By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
Acceleration, handling, braking, smooth ride, comfort, cool exterior looks, interior gadgets. image are some of the reasons folks choose those vehicles.
Back when I bought my Ranger (1889), I did compare it to the Toyota.. At that time i needed more interior space, and more engine performance, and a reasonable price, than the Toytoa had to offer. I was only interested in 4x2's as I have no need for 4x4.
The Ranger gave me 11 years and 190k problem free miles, and is still going strong for my dad who now owns it.. I'm pretty sure he's already taken to 200k.
Toyota wasn't even in the running for my current truck as they don't make a 3/4 ton..
If I was single (no family), then I would have again looked at the mini-trucks..
In that case, it's not clear that tacoma 4x2 has any advantage over the 4x2 ranger.. They both seem like good trucks, although the 4x2 tacoma does look pretty whimpy.
By the way, unless the PreRunner was in the equation, I would pick the Ranger 2x2 over the Tacoma 2x2 any day also.
Defect Investigations 1989-2000
Ford Ranger - 20
Dodge Dakota- 14
Chevy S10 - 51
Toyota Tacoma - 2
Safety Recalls 1989-2000
Ford Ranger- 32
Dodge Dakota - 28
Chevyy S10 - 47
Toyota Tacoma - 6
Technical Service Bulletins 1989-2000
Ford Ranger -2,279(yes, 2,279)
Dodge Dakota- 940
Chevy S10 -448
Toyota Tacoma - 150
-------
So there you have it. All data is factual, and very telling. This is NOT "subjective".
A trucks reliability and build quality is NOT "subjective".
Not all trucks are built the same, as you can plainly see.
Here is the hard link:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
http://www.jdpa.com/studies/pressrelease.asp?StudyID=292&CatID=1
Well, here is a FIVE year, long term study to let
you know just WHO makes the most reliable and
bullet proof vehicles on this planet.
ENJOY!
- fourwheeelr.com
" The toyota tacoma is for people who actually use their trucks as trucks"
- fourhweeler.com
" The tacoma is a marvel of engineering and fit and finish"
- fourhweeler.com
" The toyota tacoma beat a JEep Tj, Range Rover and HUmmer in head to head offroad comparisons"
" The Toyota Tacoma is the Ultimate 4x4 "
-fourwheeler.com
" The ranger rattled like a rattlesnake offroad"
-edmunds.com
" if your buying a used ranger, take it for a very,very long test drive"
-edmunds.com
" The ranger hobbled and bobbled and struggles over the terrain the tacoma flew over"
-fourhweeler.com
The Winner
Toyota Tacoma Double Cab TRD
It seems as though everyone is joining the four-door wars and Toyota is no exception. Versions of the company’s small Hi-Lux trucks have existed overseas for years with four fullsize doors, but never in the American market. We always scratched our heads wondering why they were never introduced here. Finally a Toyota mini-pickup with an extra set of doors has made it to the U.S.
Our Toyota Tacoma Double Cab came equipped with the TRD package, which includes Bilstein shocks, upgraded tires, and one of our favorite options ever to come from a manufacturer: a locking rear differential. With these options, we suspected that the Toyota would perform admirably off-road, and that it did. During high-speed blasts over dirt roads and up washes, the suspension absorbed big bumps and small ripples with ease. Helping out in the fast stuff was the quick steering of the Double Cab; and powerful brakes pulled the Tacoma to a stop faster than any of the others. The Toyota was also the king of the dunes, as its decent power and bump-gobbling suspension made it blast through the sand without a problem.
The rear differential lock is an interesting piece. It works only in low range and is suggested for speeds of up to 5 mph. However, even with those limitations, it greatly improved the off-road capability of the Tacoma. Combined with the most off-road orientated tires of the bunch, P265/70R16 BFGoodrich Long Trail T/As, the Toyota proved to be competent at low speeds and rocky trails, too. A simple push of the diff-lock button and the Toy was up and over most obstacles.
Powering the Tacoma Double Cab up and over those obstacles was the same 3.4L V-6 used since the Tacoma’s inception. Com- paring this mill to the big diesel and 8.1 was like comparing chalk to cheese. Most judges described the power as good but still yearned for a bit more horsepower and torque. The V-6 did produce the best gas mileage of the bunch, though.
Our test Tacoma also came with an automatic transmission that did not earn major praise from judges but also drew no criticisms. Its shifts were smooth and seamless and at the appropriate times. What most testers did find annoying was the shifter for both the transmission and the transfer case. One tester described the transmission shifter as a “video-game joystick” and the transfer case shifter as “a mixture of a lever and a push-button.”
Once the Double Cab was off the pavement and onto the highway, the off-road orientation of its suspension showed. The same shocks and springs that made it blast through bumps on the dirt made for a somewhat stiff ride on the pavement. However, this did make for crisp handling once the road got twisty.
Inside the Tacoma, judges found that the rear seats had the most room of the smaller pickups, and as one tester put it “people could actually fit back there.” The front seats also provided comfort and fit a wide range of testers’ bodies. Many also liked the snazzy instruments that featured a white background with black numbers but felt that not enough information was conveyed. In typical Toyota fashion, the Tacoma received high marks for its fit and finish and quality of materials.
The Tacoma was the trail king out of our bunch. The TRD package and the locking rear differential allowed it to go places the other trucks wouldn’t, and it garnered the most points in our all-important trail performance category. That, with its excellent performance in our other testing categories, made it our pick for the 2001 Pickup Truck of the Year.
It’s always a toss-up between size and performance. The Tacoma excelled in every test, but in the end seemed a bit small to me. But I loved its off-road capabilities and never once felt I couldn’t push it further. The locking rear differential is one of Toyota’s best-engineered features. For hard-core wheelin’ and excellent highway performance, the Tacoma is my pick, in spite of its compact size.
– Michael Rudd
Note to all manufacturers: All 4WD vehicles should have the rear differential lock feature this Tacoma has. This feature alone made the Toyota stand out, but combine that with great looks and attention to detail and you’ve got one great truck. If I were in the market for a new truck, this would be the one for me. But delete the step bars on mine, please.
– Greg Smith
The Tacoma opens a can of whup-[non-permissible content removed] on the rest of the competition when it comes to the dirt. The TRD package seems to me to be well worth the money. Every four-wheel drive made should come with a rear locker straight from the factory. This definitely isn’t a work truck, but if you are looking for a good off-road runabout, here it is.
– Craig Perronne
Let’s see, serious tires, serious transfer case, locking rear differential, and the kind of dimensions that mean it will go lots of places bigger trucks can’t – important in any environment where ’wheeling means crawling between boulders and trees. Add to that Toyota’s usual engineering sophistication and attention to detail, and what you wind up with is a very satisfying truck. Yep, I would like more motor, please. But never mind. This thing flat works, and that’s good enough for me.
– Jon Thompson
Save for that grille and the fuzzy seats, the Tacoma excelled in categories as disparate as traction and fuel economy. There were a few ergonomic no-nos and breaks in the truck’s overall styling excellence - like the T-case shifter and those rims - but the Tacoma is so solid I can forgive these trifles.
– Andrew Lentz
Manufacturer: FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Mfg. Campaign #: 00S45
Year: 2001
Make: FORD TRUCK
Model: RANGER
Potential Number of Units Affected: 137700
Manufactured From: MAR 2000 To: OCT 2000
Year of Recall: '00
Type of Report: Vehicle
Summary:
Vehicle Description: Sport utility vehicles with steel hoods and certain pickup trucks equipped with sheet molding compound hoods. A wire formed hood striker could be susceptible to fatigue fractures. If the hood striker fractures, the hood could fly open while the vehicle is being driven.
A hood fly-up while the vehicle is being operated could result in reduced driver visibility.
Dealers will replace the hood striker. Owner notification is expected to begin during December 2000. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. Also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sung to the melody of the Eagles " take it easy"
Well I'm a driving down the road trying to loosen my load, got a hood blocking my site
Trying to pull it over down onto the shoulder but I can't see no light
Take it iiiiiinnnnnnnn
Take it iiiiiiiiinnnnnn
Take that Ranger to the dealer once again......
BTW, it's 4X2 not 2x2.
I guess I still don't understand Vince's arguement. I mean, if you don't care about off-roading, then don't get the TRD option. But if you do, then the TRD seems to have a lot of off-road worthy features that are built into one nice package and are still factory warrantied.
The funny thing is, I am a Ranger fan and a Ford fan. The 4-runner and the tacoma are the only 2 Toyota vehicles that I like. And if I was shopping for a compact pickup, I'd probably get a ranger because it's a great rig at a great value. If I wanted an off-roader, I'd still get a Jeep
As to spoog, There are several flaws in the numbers he presented. (for example the same complaint is duplicated and doubled/tripled counted in several cases).
Now when I provide PROOF that the tacoma beats the ranger, everyone gets all sensitive.
This forum is RANGER verse TACOMA forum , and currently, the Tacoma is " opening a can of whoop-a#$" ( fourhweeler.com) on the Ranger.
You guys can ignore and deny it all you want. The bottom line is that I BACK UP my claims, and boy do they get backed up well.
Pickup the May issue of four wheeler magazine and check out the tacoma beating a hummer, jeep, and range rover for the Ultimate 4x4 award. Also see how it one the 2001 pickup of the year from frouwheeler.
The landcruiser expedition is AWESOME in the may fourhweeler.
" The tacoma TRd could simply go places the other trucks couldn't"
- Fourwheeler.com
Now I see why. Spoog is back (groan), once again overwhelming us with his same old regurgitations.
spoog: please go buy some new magazines!
Numbers are double counted, are often subjective, and often are not even real problems, and do not take into account the number of rangers sold..
In you post 1005:
The 2 links you reference do not pertain to tacoma's and rangers specifically. But to toyota (all cars/trucks)..
If you search the JD site for studies involving mini-pickups it results in 5 studies. The winners in the mini-truck catagories were:
a. 1999 most appealing: dodge dakota.
b. 1999 initial quality study 2: dodge dakota.
c. 2000 initial quality study 2: mazda b-series (ranger clone)
d. 2000 most appealing: dodge dakota.
e. 2000 thailand initial quality study: ford ranger. (note the for car it was a toyota, but not for the truck)
In your post 1007/1008: In that link for the 2001 pickup of the year. Ford did not participate. So there was no comparison of Tacoma to the Ranger..
So your post 1014 where you say:
'This forum is RANGER verse TACOMA forum , and currently, the Tacoma is " opening a can of whoop-a#$" ( fourhweeler.com) on the Ranger.'
That didn't happen because the ranger wasn't there. The proof is in the link you provided.
So, it appears yet again that much of the information you choose to use to 'back up' your claims is seriously flawed or just plain doesn't exist except for the information you make up yourself.
Is the Tacoma a good truck with serious off-road capabilities? According to many experts, it is.. Overall, is the Tacoma a 'better' truck than the Ranger? The debate continues..
1300 is manufactures list price for this package. I have yet to run into anyone who paid this price, they usually pay more.
My whole point is the TRD package is extremly limited in its use. Over 90 percent of 4x4's sold never even touch a gravel road. Most of us use our trucks to commute to work. How much of your time is truely spent offroading? Maybe 5 percent? How much of that time are you in 4low? maybe 2 percent? Anyone who tells me they stay in 4low the whole time they offroad, will automatically tell me they are just plain lying. The locker can only be engaged in 4low. Lets see, this doesn't help you tow, or pull or haul anything. I notice none of the Toyota boys will tell you what happens when you try to take a sharp corner with a locker engaged.. Hmm...
I am constantly looking for a Ranger vs Tacoma comparison from any magazine. I am very curious to see how you Tacoma boys will react when you see the new 4.0 SOHC "open up a can of whoop [non-permissible content removed]" on your Toy..
I wasn't on here to say that Tacoma's rule or any of that, I was just simply replying to the fact that Vince said they were at an untouchable price. If that was the case I would have never bought one! I was looking for a 4x4 that would serve my needs and that included (Ranger, Toyota, and Nissan). Toyota made me the best deal (obviously), because I am driving a new one. The dealership's name is Bluffs Toyota and the # is 1-712-366-2444. Ask for Owen Jens.
I think that all these trucks are worthy of praise and it comes down to price and service for overall purchase. Hopefully I don't ever have to deal with the service department, but the price was impossible to beat. Maybe I got lucky, but I definitely got better things to do then come on the internet and lie about what I paid. For the most part I just like to read because you guys keep me entertained. I just wanted it to be known that their prices aren't out of this world (In my case atleast). Vince acts like you are buying a truck that is made out of gold.
Not one Tacoma let alone a TRD.
There were 2 Rangers and one Mazda 4000.
Again, not one Tacoma.
I do have to admit that some of the older 4Runners and Toyota pickup trucks looked as if they were set up for some serious off-roading. One looked pretty beat up.
Again, Tacoma was a no show...interesting for the first place choice of FourWheeler magazine.
By your rules, I could claim to get a Tacoma for free if I traded it for my 00' F250 SuperDuty. (in reality Toyota would owe me around 6k.)
I do understand your eariler point where the Ford and Nissan dealers asked for more than what Toyota did.. You chose well.
Vince - Every TRD owner I see seems satisfied with what they received with their package and the price they paid so why keep up your goofy crusade? Somehow I'll bet if Ford was offering the exact same package at the same price, it would be the greatest value in the industry.
CP- I guess it's where you live because here in Calif. as well as So. Oregon, the mountains and deserts are full of Tacomas. Another possibility is that the Tacoma owners are out using their trucks rather than trying to show them off.
I no longer have the window sticker, but this was a well-equipped truck, with all options except the alarm system and the sunroof. It was NOT a Limited. Yes, I got a great deal!
Given the HUGE number of new vehicles adorning all the dealer's lots here in Denver, I'm not surprised that a new Tacoma TRD could be bought for just about invoice, which is about what smgilles paid.
I fail to see why smgilles can't be believed and let it go.
These quotes are from the May 2001 Issue of Fourwheeler ( ULTIMATE 4x4 CONTEST), and the 2001 pickup of the year comparison at the fourwheeler website. Maybe you should start paying attention.
in Loveland, Co. Saw a whole lot of Broncos, lots of Jeeps and a few older Toyota pickups.
Not one Tacoma let alone a TRD.
There were 2 Rangers and one Mazda 4000.
Again, not one Tacoma. \\
So what does this prove? LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why do I hear the Twilight zone theme in my head when I read this?
-when is a limited slip helpful during towing, pulling, or hauling? usually when I'm tooling down the highway towing a boat my wheels aren't spinning. maybe yours are?
YOU CALL THE THAT A ROUGH RIDE???
Try my '85 1/2 ton 4X2 Toy on 238 connector to the 580E. You CA Bay Arears know what I mean. I'm pretty tall so sometimes I get a good jolt and have to watch my head. : ) I guess that makes me pretty biased; compared to my current truck the TRD package seemed like a Cadillac (the Caddy that tows?)
SPOOG -
I hate to say it since everyone is entitled to their opinions, but there are a lot of other magazines and websites out there bubba. Not just four wheeler magazine and their affiliate sites. Maybe you can substantiate your numbers via other sources? I wouldn't mind seeing that.
John
I guess if you think about it that says a lot...
/direct/view/.eea0bad
steelman--->The last few posts you say "Tacomas are better than Rangers", but many people asked what facts you have to back up this opinion. Will you please elaborate on why you think so? Expensive does not equate to being better.
Does anyone have any info on recent APR deals they received?
This has got to be THE most brainless argument I've ever seen on these boards.
It makes spoog look like Socrates.
Some of us will state our opinions, and then state the information for which we based our opinions on.. (Assuming that one has a basis for their opinions). Heck, for some folks the available colors a truck comes in may be a basis in their opinion..
Spoog states his opinion, then presents numbers and articles to show why he chooses that opinion.. (Although, I would prefer it would not repeat the same exact posts every week).
In your case, you gave the opinion that the Tacoma is a better truck.. So far I the only basis for your opinion that I've seen you state is, because the Tacoma costs more..
-Look at that head swell.
Ivan "Ironman" Stewart
End of story.
"It makes spoog look like Socrates". Oh my GOD!
I just hope I can drive home without going in the ditch as I remember the humor. Absolutely the BEST! We must all get together sometime and pat each other on the back for providing such excellent comic relief!
TRD and SVT teams derive a lot of their technology from those events that test the limits of performance. Jaguar, Ferrari, Porsche, Subaru, Nissan, Pontiac, Chevy and GM and most other car manufacturers do the same.
It still doesn't mean that Toyota's are better. It just means that Ivan "Ironman" Stewart can win races and hold a sponsor that will let him drive prototype Toyota technology. When he retires, Toyota will find someone else for their Wheaties boxes.
All evidence to the contrary, it will be a long time before I feel I can trust Ford again with my car purchase. Toyota has never let me or my family down. For all of their shortcommings (pricey, no 3rd door, smaller engine), I have faith the Taco will never leave me stranded. I can't say the same about Ford.
AC DELCO BATTIERS -
It's kinda stupid but I think that Toyota is forced by regulation to used domestic batteries if the car/truck is assembled here in the US. I would imagine there are a number of such regulations plus it's probably cheaper to install the batteries here using domestic batteries rather than having to pay the extra shipping for hazardous materials.
As far as my price for my Taco.. What I did is showed up at the dealership test drove the truck that had the options that I wanted and some I didn't. After driving it I told the salesman I wouldn't pay over $20,000 with my pick-up as trade. He looked at my pick-up and had someone else look at it and said no problem. They couldn't find the color I wanted so I ordered one just like it, dropped the bedliner, bug shield, and tow package and added ABS. It took 6 weeks and I had it. I have never had a better experience with a dealership in my life.
I can understand Vince's point on a 4x2 for the LSD, but not a 4x4, if the roads are slippery I put it in 4x4, that's why I bought it and for my weekend excursions. I think 300lbs in sand bags is better than lsd or open or posi on any 4x2. If you can't get around in that you shouldn't been there in the first place.