Trucks are expensive vehicles to own. Not only do they cost a lot upfront, but when you add taxes, insurance costs, fuel prices, maintenance fees, repairs, and more, owning a truck is even more expensive. That’s why buying a truck that doesn’t need repairs can be a good way to save money in the long run.

Toyota’s tough trucks 

As U.S. News reported, Toyota’s two trucks offered in America, the Tundra and the Tacoma, are at No. 2 and No. 1 respectively in terms of reliability scores.

This shouldn’t surprise Top Gear fans, as the Toyota Hilux — a truck that’s not offered in the U.S. anymore — was regarded by Top Gear as one of the toughest vehicles ever produced. This is the same story for Toyota’s trucks available in America.

It’s not certain how much money this toughness will save you in the long run, as different issues will require different repairs. But Toyota’s trucks are also known for holding their value well. So by that notion, a Toyota truck will still be valuable after five years over many of its competitors.

Just how good are Toyota’s trucks?

Both the Tundra and Tacoma received a 4.5 out of 5 for reliability by U.S. News. For comparison, the Ram 1500 earned third place with 4 out of 5 for reliability. But while these two Toyota trucks got the two best scores for reliability, U.S. News does mention that they have some drawbacks. 

For example, according to U.S. News, while the Tundra has a lot of safety features, it didn’t perform well in crash tests. While the Tundra has a 5.7-liter V8 engine as standard, it doesn’t perform as well as other full-size trucks. While the Tundra starts at almost $32,000, it doesn’t really offer as many options as other automakers do. 

The Tacoma is notably better than the Tundra in terms of how it compares to competitors, but it’s still a similar story. While the Tacoma is a safe and reliable truck, it’s not the most powerful nor is it the most luxurious truck in its category. 

How much you can save with a Toyota

While it’s difficult to determine exactly how much a Toyota truck can save you in terms of maintenance and repair costs, there is data for the average costs.

Forbes reported that a RepairPal survey said the Tacoma was by far the cheapest truck to maintain and repair annually at just under $400 a year. In comparison, a Chevy Silverado costs almost $550 a year, which is $150 more than the Tacoma. 

Of course, that is comparing a mid-size truck with a full-size truck, but it’s the same story when the Silverado, or many other full-size trucks, is compared to the Tundra. The cost to own a Toyota truck is simply less expensive than it is to own any other truck brand.

Asides from costs, there’s also the time factor. It’s just a hassle for many Americans to bring their car or truck to the shop for repairs.

If you only have one vehicle, then there’s towing fees, and then there’s likely additional transportation costs as you’ll still need to go to work for the day. And then there’s the opportunity cost. Rather than being in the shop, your truck could’ve been doing something for you for the day.