Do you want a good fuel economy? Well, then the 2021 Toyota Tundra does not have your back. It has an embarrassingly low fuel economy, even for a full-size truck. But there are other benefits that the Toyota Tundra can provide. 

The 2021 Toyota Tundra has a terrible fuel economy 

Thank the folks at TruckTrend. They put a nifty list of the top 10 trucks with the worst first fuel economy together. Their list showed us that the 2021 Toyota tundra is extremely thirsty because it has a terrible fuel economy. 

The Toyota Tundra landed in second place. The only truck that burns more fuel is the RAM 1500 TRX, which isn’t surprising. The TRX has a supercharged V8 engine that pumps out 705-hp. It needs a lot of fuel to move. With the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX, you’ll get 10 mpg in the city and 14 mpg on the highway. 

But the 2020 Ford F-150 Raptor landed in third place. This means that the Toyota Tundra has a lower fuel economy than a high-performance off-roading truck. The 2020 Ford F-150 Raptor has a high output 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine that provides 450 hp and 16 mpg combined. 

The Toyota Tundra has one engine option, a 5.7-liter V8 with 381-hp and 402 lb-ft of torque. It gets an EPA estimated 13 mpg in the city and 17 mpg on the highway. Also, it has less power than the Ford Raptor but also has a weaker fuel economy. That feels like an interesting takeaway to consider. 

Is the 2021 Toyota Tundra a good truck? 

Yes, people love their Toyota Tundra models. You can’t cut it out because it has one thirsty engine. People don’t buy trucks for a good fuel economy. They buy them to do truck things. Also, soon electric trucks will be available if saving on fuel is important to you. 

The 2021 Toyota Tundra has an MSRP of $33,675, so dealerships will mark it up to make a profit. The 2021 Ford F-150 has an MSRP of around $28,940, making it a cheaper option. However, the base model is pretty barebones with a 3.3-liter base engine with 295 hp and 265 lb-ft of torque. 

With the Toyota Tundra, you don’t have to spend more to upgrade to a V8 or to get more bells and whistles. Also, it’s a pretty strong truck. It can carry a payload of up to 1,730 lb and tow up to 10,200 lb.

This is admittedly behind the competition, though. The 2021 Chevy Silverado can tow up to 13,400 lb, and the 2021 Ford F-150 can tow up to 14,000 lb when properly equipped.  

According to Edmunds, the 2021 Toyota Tundra is an excellent work truck, and the TRD model is great for off-roading. But it has a stiff ride with uncomfortable seats. You’ll feel larger bumps and hear wind and road noise. 

Toyota Tundra features 

But there are positives to mention too. For families, the new Toyota Tundra has a large backseat and standard safety features, including automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning. Toyota Safety Sense is also included. 

However, the tech is considered to be a weak point. It feels outdated, and connecting Bluetooth devices or using the USB audio jack can be frustrating each time. The voice controls don’t respond to casual speaking either.