The Toyota Tundra has been around for quite a few years and has struggled to gain the same momentum as other American truck giants. But while the 2020 Toyota Tundra may have a ton of features to offer new buyers, affordability is not one of them. Here’s why the 2020 Toyota Tundra will cost you more than any other full-size pickup in the segment.

What owning a 2020 Toyota Tundra will cost you

The experts at U.S. News compiled data from new full-size pickups such as MSRP figures, repair and maintenance costs, and more to find out which 2020 trucks cost owners the most money over a period of five years. According to U.S. News’ research, the 2020 Toyota Tundra comes in at the top of the list, but not in a good way.

Before even considering other costs, the 2020 Toyota Tundra already has an “above-average sticker price mounted to the window of a base model Tundra.” In fact, a base model Tundra will cost you just under $38,000. 

The Tundra doesn’t just have an above-average sticker price to bog it down either. U.S. News also estimated high long-term cost of ownership due to poor fuel economy ratings, meaning that owners spend more at the pump with the Tundra.

Between fuel and maintenance, U.S. News estimates that the Toyota Tundra will have a higher cost of ownership than any other full-size pickup, with a 5-year average cost of $31,376.

How the cost of other full-size pickups compares

As U.S. News points out, the price of the 2020 Toyota Tundra “starts several thousand dollars higher” than many other full-size trucks that are similarly equipped. Other full-size options are also more fuel-efficient, with trucks like the Ford F-150 and Ram 1500 specifically focusing on designs year-over-year that offer more power, for less fuel. 

The Chevrolet Silverado costs less off the lot, at around $36,000, and also has a lower cost-of-ownership estimate of around $30,000. This even includes above-average maintenance costs associated with the Silverado.

The 2020 Ram 1500 is even more affordable for buyers over time, costing around $34,000 to purchase and around $28,000 over the course of five years. The full-size truck ranked most affordable for owners is the 2020 Ford F-150, which costs an average of $35,000 to take off the lot and around $27,000 to maintain over the course of five years.

Cost vs. reliability and quality: is the Toyota Tundra worth it?

Since the Toyota Tundra costs more to take off the lot than other trucks, owners are probably paying for more, right? Despite having a higher price, the Tundra has not been fully updated in over 5 years.

In fact, the Tundra is rated lower than the majority of full-size trucks, from the majority of expert resources. U.S. News experts give the 2020 Toyota Tundra the lowest overall score and ranking of all full-size pickups in the segment, offering it a cool overall score of just 6.5 (out of 10).

Critics are seemingly harsh on the Tundra, with U.S. News’ experts offering a low Critics’ Rating and even the claim that “the Tundra isn’t a very good truck.” Its singularly available V8 engine is neither fuel-efficient nor powerful, leaving the Tundra with one of the lowest towing/hauling capabilities in the segment.

Its interior and ride comfort are also lagging behind the competition. What does help the Toyota Tundra is its reliability, which helps it stand out to full-size buyers. Alongside a quality warranty offered by Toyota, the full-size 2020 Tundra also comes with decent reliability ratings of four (out of five) by both J.D. Power and Consumer Reports.