Ram 1500 vs Toyota Tacoma: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Toyota Tacoma burns about $2,550 of fuel annually against $2,650 for the Ram 1500. That $100 yearly gap compounds to roughly $500 over five years and $800 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City versus highway split: the Toyota Tacoma is the stronger commuter at 23 mpg city, while the Ram 1500 pulls ahead on the interstate at 33 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the Ram 1500 is recorded with 4 distinct engine configurations (Mild Hybrid, SIDI, 5.7), the Toyota Tacoma with 4 (SIDI & PFI; 3-mode(Sport/Normal/Eco), w/SS, SIDI & PFI; 2-mode(Power/Normal) TM, w/SS, SIDI & PFI). Across 142 recorded Ram 1500 configurations and 90 for the Toyota Tacoma, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Ram 1500 is offered with 4-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive, the Toyota Tacoma with Rear-Wheel Drive, Part-time 4-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD and Small Pickup Trucks 4WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Toyota Tacoma emits 379 g/mile of CO2 versus 384 g/mile for the Ram 1500. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.