Performance

When you are looking at a full-size truck like the 2021 Ford F-150 or the Toyota Tundra, the engine and the kind of performance it delivers are incredibly important. So much of how your truck handles and what it is capable of depends on the engine that it should typically be the very first thing you look at. While impressive technology can make a truck enjoyable to drive and give you a lot of great functionality, if it feels like you are trying to drive an old barn down the road, then why bother?

To be completely honest, the difference in what is available for the F-150 and the Tundra is so huge that it almost feels unfair to compare them, but we are going to do it anyway. For starters, the Toyota Tundra has a single engine available, compared to six engines offered by Ford, but at least it is a pretty solid offering. The Tundra is powered by a 5.7L i-Force V8 engine that provides 381 hp and 401 lb-ft of torque, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission for a pretty decent overall driving experience.

Choose Your Engine

The six engines available for the 2021 Ford F-150 give you a tremendous range of options to choose from, so you can get exactly the right amount of power for what you need. For starters, the F-150 features a standard 3.3L V6 engine that delivers 290 hp and 265 lb-ft of torque. You can also choose an available 2.7L EcoBoost V6 engine that provides you with 325 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque.

If you want more power, then there is an available 5.0L V8 engine that delivers 400 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque, which you can see is already superior to the one engine offered by Toyota. This is only the beginning, however, as there is also an available 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine that provides you with 400 hp and a monstrous 500 lb-ft of torque. If you want a truly remarkable piece of machinery with amazing fuel economy, then there is an available 3.5L PowerBoost V6 Hybrid engine that delivers 430 hp and 570 lb-ft of torque. This amazing engine gets an estimated 25 mpg in the city, 26 mpg on the highway, and 25 mpg combined fuel efficiency for a great overall experience.

Finally, there is an available 3.0L Power Stroke Turbo-Diesel V6 engine that offers 250 hp and 440 lb-ft of torque if you are looking for a diesel engine. No matter which engine you choose, it comes paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission that is far quicker and more responsive than the 6-speed automatic from Toyota. Overall, the freedom to get the power you want with the 2021 F-150, including much more power than the Tundra offers, just cannot be beat.

Capability

While the engine you choose is always important in terms of raw power and the overall driving experience you get on the road, it also has a much more tangible effect. The truck you choose needs to be able to handle the work you want to do, which often comes down to payload and towing capacities. This is especially important for a full-size truck since these models offer excellent capabilities that let you get a ton of work done, literally.

Payload Ratings

Payload capacity refers to how much weight you can physically load onto your truck, both in the cab and in the bed, and it includes passengers and cargo. The design of a truck, the kind of engine it has, and other factors can all affect the maximum payload capacity of a pickup. To keep things simple, let us look at the maximum payloads of these two trucks based on their engines:

2021 Ford F-150:

• 3.3L V6: 1,985 lbs
• 2.7L V6: 2,480 lbs
• 3.5L V6: 3,250 lbs
• 5.0L V8: 3,325 lbs
• Diesel V6: 1,840 lbs
• Hybrid V6: 2,120 lbs

2021 Toyota Tundra:

• 5.7L V8: 1,730 lbs

As you can see, the differences between the amounts of payload these two trucks can handle are pretty shocking. Even the lowest payload capacity of the F-150 still surpasses the maximum payload of the Tundra. When you look at some of the highest payload capabilities of the Ford truck, however, they truly blow away the Toyota model – giving you almost double the payload that the Tundra can manage.

Towing Capacity

Now let us take a similar look at their towing capacities:

2021 Ford F-150:

• 3.3L V6: 8,200 lbs
• 2.7L V6: 10,100 lbs
• 5.0L V8: 13,000 lbs
• 3.5L V6: 14,000 lbs
• Diesel V6: 12,100 lbs
• Hybrid V6: 12,700 lbs

2021 Toyota Tundra:

• 5.7L V8: 10,200 lbs

Here the difference is not quite as shocking, but it is still pretty pronounced. The Toyota Tundra can at least out-perform the least-powerful engine in the Ford F-150, which it should. Once you start looking at the more powerful engines that Ford offers, however, then the F-150 clearly takes over, and you can get almost 4,000 lbs more towing capacity with it compared to what the Tundra can manage. Even with the incredible fuel economy of the available hybrid engine, the Ford F-150 still comes out on top by 2,500 lbs.

Features

If all you look at when comparing a couple of trucks is the kind of power their engines can provide and how that translates into payload and towing, then we will understand. With that in mind, however, there is still more to what a truck can do than such capabilities. You want a pickup that provides you with a lot of other great features, and once again, the Ford F-150 comes out on top.

Tundra Tech Options

Technology is more important than ever before, yet the Toyota Tundra falls behind in this category. For example, the Tundra features a standard 7-inch infotainment display, with an 8-inch screen available if you want something bigger. Remote keyless entry is standard, which is good, but a push-button start is an available extra. A 4.2-inch multi-information display is standard but a bit lackluster since there is no option for a larger driver screen.

F-150 Features

By comparison, the 2021 Ford F-150 features an 8-inch infotainment display, standard, with a gorgeous 12-inch screen available for improved usability and enhanced functionality. New onboard scales make it easy to keep track of how much weight you are loading onto your truck, while the new smart hitch system and trailer reverse guidance technology make it easier than ever to tow a trailer or camper. Ford’s Pro Power Onboard system gives you up to seven power outlets inside and in the bed to connect your devices and power tools, while an available 12-inch productivity screen in the instrument cluster lets you keep track of all the data you need.