The truck that built Ford's empire now costs what a luxury sedan did five years ago, and that's the whole story in one sentence. Well-equipped F-150s run $60k, $80k, double the inflation-adjusted price of a decade ago, while dealer markups on desirable trims push buyers toward used lots. The product itself hasn't failed, the 5.0L V8 still runs to 300k miles, the PowerBoost hybrid doubles as a mobile generator, and the aluminum body laughs at rust, but Ford chased luxury margins and left its core buyers behind. If you find a fair deal or buy used, you're getting the most capable half-ton on the market. If you're stretching to afford a new XLT at $55k, ask yourself if a three-year-old Silverado at $38k makes more sense. The F-150 is still the truck to beat; it's just not the truck most people can afford to buy.
The Tundra is a tale of two engines: the 2007-2021 models with the 5.7L V8 are legitimately bulletproof workhorses that justify every ounce of Toyota's reputation, while the 2022+ twin-turbo V6 has suffered catastrophic bearing failures requiring full engine replacements on over 130,000 trucks, some grenading at highway speed. Toyota is replacing engines under warranty and extending coverage, but you're paying F-150 Platinum money for a truck currently in the shop longer than competitors and delivering worse real-world fuel economy than promised. Buy a late second-gen V8 if you want the Tundra everyone actually recommends, or wait a model year to see if the third-gen sorts itself out.