is a full-size, half-ton truck made for the work you might be faced with every day. Both of these trucks are capable, reliable, and have been popular choices in the market. Let’s look at some of the differences you’ll consider when you’re shopping at your local Toyota dealer.

How Much Room Inside the Tundra vs Tacoma?

The smaller of the two trucks gives you two different body styles to offer different seating configurations. The Access Cab model uses clamshell doors, and the rear seats are better left for storage and not people. The Double Cab gives you more room and a pair of standard doors to be right for your rear passengers.

When looking inside the Tundra, you’ll find a Double Cab model that has comfortable rear seats and three spots for people, while the Crew Max model adds more room and larger doors to give your larger passengers a comfortable place to ride along.

Cargo Capacity Matters in a Truck

The Toyota Tacoma gives you a bed that measures 73.7 inches in the Access Cab model, which is the longer of the two beds. If you opt for the Double Cab version, you’re going to have a bed that only measures 60.5 inches in length. The width of both beds comes to 41.5 inches.

As you would expect, the Tundra gives you larger beds to enjoy. The short bed measures 66.7 inches, the standard bed 78 inches, while a long bed reaches 97.6 inches in length. In all three cases, you’ll have 50 inches of width for the bed of the Tundra.

What Technology Will You Have in a Toyota Truck?

The Toyota Safety Sense P is standard for every model of the Tacoma, making it easy for you to stay safe with the use of pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, and a high-speed dynamic radar cruise control system. You’ll also find the Entune Audio system with a seven-inch touchscreen as part of the standard package.

Everything you see in the Tacoma is also offered for the Tundra. You can add the benefits of blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, and a JBL audio system when you drive this bigger truck.

How is the Drive in the Tundra vs Tacoma?

The way your Toyota Tacoma will drive depends heavily on the trim you choose. This truck is offered in 30 configurations, from a basic model that should be kept on the roads to the TRD Pro that has the off-road capabilities you want when you’re ready for some adventures.

The steering and performance of the Tundra are light and easy for you to enjoy. While not offered in 30 different packages, you’ll be glad to see you can take the Tundra wherever you want to go when you head to higher trims, including the venerable TRD Pro version.

What’s Powering These Trucks?

Choose the Tacoma, and you’ll have either a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 159 horsepower or 180 lb.-ft. of torque, or you can have a 3.5-liter V6 that makes 278 horsepower and 265 lb.-ft. of torque for the drive. You can have either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission for the Tacoma.
There’s only one engine used for the Toyota Tundra, and it’s a 5.7-liter V8 engine. This power plant makes 381 horsepower to help you get things done. You’ll have a six-speed automatic transmission attached to this powerful V8 engine.

Capability Where it Matters in the Tundra vs Tacoma

The Toyota Tacoma can tow up to 3,500 pounds when you choose the base engine, while the V6 is rated to pull 6,800 pounds. The maximum payload of this truck is 1,620 pounds, which might be enough for you to carry the gear you need to take along for the drive.
When you drive the Tundra, you’ll have the capability to tow up to 10,200 pounds and can carry up to 1,730 pounds of gear in the bed of the truck. This is a highly capable truck that can be ideal for you to get things done.

Fuel Mileage is Not a Strong Suit

Both trucks lack in the fuel mileage arena. The Tacoma will not reach 20 mpg with either engine under the hood. This means you’ll have to pay more for the fuel you need to get to your destinations.
The Tundra doesn’t do any better with a fuel mileage rating of 13 for your city driving. Thankfully, the Tundra comes with a 38-gallon fuel tank which means you can drive for a long time before you’ll need to fill up this truck with another tank of gas.

Are These Stylish Trucks?

Even though the Tacoma has been around for a long time, it’s an attractive truck with a rugged build that looks like it’s ready for some action. The most aggressive-looking version of this truck that you’ll see is the TRD Pro which gives you a hood scoop and the Toyota name across the grille.

When you look at the Tundra, you’ll see a truck that looks like it’s ready for work, which is what this truck is made for. The conservative style isn’t a bad thing; you’ll be pleased with how much you can get done in this handsome truck.

Tundra vs Tacoma? Which Toyota Truck is Right for You?

While we are comparing the Toyota Tacoma to the Tundra, this conversation isn’t as much about the two going head to head but about choosing the right truck for your driving needs. If you want a truck that fits everywhere, is ready for adventure, and has dynamic looks, the Tacoma will be the truck for you. On the other hand, if you’re after a truck that gives you half-ton sizing, greater towing power, and a strong V8 engine, the Tundra will be the truck you want to put to work every day.