Key Takeaways:
- Ford Ranger is faster than the Toyota Tacoma by almost a whole second from 0 to 60.
- The Ford Ranger is a smoother drive than the Toyota Tacoma due to its softer suspension.
- The Ford Ranger is generally a better pickup truck than the Toyota Tacoma.
Which is faster the Ford Ranger or Toyota Tacoma?
The Ford Ranger is faster than the Toyota Tacoma, by almost a whole second. The Toyota Tacoma on almost every model goes 0 to 60 in 7 seconds. The Ford Ranger goes 0 to 60 mph in just 6.1 seconds, which is almost a whole second faster than the Toyota Tacoma. Let’s break down the engines, The engine of the Ford Ranger is a 270 horsepower 4 cylinder engine that displaces 2.3 liters, for the towers out there it also gets 310 lb-ft of torque. The engine of the Toyota Tacoma on the most powerful end barely clears the power of the Ranger, but is still a slower engine. The Tacoma has a base 159 horsepower 4 cylinder engine that generates 180 lb-ft of torque, which is just not enough for a truck in our opinion. The optional V6 engine outputs, 278 horsepower and 265 lb-ft of torque, which again is just barely more horsepower than the Ranger, and significantly less torque. If you are looking for the best engine, we recommend going with the Ranger over the Tacoma for its speed and power. Although we still wish that there was a V6 engine available, the 4 cylinder will do for now.
Which is a smoother ride the Toyota Tacoma or the Ford Ranger?
The Ford Ranger drives much smoother than the Toyota Tacoma. This is because the Tacoma is completely designed as an off-roading focused pickup. The Tacoma is well known for its reliability and for being probable the best off-roading pickup right out of the box, besides the Raptor and TR-X of course. This means that the Tacoma comes with a much stiffer suspension than the Ford Ranger. The difference is immediate apparent once you drive the Tacoma down any road and realize that you are just driving over cracks, not tree roots. The Ford Ranger is much more comfortable, as every Ford truck and SUV focuses on making it the best of both worlds. The Tacoma might be slightly better than the Ranger out on the rocks, but the Ranger is soon to receive a Raptor variant.
What is better the Ford Ranger or Toyota Tacoma?
We consider the Ford Ranger to be a better pickup than the Toyota Tacoma. The Ford Ranger starts off cheaper by about $1,000, and the top tier Ranger is cheaper than the top tier Tacoma by about $11,000, for a better engine, and with better gas mileage. The all wheel drive Ranger gets 20 mpg in town and 24 mpg on the highway. The all wheel drive V6 Tacoma gets 19 mpg in town and 22 mpg on the highway. The Ford Ranger is also a much smoother and more comfortable drive, and this makes it a great option because unfortunately for our off-roading friends most of our driving occurs on pavement. On top of that the Ford Ranger is a faster pickup than the Tacoma with only a 4 cylinder engine, making it one of the best vehicles on the road.