Compare 2019 Toyota Tacoma vs. 2019 Ford Ranger

The Tacoma was first added to the Toyota truck family in 1995. It was a welcome addition to a long line of Toyota truck history which first began with the Toyota Hilux in 1969. Meanwhile, Ford produced a number of vehicles called the “Ranger” throughout the years. The Ranger pickup truck began production in North America in 1983, but was discontinued in 2011 after 28 years. Ford has now decided to rerelease the Ranger pickup truck for the 2019 model year.

In this head-to-head comparison of the 2019 Ford Ranger vs. the 2019 Toyota Tacoma, we will compare key features of the two models and take a look into 50 years of Toyota truck heritage.

Over the last 14 years, the Toyota Tacoma has continued to be the best-selling compact pickup truck in the U.S. based on manufacturer estimates of CY 2005-2018 sales.

Both the Ford Ranger and the Toyota Tacoma are trucks worth taking a look at if you are searching for a vehicle that can keep up with your off-road lifestyle. The Tacoma comes in a variety of transmission options to suit your driving style -- including an available manual transmission on the Tacoma TRD Off-Road, Sport, and Pro trim levels. The Ford Ranger only has an automatic transmission option on all trim levels.

Drivers who love to go off road will appreciate the many trim options of the 2019 Toyota Tacoma.

The Tacoma TRD Off-Road and Pro trims, both with automatic transmission, include a Multi-Terrain Select (with 5 modes) and Crawl Control. Furthermore, every Tacoma trim level comes with a variety of capable off-road features to get you where you need to go⁵².

These include an available Desert External Air Intake (TRD Pro only), composite bed w/ 120V power outlet (all TRD models), and electronically controlled locking Rear Differential. You can also choose the option of Hill-start Assist Control(HAC)³⁵ and Wrangler All-Terrain Kevlar® Tires (TRD Off-Road and Pro trims only), and an electronic shift transfer case.

Ford offers an FX4 Off-Road Package with comparable features on the 2019 Ford Ranger at an additional cost of $1,295. This upgrade, however, does not come with an external air intake option nor a 120V bed outlet.

With the Tacoma, know that you can have peace of mind while on the road as all trims of the 2019 Toyota Tacoma come standard with Toyota Safety Sense™ P (TSS-P)²⁴. Toyota also offers ToyotaCare¹¹, a no-cost scheduled maintenance plan so that you don’t have to worry.

When looking to the safety features of these two trucks, the Tacoma comes out ahead.

In a comparison of both the warranty and safety features of the Toyota Tacoma vs. the Ford Ranger, the inclusion of ToyotaCare is a huge advantage for the Tacoma. ToyotaCare provides new Toyota drivers with free 24-hour Roadside Assistance for two years/unlimited miles plus no-cost factory scheduled maintenance for 2 years or 25,000 miles¹¹³⁸.

Another notable advantage of the Tacoma is Toyota Safety Sense™ P (TSS-P)²⁴, which comes standard with all trim levels of the Tacoma. Toyota Safety Sense provides Tacoma drivers with the following features:

Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection (PCS w/PD)²³²² is designed to help avoid the potential of a vehicle collision by using an in-vehicle camera and radar that helps to detect a vehicle or pedestrian in front of your vehicle.

Lane Departure Alert (LDA)²⁰ with Sway Warning System (SWS)⁵³ is designed to alert the driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane under the appropriate conditions.

Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC)³⁹, when enabled, helps your vehicle to maintain a preset distance between it and the vehicle in front of it. DRCC is designed to automatically slow your vehicle’s speed to maintain your selected distance and will resume to your preset speed once the vehicle in front is no longer driving slower than your preset speed.

Automatic High Beams (AHB)¹⁸ helps detect headlights and taillights ahead of your vehicle by using an in-vehicle camera. The AHB system can then toggle between high or low beams, helping you to have the correct amount of light to see the road ahead of you.

A clear divide exists between the safety features that come standard with the 2019 Toyota Tacoma and the standard safety features of the 2019 Ford Ranger. The Ford Ranger XL comes with just one safety feature comparable to TSS-P²⁴, and the XLT and Lariat trims come with just three.

In order to have more comparable driver assistance features on the Ranger XL base model, buyers must add on the Technology Package which includes Adaptive Cruise Control, but adds an additional cost. When it comes to safety features, there is no trim of the 2019 Ford Ranger that comes with standard safety features comparable to TSS-P’s²⁴ Dynamic Radar Cruise Control -- a feature which comes standard on all Tacoma models.

To push the divide even further, the Toyota Tacoma comes with the Star Safety System. This system features Hill-start Assist Control (HAC)³⁵ and Smart Stop Technology® (SST)⁵⁰. The Tacoma also comes with knee airbags, another safety feature missing from the Ranger.

Purchasing a 2019 Toyota Tacoma means that you are investing your hard-earned money into 50 years of Toyota truck heritage. As the truck brand known for reliable, quality, and dependable vehicles, it is no surprise that Toyota was named the Kelley Blue Book Best Resale Value Brand for 2018⁴¹.

Toyota’s fantastic reputation for reliability includes the 2019 Toyota Tacoma.

With the advantage of ToyotaCare, a standard no-cost factory scheduled maintenance plan, drivers of the 2019 Tacoma can rest assured knowing that their truck is covered for two years/25,000 miles¹¹. Plus, ToyotaCare includes free 24-hour roadside assistance for two years for unlimited miles³⁸.

Buyers of the 2019 Ford Ranger receive a standard three-year 36,000-mile Bumper to Bumper warranty and Roadside Service Assistance. In Ford’s case, however, the roadside assistance plan only includes a limited number of services.

It’s no surprise that the reliable Toyota Tacoma has been the best-selling compact pickup truck for the last 14 years based on manufacturer estimates of CY 2005-2018 sales.

As a reminder, 2019 will be the Ford Ranger’s first year back in the North American market after a hiatus that began in 2011.

Compact pickup truck drivers make the most out of their driving experience with high-tech infotainment and interior offerings. Both the 2019 Toyota Tacoma and the 2019 Ford Ranger offer many top-notch interior features that ensure a comfortable and convenient commute. Here’s how they compare.

Every Toyota Tacoma comes standard with 3 USB ports³² and a touch-screen multimedia display. The most USB ports that come with any trim level of the Ranger is found on the top-range Lariat trim, which has just 2 USB ports.

The Tacoma also comes with Entune™ Audio⁴⁴ and a large 4.2-in. Multi-information Display (MID); the Ranger has a much smaller 2.3-in. Productivity Screen.

Looking at equivalent trims of each truck model shows us that the Tacoma is steps ahead in interior comfort and convenience.

The SR5 trim of the Toyota Tacoma comes with Entune™ Audio which includes a 6.1-in touch-screen display, six speakers, and 3 USB ports ³²⁴⁴. To compare, the equivalent Ford model, the Ranger XL, comes with only one USB port, AM/FM stereo, and four speakers. For additional features, an upgrade of an additional cost of $1,135 adds on a touch-screen and hands-free capabilities.

Look no further than the 2019 Toyota Tacoma compact pickup truck for a reliable off-road vehicle⁵².

The Tacoma comes standard with a strong offering of high-tech features including safety, infotainment, and reliability features. Suited for life both on and off the road, the 2019 Toyota Tacoma truly shines in this head-to-head comparison. As a reminder, the Toyota Tacoma has been the best selling compact pickup truck on the market for the last 14 years based on manufacturer estimates of CY 2005-2018 sales. Meanwhile, the Ford Ranger is renewed for 2019 after being discontinued in North America in 2011.

Toyota trucks are built with reliability, durability, and quality in mind and are backed by 50 years in the truck industry. With all of the features and considerations, it is no surprise that the 2018 Toyota Tacoma won Best Resale Value: Midsize Pickup Truck according to Kelley Blue Book⁴¹.

This Ranger vs. Tacoma head to head shows that the Toyota Tacoma offers more of what compact pickup truck drivers want. As the only truck in this head-to-head that has a manual transmission option, the Tacoma features keep it ahead of the compact pickup truck game.

Its TRD Off-Road and Pro automatic trims have exemplary features that give it a leg up on the competition, such as an external air intake and a 120V bed outlet. The Ford Ranger does not have the option for any of these useful features, even with the FX4 Off-Road Package upgrade which comes at an additional cost to the driver.

The advantages of the 2019 Toyota Tacoma, plus the long truck history and reliability of the Toyota name make the Tacoma the top pick in this compact pickup truck head-to-head competition.