Truck shoppers who want a midsize pickup capable of tackling every terrain, listen up. This comparison is for you. The 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor and Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro are fresh from complete redesigns this model year. They have more safety gear, more onboard technology, and even more mountain-goat-esque degrees of off-road capability. They also have much more horsepower, which we always enjoy during vehicle tests.
Let’s compare the highlights to see how these two midsize pickups match up.
2024 Ford Ranger Raptor
Ford offers the 2024 Ranger in four trims: XL, XLT, Lariat, and the top-of-the-line Raptor. The base price starts at $34,265, including destination charges, though you’ll pay quite a bit more for the Raptor. It has an asking price of $57,065, including the destination fee, but, to be fair, it’s nearly fully loaded. You must pick a color and decide upon minor extras like Raptor decals or front and rear mudflaps.
Ford Ranger Raptor Highlights
Class-leading horsepower: If you go strictly by the numbers, then the Raptor takes the win here. It has a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 that churns out 405 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque. This force gets to the standard 4-wheel drive (4WD) system via a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Go-anywhere gear: Ford also equips this desert-racing-themed truck with a more muscular lifted suspension system, Fox shock absorbers, and chunky 33-inch all-terrain tires.
More drive modes: Compared to lesser Ranger variants, the Raptor has three additional selectable drive modes: Off-Road, Baja, and Rock Crawl.
12.4-inch touchscreen: The burly Ford Ranger Raptor also comes with the larger of two available infotainment touchscreens that run Ford’s Sync 4A software. Mounted vertically in the center of the dash, its large icons and clear menus make it simple to navigate while driving. We’re fans.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Ranger models near you.
2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro
The Toyota Tacoma remains wildly popular among truck shoppers, though it was no secret the outgoing generation was overdue for a reboot. The 2024 Tacoma has more refinement, a higher level of safety and tech features, and, for the first time, offers a hybrid engine. The hybrid comes standard in the TRD Pro model. Pricing for the base Tacoma starts at $32,995 with destination fees, though you’ll have to hand over a cool $65,395, including destination charges, for the TRD Pro.
Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro Highlights
Tenacious off-roader: The TRD Pro has outstanding off-road credentials thanks to its roster of all-terrain hardware. Among the many adventure-seeking gear loaded onto this Tacoma, the TRD Pro comes with beefy underbody steel skid plates, remote reservoir rear shocks, TRD exhaust, 33-inch tires, crawl control, hill descent control, and much more.
Outstanding resale: Want a truck that will hold onto its value for years to come? The Tacoma earned the top spot for Best Resale Value among its class. This is one of the reasons Tacoma buyers are so loyal to this hard-working and hard-wearing truck.
JBL audio system: This 10-speaker stereo has great sound quality, and, as a bonus, it has a removable Bluetooth speaker. So, you can transport your favorite playlist to your ideal outdoorsy spot. That’s a neat feature you can’t get on the Ford Ranger.
Potent hybrid engine: The TRD Pro comes with what Toyota calls the i-Force Max hybrid powertrain, a turbocharged 2.4-liter gas-electric 4-cylinder that produces 326 hp and a whopping 465 lb-ft of torque. This force travels to the wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission with 4-wheel drive.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Tacoma models near you.
Similarities
The midsize truck market is red-hot thanks to new models like the redesigned Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma. Ford and Toyota definitely did their homework when it came time to modernize these rugged and surprisingly refined pickups.
Conclusion
These two midsize trucks are pretty awesome. Yes, they demand a high premium over lower trims, though truck shoppers who really intend on venturing off-road are more than willing to pay for this privilege.
We like the Ford Ranger Raptor’s lower base price, though the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro’s excellent resale value gives it a solid counterpunch. Take them both for a test drive, preferably somewhere rocky, sandy, or muddy.
| 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor | 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro | |
| Starting Price | $57,065 | $65,395 |
| Popular Powertrains | ||
| Engine | Twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 | Turbo gas-electric 2.4-liter 4-cylinder |
| Horsepower | 405 hp @ 5,500 rpm | 326 hp @ 6,000 rpm |
| Torque | 430 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm | 465 lb-ft @ 1,700 rpm |
| Transmission | 10-speed automatic | 8-speed automatic |
| Fuel economy MPG | 16 city/18highway/17 combined | TBD |
| Specs | ||
| Basic Warranty | 3 years/36,000 miles | 3 years/36,000 miles |
| Powertrain Warranty | 5 years/60,000 miles | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| NHTSA Overall Safety | NA | NA |
| Max Seating Capacity | 5 | 5 |
| Wheelbase | 128.7 inches | 131.9 inches |
| Overall Length | 210.9 inches | 214.2 inches |
| Width | 86.7 inches | 80.1 inches |
| Height | 75.9 inches | 75.8 inches |
| Turning Diameter | NA | 44.4 feet |
| Headroom, Front | 41.0 inches | 38.0 inches |
| Headroom, Rear | 38.3 inches | 38.4 inches |
| Legroom, Front | 43.7 inches | 41.8 inches |
| Legroom, Rear | 34.6 inches | 33.7 inches |
| Shoulder Room, Front | 57.1 inches | 58.3 inches |
| Shoulder Room, Rear | 56.7 inches | 57.3 inches |
| Cargo Volume | 43.5 cubic feet | NA |
