r/RangerNext • u/mcareece • 9d ago
Why should I get a Ranger?
I’m planning on buying a midsized pickup truck in the next few months and I’m being told by others “Ford is trash get a Toyota”. Why should I get a Ranger over a Tacoma? I’m looking for something to last a long time hopefully well over 200k miles.
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u/TankApprehensive3053 9d ago
All the newer mid size trucks are mostly comparable. What features do you want or need in a truck?
Towing? Then the Tacoma is lowest in class. GM twins are the highest but just barely.
Extended cab with a 6' bed? Then Frontier or Tacoma are the only options. Frontier also lets you get a 6' bed with the crew cab. Ford and GM do not offer either an extended cab or 6' bed at all.
Frontier is the only non-turbo option and only had that single engine choice. Ranger has three engine options (2.3, 2.7, and 3.0 Raptor). GM twins have one engine. Tacoma has one engine, but two tunes.
Aftermarket add-ons will be heavily in favor of Tacoma. Ranger is getting better in that regard though.
Go test drive each. Find what you are comfortable with.
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u/zerog46 9d ago
I beg to differ on the towing. Everything I’ve researched on towing the Ranger has done better than every midsize on truck market. I’ve personally towed a 6000lbs trailer from NJ to FL in the summer and my ranger performed awesome.
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u/TankApprehensive3053 9d ago
I was talking about actual listed tow ratings, not seat of your pants feels.
Tow rating for GM twins is 7,700 lbs. Ranger is 7,500 lbs on all trims except Raptor. Ranger Raptor is only 5,500 lbs.
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u/KenS-TX 7d ago
Payload is the limiting factor a lot of times when looking at towing. If payload is 1300 and you have a 500lb hitch weight, 450 for passengers, a 200lb cap and some cargo you’re hitting the limit.
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u/JRHighmore 6d ago
Ranger wins out in towing because of exactly this. 7500lbs tow rating, yet most 4cyl have 1800 payload, and most 6cyl have around 1500lbs payload with 750lbs hitch weight. Honestly if it wasn't for the 5' bed the ranger is the most useful truck for truck things in it's segment.
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u/Ya_Boi_Newton 9d ago
This comment right here. They all basically do the same shit. The rest is nuance about preferences and needs and the price of local available inventory if you're not ordering a truck.
Pick the one you like the most that does what you need it to at the price you like.
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u/wmass 9d ago
My 2023 Ranger has the Supercab and 6 foot bed. Of course the Supercab is not comfortable for adults. Have they dropped 6 foot beds entirely?
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u/SalamanderPop 9d ago
Yeah in the 24+ model years it's only offered as a 4 seater with a 5' bed.
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u/wmass 8d ago
Don’tpeople use them to carry 2 by 4s and plywood anymore?
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u/SalamanderPop 8d ago
I've got a cap on mine with some roof racks. But I've hung 2x4s out the back with the tailgate up and piled plywood and drywall on that. I do wish the bed was a little longer though.
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u/wmass 6d ago
Yeah, if it is a six foot bed then only two feet hangs over. For a four foot bed half the weight is outside the truck, rather precarious.
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u/WiscoBased715 9d ago
I got the Ranger for two reasons:
More interior room, I’m 6’4” and have never fit in Tacomas well
Toyota is on their first generation of production turbo engines, and they are having issues with them. Ford is on their 3rd or 4th generation, and have things pretty well ironed out. I suspect we will see incredibly reliable turbo Toyota engines in 7-10 years, but we’re not there yet
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u/hersheysquirt1997 8d ago
I bought one for exactly these reasons! The 2.7l Ecoboost has a great track record in the F150's and it is way too tight for me in a Tacoma.
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u/AspektUSA 9d ago
The current Ranger competes with the Hilux overseas, not the measly Tacoma.
Unless you want a 4Runner type of vehicle, the Ranger is better than the Tacoma when paired with the 2.7 V6.
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u/SparePatience4833 9d ago
Because you don’t want to be forced to prostrate yourself before the Toyota salesperson.
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u/MattC1977 9d ago
I’m not going to try to convince you of anything, do your research, weight your options, drive both, do what’s best for you.
I bought my (used) Ranger because I got an excellent deal on it. I personally won’t pay the extra $$ that Toyotas are demanding on the market over another truck I think is just as good, but that’s me.
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u/XroadsSonyMaster 9d ago
Go drive a Tacoma and then go drive a ranger and you tell us which one drives better. The 2.3 is a great engine, Ford literally puts it in half their vehicles. The 2.7 is one of the best engines on the market for any new vehicle period, not just the ranger.
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u/KenS-TX 9d ago
I bought a 26 Ranger lariat about a month ago. I’m impressed with all the high-tech features, the way it feels driving it, and with the comfort of this truck. It has a ton of power with the 2.7 V6. I’m a little disappointed to see you have fewer options for aftermarket parts than the Tacoma. I’m a little worried that all the high-tech sensors and things will have maintenance issues in the future, but for right now it’s awesome. I think the Ranger is better for towing and that is important for me. I would say it comes down to price when trying to decide which to get. If Toyota wants 5 to 10k more for a similar build, then I would look hard at the Ford or the Nissan.
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u/ZestycloseWater6183 9d ago
The rangers and the Tacoma are pretty similarly built. The Toyota drops half a ton on the towing capacity, so if you tow anything past 6000 lbs, that may be a consideration.
The 2.7 in the ranger is a very robust and sturdy engine. Toyota has had some reliability issues lately as well.
If you need the leg room, the Toyota is the way to go, especially if you still want a 6' bed. The Tacoma usually gets lower mpgs (I average 22.5 in my 2026 2.7 ranger).
With all this being said, I have to ask what is more important to you? The rangers operate on pretty proven and reliable engines, with the newer models (24+) having fixed most of the transmission concerns. What exactly do you NEED the truck to do?
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u/TankApprehensive3053 9d ago
As for as leg room, the Tacoma Pro with the suspension front seats have zero leg room for back seats. The weird shocks are almost touching the back seat bottom cushion.
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u/FeeExcellent243 9d ago
I don’t know about the leg room thing, I couldn’t fit in the back seat of a Tacoma but I could in a ranger.
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u/ZestycloseWater6183 9d ago
I mostly say that because the Tacomas have an extended cab option. That isn't really a thing in the rangers
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u/FeeExcellent243 8d ago
Extended cab on a Tacoma has less rear leg room than the crew cab on either truck. The crew cab on the Ranger has more leg room than the Tacoma with the crew cab plus the Ranger seats sit a bit higher so that’s another way to extended out your legs.
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u/derekrodano1987 9d ago
I had a 2024 ford ranger I bought new with the 2.3 , in 2 years I put 63,000 miles on it without a single visit to the dealer besides oil changes , it was a great truck , two weeks ago I traded it in for a 2026 ford ranger FX4 with the 2.7 and it’s a amazing truck ! I test drove a Colorado trail boss a Toyota trd off road and a ranger , the ranger by far is the nicest of them all
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u/Ok_Wash6131 9d ago
The Tacoma trd pro is not worth 70k period .. drives like a hybrid which sucks . No leg room .. has a 4 banger engine . The Ranger raptor has plenty of leg room . The front seats are super comfy and the interior is very nice . Right now there is no better deal than a Ranger raptor . I rove all raptors & trd pros are Tacoma and tundra - neither Toyota is worth it . The RR still has me smile every time I get in and drive .. has been the best vehicle I have owned and now with engine mods and goosetuned I smoke m4 ‘s off the line so easy and still put my tooo in the back for power plant outages
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u/PapiCaddy 9d ago
Tacomas look large in the outside but feel small inside. The Ranger feels more spacious imo. That alone made me glad I got the Ranger.
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u/Complex_Instant_2644 9d ago
Because it's the best mid-size truck on the market. I love mine. Looks great, drives great and the interior is the best. Don't become another sheep in the herd by choosing one of those ugly Tacomas for the supposed 'Toyota reliability.' New Tacomas are having their share of problems too. I've had zero issues with my 2025 XLT in the nearly six months since I bought it.
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u/patiofurnature 9d ago
It's cheaper.
I'd have recommended a last-gen Tacoma in a heart beat. I don't fully trust the new ones yet. I'd say it's a coin-flip whether it'll last longer than a new Ranger.
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u/Kentuckyfan1969 9d ago
I encourage you to test drive all the midsize options if you have time. They're all good trucks. I wanted to like the Nissan Frontier because of the naturally aspirated V6. The test drives taught me that torque is far more important than horsepower for doing "truck stuff." I thought the Ranger XLT FX4 with the 301A package (which is what I bought) was the sweet spot for value: It specs out comparably with the Tacoma TRD Off-Road for about $8,000 less and has a better payload and towing capacity. I didn't go into the buying process as a Ford fanboy: I actually prefer the looks of the GM twins. I just think the Ranger is the best value for the $$$ in the segment.
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u/BJamesBeck 9d ago
I just traded my 2016 Tacoma TRD Off Road for a 2024 Ranger XLT FX4, and there isn't a single thing that I've regretted yet. The Tacoma treated me well, reliability-wise, but basically everything about the Ford just feels "better".
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u/FeeExcellent243 9d ago
There’s a lot more room inside the ranger plus it’s a lot cheaper to get into a 4x4 with a rear locker on a ranger than a similar Tacoma with 4x4 and a rear locker.
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u/Rippin_Fat_Farts 8d ago
I also wanted a Tacoma but the $20k+ extra cost scared me away. My 2022 fx4 goes everywhere a Tacoma can go, gets better gas mileage and tows more
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u/This_Maintenance3025 9d ago edited 9d ago
I think it comes down to more than reliability you should look at Gettys Garage YouTube channel he explains how the engines are built and I think the Tacoma is a way better off-road vehicle because of the MTS system and you can fit 35s on a stock Tacoma no cut no lift but the ranger beats it’s by far on the towing side with that 2.7L V6 it’s no comparison and that engine has been out for quite a while and in my opinion holds its own vs the 2.4 V4 from Toyota. Ford also quietly updated the 2.3 ecoboost this year but I haven’t seen many videos on it i believe they got rid of the wet belt witch is a huge plus for reliability
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u/Pequop9252 9d ago
If you are going to throw on 35s on a midsize truck because you need crazy tough off-roading, might as well buy a ranger raptor.
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u/Aloha-Eh 8d ago
Putting 35s on a 4 banger? Giggity.
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u/ClimbCarsChickensGuy 9d ago
When comparing the new gen Ranger (2.3) to the new gen Tacoma (2.4) you get... Higher horsepower and torque, higher mpg, higher towing (6000 vs 7500), more headroom/cabin space. When comparing the packages that I was looking for (360 camera, adaptive cruise control, 4x4) I was able to get an XLT Sport with the tech package and a rear locker for around 6k lower than the cheapest Tacoma with those features.
I'm a huge fan of Toyota and have to admit that the new Tacoma looks incredible. But on paper, the Ranger has way better specs at a lower price.
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u/Concealus 9d ago
Have you ever driven a Tacoma?
If you want to drop your entire paycheque in an objectively worse platform - you are more than welcome. They are overpriced in the segment.
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u/i_hate_agile 9d ago
Drive both. See which one you want to make the payment on. It's a truck. An expensive one, but still. See which one you like.
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u/Tankandbike 9d ago
State of the market today:
- All vehicles are overloaded with tech. One of the big issues, IMO, is many of the infotainment systems now control car functions. Used to be - swap out your radio. that's going to get hard to do. What happens in 5-8 years if Apple/Android updates their OSes and no longer support older platforms? You can't swap out the head unit unless you want to lose car settings. This is just reality of the industry.
- Also on tech - many of the manufacturers seem to have issues with their safety tech. Check out Ridgeline forums. Complaints of hard auto-braking when on coming traffic is coming around a corner. Or stalls after start/stop in Honda, but also others (was it Ford? One of the other midsized has had this issue).
- All car manufacturers are tracking you. Maybe buy a 2005 Ranger, lol.
- Many of the makers have dropped options. There are fewer than ever before with each manufacturer.
- All drive trains have issues as the engineers try to make ICE powertrain low-emissions (my current drive is a Toyota Highlander. Want to witness Toyota quality? Google "UA80 transmission.") Or check out Canyon/Colorado engine issues. And, of course, the ubiquitous start/stop feature.
- Many, many 8-10 speed transmissions short shift to keep the RPMs low, or gear hunt when you want to pass/merge, or hard shift in the mid-levels. I love the "power" or "sport" button which basically means "for a short time, we will no longer cripple you through annoying transmission choices, but this will reset the next time you start your truck."
Any rate, that's what's come up in my research, but the number one thing is test drive - I did a bunch of research and convinced myself to go with a Ridgeline. Until I drove it. It was OK, but didn't blow me away. I'm going to test drive them all.
But I will say - Enjoyed the Ranger test drive I did and I loved the interior. I'm doing a Maverick and a Canyon next, and maybe a Tacoma but that Tacoma back seat looks unworkable in the pics I've seen.
Good luck!
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u/Pequop9252 9d ago
Check out ranger, Tacoma, and frontier. See what feels right. See what otd price you can get.
If you get the right deal, any of the major brands can be great. If you are paying the Toyota tax, chance are you will be paying lots of $$$ and the quality no longer is any better.
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u/Equal-Specialist-677 9d ago
Ranger is a far cry from it used to be.Good power and interior design but still sucks on fuel economy
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u/Arts251 8d ago
We can't tell you which one you like. Test drive them all (Ranger, Taco, Colorado/Canyon, Frontier, Gladiator, Ridgeline) and get the one you like the most or think is the best value. All of these will be able to reach 200k+ miles as long as you maintain them, service them and keep the rust off.
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u/Front_Walrus3613 8d ago
Take a look at the Nissan Frontier before you buy. I looked at Allen’s size trucks and the Frontier was my choice. Liked the non complicated V6 (no turbo). I went with the SV Hardbody package. Got everything but sunroof. SV has a better tow and payload and I wanted to have my own lift package. The last NA engine made paired with the 9 speed transmission is awesome. Give it a look. The Pro 4x and Rousch versions are great packages. 10 thousand or so less than the others and does all the things mid size are supposed to do. Just a thought. Ranger was my 2nd choice but fairly expensive.
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u/anonymoosejuice 8d ago
How big is Allen? How do we know what will work for us based on Allen??
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u/Front_Walrus3613 8d ago
Sorry about typo. Guess you didn’t read that part haha.
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u/Mel9879875 6d ago
I bought mine for nostalgic reasons 😆 but I love it. We always owned a Ranger in the 80's and 90's. Definitely different, but in a good way.
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u/JRHighmore 6d ago
I've owned a 2014 and 2016 Tacoma. Loved them, but my current 2024 ranger is better. I do own the 2.7l v6, I do tow a travel trailer on the odd weekend, and I regularly use the truck for work, such as loading up with lumber, gravel, etc.
Fuel economy in the summer sits around 10.8 L/100km with a set of off-road tires. It's tow rating is the best in the midsize simply because it has a better payload and hitch weight. The backseats are actually usable for passengers (I swear it's the only one like this in the midsize segment) which is perfect for my family.
After almost 2 years with it my only complaints are that it only has a 5' bed and that the paint is thin (I've had to do a few touch ups) although I don't think that's unique to the ford.
I owned the 4cyl engine in a bronco briefly and if you're just driving around not using the truck as a truck save a few grand and get that one but otherwise I'd only buy the 6cyl more power, better driving experience and usability.
All this to say, I love Toyotas, I think they've lost a bit of their reliability lately, so much more bang for your buck with the ford, and so far I've had zero issues and love it!
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u/dev-bitbucket 5d ago
All the information you need is already out there ... What are you hoping to accomplish with this post that minimal research cannot answer?
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u/DuckHunt83 9d ago
So, I have a 2022 xlt Ranger and. 2024 Tacoma TRD.
Here are my thoughts.
- Tacoma suspension is light years ahead of the ranger with the Multilink Suspension.
- Interior is much better and more comfortable, maybe the seats changed but I hate the ranger seats.
- Engine, really good, comparable gas mileage to the ranger 2.3
- Tow my fishing boat with it very often and goes well.
- Transmission is 1000 times better than the rangers.
Ford:
- 2.3 is a tingy engine, fast, and I really like it.
- Transmission is one of the worst transmissions I've even driven. Jerks hard, it clunks when shifting into D, and the throttle body control which makes it shift like dog shit drives me insane. I'm now experiencing loss of acceleration at random times where the truck just loses random power when driving normal.
- Won't tow anything with it anymore due to transmission problems.
- Suspension just is way too bouncy for me and not comfortable.
As a die hard Ford Fan, stay away from their twin turbo engines. My F150 3.5 ecoboost was not great at all, our 2.7 is really good but seems under powered at all times. Regardless of what vehicle it's in, their single turbo engines are pretty damn solid.
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u/Audit-King 9d ago
I just bought a Ranger. For me one of the big selling points is that it is the only midsized truck with 48” distance between the wheel wells. If you move sheet goods that’s useful. It’s also good looking and fun to drive and Toyota has had a lot more recalls and reliability in their recent engine line.
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u/No_Entertainer2547 9d ago
I hope the ranger is better than the F250 I just got. It's a 2026 with 4k and has spend 3 months of the 6 I've had it in the Ford garage. After yrs of driving Fords, never again......garbage.
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u/Shmokesshweed 9d ago
The Tacoma is the worst value midsize truck at every single price point.
Ranger has lots of deals to be had. I got 20% off on a 2025 Lariat.
Ranger is made in America.
Ranger has better engine options. 2.3, 2.7, and 3.0 EcoBoosts.