Topic: Comparison Test: 2019 Ford Ranger vs 2019 Toyota Tacoma

[Great_Big_Abyss]

This says it all for me, if you cannot be comfortable while driving the truck, what is the point of owning it


"The Tacoma’s interior features higher-quality materials, but its manually adjustable leather seats were not only extremely hard, but the notorious legs-straight-forward driving position combined to make the Toyota quite uncomfortable after even very short drives.

Conversely, the plain cloth seats in the Ranger proved to be supportive and very comfortable even after logging a lot of miles."

I guess that one gets chalked up to 'either it works for you, or it doesn't'.  Different people, different shapes, different comfort in different positions. 

Not that I've spent any significant length of time in a Tacoma (about 15 min max), but from the descriptions I've read, it sounds like the legs out position that you would find in a car.  If you can get comfortable in a car, I don't see why you wouldn't be able to get comfortable in a Tacoma.  I suppose because it's a truck you expect to be sitting upright, so to be sitting more horizontal may come as a surprise and throw some people off.

Not quite, though.  In most cars, you can at least tilt up the front of the lower seat cushion to give a bit of under-thigh support (and thus, taking some pressure off the lower back).  The Taco's seats are very close to the floor and minimally adjustable so you never really get proper support from it.  I'm of pretty average height, but my g/f is quite tall with very long legs and finds the Taco miserable to sit in.

Is there a fancy schmancy trim level of the Taco with better, powered seats??

That will be new for 2020, won't it?

Unfortunately I can't see Toyota changing the proportions of the Tacoma anytime soon.  Toyota seems to like incremental changes from model year to model year, even during refresh or even generational changes.  The Tacoma has been riding on the same platform with similar dimensions since at least 2005.  Changing the seating position means they would need to lower the floor of the cab, which would require a total frame redesign, and would screw up everything from engine/transmission placement, to ground clearance, etc.  Given how many Tacoma's they're still selling despite the compromised seating position, I don't think it's a priority for Toyota. 

Just gonna have to live with it if you want a Tacoma, I'm afraid.

[ktm525]

The Tacoma is a little man truck. Only little men fit in the seat and a set of 190cm+ skis won't fit in the box. 

[Weels]

My Toyota dealer has a Tacoma TRD Pro in Voodoo Blue on the lot.  It's beautiful!!!

Speaking of reliability and build quality, watch what happened when The Straight Pipes took a Ranger for a drive:

https://youtu.be/PPX4AwBNVms?t=338

^ I don't know who Chris Fix is but he makes me wish I was born without ears.

[EV-Light]

Typical 1st year build issues...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Gurgie]

^I thought this thing has been built for years now & sold in other countries... don't think it can be called "1st year build issues"



Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

[Seafoam]

^I thought this thing has been built for years now & sold in other countries... don't think it can be called "1st year build issues"



Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk
[/quote

You are correct.

[johngenx]

Yeah, the Ranger isn't new.  It's just a marginal product in many ways, which is too bad.  The segment is sooooo much better with the addition of the excellent Canyon/Colorado, it would be great if Ford fielded something awesome.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Yeah, the Ranger isn't new.  It's just a marginal product in many ways, which is too bad.  The segment is sooooo much better with the addition of the excellent Canyon/Colorado, it would be great if Ford fielded something awesome.

ZR2 diesel FTW!!!   Talk about GM giving the people what they want.

[rrocket]

Yeah, the Ranger isn't new.  It's just a marginal product in many ways, which is too bad.  The segment is sooooo much better with the addition of the excellent Canyon/Colorado, it would be great if Ford fielded something awesome.

ZR2 diesel FTW!!!   Talk about GM giving the people what they want.

Would like to see the actual take rate on that....

[OliverD]

Yeah, the Ranger isn't new.  It's just a marginal product in many ways, which is too bad.  The segment is sooooo much better with the addition of the excellent Canyon/Colorado, it would be great if Ford fielded something awesome.

ZR2 diesel FTW!!!   Talk about GM giving the people what they want.

Would like to see the actual take rate on that....

I'd be shocked if it's higher than 3%.

[johngenx]

That's a "halo" model for testing that really shows off the line, and will be sold to a few folks along the way.  Overall, the Canyon/Colorado is a good product.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Yeah, the Ranger isn't new.  It's just a marginal product in many ways, which is too bad.  The segment is sooooo much better with the addition of the excellent Canyon/Colorado, it would be great if Ford fielded something awesome.

ZR2 diesel FTW!!!   Talk about GM giving the people what they want.

Would like to see the actual take rate on that....

I'd be shocked if it's higher than 3%.

It's still really cool, and amazing that it's there for those who want it.

Kinda like a sports sedan offering a manual with the big engine...

[dirtyjeffer]

for what most use a truck for, i like the new Ridgeline...still gives much of the benefits of a truck, in a smaller package that is quite reliable...the only downside is price, but it is what it is...it's also the only truck to get a Top Safety pick, which is somewhat surprising considering the number of trucks available and the vast number sold...that said, if i were buying a new truck myself, it would be tough to turn down the new RAM.

[greengs]

Just noticed some of the data was edited out of my chart, so for those who want / care, here are some other specs on the two trucks:

The fuel econ numbers for the Taco are off in this chart.  I believe you've shown the manual transmission fuel econ.  The auto gets better numbers (13.2/10.7/12.0).

[johngenx]

I'd probably get my list down to the Taco and RL. Toyota for something I could off road with, RL for more urban warrior truck duties. I bet 95% of current full size truck owners could switch to the Honda and be more than happy with the change.

[Fobroader]

For me its either the Ridgeline or a 1/2 ton of Chevy/Toyota flavors. These trucks are too expensive, for me, to really be in the running with all the capabilities you lose over their big brother 1/2 tons.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

I'd probably get my list down to the Taco and RL. Toyota for something I could off road with, RL for more urban warrior truck duties. I bet 95% of current full size truck owners could switch to the Honda and be more than happy with the change.

Quantitatively, possibly, but only for SOME truck owners. 

I would say that most truck owners have some sort of travel trailer, or a decent sized boat that they want to pull.  The Ridgeline is just a little too undersized to comfortably pull anything larger than a small single-axle travel trailer.  I would put DKaz into this category, as well as myself in the future. 

But yes, on a day to day basis, the Ridgeline would suit my purposes.  Except for cab space.  I doubt the Ridgeline can match the amount of space we have in the Tundra (16" of rear legroom with the front seat all the way back)

But then, there are the qualitative measures.  To compare to my Tundra:  The height at which you tower over everything else, the deep bass note of the V8, The RWD driving dynamics, the 'feel' of a half-ton.  These are all things that a Ridgeline cannot hope to match.  Driving a Ridgeline would be like driving a Pilot!!!

[Fobroader]

See, and I have seen the light. This whole towing a trailer around for thousands of kilometers makes zero sense to me, I would much rather park it on a lake somewhere and use it as a cabin. I would much rather fly somewhere, rent a car and stay in hotels. The Ridgeline would be the perfect truck for working around the house hauling building supplies, dirt, or the occasional dump run. The AWD is good enough to get me through anything that one of our winters can throw at us, with a decent set of winters. If I wanted to go offroad, I would wait for the new Jeep truck, that thing in Rubicon form will make all these other "offroad" specials look like glorified mall crawlers.

[johngenx]

I’m surrounded by truck owners that never tow with them, never go off-road, and never put anything in them larger than a giant Costco TP package.

The mall parking lots are filled to the brim with trucks that have done nothing more than our Corolla could have done.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

I’m surrounded by truck owners that never tow with them, never go off-road, and never put anything in them larger than a giant Costco TP package.

The mall parking lots are filled to the brim with trucks that have done nothing more than our Corolla could have done.

But how would you know?  It's not like the truck owners take their boats and RV's everywhere with them.  90% of the time a half-ton will be driving around empty, but that 10% of the time that you're towing your 27' travel trailer, nothing else will do.