The 2021 Toyota Tundra and the 2021 Ford F-150 are pickup trucks with a lot going with them. How is a car shopper to decide between these two pickups? A look at their ratings might help – only one has decent reliability. Let’s look at why the Tundra has a reliability rating twice as high as the F-150. 

How did Consumer Reports determine the 2021 Toyota Tundra’s reliability ratings is better than the 2021 Ford F-150?

To determine the reliability of a vehicle, Consumer Reports sends out surveys to people who have bought previous versions of the Tundra. They combine this survey data with what they know about the current model, using their technical knowledge to fill in gaps. They say that with these two pieces of information, they can “expertly predict the reliability of new and redesigned models.”

Consumer Reports gives the 2021 Toyota Tundra a 4/5 for its predicted reliability. Reliability for the 2019 and 2020 Toyota Tundras is pretty good. The only score in the 2020 to be mediocre is paint and trim. In the 2019, the only problem area is body integrity.

Even though the safety ratings for the Tundra aren’t great, people love them. The owner satisfaction score is a 4/5. Most notably, the driving experience is an 81 and comfort is a 74. Styling receives a 74. Value, however, is a fairly high 51, as far as value scores go. 79% of Tundra owners would buy their truck again, which is the most in its class.

The 2021 Ford F-150’s reliability rating is very low

Consumer Reports gives the 2021 Ford F-150 only a 2/5 for its predicted reliability. Reliability for the 2019 and 2020 Ford F-150s isn’t great. Major problem areas in the 2020 include the power equipment and in-car electronics. The worst ratings for the 2019 are for the transmission minor and body integrity.

The owner satisfaction score is a 4/5 for the 2021 Ford F-150 . 75% of Ford F-150 owners would buy their truck again.

It’s important to note that even with the F-150s low reliability rating, its owner satisfaction score is the same as the Tundras. The difference in the amount of people who would buy their pickup again is very similar, as well. People love these trucks.

The Tundra’s road test score is higher than the F-150’s

Reliability isn’t the only reason to buy a pickup. Consumer Reports performs a road test to evaluate different aspects of vehicles. Consumer Reports gives the 2021 Toyota Tundra scores a 4/5 for its acceleration. It can reach 0 to 60 in 6.7 seconds. Its transmission scores a 5/5. Routine handling receives a mediocre 3/5, while emergency handling only gets a 2/5. The Toyota Tundra’s max avoidance speed is 44 mph.

Braking is abdominal in the Tundra, at a 1. The Tundra takes 153 feet to brake from 60 mph on dry pavement and 178 feet on wet pavement. The Tundra’s headlights score a 4/5.

The F-150 didn’t fare quite as well. Consumer Reports gives the 2021 Ford F-150 scores a 4/5 for its acceleration. It can reach 0 to 60 in 6.7 seconds. Its transmission scores a 5/5. Routine and emergency handling receive a fair 2/5. The Ford F-150’s max avoidance speed is 48 mph.

Braking is fair in the Ford F-150, at a 3. The Ford F-150 takes 143 feet to brake from 60 mph on dry pavement and 148 feet on wet pavement. The Ford F-150’s headlights score a 4/5, which is very good compared to the headlights on most pickup trucks.

Breaking is terrible in the 2021 Toyota Tundra, but its overall score and especially its reliability rating is much better. On top of that, the Tundra’s safety ratings are just ‘eh,’ but the F-150 hasn’t been crash-tested. If you decide that reliability is an important factor in your pickup shopping, then you’ll want to go with the Tundra. Otherwise, you may want to reconsider your options.