This is a hard year to choose the best midsize pickup truck, as all candidates in the space have been vastly improved.
Not only has Toyota recreated the Tacoma, but Ford has also extensively updated and enhanced the Ranger. Chevrolet and GMC have revitalized their midsize pickups with an all-new design and new powertrains. Nissan and Honda have mostly kept things the same this year, but their pickups are also competitive and compelling options.
Toyota
Last year, Toyota sold around 193,000 Tacomas in the United States, a slight drop from their sales figures in the year prior. 2025 is looking good for Toyota so far, with its sales surging upwards and expected to far exceed those of 2024. Ford sold about 52,000 Rangers in 2024, but that was amid the introduction of all of its new Ranger products. They expect better-performing sales numbers in 2025 as well.
Both trucks are outstanding and have a lot to offer the consumer. It’s cliche to say, but you get a lot of truck, whichever you choose. With that being said, one is clearly a winner in terms of bang for the buck, and one is a winner for giving the consumer more overall choices.
Ford
2025 Ford Ranger: it’s got the meats
The Ranger comes in five trims: the $33,080 XL, $36,110 XLT, $43,880 Lariat, and the $55,820 Ranger Raptor. Like the Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon, there is only a 5-foot bed length and a crew-cab 4-door configuration with the capacity for five passengers.
There are three engines available depending on the trim, but all three pack a punch. The base turbocharged 2.3-liter EcoBoost 4-cylinder makes 270 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. Step up to the optional 2.7-liter V6 in the XLT and Lariat models, and you get 315 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. The Ranger Raptor has its own dedicated engine: a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 that makes 405 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque. All three engines are mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Ford
Inside is a standard 8-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment setup powered by Ford’s latest SYNC4A system. Higher trims get a bigger 12-inch digital cluster and a similar 12-inch infotainment screen. The seating comfort, amenities and upgrades on higher trims are competitive with Toyota for the most part.
Ford
The Ford Ranger hauls – literally
Ford also offers competitive towing and payload numbers. Depending on the trim and when properly equipped, you can haul between 5,510 and 7,500 lbs. Payload is par for the course, ranging between 1,711 and 1.805 lbs.
Right out of the box, the base powertrain is competitive, and the higher-end powertrains are in the ballpark but are bested by some competitors on paper. Even the twin-turbo V6 in the Raptor is very competitive with GM trucks and top-trim Tacomas for a lot less. To me, that’s the whole point: Ford is giving you a lot of truck for less buck(s).
Toyota
2025 Toyota Tacoma: have it your way
While Ford made updates, Toyota released an all-new pickup truck based on the TNGA-F platform with similar underpinnings to the Tundra and Sequoia. Unlike the Ranger, the Tacoma has two bed lengths and two cab configurations.
There are nearly a dozen trims, starting with the $31,590 SR, $36,220 SR5, and $38,120 Prerunner. These start as two-door, rear-drive models with rear-drive and an 8-speed automatic transmission. A 6-speed manual is available, but only in the double cab and 4WD configuration.
Toyota
The Tacoma offers even more
The two best value propositions are the $39,400 TRD Sport and the $41,800 TRD Off-Road. For those who want the top-class non-hybrid, there’s the $52,555 Limited. From there, the more powerful and equally more expensive hybrids enter the fray.
The TRD Sport i-Force MAX, priced at $46,320, marks the starting point for hybrids. Below it, the TRD Off-Road i-Force Max is available for $46,220, while the Limited i-Force Max is priced at $55,880. At the highest tier, we find the Limited i-Force Max at $55,880, followed by the Trailhunter at $62,735 and the TRD Pro at $63,735.
Toyota
There’s a turbo and a turbo with an electric motor
The “regular” engines are turbocharged 2.4-liters with 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque for the manual transmission models. The engines paired with the 8-speed automatics, on the other hand, make 278 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque.
The Toyota Tacoma i-Force Max has a 2.4-liter turbocharged hybrid engine that makes 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque with no manual option available.
Toyota has greatly improved the interior dimensions and technology in all of the Tacoma options. The interior is far more comfortable and roomy, and the infotainment screens range from 8 inches to 12 inches. The seats are comparable to Ford’s, with the exception of the TRD Pro’s IsoDynamic front seats. They have their own built-in suspension, which works wonders for super-hard off-road bouncing.
One of the issues is that the Tacoma is on the lower side when it comes to towing numbers. Depending on the trim and powertrain, towing sits between 3,500 lbs and 6,500 lbs. Payload is so-so, ranging between 1,230 to 1,700 lbs, also depending on the powertrain.
Toyota
From the bottom to the top
Given that Toyota is the last automaker in the US to offer a manual transmission, a two-door pickup truck, and two cab configurations, I would say they’re the winner on the low end. They have a truck from almost everyone with more available options than any other competitor.
Ford wins on the high end, given the outstanding performance of the Ranger Raptor and its pricing. It is more than competitive with Toyota’s pricey Tacoma TRD Pro in every off-road metric that counts. In fact, for what you get for the dough, no one comes close.
Ford
Toyota
Final thoughts
It would be a copout to say that both trucks are great choices, even if it is true. I will instead say that this is the golden age of mid-size pickup trucks. Yes, they are pricey, but there’s something available for just about anyone. Old school V6s, solid axles, long and short beds, convertible tops, hybrids, turbos – the list goes on. Midsize pickups have never been as utilitarian and off-road capable as they are today. It’s a fact.
It just so happens that Ford and Toyota build some outstanding pickups, and it’s incumbent upon shoppers to check out these brands as well. I like the Tacoma TRD Off-Road with the manual transmission and the Ford Ranger Raptor. Both pack a lot of punch for the money.
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About the author
Nathan Adlen
Contributing Writer, Autoblog