2025 Toyota Tacoma vs. the Competition

Toyota builds incredibly capable trucks, trucks that enjoy a much-deserved reputation for toughness and reliability around the whole world. That reputation is no small part of why the Tacoma is the most popular midsize truck in the US by a significant margin. It’s only natural for anyone in the market for a midsize truck to be looking at the Tacoma, but other midsize trucks do still exist, and for anyone who wants to be sure that they’re looking at the right truck, we’ll take a more in-depth look at what sets the Tacoma apart.

Toyota Tacoma VS Chevrolet Colorado

For our first comparison, we’re looking at the Chevrolet Colorado, another popular model with a very similar price tag. The versatility of the Tacoma is the first of its many advantages, being offered with two different cabs, as well as two different bed lengths. The Colorado, like a lot of other midsize trucks, is only offered in one body configuration. Similarly, the Colorado is offered with only one engine, while there is a more powerful hybrid drivetrain available for the Tacoma. The hybrid drivetrain in the Tacoma is more about producing power, particularly low-end torque, but it does also improve fuel economy, an area where both Tacoma drivetrains beat the Colorado.

With such a similar price, you would expect similar levels of equipment for these two trucks, but that’s not quite the case. Useful equipment like tow hooks, bed lighting, and adaptive cruise control all come standard on the Tacoma, but not the Colorado. That adaptive cruise control on the Tacoma also includes steering assist, to help reduce fatigue on long highway towing trips, which you don’t get with the Colorado. With the Colorado having gotten a fairly recent redesign, it’s surprising that it still comes with standard halogen headlights, as not many vehicles do these days. You can get LED headlights on the Colorado, like the Tacoma has a standard, but you’ll need to upgrade to a higher trim. Lastly, both trucks come with some routine maintenance as standard, but Toyota offers twice as much.

Toyota Tacoma VS Ford Ranger

Next up is the Ford Ranger, which has a higher starting price as a result of a much more limited trim lineup. The standard engine in the Ranger is smaller than the one in the Tacoma, but the really important difference is in the optional drivetrain. Ford takes a fairly conventional approach to this with a turbocharged V6, despite offering a powerful hybrid drivetrain for the bigger F-150. The hybrid drivetrain offered for the Tacoma is more powerful, and doesn’t come at a cost of any fuel economy, while Ranger owners who opt for the V6 will be spending significantly more time at the gas pump. The Ranger is typical in only offering one body configuration, once again highlighting just how much of an advantage it is that the Tacoma offers real choices.

Despite the higher price tag, the Ranger doesn’t do a great job with standard equipment. While standard tow hooks might not be necessary for everyone, adaptive cruise control sure is appreciated by a lot of drivers, and you’ll have a hard time finding anyone in Ohio who won’t appreciate heated side mirrors. The Tacoma comes with more included routine maintenance, even if it’s not difficult to offer more than none.

Toyota Tacoma VS Honda Ridgeline

Honda is usually regarded as Toyota’s chief rival, so for our last comparison, we’re looking at the Honda Ridgeline. Honda’s only pickup is quite a bit more expensive than the Tacoma, but the pricing for these two off-road-focused trims is close enough to make a meaningful comparison. The Ridgeline comes with the same V6 as Honda’s bigger SUVs, and it’s starting to show its age, especially when compared to the considerably more powerful advanced hybrid drivetrain in the Tacoma.

Both of these trims are intended for off-road use, and with such similar pricing, you would probably assume that they’re pretty equally matched in that department, but the toughness of the body-on-frame construction used for the Tacoma simply can’t be matched by a unibody truck like the Ridgeline. And while the Ridgeline TrailSport does have “off-road tuned” suspension, the Ridgeline’s space-saving strut front suspension isn’t going to give you the kind of capability that comes with a double wishbone setup. In addition to those basics, the Tacoma Off-Road i-FORCE MAX also comes with an electronic locking rear differential and crawl control, important features for the more serious off-roading that the Tacoma is capable of. And whether you need to take your gear with you on the road or off, the Tacoma has a higher towing capacity than the Ridgeline as well. Also useful in any situation is the bigger digital gauge cluster in the Tacoma, which is easier to see and offers more room for important information. Full-size spare tires are rare these days, so it’s not unusual that the Ridgeline doesn’t have one, but the Tacoma bucks the trend in the best way. Lastly, Toyota’s included maintenance is clearly the segment leader, at double the amount offered by Honda.

Winner - Toyota Tacoma

Versatility is an important quality in a pickup truck, and while competitors might treat midsize pickups as an afterthought compared to what they offer on their full-size models, Toyota knows that midsize truck buyers don’t all use their trucks for the same thing. The Tacoma isn’t just tough, it’s also comfortable and handles brilliantly on the road or off. Let Ken Ganley Toyota Akron show you why the Tacoma is America’s best-selling midsize pickup truck.

*Base MSRP excludes manufacturer, distributor and dealer options, taxes, title and license and dealer fees and charges. Also includes the Delivery, Processing and Handling of $1,195 for Cars (Corolla, Corolla HV, Corolla HB, GR Corolla, Camry, Prius, Prius Plug-in Hybrid, Toyota Crown, Mirai, GR86, GR Supra), $1,450 for Entry SUV (Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross HV), $1,450 for Small SUV (RAV4, RAV4 HV, RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid, bZ4X), $1,495 for Mid SUV/Van (4Runner, 4Runner HV, Highlander, Highlander HV, Grand Highlander, Grand Highlander HV, Sienna, Land Cruiser, Toyota Crown Signia), $1,595 for Small Pickup (Tacoma, Tacoma HV), $2,095 for Large Pickup/Large SUV (Tundra, Tundra HV, Sequoia). (Historically, vehicle manufacturers and distributors have charged a separate fee for processing, handling and delivering vehicles to dealerships. Toyota's charge for these services is called the "Delivery, Processing and Handling Fee" and is based on the value of the processing, handling and delivery services Toyota provides as well as Toyota's overall pricing structure and may be subject to change at any time. Toyota may make a profit on the Delivery, Processing and Handling Fee.) The Delivery, Processing and Handling Fee in AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC and TX will be higher. Dealer price will vary.