Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives Ford F-250 or Toyota Tundra?

I'm planning on buying a new truck in the next couple months... Looking for opinions on an F-250 (6.2 liter) or the Toyota Tundra (5.7 liter).

It'll be my daily driver, but my commute is only about 10 miles each way. I won't tow frequently with it, but enough to warrant consideration. Heaviest load will be tractor and trailer at about 6K. I will also be using it to get to our camp property which is a pretty rugged mile of off-road trail for access. I'll be towing a trailer with lumber and supplies up to camp frequently.

I'm currently driving a 2011 F-150, and am considering the F-250 and Tundra for a little extra ground clearance. I was leaning toward the F-250 but given my newly-short commute, I'd like to keep this truck for a long time, and I think the Tundra gets the edge for long-term reliability and resale value...

Appreciate everyone's opinions.... thanks.

If you really need the F250 then that is the route I would go, I would give the Toyota and edge in reliability. I know of a few people first hand that have/had both , 2 have had Fords and moved to Tundras. I have seen Ford people move to Tundras but not reverse FWIW. I like them both

Half ton pickups and 3/4 ton pickups are different beasts. The choice between the two depends entirely upon what you intend to do with it. For what you plan I would choose the tundra without question. The F250 will do more work, no doubt, but you're only going to occasionally use that ability and even then the 6000 lbs. you'll tow is easily within the tundra's capability.

The quality edge goes to the Toyota, there's no comparison in that regard. I have a 1999 dodge 2500 diesel and a 2016 tundra. The 2500 dodge is a beast, but the toyota is more user friendly for the daily chores you mention. If it's meant to be a daily driver with lightweight towing duties then the tundra is your best choice.

Tundra.

If you were looking to do a lot of heavy towing, I'd go F250.

Toyota reliability? LOL



That's Toyota's better idea three piece frame that's bolted together.

Then there is the Toyota's air injection pump system that was failing right and left on the Tundra and Sequoia leaving owners with a $4000 repair. Eventually Toyota stepped in an extended the warranty on the system.

Click Here

Finally, ask yourself this - how many Toyota's do you see on the streets that have a business name on the side, ladder racks on top, in other words set up for day-to-day work on the job site? That's right - none. Meanwhile, Ford trucks are on the job 24 hours a day, every single day. When your Toyota breaks down, chances are it will be a Ford tow truck that arrives to help you. Apparently, business owners know which truck is the most reliable.

a 6000 lb trailer is well within the capabilities of an F150 ecoboost

if you are going to pull 10000 and up , the 3/4 ton is the way to go

As an F-250 owner for 6yrs, I wouldn't own one as a daily driver in town unless I had to tow a bunch, plow snow, or some other type of "work" with the truck. For occasional towing and daily driving a 1/2T is a nicer ride and easier to manuver in town.

I drive a car daily, the pickup is for family trips (lots of room), hunting, pulling the boat, and hauling ice fishing gear. Other than that it sits in the garage. Both of mine have been diesel which makes them a bigger pain for daily in-town driving.

A 1/2 ton can handle it but you might need an equalizer hitch. You shouldn't need one with a 3/4.

Tundra is more of a 1/2 ton +p.

It'll rip, and stop, with a 6k trailer. Great truck. Thirsty as a bitch s the only reason I'd not want one for a daily use vehicle.

The Tundra will drink more gas than most 1/2 tons. But I doubt if it it will be any worse than a 6.2 liter gas engine in a 3/4 ton. Probably better.

Either will do the job you need to do. If fuel mileage is a concern the 1/2 tons made by Ford and Chevy will be 2-3 mpg better than Tundra.



I see lots of DIESEL Ford f-250/350'S used in businesses where the torque is needed to pull heavy loads. I see MORE Tundras used where a lighter duty application will work. You are comparing apples to oranges. Toyota does not offer a heavy duty truck with a diesel engine. Comparing a gas engine F-250 with a Tundra is pretty much an even comparison. My money is on the Tundra to outlast, out pull, and out perform a gas F-250.

I have had all the brands. I think Toyota has the least skimping on quality. Ford has also treated me pretty well but I trust my Tundra the most of any truck. They all suck in some ways and are a big money hole, but I need a truck for the rural life. I dont use mine for horse trailers or boats etc, so a small V8 with a short bed is best for the hunt. A 250 is a huge daily trade off for big loads. I am personally better off getting one ton of wood pellets at a time, and taking two trips to get mulch. I like the smooth ride, moderate gas mileage, and ease of parking compared to a big rig. If I hit the lottery I would probably get a Tacoma for my needs. Less is more sometimes.

I own a Tundra (07 with tow package), it has over 100,000 completely trouble free miles. It runs like a spooked deer and tows very well all the way to its weight limit.

its not as good on fuel as some of the newer trucks BUT put it in a weighted low crawl tow situation and NO 1/2 ton will hang. any others out there with .430 gears? I can back a heavy trailer on a step grade without 4 low and without worrying about toasting the tranny.

the Ford 6.2 is harder on fuel and still don't have as much grunt, I have driven them all and the only thing close with a load for all around use is the Ram 1/2 ton IMO.

Toyota got it right out of the gate by using the low gears with the Aisin tranny, perfect truck? No, but a really good one..

I see lots of businesses around here using Tundras, having talked to a few of them they say they are trouble free work horses.

It never ceases to amaze me that the toyota guys feel the need to try to compare their "special" 1/2 ton truck to a 3/4 ton truck.

The toyota is in no way, shape or form equal to a gas or diesel powered 3/4 ton truck. To think so is ridiculous.

I agree it's not equal to a half ton, but it is a hell of a lot closer than any other 1/2 on the market.

no the Tundra is not and never will be a 2500, wasn't designed to be, but spend some time behind the wheel of one in the real world of work/off road like I have and it will make a believer of you in short order.

I've never been a Toy fan but now that my butt has been behind the wheel for over 100,000 and 8 years I can tell you without hesitation I would buy another. I don't baby my stuff, it has seen it's fair share of WOT and off road, it has never let me down..

They are all building good trucks now, they have to or get put out of business, Toyota could use an engine/trans upgrade to stay competitive and I've heard they are planning an upgrade next year with a redesign engine/8 speed trans?

for what the OP was needing? Tundra all the way.

Unless you're going to tow alot, the Tundra would be better for you, BUT I have never owned a Tundra. I did own two Tacomas that I didn't even keep a year, and I now have a '13 Ford King Ranch F250 with a 6.7L turbo diesel, which has been trouble free. I get 18 MPG with it, as good as my Tacoma got, and I had to Premium fuel to do it. Never tow with it, but when people ask what I tow, I say "whatever I want"!

Interesting thread.

I'm a huge Toyota fan, I've owned a bunch for my business in South Africa. They are as their reputation reflects the top of the heap for well engineered durable dependable vehicles.

I've owned an F150 which although a 1/2 ton was much more capable then that. Personally I prefer to invest in a truck rather then trade it off for new. That's just me. If I put in 2...3.....5 thousand bucks that's a long shot less then a new one. Especially if you know the use it had since new.

My truck is 12 years old this year. I'm gonna have it a long time! Kept up and maintained a good pickup will last a hella long time! My land cruiser in the states was 30 years old when I sold it.

Since in your original post you mentioned wanting this new vehicle for the additional Ground Clearance, ..... That's a pretty easy solution without getting a new truck. There are a number of off road suspensions available for the F150 that will get it 2" Plus higher up. You cannot get the axles higher without taller tires, but if you increased the suspension travel say 3" you could certainly fit 33" tires which would get you a bit more then the stock Tundra or F250 would have. For a whole lot less money then a brand new truck too! Probably under a 1000 bucks installed!

Not to mention the additional capability with a better suspension and shocks

I don't have time to waste playing around with a truck that can't do the work that I require a truck to do. Therefore, I already KNOW that the toyota would fail in my real world of work/off road use.

That's the reason for having a real 3/4 ton truck and not some make believe version of one.

All of which means ufck all to the OP.

Regarding the axle ratio, things aren't the same as they used to be. Note: I'm not talking about horsepower, torque, tire diameter or vehicle weight etc.

Back in the day, output shafts from transmissions in high gear were 1:1. With that standard one could just look at the axle ratio and determine the ability to pull in high gear and then further look at lower gears for further pulling abilities.

The transmission gears in the Tundra are each taller from 1 through 6 than on the F-250 transmission. The overdrive on T is .588 and the F. is .67. I'd look at the T and the F at very near parity for final drive ratios at T being 4.30 and F being 3.73.

My F-250 with stock tires and 3.73 gears runs about 1550 rpm at 60 mph.

For discussion and comparison, does anyone have rpm numbers for a stock Tundra at 60 mph?