Here’s my anecdotal thoughts. Had a ‘13 F150 SCLB Ecoboost. Never did anything wrong. Suspension was lacking for towing a bumper pull trailer so I added air bags which helped greatly. The front end felt soft and too Lincoln like so I added coil over Bilsteins. Sort of liked the ride but never in love with it. Averaged 15-16 mpg empty city/hwy. 10-12 when towing. 12-13 doing 80 empty. Before that was a ‘00 F350 DCLB SRW 7.3 but didn’t need anything that big again. When I bought the F150 over a Tundra it was because on paper it was a better pickup.
Wanted a new truck and have worked my tail off to not have to make cost my primary concern. This is the first brand new vehicle I’ve bought. Drove the Big 3s and a Tundra. Ended up with a ‘19 Tundra Double Cab Limited TRD. I liked its “outdated” features and ride more than the others. Cost was within a few thousand either way with the Big 3 (the Dodge was much lower but wasn’t really interested before the test drive and certainly not after).
I’ve owned three Dodges, three Chevy/GMCs, six Fords, and now I’m on my sixth Toyota ranginging from 1972-2019 in model years. Toyota is the only brand I’ve owned longer than five years and put more than 100,000 miles on a single vehicle. Maybe I’m a fanboy. Maybe I just like how Toyota builds trucks and SUVs. If I need off-road suspension and lockers, I’ll hop in my 80. If I want that old rustic feel, I’ll hop in my 40. If I want creature comforts, I think I’m going to like the leather seats and Entune system that seems super simple to use. I’m not stoked about the mpg’s I’m going to get. But really most of the people worrying about a few mpg’s difference in full size trucks should evaluate what they’re doing in their car 90% of the time and realize a sedan getting 40 mpg and a $4,000 early 90s 1/2 ton Chevy combo would do what they need and be a hell of a lot cheaper in the long run than a newer full size.
Just because I like my new truck doesn’t mean someone shouldn’t like what they drive. Just because they like what they drive shouldn’t mean that Toyota isn’t keeping up. They’re just making trucks that people who want that truck will buy.
PS-a hybrid Tundra might be pretty sweet and maybe mine will be long in the tooth when one of the manufacturers figures out how to do that well.