2020 Toyota Tundra vs 2021 Toyota Tacoma

The 2020 Toyota Tundra was available in several trim levels: SR, SR5, Limited, TRD Pro, Platinum, and 1794 Edition. As one moved up the trim ladder, more luxury and plushness were added to the mix. The vehicle came in two cab styles, Double Cab and CrewMax, and depending on the cab and trim chosen, three different bed lengths were offered. Prices ranged from $33,425 to $52,930 before adding the destination charge or any options.

The Tundra TRD Pro CrewMax was the most expensive version, boasting 4-wheel drive (4WD). Painted in an exclusive Army Green color and equipped with black 18-inch forged aluminum wheels, the Tundra TRD Pro had a tough, military-grade appearance. However, the green might have quickly worn out its welcome, prompting buyers to consider other color options such as black, white, or gray, which also highlighted the good looks of the TRD Pro.

The interior of the TRD Pro featured black leather with red stitching and red “TRD Pro” embroidery. The Tundra’s design has aged well, but the use of industrial-grade plastic at higher price levels was hard to accept.

The 2021 Toyota Tacoma, on the other hand, epitomized the stereotypical pickup truck look with its boxy fender flares, tall hood, shield-like grille, and ruler-straight lines. This rugged aesthetic contrasted sharply with the more streamlined appearance of competitors like the Ford Ranger and General Motors midsize trucks. Unlike the exaggerated features of some larger trucks, including the Tundra, the Tacoma kept its design clean and straightforward.

Certain Tacoma models introduced unique styling features. The 2021 Trail Edition came with 16-inch TRD Off-Road alloy wheels, the grille from the Tacoma Limited, and exclusive color options. The Nightshade Edition featured blacked-out trim, while the TRD Pro showcased a model-specific grille with “Toyota” block lettering, blacked-out hood and fender flares, Rigid Industries LED fog lights, and an exclusive color for 2021—Lunar Rock.

The Tacoma stuck with a body-on-frame construction, advantageous for towing and off-road capabilities, although it typically penalized ride and handling. Toyota eliminated the basic two-door cab, offering only the Access Cab and Double Cab versions. Access Cab models had rear half doors, while Double Cab models featured four full-size doors, equating to a crew cab. Various bed lengths were available depending on the cab configuration.

The interior styling of the Tacoma matched its rugged exterior. The dashboard comprised chunky plastic elements, offering a durable look suitable for a base model. However, at higher price points like the TRD Pro’s $45,000 base price, the material quality seemed less justifiable, despite the model’s off-road focus.

The 2020 Toyota Tundra featured a single powertrain across all its models: a 5.7-liter V8 engine paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. This robust system produced 381 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 401 pound-feet of torque at 3,600 rpm. With a maximum towing capacity of 10,200 pounds and a payload capacity of up to 1,730 pounds, the Tundra, especially the SR Double Cab with rear-wheel drive (RWD), demonstrated strong performance metrics.

The Tundra offered an optional electronic shift-on-the-fly 4WD system on all trims except the TRD Pro, where it came standard. The TRD Pro went a step further with BBS forged aluminum wheels, heavy-duty Fox off-road shocks tuned by Toyota Racing Development (TRD), a stainless-steel TRD-tuned dual exhaust system, and an aluminum skid plate for underbody protection.

The TRD Pro’s exhaust system made the V8 sound sensational, though loud to bystanders. The powertrain showed robust strength and the transmission worked flawlessly. Steering, braking, and handling felt acceptable, given the truck’s nature, and the turning radius was impressively tight. The Tundra remained steady on straight, rural roads and Interstates, but wind noise was excessive at higher speeds. Gas mileage was less impressive, with the EPA rating the 4WD Tundra at 13 mpg city, 17 mpg highway, and 14 mpg combined.

By contrast, the 2021 Toyota Tacoma offered two powertrain options: a base 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine producing 159 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque, and an optional 3.5-liter V6 engine generating 278 hp and 265 lb-ft of torque. The V6 engine, running on the Atkinson cycle, featured Toyota's D4S fuel-injection system for improved fuel economy.

The four-cylinder engine paired solely with a six-speed automatic transmission, while the V6 offered both the same automatic and a six-speed manual transmission. The optional part-time 4WD drivetrain included low range and a standard electronic rear limited-slip differential, with the option for a fully locking rear diff. All Tacoma models featured coil-spring front suspension and leaf-spring rear suspension.

Building on this solid foundation, the TRD Off-Road model included features like a locking rear differential, upgraded Bilstein shocks, Multi-Terrain Select drive modes, and Crawl Control. The TRD Pro enhanced these features with Fox internal-bypass shocks, a 1-inch front lift, retuned rear suspension with progressive-rate leaf springs, a front skid plate, and wider wheels equipped with Goodyear Wrangler Kevlar-reinforced all-terrain tires.

Despite these off-road enhancements, on-road performance felt traditional: cornering required care, and braking needed advance planning. The V6 engine's acceleration was sluggish, partly due to the automatic transmission’s reluctance to shift. The TRD Pro’s exhaust sound was also underwhelming, creating an unattractive moan.

The Tacoma had a maximum towing capacity of 6,800 pounds and a maximum payload capacity of 1,685 pounds. However, achieving these maxima required specific configurations: the towing capacity applied to the Access Cab V6 RWD model, and the payload rating applied to the RWD Access Cab four-cylinder model.

The 2020 Toyota Tundra was built in Texas and featured an interior sized to match. The rear seating area of the CrewMax was spacious, offering ample room for passengers, including an expansive rear window that lowered the entire pane of glass to store behind the cab, which kids found particularly cool. Front leather-bound seats were large, supportive, and comfortable for long drives.

Storage solutions were abundant, although the glove compartment was surprisingly small. The backseat had limited practical storage options, with the rear seat cushions flipping up to create extra floor space but little available underneath. The Tundra’s bed was basic, offering a spray-in bedliner, tie-down hooks, and bed rails without additional storage features like those found in competitors.

The 2021 Toyota Tacoma, while offering a four-door cab, suffered from a lack of interior space. The Tacoma Double Cab had the worst rear headroom and legroom in its segment, and front headroom and legroom were also below average. The combination of limited headroom and a short windshield created a bunker-like feel, with the tall hood impairing forward visibility.

Rear seats folded up to reveal storage cubbies, providing a secure place for items you wouldn’t want to leave in the bed. Other in-cab storage was limited, though the Tacoma included a wireless charging pad. The Tacoma’s bed featured a standard rail system with tie-down cleats and an available 120-volt outlet, with the bed made from sheet-molded composite, a lightweight, rust-resistant alternative to steel.

The 2020 Toyota Tundra’s infotainment system, despite its dated design, featured modern software. Lower trim levels started with a 7-inch display, while higher trims upgraded to an 8-inch screen. The system included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, satellite radio, USB media and charging ports, and free trial subscriptions to safety-related and WiFi connected services.

The Tundra TRD Pro had the top-tier version of the system with dynamic navigation, dynamic voice recognition, dynamic point-of-interest search, a full menu of connected services, and a 12-speaker JBL premium sound system. While the JBL speakers pleased bass enthusiasts, the system’s reliance on touchscreen buttons for radio presets might test drivers’ patience.

The 2021 Toyota Tacoma also came with a 7-inch touchscreen in the base SR trim, with higher trims featuring an 8-inch touchscreen. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, Bluetooth, and SiriusXM satellite radio. An optional JBL audio system with a subwoofer was available on higher trims.

The Tacoma’s infotainment system was functional, featuring responsive touch controls and helpful shortcut buttons. However, the system’s graphics were plain, and it lacked advanced features beyond basic functions. The TRD Pro model included an optional Multi-Terrain Monitor surround-view camera system, useful for both off-road obstacles and parking maneuvers.

The 2020 Toyota Tundra faced challenges in safety ratings. While it came standard with Toyota Safety Sense and offered a blind-spot monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert, its crash-test performance was subpar. According to the IIHS, the Tundra CrewMax received Marginal and Poor ratings in small-overlap, frontal-impact testing for the driver and front passenger, respectively. Its headlights were rated Marginal.

The NHTSA ratings were slightly better: side-impact protection rated 5 stars, frontal-impact protection rated 4 stars, and 4WD models received a 4-star rollover resistance rating (3-star for RWD models). However, these ratings haven’t seen a significant standards update since 2011.

The 2021 Toyota Tacoma fared better in safety ratings. The IIHS gave the Tacoma Double Cab top “Good” scores in most crash tests, with an “Acceptable” score for the passenger-side small overlap front test. Headlight ratings varied between “Good” and “Marginal,” but the Tacoma earned a “Superior” rating for front-crash prevention tech.

The NHTSA awarded both Tacoma cab configurations a four-star overall rating, with four stars in frontal and rollover crash testing, and five stars in side crash tests. Standard driver-assist features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. The Ford Ranger offered additional safety features like lane-keep assist and trailer-enabled blind-spot monitoring.