Hey everyone, I’m looking for some honest mechanic/long-term ownership advice between two Toyotas I currently have access to: a 2021 Toyota Tundra 5.7L V8 4x4 and a 2023 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road V6 4x4. I’m trying to make the best long-term decision, ideally for the next 20+ years, and I’ve been going back and forth hard. The Tundra is a 2021 with the 5.7L 3UR-FE V8 and about 30,000 miles. It has good service history and feels like a really clean, low-mileage example. I absolutely love driving it. The power, comfort, build quality, road presence, and V8 character are all huge positives. It feels more solid, more substantial, safer, and more enjoyable than the Tacoma. It is honestly my dream truck. I know the 5.7 V8 and 6-speed automatic have a great reputation, and very confident that the truck could go 300k–400k+ miles with good maintenance. The Tacoma is a 2023 TRD Off-Road V6 4x4 with about 12,400 miles. It is also very low mileage and much easier to live with day to day. It’s a nicer package with bolstering shocks. It is easier to park, easier to maneuver, easier in crowded lots/parking garages, better on fuel, cheaper to maintain, and probably the better financial decision. If I keep the Tacoma instead of the Tundra, I would come out roughly $6,000 ahead. My actual lifestyle is also part of the issue. I like having a truck for hunting, fishing, future family needs, hauling things, and general utility, but if I’m being honest, I have not hunted but I don’t tow regularly. I may also end up in a have to be in the sunburns/city for my career someday, and the Tacoma would obviously be much easier to live with in that situation. My concerns with the Tundra are: It is big and sometimes annoying to park/maneuver. Fuel economy is worse. Tires, brakes, suspension, and general wear items will likely cost more. If a major repair ever happened, it would probably cost more than the Tacoma. It may be more truck than I realistically need. My concerns with the Tacoma are: I don’t love driving it the way I love the Tundra. It feels less substantial and less comfortable. I worry about long-term durability compared with the old 5.7 V8 Tundra. The 3.5L 2GR-FKS has more modern complexity. Plastic/composite valve covers and plastic coolant-related components make me nervous long-term that I’ve seen some early failures on forms I’ve heard about timing cover seepage, valve cover leaks, coolant bypass/coolant hose leaks, and water pump issues. Even though I know Tacomas are very reliable, I worry I’d regret selling such a clean 5.7 V8 Tundra. Financially, the Tacoma is clearly the best move. I would make about $6,000 keeping it, have lower fuel costs, lower operating costs, and likely very strong resale. The Tundra gives me no financial gain, costs more to run, but is the truck I actually enjoy and feel emotionally attached to. Reliability-wise, I’m trying to understand the real-world difference. I know both are Toyota trucks and both should be excellent. But from a mechanic’s perspective, is the 2021 Tundra 5.7L/6-speed significantly more durable than the 2023 Tacoma 3.5L/6-speed, or is the difference smaller than I’m making it in my head? The big question is this: Would you keep the 2021 Tundra 5.7 V8 because it is the more robust, more comfortable, more enjoyable long-term truck, even though it costs more to own and is harder to park? Or would you keep the 2023 Tacoma TRD Off-Road because it is newer, lower mileage, cheaper to own, easier to live with, better financially, and still reliable enough to last 20+ years? I’m especially interested in hearing from yall or long-term Toyota owners about: 5.7 Tundra long-term reliability vs. 3.5 Tacoma long-term reliability Common high-mileage failure points on both Which drivetrain you would trust more for 250k–350k+ miles Whether Tacoma plastic valve covers/coolant parts are actually worth worrying about any long term concerns with the 2GR FKS Realistic long-term ownership costs between the two Which one you’d personally keep if you wanted a vehicle for decades I know the rational answer may be the Tacoma, but the Tundra is the one I enjoy more. I’m trying to figure out whether keeping the Tundra is a defensible long-term decision or whether I’m letting emotion override the smarter move.

Notifications

Clear all

Toyota tundra vs Tacoma

Last Post

14/06/2026 9:26 pm

Topic starter

Hey everyone, I’m looking for some honest mechanic/long-term ownership advice between two Toyotas I currently have access to: a 2021 Toyota Tundra 5.7L V8 4x4 and a 2023 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road V6 4x4.

I’m trying to make the best long-term decision, ideally for the next 20+ years, and I’ve been going back and forth hard.

The Tundra is a 2021 with the 5.7L 3UR-FE V8 and about 30,000 miles. It has good service history and feels like a really clean, low-mileage example. I absolutely love driving it. The power, comfort, build quality, road presence, and V8 character are all huge positives. It feels more solid, more substantial, safer, and more enjoyable than the Tacoma. It is honestly my dream truck. I know the 5.7 V8 and 6-speed automatic have a great reputation, and very confident that the truck could go 300k–400k+ miles with good maintenance.

The Tacoma is a 2023 TRD Off-Road V6 4x4 with about 12,400 miles. It is also very low mileage and much easier to live with day to day. It’s a nicer package with bolstering shocks. It is easier to park, easier to maneuver, easier in crowded lots/parking garages, better on fuel, cheaper to maintain, and probably the better financial decision. If I keep the Tacoma instead of the Tundra, I would come out roughly $6,000 ahead.

My actual lifestyle is also part of the issue. I like having a truck for hunting, fishing, future family needs, hauling things, and general utility, but if I’m being honest, I have not hunted but I don’t tow regularly. I may also end up in a have to be in the sunburns/city for my career someday, and the Tacoma would obviously be much easier to live with in that situation.

My concerns with the Tundra are:

It is big and sometimes annoying to park/maneuver.
Fuel economy is worse.
Tires, brakes, suspension, and general wear items will likely cost more.
If a major repair ever happened, it would probably cost more than the Tacoma.
It may be more truck than I realistically need.

My concerns with the Tacoma are:

I don’t love driving it the way I love the Tundra.
It feels less substantial and less comfortable.
I worry about long-term durability compared with the old 5.7 V8 Tundra.
The 3.5L 2GR-FKS has more modern complexity.
Plastic/composite valve covers and plastic coolant-related components make me nervous long-term that I’ve seen some early failures on forms
I’ve heard about timing cover seepage, valve cover leaks, coolant bypass/coolant hose leaks, and water pump issues.
Even though I know Tacomas are very reliable, I worry I’d regret selling such a clean 5.7 V8 Tundra.

Financially, the Tacoma is clearly the best move. I would make about $6,000 keeping it, have lower fuel costs, lower operating costs, and likely very strong resale. The Tundra gives me no financial gain, costs more to run, but is the truck I actually enjoy and feel emotionally attached to.

Reliability-wise, I’m trying to understand the real-world difference. I know both are Toyota trucks and both should be excellent. But from a mechanic’s perspective, is the 2021 Tundra 5.7L/6-speed significantly more durable than the 2023 Tacoma 3.5L/6-speed, or is the difference smaller than I’m making it in my head?

The big question is this:

Would you keep the 2021 Tundra 5.7 V8 because it is the more robust, more comfortable, more enjoyable long-term truck, even though it costs more to own and is harder to park?

Or would you keep the 2023 Tacoma TRD Off-Road because it is newer, lower mileage, cheaper to own, easier to live with, better financially, and still reliable enough to last 20+ years?

I’m especially interested in hearing from yall or long-term Toyota owners about:

5.7 Tundra long-term reliability vs. 3.5 Tacoma long-term reliability
Common high-mileage failure points on both
Which drivetrain you would trust more for 250k–350k+ miles
Whether Tacoma plastic valve covers/coolant parts are actually worth worrying about
any long term concerns with the 2GR FKS
Realistic long-term ownership costs between the two
Which one you’d personally keep if you wanted a vehicle for decades

I know the rational answer may be the Tacoma, but the Tundra is the one I enjoy more. I’m trying to figure out whether keeping the Tundra is a defensible long-term decision or whether I’m letting emotion override the smarter move.