Why did you pick the Ranger over the Tacoma?

[AzScorpion]

When you say "top tier gasoline", do you mean premium?

No it's all grades. Here's a good article (half way down the page) telling about what makes it top tier.

https://blog.consumerguide.com/top-tier-gasoline/

https://www.toptiergas.com/licensed-brands/

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[OHTREMOR]

Drove both and just hated the Toyota motor and tranny. Sluggish in my opinion.

 

[humanprimate]

We wanted something that could tow our travel trailer but didn't want a full sized truck. The ranger is almost as big as the F150 in the 90s and does a great job towing the trailer. This is my third year with the ranger and have no regrets. The payload same towing specs for the Tacoma, combined with towing reviews made picking the ranger easy.

 

[joeduran3]

I chose the Ranger over the Tacoma because 1: Ranger has a higher tow capacity and 2: I'm a Ford guy. And I fit better in the Ranger.

 

[Brad-Dallas]

I test drove a couple Tacomas. The one with all the bells and whistles compared to my Lariat Tremor was several thousand more. Body was too boxy in front. Grill looks like the back of a refrigerator to me. Plus EVERYONE seems to have a Tacoma on the road. Ranger Tremor gets lots of looks and people stop and ask me about it all the time.

 

[MXGOLF]

Very nice Ranger Tremor Brad!!!!!!!!!

 

[spiff]

I've always owned foreign cars. The Ranger was my first American vehicle. I had considered the Tacoma, Ranger and Ridgeline.
The Ranger had better gas mileage but the suspension was really floaty- like driving the Warthog in Halo.
The Tacoma had these tiny buttons on the radio console that was too tiny to read. I liked that the Tacoma Limited had 360 cameras. The seating position was ok for me and the ride was less floaty than the Ranger.
The Ridgeline was the nicest of the 3. Smooth ride. Good interior design. Practical features in the cargo area.
But ultimately I needed a 6 foot truck bed. Toyota didn't have any available in the lot. And Ridgeline just didnt come with that configuration.
In the end I needed a truck for a truck. So went with the Ranger.
Though I have to admit the black appearance package on it is pretty sweet.

 

[Montana Ranger]

#1 Incredibly Uncomfortable Seat: As someone over 6', the Taco seat was incredibly uncomfortable. In fact, it was not possible to wear a hat without it hitting the roof liner. There was no way to adjust it to what I found to be a comfortable position. I had to crick my neck just to see the horizon or street lights. There was no way I'd tolerate sitting in it for more than an hour or so. Since the primary mission of my truck was for long trips, this was unacceptable. The Ranger had the most comfortable seating of any of the mid-sized trucks I tested.

#2 Handling on the Highway: Since I'd be spending most of the time on interstates and high-speed 2-lanes, competent and comfortable handling was important. The Ranger excelled at this.

#3 Towing Capability: The Ranger had superior towing specs.

#4 Bang for the Buck: I paid far less for my Ranger than I would have for a comparably-equipped Taco.

 

[RK Racing]

Tired of over sea country’s trying to dominate the US market.

 

[P-38Ranger]

I liked my two Altima's, but when I was shopping the Frontier's were not being produced.
I shopped Camry's and they had the cruise control in a spot that simply didn't work for me.
I shopped Tacos, they are like weeds here in San Diego since they are assembled just south.
Disliked the engine, and it maybe related to the trans, and the cruise control.
I know companies like their driver positions common, but who ever made the cruise control location decisions in the early days of car electronics, was not wrong, but Toyota needs to break with that location.
Love my Ranger, but if the Maverick came with a six foot bed, and club cab, that would have been my choice.

 

[Bsqrd]

Wanted a 4x4 I could flat tow behind my MH and it needed to be under 5K Lbs.

 

[Rocketeer61]

Two reasons: first, when I went to look at a Tacoma I walked around the dealership showroom and lot for an hour and couldn't get a single salesperson's attention. The second reason was the DAV discount.

 

[CODave]

I had three requirements when buying a truck. 1. Had to have good towing numbers. 2. Needed to be off road capable. 3. Had to fit in my garage.

Well, #3 made it mid-sized trucks. Frankly, full sized trucks are GIGANTIC. Awesome, for sure, but huge. Factor #1, the Chevy Colorado was the top tower, at 7,700lbs. But, you had to have the diesel engine, which is a hugely expensive option. The Gladiator is up there too, but the going prices were insanity. $60k? Are you kidding? That's a hard no right from the start. But, the Ranger comes in at 7,500 lbs.? That's really close, and the only special thing needed is the right hitch? Score on for the Ranger. The Taco still might be in the mix, but towing isn't so great.
OK, lets move on to requirement #2, off road packages. After doing a bunch of poking around, when you add the off road package to nearly all the contenders, their payload and towing DROP. The Chevy comes down to 6,000 lbs. towing, putting it with the Tacoma. Oh hey, a Ranger with the FX4 package, still tows 7,500! Score another one for the Ranger.
Finally, we need to talk pricing. Gladiator? Yeah, no. Chevy with the diesel? Nice truck, but pricey and towing is lacking when set up how I wanted it. Down to Taco and Ranger, with Ranger in the lead. Side path - I live in Colorado, where everyone, and I mean Every. Single. Person. has a Tacoma. If you're not a Jeeper, that is. When you mention that you bought a truck, they'd ask what year and color your Tacoma is. It's that bad. Tacomas are in VERY high demand. Now, I get it. They're very reliable trucks, that off-road quite well. But, if I put a sorta comparable but not really (towing) Tacoma next to a Ranger, the Tacoma is $5k -$7k more every time. Hmm, more money for 'less' truck . . . This was a year ago with pandemic pricing. I'm looking around and most dealers are MSRP+. But, I check my local CarMax. They have a '19 Lariat SCAB FX4 with very low miles that's been sitting for ~3 weeks. A bridesmaid if there ever was one. So, I took the family to go for a test drive. Comfortable, quiet, clean CARFAX . . . nice truck. On the test drive, I punch it on an on-ramp and it takes off like a scalded cat. Kids are laughing, wife is grabbing for the 'oh shit' handles. Kids are like, "Do it again, dad!" Wife shoots me the stinkeye. Oh yeah, this is the one. CARMAX offers me a completely bonkers number for my Subaru trade in - pretty close to what I paid for it new 5 years prior. So, I signed to buy the truck before they came to their senses on my trade.

Happy ever since!

 

[DapperDean]

Your front seats are flat on the floor in the Tacoma. The exact opposite of why I love trucks.

 

[DrPerez007]

Happy New Year everyone!

Over the years, I have owned over 50 vehicles. Not one has been “foreign,” although the definition of a foreign vehicle these days is very murky. Nevertheless, I prefer to stick with the “Big Three.” My very first vehicle at age 14 was a surplus 1953 M38A1 (military jeep) and my 2019 MOAB is Jeep #9 for me. Despite my Jeep affliction (or is that addiction?), I never really considered the Gladiator when it came to pickup trucks; perhaps because if one was honest about Jeep quality no more would have to be said. I had just sold my 2011 Dodge Dakota and, candidly, would have seriously considered a 2019 Dakota had they made them (with more power).

Being friends with a Ford salesperson, and having had multiple Ford vehicles, including, among others, one new Explorer Sport Trac, two used LTDs, and five Crown Vics (work), choosing the Ranger was fairly easy. [FWIW, since Ford no longer makes a sedan, I now drive Dodge Chargers and presently awaiting delivery of a recently ordered 2023 Charger. Love the Charger, but miss the Crown Vic.] Only superficially glanced at the Colorado, but the ‘19 Ranger Lariat Crew was everything I wanted, priced very right, and good looking to boot. As others have noted, it checks most of the boxes for a mid-sized pickup, including the requisite towing capacity.

Unless the new Ram Dakota (or whatever they are going to call it) blows me away, I will likely keep the Ranger for years (I’m only averaging about 5,000 miles annually on it). Then again, that new Ranger Raptor has caught my eye…

P.S. I forgot (old age), I also owned a 1999 Ford Ranger with a stick. Loved it. Sold it to buy my ‘05 Jeep also with a stick.

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