Toyota offers two strong trucks with the full-size Tundra and the midsize Tacoma. Both trucks have several strengths, but the Tundra has one key advantage that gives it an edge. The 2023 Toyota Tundra offers something huge that isn’t available on the 2023 Toyota Tacoma: a hybrid powertrain.
Unlike the 2023 Toyota Tacoma, the 2023 Toyota Tundra Offers a Hybrid Powertrain
Toyota has long been the auto industry leader in hybrids, and now the Japanese automaker has applied this technology to the 2023 Toyota Tundra. Tundra’s available i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain combines a V-6 engine 3.6-liter twin-turbo with an electric motor.
Tundra’s hybrid powertrain allows the truck to get an estimated fuel economy of up to 22 mpg. While that’s not nearly as high gas mileage as what you’ll get with other hybrids, like a Toyota Prius, it’s respectable for full-size trucks, which tend to be big gas guzzlers.
By contrast, you can’t get a hybrid powertrain for the 2023 Toyota Tacoma. While a hybrid powertrain has been rumored for the next-generation Tacoma, that won’t happen until at least the 2024 model year. For the 2023 Tacoma, the only Options are all-gasoline engines, with an estimated gas mileage of up to 21 mpg.
2023 Tundra Hybrid Offers Better Performance Than 2023 Tacoma
Usually the biggest benefit of a hybrid is fuel economy. What’s more, due to entrenched perceptions, many believe that hybrids sacrifice performance. However, by 2023 Toyota Tundra, performance is its most significant benefit. While the Tundra Hybrid outperforms the Tacoma in fuel economy, the area where it excels the most is performance.
The i-FORCE MAX Hybrid is the most powerful powertrain in the Tundra lineup. It offers an incredible 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque. By comparison, the Tacoma has much weaker production. Its most powerful engine option is the available 3.5-liter V-6, which makes just 278 horsepower and 265 lb-ft of torque.
Other strengths of the Toyota Tundra over the Tacoma
Along with its powerful hybrid powertrain, the 2023 Tundra has other strengths over the 2023 Tacoma. This includes towing capabilities. The Tundra has a maximum towing capacity of 12,000 pounds, compared to 6,800 pounds for the Tacoma. Tundra can also haul a heavier load in the pickup bed. It has a maximum payload capacity of 1,940 pounds, while the Tacoma can haul up to 1,685 pounds.
Also, the Tundra is more reliable. It earned a JD Power reliability rating of 86/100, compared to 81/100 for the Tacoma. Greater reliability means Tundra is more likely to last for many miles and years, and have fewer mechanical problems.
With its available hybrid powertrain, the 2023 Toyota Tundra pickup has something crucial that the 2023 Tacoma doesn’t. Typically, one gets a hybrid vehicle for top-level efficiency, but for the Tundra, the biggest advantage is performance. If you were hoping for a hybrid version of the Tacoma, you’ll have to wait at least another year.