Toyota’s Tundra pickup tends to outshine some of the biggest contenders on the market. When it comes to competing with the Ram 1500 price, though, it doesn’t manage to come out ahead. Is it worth spending more for the Tundra than the Ram? Let’s take a look.

How does the 2024 Ram 1500 price compare with the 2024 Toyota Tundra?

The starting price for the entry-level (SR) Toyota Tundra is $39,965, which is slightly more than the Ram 1500’s Tradesman (base) priced at $38,570. In fact, the Ram’s seven trim levels are all priced less than what you find with the Tundra models. Upgrading to the SR5 of the Toyota pickup, you pay about $45,500, which is about $5,000 more than Ram’s Tradesman HFE. 

According to Toyota, its Limited trim is priced at $51,855, while the Platinum has a $61,775 price tag. Next up in the Tundra lineup is the 1794 Edition, which you can get for $62,460. Then, there’s the TRD 40 coming in at $72,130 and the Capstone, which is priced at $78,845. 

Ram offers the Big Horn ($44,030), the Laramie ($54,030), and the Rebel ($58,745). The top two trims are the Limited Longhorn, which is priced at $61,340, and the Limited model, with a $65,205 price tag. 

While many of the Ram and Toyota trim levels offer different features, we’ll just be comparing the two base models as these are pretty similar. 

What does each pickup offer as far as features go?

With the 2024 Toyota Tundra, you get a 3.4-liter V6 twin-turbo engine, which produces 358 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. Paired with it is a 10-speed automatic transmission, and it offers rear-wheel drive as standard. 

It also comes with 18-inch steel wheels, LED headlights and tail lights, cloth seats, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, rear under-seat storage, adaptive Cruise control, Toyota’s Safety Sense, and lane-keeping assist. 

According to Ram, the 2024 Ram 1500 model offers a 3.6-liter V6 engine producing 305 hp and 269 lb-ft. Paired with it is an eight-speed automatic transmission with rear-wheel drive. You also get 18-inch steel wheels, automatic headlights, a five-inch touchscreen, a six-speaker stereo, remote keyless entry, a clean air filtration system, and Bluetooth connectivity. 

Why you should choose the Ram 1500 over the Tundra

At first glance, the Ram 1500 doesn’t seem to offer as much as the Toyota Tundra. It has easy-to-clean vinyl seats and flooring, a trailer reverse assist light, and an easy-to-use liftgate, which you don’t get with the Toyota. The Ram is basically a work truck, which is why it’s on the lower-priced side. You won’t get standard features like you do with the Tundra SR. 

It offers forward collision mitigation, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, pedestrian emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist as optional equipment. You can also add an 8.4-inch touchscreen for more money, which is slightly larger than the Tundra’s eight-inch display. 

Fuel economy ratings haven’t been released for the 2024 Ram 1500, but with the same engine on the 2023 version, you get 26 mpg combined. With the Tundra, you only get 20 mpg combined with its V6 engine. 

If you add the optional 5.7-liter V8 Hemi engine, you’ll generate 395 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque. Pairing it with the eight-speed automatic, you can tow up to 12,750 lbs for the base model. The payload capacity on this model is 2,320 lbs. On the Tundra, you tow up to 8,300 lbs, and the payload capacity is maxed at 1,940 lbs. To add this unit, you’ll pay $3,000 more, which puts it at only $1,600 or so more expensive than the SR. 

The 2024 Ram 1500 Tradesman and the 2024 Toyota Tundra SR are fairly similar pickups. While the Toyota seems to have a few more features than the Ram, it’s ultimately about $1,000 more. The Ram, however, offers a modest amount of equipment as standard, but you can get a few optional features for a little more money, which makes it a better option in the long run. Saving money is saving money!