Both the Ranger and the Tacoma have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height-adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available four-wheel drive, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, front and rear parking sensors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.
There are over 2 times as many Ford dealers as there are Toyota dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Ranger’s warranty.
A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Ranger’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Tacoma’s camshafts. If the Tacoma’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.
To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Ranger has a standard 720-amp battery. The Tacoma’s 582-amp battery isn’t as powerful.
J.D. Power and Associates rated the Ranger first among midsize pickups in their 2020 Initial Quality Study. The Tacoma isn’t in the top three.
J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford 16th in initial quality. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 19th.
The Ranger’s 2.3 turbo 4-cylinder produces 111 more horsepower (270 vs. 159) and 130 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 180) than the Tacoma’s standard 2.7 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Ranger’s 2.3 turbo 4-cylinder produces 45 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 265) than the Tacoma’s optional 3.5 DOHC V6.
As tested in Car and Driver the Ford Ranger is faster than the Toyota Tacoma V6 (automatics tested):
On the EPA test cycle the Ranger gets better fuel mileage than the Tacoma:
Ranger
Tacoma
4x2
n/a
20 city/23 hwy
2.7 4 cyl./Auto
2.3 turbo 4 cyl./10-Auto
21 city/26 hwy
19 city/24 hwy
3.5 V6/Auto
4x4
n/a
19 city/22 hwy
2.7 4 cyl./Auto
2.3 turbo 4 cyl./10-Auto
20 city/24 hwy
18 city/22 hwy
3.5 V6/Auto
In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Ranger’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. (Start/Stop isn’t accounted in present EPA fuel mileage tests.) The Tacoma doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.
The Ranger has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Tacoma doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.
For better stopping power the Ranger’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Tacoma:
Ranger
Tacoma
Front Rotors
12.2 inches
10.75 inches
Rear Rotors
12.1 inches
10” drums
The Ford Ranger has standard four-wheel disc brakes for better stopping power and improved directional control in poor weather. Only rear drums come on the Tacoma. Drums can heat up and make stops longer, especially with antilock brakes that work much harder than conventional brakes.
For better traction, the Ranger has larger standard tires than the Tacoma (255/70R16 vs. 245/75R16).
The Ranger’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 70 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Tacoma’s standard 75 series tires.
The Ranger XLT SuperCrew 4x4 handles at .78 G’s, while the Tacoma Short Bed TRD Off-Road Double Cab 4x4 pulls only .64 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.
The Ranger Lariat SuperCrew 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.6 seconds quicker than the Tacoma Short Bed TRD Pro 4x4 (27.7 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 29.3 seconds @ .56 average G’s).
For greater off-road capability the Ranger SuperCrew Tremor has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Tacoma (9.7 vs. 9.4 inches), allowing the Ranger to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.
The Ranger SuperCab has 3.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Tacoma Access Cab (89.2 vs. 85.6).
The Ranger SuperCab has .1 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more front legroom, 1 inch more rear headroom, 5.8 inches more rear legroom and 3.6 inches more rear hip room than the Tacoma Access Cab.
The Ranger SuperCrew has .1 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more front legroom and 1.9 inches more rear legroom than the Tacoma Double Cab.
The Ranger SuperCab has a much larger cargo box than the Tacoma Access Cab shortbed (51.8 vs. 42.6 cubic feet).
The Ranger SuperCrew has a much larger cargo box than the Tacoma Double Cab shortbed (43.3 vs. 34.8 cubic feet). The Ranger SuperCrew has a much larger cargo box than the Tacoma Double Cab longbed (43.3 vs. 42.6 cubic feet).
The Ranger’s cargo box is larger than the Tacoma’s in almost every dimension:
The Ranger has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Tacoma doesn’t offer a remote starting system.
The Ranger’s driver’s power window opens or closes with one touch of the window control, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths. The Tacoma’s standard driver’s power window switch has to be held the entire time to close it fully.
In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Ranger’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Tacoma doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.
The Ranger Lariat’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Tacoma’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.
The Ranger SuperCrew has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Tacoma doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.
Insurance will cost less for the Ranger owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Ranger with a number “5” insurance rate while the Tacoma is rated higher at a number “8” rate.
According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Ranger is less expensive to operate than the Tacoma because typical repairs cost much less on the Ranger than the Tacoma, including $8 less for a water pump, $40 less for a muffler, $91 less for a starter, $77 less for fuel injection, $24 less for a fuel pump and $888 less for a timing belt/chain.
Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its May 2018 issue and they ranked the Ford Ranger Lariat SuperCrew 4x4 higher than the Toyota Tacoma Short Bed TRD Off-Road Double Cab 4x4.
J.D. Power and Associates rated the Ranger first among midsize pickups in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Tacoma isn’t in the top three.
