The 2024 Toyota Tacoma has undergone significant changes, making it a formidable competitor to the Ford Ranger. Toyota has given the Tacoma a complete redesign, refreshing its appearance and adding modern features that were previously lacking. With these improvements, the Tacoma is poised to maintain its position as the most popular mid-size pickup. Here are 10 reasons why the 2024 Toyota Tacoma outshines the Ford Ranger.
This list was compiled using data from Car and Driver, HotCars, and CarEdge. We have identified 10 areas where the 2024 Toyota Tacoma surpasses the 2024 Ford Ranger.
10 The Tacoma Remains King Of Off-road Tech With Its Suspension Options
The 2024 Toyota Tacoma has a long-standing reputation for being the best mid-size pickup truck for off-road performance. The Tacoma continues to deliver in this area with its impressive suspension options.
Tacoma Options
1. Rear Leaf Springs
2. Bilstein Monotubes with Remote Reservoirs
3. Fox Adjustable Internal-Bypass Shocks
4. ARB’s Old Man Emu Monotube Shocks
Ranger Options
1. Rear Leaf Springs
2. Adaptive Fox Live Valve Dampers
3. Watts-Style Trailing Arms
While Ford offers some options like the Fox 2.5-inch Live Valve Internal Bypass on the Ranger Raptor, the Tacoma’s suspension options surpass the Ranger’s. The 2024 Tacoma offers Bilstein remote reservoir shocks on the TRD Off-Road, Fox three-way adjustable internal bypass shocks on the TRD Pro, and Old Man Emu 4×4 Suspension on the new Trailhunter trim. Additionally, Toyota’s Multi-Terrain Select outperforms Ford’s off-road capability.
9 The Departure And Approach Angles On The Tacoma Are Absurdly Good
The 2024 Toyota Tacoma excels in off-roading, as demonstrated by its impressive departure and approach angles.
Approach And Departure Angles
|
Tacoma |
Ranger 4×2 |
Ranger 4×4 |
Ranger Raptor |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ground Clearance |
9.5 inches |
8.8 inches |
9.3 inches |
10.7 inches |
|
Approach Angle |
33.8° |
29.2° |
30.2° |
33.0° |
|
Departure Angle |
25.7° |
25.1° |
25.8° |
26.4° |
The Tacoma surpasses the Ranger in approach angles across all models, and their departure angles are comparable. The Tacoma also generally has better ground clearance, emphasizing its commitment to off-road capability.
8 The Tacoma Doesn’t Sacrifice Its Towing Capacity For Performance
While the base models of the Ranger have a higher towing capacity than the Tacoma, this is because Ford’s trim choices are not as optimized for consumers.
Towing Capacity
|
Tacoma |
Ranger 4×2 |
Ranger 4×4 |
Ranger Raptor |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Towing Capacity |
6,500 pounds |
7,500 pounds |
7,500 pounds |
5,510 pounds |
Although the Tacoma’s towing capacity starts 1,000 pounds lower than the Ranger, this is consistent across the board, with the exception of the hybrid option, which still exceeds the Ranger Raptor by a few hundred pounds. The Ranger offers higher towing capacity in certain trims, but if you want the best off-roading experience, you may have to sacrifice some towing capability. The Tacoma strikes a balance by providing a comfortable middle ground across all its trim levels.
7 The Tacoma’s XtraCab Offers An Extra Long Truck Bed
The Tacoma offers multiple body styles to cater to different needs. The XtraCab, in particular, provides an extra-long truck bed, giving you more cargo space.
Bed Size And Payload Capacity
|
Ranger |
Tacoma DoubleCab |
Tacoma XtraCab |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Bed Size |
5 Feet |
5 Feet |
6 Feet |
|
Payload Capacity |
1411 – 1805 pounds |
1709 Pounds |
1709 Pounds |
The Tacoma’s 5-foot bed size is comparable to the Ranger’s, but the XtraCab body style offers an additional foot of truck bed. The Tacoma’s payload capacity is competitive, with a standard capacity of 1709 pounds. The Ranger may have slightly higher payload capacities in some trims, but it’s not significant enough to outweigh the advantages offered by the Tacoma’s extra space.
6 The 2024 Toyota Tacoma Provides You With The Choice Of A Hybrid Powertrain
While the Ford Ranger has capable powertrain options, the Tacoma offers the choice of a hybrid powertrain, giving it an advantage in terms of fuel efficiency and overall performance.
Tacoma Engines
|
Engine |
Horsepower |
Torque |
Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2.4-liter I4 |
223 hp |
243 lb-ft |
8-Speed Automatic |
|
2.4-liter I4 |
270 hp |
310 lb-ft |
6-Speed Manual |
|
2.4-liter I4 |
279 hp |
317 lb-ft |
8-Speed Automatic |
|
Hybrid 2.4-liter I4 |
326 hp |
465 lb-ft |
8-Speed Automatic |
Ranger Engines
|
Engine |
Horsepower |
Torque |
Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2.3-liter Ecoboost I4 |
270 hp |
310 lb The 2024 Discovery Sport Features a Curved Touchscreen and MoreJaguar Land Rover has recently announced ambitious plans for the future, which includes the restructuring of its brands. As a result, the Land Rover brand has been split into three brands: Range Rover, Defender, and Discovery. The new Discovery Sport has been refreshed for this new era, featuring a redesigned interior, advanced technology, and improvements to its versatility and drivability. The new Discovery Sport is equipped with the celebrated Pivi Pro entertainment system, which can be accessed through an 11.4-inch floating, curved touchscreen. With just two taps from the Home screen, users can access 90% of the system’s functions. The car also comes standard with integration with Amazon Alexa and Wireless Apple CarPlay, as well as Android Auto. It also features wireless device charging, USB-C charging in the rear seats, and a Cabin Air Purification Plus system to ensure clean air inside the car. In terms of drivability, the new Discovery Sport is equipped with 3D surround cameras and ClearSight Ground View, which allows drivers to see what is underneath the vehicle. The SUV is available for configuration and ordering now, starting at $48,900 in the United States. This marks the beginning of a new era for all of Land Rover’s new brands. Reasons behind Reddit r/Cars and Other Communities Going DarkReddit has implemented changes that have led to several communities shutting down their operations in protest. The automotive industry also participated in the shutdown starting on June 12, which is aimed to last for 48 hours, or even indefinitely in some subreddits. As of writing this article, a Twitch live stream monitoring the situation shows that almost 8,000 communities have gone dark. This includes the largest subreddit for cars, r/Cars, which has 4.9 million members. Other major auto-related subreddits that are currently private are r/Autos, r/Spotted, r/IdiotsInCars, r/AskCarSales, and dozens of manufacturer and vehicle-specific groups. This move has essentially removed them from the public’s view. However, not all of Reddit’s world has shut down. As we publish this article on the afternoon of June 12, r/CarTalk and its 650,000-plus members are still active, as is r/Mechanic Advice with 1.1 million members. Though with subreddits closing down on a seemingly minute-by-minute basis, it’s highly possible that these sites could turn private by the time you read this. Changes made by Reddit regarding third-party apps are the reasons behind these protests. Reddit is imposing API costs on third-party developers that force them to shut down. API stands for application programming interface, which is the software that enables different applications to communicate. These apps are commonly used among Reddit users, and they supposedly help subreddits moderators keep their communities running smoothly. As per NBC News, one developer must shut down their application at the end of June, as the API charges would cost over $20 million per year. It’s unclear whether r/Cars will return on June 14 or remain private. Motor1.com has reached out to r/Cars’ moderators to get some insights into this situation, but we haven’t received a response yet. We’ll update this article if more information becomes available. NEW MANAGEMENT TEAM ANNOUNCED TEAM ANNOUNCED FOR ABARTH, FIAT AND FIAT PROFESSIONAL18 January 2023: Fiat has announced changes to its UK management team, with Damien Dally being appointed Managing Director for the UK operations of Abarth, Fiat and Fiat Professional, with immediate effect. He will join Marketing Director Giuseppe Cava and Sales Director Iain Brown on the management team.
Dally has worked for FCA – and subsequently Stellantis – for 21 years and has a wide breadth of knowledge and experience across all of the brands within the group. His tenure includes a stint in Italy as Head of Commercial Development – Jeep brand EMEA and Management of the Fiat Chrysler International Sales Operations. He is renowned for his passion for driving results alongside his strong sales and marketing background gained both in the UK and Europe. Dally will report to Paul Willcox, Senior Vice President and Group Managing Director, Stellantis UK.
Cava joined the group in June 2018 covering several roles in the Product Marketing team and leading the division as Head of Product, before moving to the Marketing Director role for Fiat and Abarth in February 2022 where he remains. Cava holds a double master’s degree in management from two leading universities in Germany and Italy as well as a Masters in Global Marketing & Made in Italy. Cava will report into Damien Dally, Managing Director.
Sales Director Brown has an abundance of sales and automotive experience, having first joined Fiat as Zone Sales Manager in 2008. During his tenure, he has held various roles with the Stellantis brands, including Regional Sales Manager and National Sales Operation Manager. In his latter role, from 2019, Brown was Head of Customer Experience and Quality for Abarth, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Fiat Professional and Jeep.
Richard Chamberlain continues his role as Director of Commercial Vehicles for Stellantis UK.
On his appointment, Dally, said: “This is a huge honour for me to take over these iconic brands with incredible pasts, but equally as exciting futures. In the all-electric Fiat 500 we truly have an electric car that is widely lauded by media and consumers alike. In addition, the Abarth 500e has just been revealed and will be on sale later in the year while e-Ducato and e-Scudo offer a diverse portfolio for van drivers. It really couldn’t be a more exciting time to be working on these brands.”
Senior Vice President and Group Managing Director, Stellantis UK , Paul Willcox said: “I am delighted to congratulate Damien on his new appointment as Managing Director for the UK operations of Abarth, Fiat and Fiat Professional. His 21 years’ experience within the business and deep understanding of the individual brands will help guide the business towards its successful emission free future.”
For further information, please contact Kate Oyler, Head of PR, Abarth, Fiat and Fiat Professional, kate.oyler@stellantis.com or 07796 447124.
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