Tundra or Tacoma

Thanks for adding me. I am undecided as to which truck to buy. The tacoma is small and less passenger space, but gives better mpg. The tundra being a bigger and more roomy, more powerful but not good mpg. Opinions please as which is a better choice for all around use. Can a Atv fit in each truck. Thank you.

 

Actually mpg difference is non existent. As long as I drive like a grandfather I get better mpg in my Tundra than I did in my Tacoma.

 

What kind of atv? I wouldn’t want to haul a grizzly 700 in a taco. My z400 would be fine though.

i prefer the tundra for a quad still, you have room for gas cans and all your camping gear on the sides of the quad

 

Welcome from NY.
Get a Tundra, bigger and better. The bed of a Tacoma is small, ATV's come in different sizes and you also have to put the ramps in the bed so it may or may not fit.
Good luck with your decision.

 

No one can really help you decide which is better for you.

Too many variables but one of them is not really the MPG reality as they are both bad and about the same......really!
I am a lot happier having the room and power and relative luxury for long trips with the Tundra and can not imagine thinking the Taco would work for me.

I simply can not get comfortable in the cramped Taco and nothing else matters after that.

Your deal is different though and only you can know for sure.

 

You're probably going to get a lot of biased opinions here bc it's a Tundra forum. I had a Tacoma before also and both great trucks. It's hard to help you decide bc it just depends what your needs/wants are. There are lots of questions to ask yourself too...do you have kids? Do you need the extra inside cab space? Do you live in the city where parking is difficult? Is this going to be your daily driver? Will Tundra fit in your garage? Is towing capability important to you? Go look and test drive both to see what you prefer.

 

100 percent Tacoma, unless you tow..

It gets old pulling this beast into the grocery pickup designed for passenger cars..

 

I had more payload in my Tacoma than I have in my Tundra. It depends on the trim. MPG advantage also depends on what kind of driving you do.

 

Are you going to offroad? If yes Tacoma

 

Having owned two Tacomas prior to my 3 Tundras, there is no way I would ever buy another Tacoma.

The small MPG savings is peanuts compared to the benefits of the Tundra.

I would purchase a 4-Runner with an ATV trailer WAAAAAAAYYYYYY before I would buy a Tacoma.

 

3rd gen taco? Steer clear. That engine and transmission don't belong in a truck

2nd gen is nukeproof. I'm sure a taco can carry an ATV on the back without much issue.

MPG-wise, the difference between a 4.0 taco and 5.7 tundra isn't big IMHO, it's all about driving habits.
All around, city driving and narrow trails = taco
Smiles per gallon, space and power = tundy

 

Owned a Taco previously, went to the Tundra due to space needed. Not a huge diff in gas savings. Biggest drawback to the Tundra is the size...large on the trails and back roads. Biggest drawback to the Taco was the size...always wished for more cab and or bed space. Depends on what you will value more.

 

Welcome aboard from SoCal.

 

Welcome from Ohio get the Tundra you'll be glad you did a lot more room.

 

I came from a 2015 TRD Sport tacoma to my 2018 TRD OR tundra and i’ll never go back. I get the same gas mileage in my 5.7 as I did in the 4.0. I do a lot of towing and hauling and the Taco just sucked for anything other than trail bombing and grocery store runs. The Tundra specs arent far off the Taco size-wise, theyre like a half foot wider and mines less than a foot longer where I had the DCLB Taco to the DC 6.5 bed Tundra. Sits taller and just feels bigger.

Just get the truck thatll suit your needs better. Youre on a Tundra forum, youre going to get Tundra responses.

Im a 5’3” chick and have no issues muscling my truck through the narrow streets in Portland, you get used to the size. Man-up, buttercup!

 

I had a DC 2nd gen Tacoma and it was terrible with two car seats. The DC Tundra is much better and I just didn’t want a midget bed again. As far as MPG’s were concerned the Tacoma averaged about 19.5 and the Tundra is about 17.3. I drive/drove both very conservatively.

I had a 5th gen 4Runner just before my Tundra and I thought the towing ability was poor with a relatively small trailer.

The Tundra is my long distance family/toy hauler. So I may not worried about MPG’s or finding parking spots because I also have a Corolla. I can honestly see a full-size Tundra getting cumbersome for daily tasks especially in more populated areas. But in the end I am not willing to go back to a Tacoma or 4Runner until I am physically too old or too broke (when you know which political party outlaws gasoline) to drive it.

I put my ATV’s in my 1st Gen EXcab Tacoma, my DC short bed Tacoma, and in the back of my Tundra. I love Toyota’s but the rear suspensions are very soft and wear quickly with the weight of an ATV in the bed. Truthfully invest in a good trailer (Aluma/Triton, ETC). Much easier on the truck...I know let the flaming begin!...blah blah blah...I know it’s a truck...

 

TUNDRA not even close.
The only reason I could see someone buying a Tacoma would be for parking vs Tundra.

 

I shopped both extensively as well as the Sequoia, and the 4 Runner. I also drove all four.
IF vehicle size is a concern the Tacoma is obviously smaller dimensionally. But that also means EVERYTHING about the truck is smaller. The cabin is more ‘snug’, etc.

The Tundra excels at making a great first impression, inside and out, emotionally and performance wise. It just is phenomenal.

I liked all four vehicles - a lot. Found that I was more impressed with the 4 Runner than the Tacoma. Loved the Sequoia but dismal resale values concerned me a bit. The Tundra’s resale is unmatched from what I saw.

At the end of the day, for me, the Tundra blew them all away. In every category, including that elusive ‘Does it make you look back when you walk away?’ category. The Tundra does that for me. And behind the wheel, I could not be happier no matter the trip.

But you have to make the choice. Drive everything you can and even try to bring the vehicle home and put it in your garage. I think if you do that, then you may surprise yourself. Ignore the sales pitches and decide yourself.

Good luck with your search.
Steve

 

here’s my fuel consumption for 13dcsb or taco and 16 1794. Tundra all day. But really gets old when parking in the city and garages with low overhead. The taco did have saip issues tho. Both vehicles are not stock btw

 

I had a 2005 Tacoma, I loved it. Switched the the Tundra and love it too. Tacoma is sportier, Tundra is a beast. Tundra definitely has more room, now that I have a kid and 2 dogs that travel in it, the Tundra is nice. I wouldn't mind having a Tacoma again, but for now the Tundra is a better option for me.

 

From what I've read, fuel economy is so similar between the two that there's no real advantage to the Tacoma unless you off road on tight trails the Tundra doesn't fit down. They're pretty similar in price, too.
I'm getting 18 mpg highway in my Tundra. Interior of the Tacoma is cramped. Lots of complaints about the engine/ transmission combo in the new Taco, which I suspect you could get around with a manual. However, you can no longer get a DCLB Taco with a manual (in Canada, anyway).

 

My Tacoma got 16mpg on the highway and my tundra gets 13.5-14mpg on the highway. Get the tundra

 

Welcome

 

Welcome from LA (Lower Alabama)! I agree with most of the above - MPG's virtually the same, Tundra bigger and harder to park sometimes, etc. But I quickly got used to the size of the Tundra, and I have so much more capability in general. The ONLY thing that Tacomas have that I wish Tundras had is a manual transmission.

 

Welcome!
I just came from a 2010 (4.0 V6) Tacoma that I owner for 9 years. MPGs on the Taco were 14. I’ve had my Tundra for a month and my MPGs are at 13. I drive 95% city.
Room and towing were the biggest factors for me. Im 6’3 250lbs. I managed fitting in the Taco driving around locally, but longer trips got cramped and uncomfortable. My Taco towed my boat just fine, but I was hesitant to go on longer trips with it. I definitely feel more confident towing with the Tundra. Parking the Tundra so far has been a non issue. It has a really good turning radius for a big truck and I park a mile away from everybody at stores anyhow, so no big deal. Good luck in whichever you choose. Its a Toyota so its gonna be good either way!

 

Holy crap, im 5’3”, 120lbs and I thought my Tacoma was tiny. You have a shoehorn to get in that thing or what?!

 

I practically sat in the back seat!

 

I just recently made this same decision. Had an 02 Tacoma that I drove for 8 years. Wife and I started having kids so I got a V8 4Runner that I drove for 8 years. So I start looking at Tacoma’s this past June and ended up getting a 17 Sport DC. I can openly admit that I rushed that decision due to my previous Tacoma ownership. The Tacoma was a great truck, but even the DC was right with 2 car seats. And honestly, after a few months with that engine and transmission combo, I just missed having a V8. So I just traded that in on a 17 Crewmax and love it.

Like everyone else said, it’s all in what you want/need. Take your time and drive them both.

 

Welcome from Ontario Canada , since I don’t own either one I can give an unbiased opinion ...... Between the two , Tundra . You’ll get used to the size and you’ll never want to go back to something smaller .

 

When I no longer tow, I'm looking forward to going back to a smaller truck or car, lol.