Ford F-150 Vs. Toyota Tundra: Which Pickup Is The Safest?

In the world of full-size pickup trucks, the Ford F-150 still rules on the sales charts. Its American rivals, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Ram 1500, are next in line, leaving the Toyota Tundra to live in their shadow. This isn’t necessarily a reflection of the Tundra being inferior, but rather, it has to do with the intense brand loyalty of America’s pickups. But when it comes to safety, which crew cab is better: The class-leading F-150 or the underrated Tundra? The latest ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) will help us answer that question.

Related: Ford F-150 Vs. Chevy Silverado 1500 Vs. Ram 1500: Which Pickup Is The Safest?

Crashworthiness: Ford Falls Short in One Major Test

In the crashworthiness category, the IIHS conducts the small overlap front test, moderate overlap front, and side test. The first two evaluate a vehicle’s crash safety when striking an object with the front corner and in an offset crash with another car. For the side test, the vehicle’s ability to protect occupants when struck from the side is analyzed. In all tests, vehicles receive a rating of Good, Acceptable, Marginal, or Poor. Here’s how the two trucks compared.

The only Poor rating applies to the F-150 in the moderate front overlap test, where there was an elevated risk of head, neck, and chest injuries for passengers seated at the back. This is a weak spot for many pickup trucks, but the Tundra bucks the trend with a Good score. In fact, other than the TeslaCybertruck, the Tundra is the only full-size pickup to achieve an IIHS Top Safety Pick award for 2026. 

Related: Tesla Cybertruck Vs. Rivian R1T: Which Electric Pickup Is Safest?

Crash Prevention: Mixed Results For Both

Crash-avoidance technologies have improved dramatically in recent years, with even the cheapest subcompact models coming with a suite of features that can help you avoid a collision. In this category, the IIHS tests for crash-avoidance at various speeds between two vehicles as well as a vehicle and a pedestrian. The headlights are also evaluated for effectiveness with both low and high beams.

The results here are a total mixed bag. While the Tundra hasn’t yet been tested for vehicle-to-vehicle crash prevention, the Ford’s optional system was rated as Poor. It failed to avoid a collision with a car and motorcycle on four occasions, and often didn’t provide the driver with a timely warning. However, the Ford achieved a higher rating for pedestrian crash prevention, where it was better at warning the driver of a pedestrian in low-light conditions.

However, the Ford’s Poor rating in the vehicle-to-vehicle test again sees it rank second to the Toyota.

Related: The $52,000 Question: F-150 vs Silverado 1500 vs Ram 1500 vs Toyota Tundra

Final Verdict: Toyota Is The Safer Truck

Overall, despite not being evaluated for one crash-prevention test yet, the Tundra is rated as safer overall than the F-150. It avoided Poor scores completely, while the Ford had two Poor scores. The Tundra is also the only gas-powered pickup to earn a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS—and that includes midsize and compact pickups.

The Ford remains the best-selling truck in its class, thanks to high brand loyalty, a massive range of trims and powertrains, and everything from affordable workhorses to the high-performance Raptor. But where safety is concerned, it’s not as secure as the Toyota.

View the full article