Ram 1500 vs Toyota Tundra

What's the difference?

New engine or not, the facelifted Ram 1500 continues the theme of big US pick-ups by being capable of extreme towing feats as well as offering interior and cargo space that the mid-sized dual-cabs can only dream of.

That said, if you don’t need to tow 4.5 tonnes or seat five large adults, then maybe the 1500 and its ilk are overkill. Certainly, that’s the mood among many consumers who simply find them too much of a good thing.

Our pick would probably be the Laramie Sport for its superior ride quality, more sensible 20-inch tyres and reduced price. It can also tow a little more than the Limited, if that’s important to you.

On paper, of course, the Limited with its stonking engine tune should get our vote, but there’s absolutely no way the less powerful Laramie is anything but a powerhouse in its own right. But either version manages to carry off the feeling of being a high-end product, with refinement levels lacking in a lot of diesel-powered alternatives.

Yet, there are still compromises: The Ram is unlikely to be especially compatible with the average Aussie bush track (in width terms, anyway, on tracks formed by Toyota LandCrusiers and Nissan Patrols). And even though efficiency is up with the new engine, this will still not be a cheap vehicle to run day to day. Nor is the purchase price any less scary than its competitors’.

And of course, as with any of these full-sized trucks, buying them for the right reasons rather than a fashion statement is crucial to their viability once the new-car shine has worn off and car spaces begin to look smaller and driveways narrower than they ever have.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

To answer the first question: yes, Toyota has done a bang-up job on the Tundra conversion, a few build quality and awkward switch kinks are very minor complaints. 

Toyota has chosen the right variant, too, leaning into the strengths of the fantastic i-Force Max hybrid to make a Tundra that’s pitched at towing loads and carrying a family in comfort. 

The price is harder to stomach. It’s a lot more money than rivals and a huge up-charge over the US price — Toyota’s hallmark reliability has to count for a lot here. Expect Toyota to sell every one of the 1200 Tundras it plans to convert this year, but don’t expect this style of vehicle to take over from HiLux and Ranger any time soon. 

There’s not much point releasing a new model if your neighbours can’t pick the difference. So, Ram has revised the front and rear fascias of the pick-up with new grilles and a specific bonnet for the Limited. There are also new head and tail-light assemblies, a new front bumper and alloy wheel designs.

The Limited is a little sportier looking thanks to blacked-out door handles, grille, mirror covers, and the headlights that include an animated welcome when the vehicle is unlocked.

Ram calls this black-out stuff the Night Edition and it’s been made standard on all Australian Limiteds. The flagship version also gets a more sculpted bonnet for a more aggressive look. Strangely enough, though, all those black-outs somehow make the base grade look a little more high end to some eyes.

The rest of the deal remains the usual biscuits and gravy of big pick-ups, including the two-plus metre width and the requirement to often find two adjacent parking spaces before the grocery shopping can commence. What did you expect?

There’s no mistaking the Tundra for a HiLux or any other ute on the road. It has plenty of presence, with a blocky three-box silhouette that looks simple from a distance yet has quite dramatic surfacing.

From the striking LED headlights to the creases around the wheel arches and down its flanks, the Tundra manages to balance old school toughness with a modern twist.

Inside, the blockiness continues but the black-only upholstery and Toyota’s rather featureless multimedia screen aren’t as attractive as the exterior sheet metal.

Inside, the 2025 Ram 1500 is also updated with a larger 14.4-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, supplemented by a 10.5-inch passenger screen and dual wireless smartphone chargers.

The passenger’s screen is a big deal, too, as it allows the passenger to upload navigation way-points and destinations, watch a movie, or search the internet via a connected phone. And the driver sees none of it thanks to the blackout screen tech.

Even though Ram has obviously gone to a lot of trouble to make the right-hand-drive conversion seamless and perfect, we still wonder why the indicator stalk wasn’t moved to the right of the column. Cost, probably, and the placement of the rotary dial for gear selection is less than perfect, too. What we’d really like to see would be a column-mounted gear-shift, as well as paddle shifters which are brilliant when towing big loads.

The front-seat area is home to no less than three USB-A and three USB-C charging ports, while there are also two of each in the rear seat.

There’s a storage area under the rear seat which also flips up to form a large load area. There’s even a secret cubby-hole under the carpet in the rear capable of storing a laptop or small bag.

In place, the rear seat is another of the Ram’s big selling points compared with conventional dual-cab utes. The foot and leg room is strides ahead of the mid-sized pack and the seat itself is also a better class of perch. The dual-pane panoramic sunroof keeps it all light and airy, too. Plenty of grab handles and those automatic side-steps make getting in and out a pretty civilised process.

Despite the change in engine, the six-cylinder pick-up retains its 4500kg maximum braked towing capacity – at least in Laramie Sport form. That, however, is contingent on the use of a 70mm tow-ball, while towing drops back to 3500kg with the standard 50mm ball. All Aussie Rams have a tow-bar as standard.

The Ram 1500 Limited drops 300kg in its maximum braked towing capacity rating to 4200kg. That, says Ram, is purely because the Limited is a high-performance vehicle first and a load-lugger second, although one suspects the 22-inch Pirelli Scorpion tyres might be a factor in that as well.

As for payload, the 2025 Ram 1500 Laramie Sport features an 863kg capacity, while the Limited comes in at 782.5kg – 20kg and 17.5kg more than the pre-facelift version.

The tub features a spray-on liner and a cargo divider. There’s also a standard tri-fold tonneau cover for Australian 1500s, not to mention a fold-out step for accessing objects at the bottom of the tray. Powered side-steps are also standard on our Rams, backing up the prestige price-tag.

A powered tailgate is another nice inclusion which can be raised and lowered by touch or via the key-fob.

Fortunately, the twin storage bins along the top of each side of the tub remain, complete with their drain holes just perfect for adding ice and cool drinks.

You might think that, at almost a metre longer than a LandCruiser 300 Series, the Tundra is extremely practical. That isn’t really the case, certainly not when it comes to payloads and tray space. 

The Tundra Limited’s tray measures 1670mm long, 1540mm wide (1230mm between the arches) and 540mm deep. It is an upgrade on your average dual-cab like a Toyota HiLux but not transformative — only 123mm longer, 12mm wider between the arches and 11mm deeper. 

Payload is another sore point compared to an Aussie one-tonner at 758kg (3536kg GVM), though that is the highest payload among the Tundra’s price-point rivals.

There are four sturdy tie-down points, a thick bed-liner and sliding racking system included. The heavy tailgate is also beautifully damped, lowering itself on gas struts to avoid unpleasant thunking.

Then there is the real reason you might need a vehicle like the Toyota Tundra: towing ability. The Tundra is rated to tow a load up to 4500kg when fitted with the larger, 70mm tow ball. The standard-fit 50mm kit limits you to 3500kg, but unlike a straining one-tonner, the Tundra’s punch should make it an easy affair.

That said, beware of the gross combination mass (GCM) if towing a 4500kg trailer, because its 7825kg GCM effectively limits payload to 547kg. That doesn’t give much GVM to play with once accounting for trailer down ball weight.

Once you’ve done weight calculations, the Tundra has clever additions like a slick integrated trailer brake controller, two towing programs (including one for livestock), trailer sway assist and even an autonomous trailer back-up assistant to simplify towing.

Another big Tundra win is the vast passenger cell. The Tundra’s second row is palatial, with ample head, toe and knee room even for six-foot-plus occupants and plenty of shoulder room for aspiring footy stars.

Materials are plain and the doors are topped in scratchy plastic, though. The middle seat is not hugely comfortable, either, owing to a transmission tunnel and firm backrest that doubles as a fold-down armrest.

Fitting child seats is as fiddly as any dual-cab despite wide door openings and two ISOFIX tabs, because accessing the top tether anchor requires folding the 60/40 split backrest down. 

The Tundra’s rear glass is tinted to keep the sun at bay and the windows roll all the way down (albeit in an un-Toyota clunky fashion).

Amenity is good, too, with two air vents, two USB charge points and a staggering eight beverage holders — the Toyota Tundra Limited has 14 cupholders in total.

Storage solutions continue to impress up front with a huge central cubby, more space for bottles in the doors, an upright wireless charging pad, a generous glove box and plenty of trays and rubberised sections to store odds and ends.

It’s worth calling out some of the right-hand drive eccentricities, such as the left-side indicator stalk, the backwards Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and that the passenger side is the dual-zone climate control sync leader — so if you drop the driver’s temp to 18-degrees then hit sync, it’ll bounce back to the passenger temp

Where the Tundra feels behind top-end Toyota products is in the fit and finish. We noticed a buzzy rattle from the A-pillar and a shaky driver’s mirror glass when playing bass-heavy music. Additionally, the centre console’s heavy lid squeaked over bumps during our test period. The test car had 8000km on the odometer.

The same can be said of the materials – a hard scratchy plastic dash combined with sweaty synthetic leather upholstery makes the $155K price point seem very steep.

Where the Tundra hits back, in typical Toyota fashion, is through useability and comfort. The steering wheel has lots of controls, the digital dashboard is cleverly laid out and it is easy to set up wireless smartphone mirroring with three USB ports to choose from.

The supportive eight-way power adjustable front seats get power lumbar support and remain comfortable after many hours behind the wheel.

There’s only one Tundra trim in Australia, the Limited hybrid. At $155,900, before on-road costs, it’s about $10K dearer than a LandCruiser 300 Series Sahara ZX.

And it isn’t even the range-topper in the United States, sitting around the upper-middle of the Tundra line-up where you’d find a Toyota LandCruiser VX.

The equipment list isn’t exhaustive, with chrome exterior badging, silver grille, 20-inch alloy wheels, auto LED headlights, active front under-bumper spoiler, keyless entry and tough black ‘crush tube’ side steps.

Inside, you’ll find that massive 14.0-inch touchscreen, a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, 360-degree top-down camera, wireless charging pad, 12-speaker JBL sound system, reach and rake-adjustable multi-function steering wheel and eight-way power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation.

What hurts, though, is the premium Australians pay for these big ‘trucks’. The Tundra Limited hybrid retails for the equivalent of A$90,000 in its home market, or $60,000 less than it is in Australia. Plus, other rivals like the Ram come in higher trim guise, with real leather seats and sunroofs on offer.

The Toyota Tundra Limited is more expensive than rivals, including the similarly-equipped Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ Premium ($130,500), more heavily featured Ford F-150 Lariat ($139,950) and only a whisker cheaper than the all-out leather-bound luxury Ram 1500 Limited ($156,950), all before on-road costs.

Here’s where the Ram world gets flipped on its head.

The new inline six-cylinder engine for the 1500 measures 3.0 litres which sounds like a relatively small unit for a vehicle this size. But don’t be fooled, because with twin turbochargers it really comes out swinging.

There are two states of tune for the engine dubbed Hurricane, starting with the basic tune that develops 313kW and 635Nm of torque. That’s a good chunk more than the old V8, in fact, 22kW and 79Nm more.

But it gets better. If you pony up for the higher-spec 1500 Limited you’ll find the engine bay now contains what Ram calls the 'high-output' version of the Hurricane. In that form, it cranks out an impressive 403kW and 707Nm. In old-school horsepower terms, those 403kW equal 540 ponies.

The extra power and torque comes from more turbo boost and, to cope with that, the High Output version of the engine sports a little less compression but twice the number of fuel pumps (two) to deliver the fuel.

Both versions of the inline six also use an intercooler with its own cooling system, rather than relying on the engine’s coolant reservoir.

In each case, the turbocharged engine sends its outputs through an eight-speed conventional automatic transmission.

The Ram also features four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer-case for low-ratio off-road gearing. As well as two-wheel drive and a low-range four-wheel-drive setting, there’s also 4WD auto mode that allows the Ram to be driven on bitumen in all-wheel drive which is a huge bonus when towing in wet conditions.

The updated pick-up also offers five drive models, selectable via the steering wheel buttons. They include Normal, Sport, Towing, Off-Road and Snow.

Mechanically, the main difference between the two grades (engine output aside) is underneath where the Limited gets air suspension rather than the Laramie Sport’s conventional steel coil springs.

This is Australia’s first taste of Toyota’s ‘i-Force Max’ parallel hybrid powertrain and, if fitted to a 300 Series LandCruiser, this could be a game-changer for towing and open-road cruising.

The Tundra’s power and torque outputs eclipse rivals like the Silverado, Ram 1500 and Ford F-150 at 326kW and 790Nm but it’s the way torque is delivered that’s most pleasing.

Flex your right foot and from 1500rpm you can already feel the swell of the Tundra’s 250Nm electric motor before the 3445cc petrol V6 starts spooling its twin turbos.

A 0-100km/h time around 6.0 seconds is enough to keep up with a Ranger Raptor.

This configuration also lets Toyota maintain a true 4x4 system, in the Tundra’s case with a locking centre differential so you can engage ‘4H’ for slippery terrain.

A full-time 4WD system, as seen in Prado, 300 Series and some of the Tundra’s key rivals, would be nice. On test, I found the i-Force Max struggled to put power down climbing a hill in the rain in ‘2H’. The Tundra has a low-range transfer case and a rear limited-slip differential. 

Around town, the Tundra can creep off the line in electric mode and coast at steady speeds with the V6 disabled. Only sometimes were there slightly clunky down-changes as the clutch-mounted electric motor engaged and disengaged while decelerating.

Ultimately, the 10-speed auto’s creamy shifts and V6’s chesty bellow are deeply pleasing.

Because of the classification the Ram 1500 falls into, there’s no compulsion for the manufacturer to state an official fuel consumption figure in Australia. And in this case, Ram doesn’t.

The most definitive statement we could get was that the 313kW tune is 12 per cent more fuel efficient than the outgoing Hemi V8, and the high-output engine is closer to 3.4 per cent more efficient. Although whether that extrapolates directly to a 12 and 3.4 per cent fuel saving respectively is not clear.

Our test drive included a stretch of gentle highway cruising, during which we saw an average of about 8.5 litres per 100km, which is about the best you can hope for, but remains a decent figure for such a machine.

In normal use, you can expect that to creep up, and seat of the pants says the standard-output engine should be good for a high 10 litres per 100km, and the high-output unit closer to a high-11.

Obviously, that will go to hell during off-road work or when towing any sort of trailer.

With the Laramie’s 98-litre fuel tank, that model should see an easy 700 to 800km between fills, while the Limited’s larger, 125-litre tank, should take it closer to a realistic 1000km range.

Bear in mind, though, that while the Laramie is happy with standard ULP, the higher compression and extra turbo boost of the Limited means it requires the more expensive Premium brew, which might be harder to find in the outback.

Toyota Australia does not publish a combined cycle ADR fuel use figure for the Tundra as its 3536kg GVM — just over 3.5 tonnes — means it is not needed for compliance.

In the United States, the Tundra’s EPA combined rating is 11.2L/100km and we saw 10.8L/100km at the bowser, or 12.2L/100km on the trip computer.

For a vehicle this big and heavy with a petrol engine, that is an extremely impressive result. To give context, our testing of the Ram 1500 (14.6L/100km), Silverado (16.5L/100km) and Ford F-150 (14.2L/100km) were dramatically thirstier.

Also worth noting is the Tundra Limited’s 122L fuel tank, which is second only to the Ford F-150 and should give a driving range of over 1100km on the open road. The Tundra requires 95 RON premium unleaded petrol.

If speed and acceleration were your only metrics, then the new Hurricane six-cylinder engine really delivers. Against a zero to 100km/h time of about 7.5 seconds for the outgoing Hemi V8, the standard-output Laramie Sport takes around 6.2 seconds for the same journey.

Point the high-output version down the same piece of hotmix, and the time to 100km/h falls even further to about 5.5 seconds and maybe even less if you get the perfect launch. Oh, and those figures were recorded with the transmission in 4-Auto, as trying the same thing in two-wheel drive will see the rear tyres turn into smoke bombs.

So, yes, it’s very fast for such a big truck. In fact, it’s fast by any standards, really. But does it feel 'right’ for a pick-up?

While it’s obviously not a V8, there is a huge sense of swelling, cresting performance on tap as well as a feeling that the turbo boost is available pretty much immediately. There’s very little lag, in fact, and, in the traditional manner of inline sixes, the Hurricane feels smooth and sweet all the way across the face of the tachometer.

What you can also feel is the eight-speed transmission really making its presence felt. Obviously, getting this much mass moving requires full use of all those ratios and even though the shifts themselves are crisp and silky, there is more evidence of the transmission at work than in a lighter vehicle with the same sort of torque. File this under `observations’ rather than `complaints’.

The steering is light but accurate and helps create the impression that the Ram is not as big to drive as it is to look at. That’s helped by the ride quality which, frankly, is superior in the base grade with its conventional steel springs. The Limited on its air springs feels a bit more lively and jiggly over patchy surfaces, but part of this is also surely the difference between the Laramie’s 20-inch tyres and the 22-inch Pirellis fitted to the Limited.

There’s a degree of tyre roar on coarse surfaces but, overall, if all you know about American picks-ups is hitching a ride in a 1976 F-100, you’re going to be very impressed at how these things have matured and become refined to the point where they’re a genuine high-end experience in many ways.

You might be expecting the Tundra to drive just like a bigger 300 Series but that isn’t the case, even though the SUV’s electro-hydraulic steering system features in the right-hook Tundra.

The Tundra is an altogether bigger beast with a tall, chunky bonnet that makes it remarkably easy to place. The steering, too, is lighter than expected and has 3.1 turns lock-to-lock.

The direct off-centre steering feel means you can easily manage the Tundra’s considerable 2778kg kerb weight over tricky cambers and in cross-winds.

Rather strong bakes with four-piston front calipers clamping 354mm ventilated discs and single piston calipers at the back are appreciated. We weren’t able to tow a trailer on this test to verify its abilities when heavily laden.

The Tundra’s Limited’s 265/60R20 Bridgestone Dueler H/T tyres, low-jawed front bumper and 216mm ground clearance mean it’s no off-road star. Approach and departure angles of 23 and 21 degrees, respectively, are about average. As such, we kept it on bitumen and gravel roads that will be the Tundra’s natural stomping ground.

This big ute shakes off the heaviest potholes and compressions like they’re nothing, that long wheelbase contributing to a calm experience at speed. It has four wheel coil springs, double wishbone front suspension and a four-link live rear axle.

As a heavy-duty body-on-frame ute, the Tundra remains compromised for urban ride comfort. Sharp edges like concrete expansion joints, or rippled tarmac, upset its composure at lower speeds — it isn’t as plush as the new Prado, that’s for sure. It’s no athlete but the Tundra is a certified kilometre crusher, with excellent road and wind noise insulation.

The Tundra has not been evaluated by ANCAP and is unlikely to be. It received a ‘Top Safety Pick’ from the US-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, however that testing is not focused on car-to-car compatibility or pedestrian safety performance — something the Tundra’s 1.2-metre tall bonnet would surely affect.

Keeping up with the times, the Tundra is fitted with an auto emergency braking system that can detect cars ahead along with pedestrians, cyclists and oncoming vehicles.

It also has auto high-beam, blind-spot monitoring, front and rear cross-traffic alerts, a top-down camera view and eight airbags. It misses out on speed sign detection and driver attention monitoring.

The driver aids could use some refinement, too, with the adaptive cruise control allowing the Tundra to run over a set speed and the lane-keep assist’s occasionally heavy-handed interventions.

Ram probably needs to do a bit of catching up in this department, as the 1500 seems off the pace warranty wise.

The three-year/100,000km factory warranty might be okay in throw-away North America, but it doesn’t really send the right message here. For reference, the Chevrolet Silverado range also has three-year warranty, while both the Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra run to five years of cover.

Service intervals are every 12 months or 12,000km, and Ram has no capped-price servicing for the pick-up, although previous experiences tells us that the Hemi version was quite reasonably priced to service. Let’s hope that continues with the turbocharged version.

Where Toyota’s high Tundra price really starts to make sense against rivals is the aftersales experience. A highly-publicised 300-customer trial took place over 12 months to make sure the Tundra was up to snuff for Aussie conditions.

It’s hard to prove the benefit of this so early on, but Toyota rarely puts a foot wrong when it comes to reliability.

The Tundra is covered by Toyota’s standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. It is the industry standard in most segments but not the big pick-up game — the Silverado is only covered for three years/100,000km and the Ram 1500 three years or unlimited kilometres. The F-150 is the only model to match the Tundra with a five year warranty.

Toyota’s capped-price servicing program runs for five years on the Tundra, with maintenance due every six months or 10,000km, whichever comes first. Each visit to the mechanic is capped at $450, which is competitive in this segment.