Ram 1500 vs Toyota Tundra: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (July 2026), the Ram 1500 typically lists for $43,784 against $48,537 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 SLT at $29,900 vs the SR at $39,161; 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 SLT ($29,900) faces the Toyota Tundra SR ($39,161); the most common trims on the market are the LARAMIE (25.4% of Ram 1500 listings) and the SR5 (41.2% of Toyota Tundra listings); at the top of the market, the LIMITED ($53,864) faces the TRD PRO ($59,999). 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 |
| SLTCheapest | $29,900 | 3.5% | SRCheapest | $39,161 | 3.4% |
| TRADESMAN | $34,097 | 8.1% | SR5Most popular | $43,990 | 41.2% |
| BIG HORN | $36,036 | 15.5% | LIMITED | $48,993 | 18.8% |
| BIG HORN/LONESTAR | $43,146 | 24.6% | OTHERS | $50,958 | 4.5% |
| LARAMIEMost popular | $44,100 | 25.4% | PLATINUM | $52,719 | 12.1% |
| REBEL | $49,385 | 10.2% | 1794 | $55,000 | 11.2% |
| LIMITEDPriciest | $53,864 | 6.3% | CAPSTONE | $57,144 | 2.3% |
| RHO | $72,486 | 2.1% | TRD PROPriciest | $59,999 | 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 | $54,768 | $60,919 | Toyota Tundra +$6,151 | 12–22 MPG | 19–22 MPG |
| 2025 | $43,784 | $52,491 | Toyota Tundra +$8,707 | 15–23 MPG | 19–22 MPG |
| 2024 | $34,980 | $48,537 | Toyota Tundra +$13,557 | 12–23 MPG | 19–22 MPG |
| 2023 | $37,687 | $45,572 | Toyota Tundra +$7,885 | 12–24 MPG | 19–22 MPG |
| 2022 | $34,578 | $41,200 | Toyota Tundra +$6,622 | 12–26 MPG | 19–22 MPG |
| 2021 | $31,606 | $40,260 | Toyota Tundra +$8,654 | 12–26 MPG | 14–15 MPG |
| 2020 | $29,004 | $37,742 | Toyota Tundra +$8,738 | 17–26 MPG | 14–15 MPG |
| 2019 | $25,235 | $36,000 | Toyota Tundra +$10,765 | 17–23 MPG | 14–16 MPG |
| 2018 | $20,869 | $32,244 | Toyota Tundra +$11,375 | 14–23 MPG | 14–16 MPG |
| 2017 | $19,795 | $29,239 | Toyota Tundra +$9,444 | 15–23 MPG | 15–16 MPG |
| 2016 | $17,995 | $25,899 | Toyota Tundra +$7,904 | 15–24 MPG | 15–17 MPG |
| 2015 | $15,995 | $23,995 | Toyota Tundra +$8,000 | 15–24 MPG | 15–17 MPG |
| 2014 | $14,990 | $21,999 | Toyota Tundra +$7,009 | 15–23 MPG | 15–17 MPG |
| 2013 | $13,995 | $17,974 | Toyota Tundra +$3,979 | 15–21 MPG | 15–17 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (July 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 $43,784 versus $48,537 for the Toyota Tundra (national medians, July 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 13.4 recalls per model year for the Ram 1500 and 8.9 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 SLT typically lists for $29,900 vs $39,161 for a Toyota Tundra SR; the most common trims on the market are the LARAMIE ($44,100, 25.4% of Ram 1500 listings) and the SR5 ($43,990, 41.2% of Toyota Tundra listings); at the top of the market, the LIMITED ($53,864) faces the TRD PRO ($59,999). 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.