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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Based on the evidence available, later second-generation Tundras—especially the 2019 and 2020 model years—are the strongest used-truck shopping leads. Certain third-generation gas models warrant more caution because of below-average owner-survey assessments for 2023 and 2024 and Toyota engine recalls affecting specified vehicles. The first generation cannot be ranked confidently against the other two from comparable evidence. This is a qualified guide to the evidence, not a definitive ranking of lifetime failure rates: survey results, recall notices, and an exceptional high-mileage example measure different things.
How to read this reliability ranking
Consumer Reports’ reliability assessments draw on subscriber surveys covering 20 potential trouble spots. Its page describes information for about 380,000 vehicles; the page text does not state the year for either figure. Those survey comparisons indicate how owners reported their vehicles performing relative to other vehicles from the same model year. They do not predict the condition of every individual Tundra.
Recall notices identify specific safety or compliance issues and the vehicles potentially covered; they are not failure-rate studies. The sources available here do not establish a comprehensive, exposure-adjusted comparison of all Tundra generations or a comparable lifespan figure. The order below therefore reflects the strength and direction of the evidence relevant to a used-truck shopper, not a controlled engineering league table.
Toyota Tundra generations ranked by the available reliability evidence
| Evidence-based position | Generation | What the evidence supports | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Second generation | Consumer Reports characterizes the 2019 Tundra as much more reliable than other vehicles from that model year and the 2020 as more reliable. These are promising model-year-specific shopping leads. | That every second-generation year is equally reliable, or that the generation has a proven lowest lifetime failure rate. |
| 2 | First generation | The evidence retrieved does not provide enough comparable, model-year-specific owner-survey results to place it confidently. | A defensible exact rank based on reputation or isolated examples. |
| 3 | Third generation | Consumer Reports rates the 2023 and 2024 below other vehicles from their respective model years. Toyota has also announced engine-related recalls for specified conventional-gas trucks in the 2022–2024 range, including a May 2026 notice for certain 2024 non-hybrid Tundras. | That every third-generation truck is affected, or that recall counts prove a generation-wide failure rate. |
Why later second-generation trucks are the strongest shopping leads
2019 Tundra
Consumer Reports describes the 2019 Tundra as “much more reliable than other cars from the same model year,” based on owner-survey information. That is a favorable same-year comparison, not a guarantee about a particular used truck. Review its maintenance and repair history and have its condition assessed.
#1 Best Overall
- Compatible with Toyota Tundra (2WD and 4WD) 2007-2019
- Compatible with Toyota Sequoia (2WD and 4WD) 2008-2019
- Paperback
2020 Tundra
Consumer Reports describes the 2020 Tundra as “more reliable than other cars from the same model year.” The result makes it another evidence-backed year to investigate, but it does not establish that every 2020 is trouble-free or that it outperforms every other Tundra year.
What raises caution for third-generation Tundras
Toyota introduced the third generation for the 2022 model year, with twin-turbo V6 and hybrid twin-turbo V6 powertrains. The recall evidence below concerns specified conventional-gas or non-hybrid vehicles. Check the exact truck’s engine and VIN rather than applying a gas-truck recall to every hybrid or every truck carrying the same model-year label.
Rank #2
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Owner-survey results for 2023 and 2024
Consumer Reports describes the 2023 and 2024 Tundras as less reliable than other vehicles from their respective model years. Its 2024 page reported ten recalls at the time represented by that result; that count is time-specific and should not be read as current, or as a failure-rate measure.
Toyota’s engine-related recall notices
- May 30, 2024: Toyota said certain 2022–2023 conventional-gas Tundras were included in an engine recall. For vehicles involved in that recall, Toyota said dealers would replace the engine at no cost. This remedy applies to the vehicles covered by that notice, not to every third-generation truck or every later recall.
- November 6, 2025: Toyota announced a recall covering certain 2022–2024 Toyota and Lexus models with conventional gas engines. Toyota said machining debris could cause engine knocking, rough running, failure to start, or loss of motive power. The approximately 127,000 U.S. vehicles Toyota reported involved were Toyota- and Lexus-branded vehicles combined—not a Tundra-only total.
- May 20, 2026: Toyota announced another notice covering certain 2024 non-hybrid Tundras, reporting approximately 44,000 U.S. vehicles involved. Toyota described a similar possible machining-debris issue, noted two prior similar recalls, and said engines produced after those included were made with an improved #1 main bearing. Remedy status can change; check the current VIN lookup for an individual truck.
In its May 2026 notice, Toyota also reported that dealers had repaired more than 77,000 vehicles from the approximately 102,000 U.S. vehicles covered by the earlier May 2024 recall. That is Toyota’s reported repair tally for that earlier recall, not a count of all Tundras affected by the later notices.
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Why the first generation’s position is uncertain
The sources available here do not offer enough comparable first-generation model-year survey results or generation-wide failure data to support a confident rank. Toyota has highlighted a 2007 Tundra that reached one million miles and said examining it informed the 2022 redesign. That is a single manufacturer-reported case, not evidence of typical lifespan or a statistical reliability advantage for a generation.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
How to compare two used Tundras
- Compare model-year survey evidence. Treat Consumer Reports’ same-year comparisons as owner-reported context, not a prediction for the specific truck.
- Check recalls by VIN. Use NHTSA’s recall lookup and Toyota’s recall lookup. Confirm eligibility and whether the required remedy is complete; model year alone does not determine coverage.
- Verify powertrain and configuration. The recent Toyota notices cited above identify conventional-gas or non-hybrid populations. Do not assume a hybrid is covered—or exempt—without checking its VIN and the relevant notice.
- Assess the individual truck. Consider its maintenance records, mileage, repair history, and inspection findings. A generation-level comparison cannot substitute for evaluating the particular vehicle.
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