2018 Ford F-150 vs 2018 Toyota Tundra
Two full-size trucks, compared on what actually matters when you're buying used:
what breaks, when it breaks, and what it costs you.
2018 Ford
F-150
6/10
Buy the 5.0L Coyote with the 10R80 and budget for a transmission fight after 60k — the engine and chassis are great, the gearbox is the gamble.
VS
2018 Toyota
Tundra
8/10
It'll outlast your mortgage, drink like a frat house, and never once leave you stranded from anything except the airbag light lying to you.
Milo scores the 2018 Toyota Tundra higher — 8/10 against 6/10.
By the numbers
Green is the better number — higher on every score, lower on failures, complaints and recalls.
| Ford F-150 |
Toyota Tundra |
| Known failure points | 6 | 6 |
| NHTSA complaints | 37 | 99 |
| Safety recalls | 19 | 9 |
| Service bulletins | 12 | 12 |
| Reliability | 58 | 88 |
| Cheap to own | 55 | 72 |
| Fun factor | 62 | 58 |
| Holds value | 70 | 85 |
| Enthusiast cred | 65 | 70 |
The most expensive thing that goes wrong
2018 Ford F-150
Cylinder head machining defect on some 3.5L EcoBoost engines (recall) causing oil starvation
$0–$6,0000k–15k mi
2018 Toyota Tundra
Frame rust in northern rust-belt/salt states (less severe than pre-2016 trucks but still a concern on high-mileage examples)
$0–$3,00080k–120k mi
If you buy one, buy this one
✅ 2018 Ford F-150
A SuperCrew Lariat or XLT with the 5.0L Coyote V8, 4x4, and the Max Trailer Tow package — proven engine, better cooling, and the most balanced ownership experience.
✅ 2018 Toyota Tundra
2018 Tundra CrewMax TRD Off-Road or 1794 Edition with the 5.7L V8 and 4x4 — the CrewMax's back seat space and the TRD Off-Road's Bilstein shocks/skid plates hit the sweet spot of usability and capability without Platinum pricing.
Narrowed it down? Get the full report
This comparison is model-level.
Milo's report goes car-level — the one you're actually looking at:
- A line-by-line negotiation script
- The pre-purchase inspection checklist
- VIN-specific open recalls
- What it's really worth right now
- Your next 15,000 miles, forecast
- Hidden features & money-savers
Run my free report →
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Scores and findings blend documented NHTSA recalls and complaints with
patterns synthesized from owner communities. Always inspect the specific vehicle and
verify open recalls by VIN before buying.