The 2021 Ford Ranger is a well-rounded truck that offers a smooth, capable powertrain, with a powerful turbocharged engine. It has remained a great value in the compact pickup class. The 2021 Toyota Tacoma is a contender in its class and is capable of some great off-road abilities. Let's look at both.
Design
The Ford Ranger offers four new colors for 2021 – cactus gray, carbonized gray, cyber orange and velocity blue. It comes in two bed lengths with either an extended cab or a crew cab model. The crew cab model seats up to five and comes with four full-size doors, while the extended cab provides seating for four passengers and has two smaller half-doors. Both models offer comfortable cabins with available heated seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The Ranger comes in three trims, with available Ford Ranger Appearance Packages: XL, XLT, and Lariat. The Base Ranger XL has a starting price of $24,410 and ranges to a starting price of $$32,500 for the Lariat, with additional costs for the Appearance Packages.
The Toyota Tacoma has two available cab styles. The standard Access Cab seats four and has a small two-seat second row, while the larger Double Cab has an extended three-person second row and seats five. If you’ll be carrying passengers, the Double Cab is what you’ll want as there is just 24.6 inches of legroom in the Access Cab, with hard, upright seats. The Tacoma comes with either a 5-foot standard bed or a 6-foot-1-inch-long bed. Access Cab models are only paired with the long bed, while the Double Cab is available with both. The Tacoma offers six trim levels: SR, SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, Limited and TRD Pro. Pricing starts at $30,853 for the SR trim and ranges to a starting price of $44,075 for the top-of-the-line TRD Pro trim. Additional Appearance Packages include added pricing.
Power
The Ford Ranger is strong and powerful enough to move you confidently on your next adventure. It is fairly capable in off-road situations with add-on packages that include an off-road-tuned suspension, special off-road tires, a locking rear differential, skid plates, a terrain management system, and crawl control. There is enough power to make the Ford Ranger move swift, yet offer a smooth ride. You will get a potent turbocharged 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine that generates 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. It is paired with a class-exclusive 10-speed automatic transmission that beats other gas-powered pick-ups in its class, providing shifts that are smooth and quick. When properly equipped with an optional tow package, the 2021 Ford Ranger can deliver a 7,500 pounds tow rating and a best-in-class maximum payload of up to 1,860 pounds. Its drivetrain is standard with rear-wheel drive and available with four-wheel drive. It has an estimated fuel rating of 21/26 mpg city and highway with rear-wheel drive and 20/24 mpg with four-wheel drive.
The Toyota Tacoma is known for its outstanding off-road capability, especially in the TRD Off-Road and TRD Pro trims; offering a unique suspension tuning and shock absorbers, a locking rear differential, and skid plates. With that said, the Toyota Tacoma comes standard with a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine that puts out 159 horsepower. This delivers sluggish acceleration especially if you are carrying passengers and cargo. Your other option is a 278-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine that is stronger and delivers a quicker acceleration. Both engines come with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. The six-speed automatic transmission gets some criticism as it hampers both engines to find the right gear. The 2021 Tacoma with the base engine and rear-wheel drive gets an estimated 20/23 mpg in the city and on the highway. Models with the optional V6 get an estimated 19/24 mpg in the city and on the highway. The maximum towing capacity of the Tacoma is 6,800 pounds and a maximum payload of 1,685 pound.
Safety and Technology
Ford offers plenty of available features, including a user-friendly infotainment system. Top safety features on the Ford Ranger include standard forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking, available blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and available adaptive cruise control. The base XL trim comes standard with an infotainment system that includes a four-speaker AM/FM audio system, a single USB port, Bluetooth, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The XLT or Lariat model will feature an 8.0-inch touchscreen, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, HD Radio, two USB ports, and SiriusXM satellite radio. A navigation system and a 10-speaker Bank & Olufsen sound system is an upgraded option.
The Tacoma comes standard with advanced safety features that include a rearview camera, forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, automatic high- beam headlights, and adaptive cruise controls. Available safety features include rear parking sensors, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross traffic alert. It also features an easy-to-use infotainment system that comes with both a 7-inch touch screen and physical controls. It includes Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Amazon Alexa; as well as six speakers, Bluetooth, three USB ports, satellite radio, and voice recognition. Available features include an 8-inch touch screen, navigation, wireless device charging, and a six-speaker JBL stereo.
Overall
The 2021 Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma offer respectable gas mileage ratings and deliver almost everything a buyer would want in a compact pick-up truck, but the Ranger’s reasonable price tag may appeal to most shoppers.