America is obsessed with the F-150. I recently saw a chart of the best-selling vehicles in each state, and the F-150 was the top seller in most of them. In 2025, 828,832 F-Series vehicles were sold, making it the best-selling truck in the United States.
While there’s nothing wrong with America’s obsession, I think we often overlook other pickup truck options. Even Ford’s own Maverick. However, it’s not only American automakers that have really figured out how to make a full-size pickup that meets Americans’ needs and desires. Toyota’s Tundra is a relatively new pickup that has really improved in 2026 — but is it enough to compete with the F-150?
Toyota Tundra vs. Ford F-150: Power and capabilities
The Ford F-150 is basically seen as the spirit of America, with screeching eagles and American flags flapping every time it flies down the highway. This has given the F-150 a pretty over-inflated sense of get-er-done that has left people feeling it’s a bit more capable than it is, unless you’re paying thousands more for the higher trims.
The Ford F-150,XL, at $37,290, has a 325-horsepower 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 with 400 lb-ft of torque, while the base Toyota Tundra, at $41,260, has a 3.4L twin-turbo V6 engine (i-FORCE) that produces 358 horsepower and 405 lb-ft of torque. For just a few thousand more, you’re getting a bit more power from the Tundra.
The XL can tow 8,200 (or 13,500 if you have the 3.5L EcoBoost engine, Max Tow Package, and 4×4). The base Toyota Tundra can tow 8,300 pounds (or 12,000 pounds with the SR5 CrewMax configuration). The base Ford F-150’s bed payload capacity is 1,775 pounds while the base Toyota Tundra’s is 1,720 pounds. Again, pretty much the same thing, with both base models have a 6.5-foot bed (and 8 foot on higher trims).
In theory, you probably own a full-size pickup because you plan to move things around, tow things, go on camping trips, and get-er-done type stuff. If that is the case, both of these trucks pretty much offer the same capabilities, especially the base models. And if you just want a big truck sitting in your driveway, both of these vehicles will still intimidate the neighbors and make you look productive.
Toyota Tundra vs. Ford F-150: Hybrid makes them even better
Okay, let’s ramp it up a bit and check out the hybrid version of both these big guys. The Ford F-150 Hybrid is actually had record sales in 2025 with 84,934 trucks sold. But again, should this be the best-selling full-size hybrid truck in the country?
The Ford F-150 Hybrid has a 3.5L PowerBoost V6 engine paired with a 35kW electric motor and a 1.5 kWh lithium-ion battery, producing a combined 430 horsepower and 570 lb.-ft. of torque. This gives it 11,200 lbs. of towing capacity, making it quite capable for $47,820 (although, again, you can go up in trim for $70,000-plus and get 12,700 pounds).
Meanwhile, the Toyota Tundra Hybrid features the i-FORCE MAX 3.4L twin-turbo V6 hybrid engine, delivering 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque. The towing goes up to 10,340 pounds. The base is a little higher than the Ford F-150 Hybrid at $57,860, but if you pay nearly $70,000 for the highest configuration, you can get up to 11,450 pounds.
The Ford F-150 Hybrid really shines when it comes to range, boasting over 700 miles on a single tank. But guess what: the Toyota Tundra also gets a bit over 700 miles. This makes both vehicles equally long-range for off-road adventures. Which again, they are both capable of doing.
This entire article feels very tit for tat. The Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra are pretty much the same thing, which is sorta my point. For a very similar price point, you’re getting very similar capabilities, whether you go for the base model or higher Hybrid trims. However, the Ford F-150 is generally a few thousand cheaper and also has the spirit of America exuding from it, so I’m not saying it’s bad if you choose it.
I’m just saying that the Toyota Tundra is surprisingly similar yet saw a decline in sales in 2025. This could be due to a stop-sale recall affecting over 443,000 units in the middle of the year. Or it could be due to Americans wanting American-made trucks. Hey, you wouldn’t go to Japan for a hamburger if you had an American hamburger joint right in front of you — even if it had a B health rating on the door. Although, I think you’d be pleasantly surprised if you did. Speaking on that best-selling vehicles in America chart, Hawaii is very obsessed with the Toyota Tacoma. Maybe they’re onto something.
