Ram 1500 vs Toyota Tundra: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (August 2026), the Ram 1500 typically lists for $42,289 against $47,495 for the Toyota Tundra (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Ram 1500 takes fuel economy (19 MPG combined vs 16 MPG); the Ram 1500 leads on NCAP safety (4.4★ vs 4.3★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the TRADESMAN at $34,995 vs the SR at $38,495; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.
Head to head
Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)
A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Ram 1500 TRADESMAN ($34,995) faces the Toyota Tundra SR ($38,495); the most common trims on the market are the BIG HORN/LONESTAR (26.7% of Ram 1500 listings) and the SR5 (40.9% of Toyota Tundra listings); at the top of the market, the LIMITED ($54,394) faces the TRD PRO ($58,783). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.
| Ram 1500 | Toyota Tundra | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| SLT | $29,495 | 2.8% | SRCheapest | $38,495 | 3.0% |
| TRADESMANCheapest | $34,995 | 8.8% | SR5Most popular | $42,997 | 40.9% |
| BIG HORN | $35,200 | 14.0% | LIMITED | $48,180 | 19.8% |
| BIG HORN/LONESTARMost popular | $43,248 | 26.7% | OTHERS | $49,691 | 4.4% |
| LARAMIE | $43,666 | 24.8% | PLATINUM | $51,583 | 12.1% |
| REBEL | $48,393 | 10.4% | 1794 | $53,995 | 10.8% |
| LIMITEDPriciest | $54,394 | 6.4% | CAPSTONE | $54,706 | 2.4% |
| RHO | $70,638 | 2.6% | TRD PROPriciest | $58,783 | 6.6% |
Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Ram 1500 prices · Toyota Tundra prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Ram 1500 typical | Toyota Tundra typical | Difference | Ram 1500 MPG | Toyota Tundra MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $53,539 | $62,384 | Toyota Tundra +$8,845 | 12–22 MPG | 19–22 MPG |
| 2025 | $42,289 | $51,988 | Toyota Tundra +$9,699 | 15–23 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2024 | $34,420 | $47,495 | Toyota Tundra +$13,075 | 12–23 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2023 | $36,804 | $44,960 | Toyota Tundra +$8,156 | 12–24 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2022 | $33,959 | $40,984 | Toyota Tundra +$7,025 | 12–26 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2021 | $30,598 | $39,730 | Toyota Tundra +$9,132 | 12–26 MPG | 15 MPG |
| 2020 | $28,648 | $36,997 | Toyota Tundra +$8,349 | 17–26 MPG | 15 MPG |
| 2019 | $24,910 | $34,998 | Toyota Tundra +$10,088 | 17–23 MPG | 15–16 MPG |
| 2018 | $19,999 | $32,000 | Toyota Tundra +$12,001 | 14–23 MPG | 15–16 MPG |
| 2017 | $19,054 | $28,885 | Toyota Tundra +$9,831 | 15–23 MPG | 15–16 MPG |
| 2016 | $17,500 | $25,023 | Toyota Tundra +$7,523 | 15–24 MPG | 15–17 MPG |
| 2015 | $15,995 | $24,485 | Toyota Tundra +$8,490 | 15–24 MPG | 15–17 MPG |
| 2014 | $14,985 | $21,915 | Toyota Tundra +$6,930 | 15–23 MPG | 15–17 MPG |
| 2013 | $13,488 | $17,956 | Toyota Tundra +$4,468 | 15–21 MPG | 15–17 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (August 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to buy used — Ram 1500 or Toyota Tundra?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Ram 1500 is cheaper: it typically lists for $42,289 versus $47,495 for the Toyota Tundra (national medians, August 2026).
Which gets better fuel economy — Ram 1500 or Toyota Tundra?
The Ram 1500: its typical rated version returns 19 MPG combined versus 16 MPG for the Toyota Tundra (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).
Which is safer — Ram 1500 or Toyota Tundra?
By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Ram 1500 averages 4.4 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.3 for the Toyota Tundra. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.
Which is more reliable — Ram 1500 or Toyota Tundra?
NHTSA lists an average of 14.0 recalls per model year for the Ram 1500 and 8.7 for the Toyota Tundra — an edge for the Toyota Tundra. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.
Which trims should I actually compare?
Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Ram 1500 TRADESMAN typically lists for $34,995 vs $38,495 for a Toyota Tundra SR; the most common trims on the market are the BIG HORN/LONESTAR ($43,248, 26.7% of Ram 1500 listings) and the SR5 ($42,997, 40.9% of Toyota Tundra listings); at the top of the market, the LIMITED ($54,394) faces the TRD PRO ($58,783). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.
https://vehisales.com/research/compare/ram/1500/vs/toyota/tundra.
Dig deeper
Ram 1500 — live listings & specs Toyota Tundra — live listings & specs Ram 1500 prices by year Toyota Tundra prices by year Ram 1500 MPG by year Toyota Tundra MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.