Every Toyota Tundra Generation Ranked From Worst To Best
The Toyota Tundra has been a mainstay of the full-size pickup truck game ever since it debuted in the 2000 model year. Although it hasn't quite matched the sales of its American-made counterparts like the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, or Ram 1500, the Tundra has consistently proved to be a dependable pickup from what is arguably the most reliable car manufacturer on the planet. It may not have that American muscle, but Toyota knows how to make a vehicle that can last you for many, many years with little to no issue.
The Toyota Tundra hits its 25th year of production with the 2025 model year, and over its quarter of a century lifespan, the pickup has undergone a good deal of change. In fact, there have been three distinct generations in that time frame with the most recent starting in the 2022 model year. As is the case with any vehicle model that has been around for multiple decades, the Tundra has changed over time, and there are some model years that are better than others.
After all, not every generation of the pickup truck is created equal or has held up the same way. That doesn't mean any of them are particularly bad, but there are degrees of difference between them. After going through reviews of the various trucks over its existence and reliability reports from publications like Consumer Reports, this little list ranks which generation of the Toyota Tundra stands at the top.
3. Third generation
You might think that as technology evolves that every subsequent generation of a model of a vehicle would be better than the last, but sometimes that just isn't the case. This isn't to say that the third generation of the Toyota Tundra, which began with the 2022 model year, is bad. It just takes a step back from the previous two, despite increases of features that make it seem like a more appealing truck. The biggest step back, however, is due to what is typically Toyota's bread and butter — reliability.
For over two decades, the Tundra had received tremendous marks from Consumer Reports for how well the trucks hold up, but starting in 2022, those numbers took quite the nose dive. The highest reliability ranking for a model year from the third generation was for 2023, and that only managed a 37 on a scale to 100. The 2022 model received an abysmal 23 rating, and 2024 wasn't much better at 30. For comparison, the final year of the previous generation earned a 62. This generation has also gone through a significant number of recalls for problems involving the brakes, fuel leaks, electrical system failures, and axle shaft separation.
All that said, we still plenty to like about this generation of the Tundra in our review of the 2024 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro Hybrid, and reliability scores will hopefully improve as the current generation continues. Still, as of right now, the Toyota Tundra is not in the best place, which is a shame because its first two generations were so good.
2. First generation
While it was pretty easy to put the third generation of the Toyota Tundra at the bottom of this list, deciding between the first and second generations for the top was not nearly as simple. Ultimately, the first generation of the Tundra, which lasted from the 2000 through the 2006 model years, fell just a little bit short. This particular generation of was quite a bit smaller than how we picture a Tundra today, making it a lot closer to Toyota's other popular pickup truck, the Tacoma.
Of course, these are still extremely reliable pickup trucks. Although the first two years weren't exactly great, they did outpace the third generation with Consumer Reports reliability rankings, and the subsequent four years they averaged a 68 out of 100, with the 2003 and 2004 models both earning a 73. Even more impressive are the owner satisfaction ratings, which averaged out to be about a 4.5 out of 5, including three model years that were five out of five.
There have been a surprising number of recalls for these models, but when you take into account that they have been around for around 20 years and people have so few complaints with them, you may not have to worry about those recalls as much. You will be getting a reliable truck with a first generation Tundra, no matter the size.
[Image by Bull-Doser via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | Public Domain]
1. Second generation
Coming in the top spot is the Toyota Tundra's second generation, which was also the generation that was longest in production. From the 2007 model year through 2021, this generation remained incredibly consistent in delivering an experience that came with that trademark Toyota reliability. All of that included more modern technological features and came in a larger package that puts it more on par with the other full-size pickup trucks on the market.
Out of the 15 years that this generation was available, only three of them didn't receive a recommendation from Consumer Reports, and the reliability and owner satisfaction ratings are consistently high. The reliability scores range anywhere from the mid-60s to the high 70s, with the 2014 model earning the highest marks at 78. That also happened to be the same year the Tundra underwent its biggest redesign within this generation, showing that updating technology doesn't mean you have to sacrifice reliability. The lowest the rating ever got was 2015 at 46 — which is still okay — but the truck rebounded to 64 the following year.
Along with that 2014 model, the Tundra was able to hold solid ratings in the 70s between 2018 and 2020, and even in years where it dipped into the 60s or even below, owner satisfaction remained a four out of five at a minimum. At the end of the day, this generation had it all — the size, the reliability, and features like a backup camera. This is why it tops this list.
[Image by U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | Public Domain]
How we determined this ranking
To determine how this list was made, the first and foremost element that was judged was reliability, which was primarily based on reviews from the customers and experts of Consumer Reports. That is a publication that has a long history of providing fair and accurate accounts of how vehicles perform in the real world. Ratings from J.D. Power were also taken into account.
While some generations of the Toyota Tundra may have more technologically advanced features or more aesthetic appeal to the eye, the most important thing when it comes to how good a car is would be how well it operates in both the immediate and overtime. Purchasing a new vehicle is an investment that will cost a person thousands of dollars, they need to be ensured that the vehicle they are getting, particularly if it is used and many years old, will be worth the money.