The pickup truck is one of the best vehicles to have in your garage. From lifting heavy to towing it; from carrying passengers to taking them off-road; it is a surefire way to get most tasks done. Toyota is a leader in reliability and durability. The easy availability of genuine parts makes its trucks worth every penny.
But which one is right for you? Read on to find out.
Comparing The Toyota Trucks
The following is a comparison of all the Toyota pickups using various important factors. Make sure you know which vehicles are available in your country before making a purchase.
Best Choice for Fuel Efficiency and Reliability: Toyota Hilux
Times have changed and even the largest trucks aren’t gas guzzlers anymore. Trucks are mostly used commercially. Therefore, it is important for those companies to save fuel.
The Tacoma does about 18mpg in the city and 23 on the highway. The larger Tundra fails in its class and does about 13 city and 17 highway. The Hilux shines here and it can do up to 40mpg combined if you pick the right variant.
For reliability, the figures are pretty similar. All three trucks are rated well in this category, as well as the safety department. Questioning their durability is unheard of because they are Toyotas after all.
So, all three of these trucks are reliable and should last well with genuine Toyota parts. But the Hilux getting the edge in the fuel economy means that you should get this if you have a smaller fuel budget.
Best Choice for Towing and Payload Capacity: Toyota Tundra
Towing and carrying heavy loads is why pickup trucks became popular. These machines can do what no other vehicle can. The towing capacity is the maximum load that the vehicle can pull. The payload capacity is what it can safely carry.
The Hilux can pull about 1650lbs (750kg) and carry up to 2400lbs (1100kg). The full-sized Tacoma does a lot better. It can pull up to 6800lbs (3090kg) and carry up to 1440lbs (650kg).
Unsurprisingly, it is the heavy-duty Tundra that takes the cake with its insane 10,200lbs (4630kg) towing and 1730lbs (780kg) payload capacities.
All of these numbers are great for their respective classes. But if you have a business that requires heavy lifting and pulling, the Tundra is the best of the bunch.
Best Choice for Space and Size: Toyota Hilux
A vehicle needs to be spacious to be able to carry its passengers and cargo with optimization. These trucks are all very large and the headroom is great for all of them. But if you like bigger trucks, then only one of them will work for you.
The Tacoma falls short on legroom despite having a lot of it upfront. This is not acceptable for a full-sized pickup truck.
The Tundra has the best legroom in its class for both the front and the back. The Hilux is the smallest here but even it will accommodate the passengers well. There are no problems with the legroom in the back for taller adults.
The truck bed sizes are great for the Hilux and the Tundra. But the Tacoma falls short based on its large exterior.
So if you’re looking to seat tall people comfortably, then the Tundra’s or the Hilux’s crew cab are both good choices. The same goes for the truck bed sizes. But the Hilux wins this one because of its smaller exterior.
Best Choice for Power and Speed: Toyota Tacoma and Tundra
Owning a pickup truck for recreational activities means that it has to be quick. Trucks are obviously more powerful in terms of horsepower and torque than the average car. But what about Toyota’s lineup?
The Tacoma gives out up to 278hp and 265lb-ft of torque. The torque puts it at a disadvantage here based on its size and weight. The Hilux produces a maximum of 201hp and 369lb-ft of torque.
The big bad Tundra gives out a whopping 381hp and 401lb-ft of torque. But what about the speed?
The Hilux takes more than 10 seconds to get to 60mph (100kph), while the Tacoma takes 6.8 seconds to do so. The Tundra also takes the same time to 60mph, despite being much larger.
So this one should be a tie between the larger trucks – the Tacoma and the Tundra. But remember that the Tundra can pull and carry more.
Best Choice for Handling and Off-roading: Toyota Tacoma
Now handling isn’t the first concern of a truck buyer. This is simply due to the trucks’ larger sizes and weights. They’re simply not built for handling. But the feature does matter to those who buy one to drive it on road trips.
For the Hilux, there isn’t much of a cornering ability, nor is there a lot of comforts. The Tacoma is a decent choice if you’re looking to drive around the city. There are trims of it specifically tailored for on-road driving. The Tundra is the best option here if you pick the right trim.
For off-roading, the Hilux won’t be anyone’s first choice. But it does hold its own on the trails. The Tundra performs well and it is a good dirt-eater. But the best of the three is Tacoma. It has the Tundra’s capabilities and more. These translate better because of their lighter weight and better ground clearance.
So if you’re looking for better handling, the Tundra is the go-to truck here. For a better off-roading experience as well, get the Tacoma.
Where can you get genuine Toyota parts?
Toyota cars are well-known for their reliability, durability, and longevity. The aforementioned trucks can easily cover hundreds of thousands of miles without any overhauls. But they still need proper maintenance to do so.
Whether you drive around for fun, for work, or have a fleet of Toyota vehicles, genuine Toyota parts are easily available. Keep your Toyota fleet in shape by visiting here: https://sts-global.com/toyota-parts.