The Best Years For Toyota Tundra (And Some To Avoid)

The Tundra was Toyota's first full-size pickup built in North America, and its 25-year history proves an enduring popularity. Since it hit the market in 1999, the Tundra has gone through three major generations. The first lasted from 2000 to 2006, while the second ran from 2007 to 2021. The third and current started with the 2022 model. Each generation is marked by updates and revisions to its predecessor, but individual model years still come with their own distinguishing characteristics. It's these year-specific characteristics that make some Tundra models superior to others.

If you don't care to compare every model year, you can follow a general consensus that the second-generation Tundra was the best so far. The first gen was pretty reliable overall, while the jury is still out on the current generation. Nonetheless, all three generations contain winners and losers. 

Some Tundras are over 20 years old and still run like new, while a few model years have had enough red flags to place them on the "avoid-at-all-costs" list. These problems include recalls, customer complaints, and oor reliability ratings from publications like Consumer Reports. On the plus side, positive customer reviews and a low amount of negative feedback are good indications that a particular model year is worth its fair market value. 

Should you seek to buy a Toyota Tundra, keep an eye out for the following model years. 

The 2021 Tundra is far from an antique, so it hasn't had the same amount of time to accrue owner complaints as earlier models. It also helps that it was the final model year in the lauded second-gen, meaning it's benefitted from a decade-and-a-half of developments and improvements. Nonetheless, such advantages don't invalidate the 2021's near-perfect design.

Of course, nothing is perfect, but the 2021 Tundra's 4.7/5-star customer score on Cars.com is pretty close. On other review sites, it ranks just as high. J.D. Power gives it a "Quality & Reliability" rating of 86/100. Consumer Reports scores it 62/100 for overall reliability. Kelley Blue Book's consumer-score aggregate rates it at 4.4/5 stars, with 85% of owners recommending the 2021 Tundra. Those consistently positive responses on the top review sites help make this model year stand out as one of the best.

The stand-out features of the 2021 Tundra include its roomy interior, reliable V8 power, effective "Toyota Safety Sense" driver assist system, and impressive off-roading performance. It also boasts a "strong" resale value, likely thanks to its longevity that buyers can trust to deliver many thousands of miles of service.

The 2021 Tundra represents the culmination of all the best features of the second-gen, with few drawbacks. The only prominent complaint is the poor fuel economy, which averages out at 15mpg. That's consistent with the rest of the second-gen models, but it's still worth accounting for when considering your budget.

The 2013 Toyota Tundra is frequently lauded for its reliability, so investing in one even now, more than a decade since its release, is not a bad idea. In fact, it's the model year selected to represent the Tundra line on the list of the most reliable Toyota models ever built. It has a 4/5 rating on Consumer Reports for both reliability and customer satisfaction. It also won second place on U.S. News' ranking of 2013 full-size pickup trucks, with a score of 8.5/10. And just to drive the point home: J.D. Power gave it a perfect reliability rating of 5 out of 5. 

So what makes the 2013 Tundra so dependable? The key to its "outstanding" reliability rating is likely thanks to its well-designed V8 engine. With potent V8 powertrains and a capable six-speed automatic transmission, it can perform the heavy-hauling tasks that you'd expect from a full-size pickup truck. Indeed, it does exactly what it's built for.

The lack of luxurious, high-tech features is the main complaint surrounding the 2013 Tundra. It has the Tundra's iconic spacious interior, but U.S. News' aggregated reviews point to the "fairly stiff ride quality" and a few "cheap cabin materials" as its biggest drawbacks. These are in contrast to the aforementioned top-notch reliability and excellent performance, so it's still one of the best Tundra models ever released.

The second-gen of the Tundra is often considered the best, establishing the brand as Toyota's "powerhouse" truck. But it had a shaky start. The 2007 Tundra kicked off the new design, and it was initially well-received for its affordable price. It also earned a 4/5 reliability rating from Consumer Reports, continuing the Tundra's reputation for dependability. However, problems began to emerge over time, with recalls and consumer complaints stacking up. 

The 2007 Tundra has 14 recalls. The only other model year from the second-gen with a greater number of recalls is the 2010 model, with 16. But the specifics of the 2007's recalls are bad. The affected components include the steering, power train, wheels and tires, braking, and even a sticky accelerator pedal that could stay depressed. These serious issues compromise the safety of the vehicle. And because used car dealers aren't obligated to provide the recall history of a vehicle or fix known issues, buying a 2007 Tundra comes with extra risks.

By comparison, just a year later, the 2008 Tundra earned fewer recalls and fewer customer complaints according to the US Department of Transportation's database. This decline in negative feedback would continue with the 2009 model, as well, where customer complaints dropped from 379 to 316 to 38, respectively. Most notably, complaints surrounding the structure and suspension fell considerably with new model years. So, if you're presented with a choice between different model years, it's probably best to avoid the 2007 Tundra.