Midsize Truck Comparison: Ranger vs Tacoma, Gladiator, Colorado, Canyon, Frontier

rangerdanger

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Motor Trend: AUTO SHOWDOWN: 2020 JEEP GLADIATOR VS. 2019 FORD RANGER

Earlier this year, Ford revealed the U.S.-spec version of the Ranger pickup truck at the Detroit auto show, marking its return to the U.S. market after a seven-year absence. And although we knew the Ranger would need to compete with other midsizers such as the Chevrolet Colorado and Toyota Tacoma, it will soon face even stiffer competition from Jeep. After years of speculation, Jeep finally introduced a Wrangler-based pickup truck called the Gladiator. Now that we've seen both trucks, here are our initial impressions on how they compare.

EXTERIOR DESIGN

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This is a tough one. Jeep didn't try anything daring with the Gladiator's design, giving us exactly what we'd imagine a Wrangler-based pickup would look like. On the other hand, Ford did very little to update the Ranger's look when it brought the truck to the U.S., which means it feels less fresh than your typical new vehicle does. But even though we know opinions will probably be split, we give the edge to the Gladiator, because just look at it.

INTERIOR DESIGN



Again, it's difficult to pick a winner here. Each truck appeals to a different crowd, especially because Ford's said it has no plans to bring the Ranger Raptor to the U.S. The Ranger's interior is more straightforward, and it wouldn't look out of place in a crossover. If you're looking for comfort and refinement, it's probably the winner there, too. But although the Gladiator's cabin looks to be an exact copy of the Wrangler's, we're big fans of its more memorable design. And based on our experience with the Wrangler (which we just named SUV of the Year, by the way), it's probably more comfortable than you'd expect.

BED SIZE



TO MAKE SURE THE GLADIATOR CAN HANDLE ACTUAL TRUCK DUTIES, JEEP ADDED 31 INCHES TO THE WRANGLER UNLIMITED'S FRAME AND GAVE IT A 5-FOOT BED. WITH THE TAILGATE DOWN, THAT SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO HAUL TWO DIRT BIKES. THE BASE RANGER'S BED MATCHES THE GLADIATOR'S AT 5 FEET, BUT FORD TAKES THE WIN IN THIS CATEGORY BECAUSE IT OFFERS A 6-FOOT OPTION FOR BUYERS WHO NEED THE ADDITIONAL CAPABILITY.

POWERTRAIN

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At launch, the Gladiator will come with a 3.6-liter V-6 that makes 285 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. Later, it will add a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6 good for 260 hp and 442 lb-ft. A six-speed manual comes standard, and an eight-speed automatic is optional. As far as we know, the only engine the Ranger will get is Ford's 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 270 hp and 310 lb-ft. A 10-speed automatic will be the only transmission. We like the Ranger's torque advantage, but with more engine options and an available manual transmission, we give the nod to the Gladiator.

TOWING

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With the optional tow package, the Ranger can tow up to 7,500 pounds, an impressive 700 pounds more than the Toyota Tacoma. The Gladiator's tow rating is even more impressive, though, rated at 7,650 pounds when properly equipped. But if you're loading up the bed, the Gladiator's 1,600-pound payload rating can't match the Ranger's 1,860-pound maximum. For us, that's enough to declare this category a tie.

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PRICING

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At the moment, Jeep hasn't announced Gladiator pricing, but we do know the base price of a crew cab Ford Ranger is $27,615. But considering the Wrangler Unlimited starts at $32,940, we think the Gladiator will cost at least that much, if not more. When you add the Ranger's $4,160 four-wheel-drive option to match the Gladiator's standard four-wheel drive, the gap closes considerably, though we'd guess the Ranger will still have the price advantage.

We can't wait to drive the new Gladiator and Ranger, especially because they're such different trucks. No matter which one we end up liking better, more competition in the midsize truck segment can only be a good thing.
 

Desert_5G

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when it comes down to it, its basically a Chrysler product. they are always at the bottom of quality and reliability. which will never make me buy one of their cars. they are cheap for a reason.
 
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rduvall

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Lrtexasman

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Went to the Fort Worth Auto show yesterday for my Ranger test drive. Test drive went fairly quick as it was raining and not very many people wanted to walk to a covered tent area to wait their turn. They had a few a trucks going and I ended up in a Lariat 4x4 FX4. For comparisons sake, I am 6' 205 lbs. Front seat comfort was more plushy than I expected, plenty of seating positions, and a more than sufficient leg room in the front. Dash layout was good. Truck had plenty of power for the tooling around town on the test drive we did. Crossing over downtown streets there was some suspension bounciness (it's a truck after all) which felt controlled and not sloppy. The Ranger was behind the Tacoma, and in front of the GM trucks, for interior material and build quality. Ride wise, I preferred the Tacoma crew with the 6' bed, guessing the longer wheelbase helped, then the Ranger, and the GM twins last. The GM twins feel too sloppy going over semi-rough pavement. My co-rider who is about 5'6", sat behind the front passenger (Ford rep) who was roughly the same size. She had just enough leg room to be comfortable. The rear seatback is fairly straight up, similar to the other midsize trucks, and has plenty of padding. My seat was close to, but not all the way back, and sitting behind me would have been very tight for her. Her knees definitely would be in the seat back in my driving position. The drivers seat does move up and down, so you may be able to find a little more room raising the seat up, as I angle it back a little more than the average person. The trucks are averaging around 26 MPG overall per the Ford lady. She said she is part of the road show and has driven the Rangers all over the US. She said none of them have had reliability issues that she knows of. For those that are curious, the free gift was a Ranger hat or paracord wrist band. A $500 voucher on top of the $750 that is out there would be a better promotional opportunity. I did sit in the Wrangler (the Gladiator was not there) to compare back seat room (Wrangler and Gladiator have same dimensions) and I will be ordering the Gladiator. The Ranger will be a great choice for those looking to get a solid midsize truck, with excellent fuel economy, handling, and capability. I am passing primarily due to the rear seat functionality (no load floor with seats folded down, limited storage underneath seat, no floor space when folding seat up) and lack of rear leg room.

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AirForceGuy

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Went to the Fort Worth Auto show yesterday for my Ranger test drive

For those that are curious, the free gift was a Ranger hat or paracord wrist band. A $500 voucher on top of the $750 that is out there would be a better promotional opportunity.

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You think? $500 would be better than a hat?


Great review, though. I’m on the fence between the two.
 

j0shm1lls

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RodSlinger

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If it isn't a body on frame then it isn't a truck. It's more like an Odyssey minivan with a bed.
Whether the body is welded to the frame or bolted doesn't change what it is. You just aren't doing a body lift on the Ridgeline. But either can be designed to do the same tasks with the same durability.

And also remember that the new full size Transit Vans are uni-body design as well as a few million Chevy vans built from the late 70's to early 2000's.
 

RodSlinger

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I love how all these initial reviews and specs focus on things that 95% of the buyers of these trucks couldn't care less about.

Approach angles, ground clearance, etc... I need someone to take this thing for a lap around VIR and tell me how well the brakes hold up.

I want to know well this thing will get out of the way with a 3500lb box trailer behind it.

I want to know if the ass end is going to kick out over bridge expansion joints like a busted Tacoma.

I want to know if I can dive bomb this thing into a freeway cloverleaf and hold the lateral load as well as the bed load.

I NEED a truck for work but WANT a Mustang instead. So the faster it goes, the better it turns and the harder it brakes will be good info. And I'm betting this thing will be a bit of a hot-rod in this midsize segment.

I'm betting the new Ranger will waste a Colorado in 0-60 and 1/4 mile with the torque advantage and better transmission gear ratios. It probably has better weight bias than the GM twins with the shorter wheelbase and Ecoboost under the hood too.
 

mike

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Had FCA decided to build an extended/super cab Gladiator with a 6' bed as well, I'd have a decision to make (to wait and compare or just move forward). As it is, FCA made my choice very easy. I do need a truck sooner rather than later, so I probably would have gone with the Ranger regardless.
 

rangerdanger

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PickupTrucks.com: We Pit the 2019 Ford Ranger Against the 2018 Toyota Tacoma in a Real-World Test

We gave the newly reborn 2019 Ford Ranger a positive early review, but you know that's not good enough for Pickuptrucks.com — we wanted to see how the Ranger measures up to the most popular mid-size pickup trucks. We already broke down how the Ranger and Toyota Tacoma's specs/trims measure up, so now it was time to test these two in the real world.

That meant a head-to-head comparison with the reigning mid-size sales king, the 2018 Toyota Tacoma, a formidable opponent with a reputation that sets a high bar for the 2019 Ford Ranger to surpass. We tested these two trucks on a long on-road drive to test fuel economy, at an off-road park and did a quick jaunt with both trucks filled to their maximum payload capacity all in the Los Angeles area.
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rduvall

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New: Honda Ridgeline has been added.
Updated: Information updates thanks to several forum members @j0shm1lls and @Lrtexasman. Corrected the Ranger Fuel Tank capacity and added the Gladiator Fuel Tank capacity. Columns are now in alphabetical order according to Manufacturer. Chevy/GMC are grouped as they are essentially the same Truck.

* All info is now based on Crew Cab short bed variants to enable to best comparison across the board.
** Fields in yellow are either unknown or best guesstimates based on information I, or other members, could find. If you have any of this info please post it here along with a link so I can verify the origin and update the info.


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uthunter

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I'd love to see what the Toyota has for HP at 5,200 RPM and Torque at 4,000 RPM. That way we'd be comparing closer to real-world applications. In trucks especially, the lower-end stuff is more important than the high RPM numbers.
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