Sarah Gray
· 8 min read
Key competitors to watch out for when shopping for a new Toyota Tacoma include the
Chevrolet Colorado
, Nissan Frontier
, and Jeep Gladiator
.The
Toyota Tacoma
rolls into its eighth year for 2023, and while it continues to outsell Toyota’s full-size pickup truck, even die-hard fans have to admit it’s getting old. The Tacoma’s undeniable off-road capabilities and work-truck ruggedness have made it a favorite for years, but its weak powertrains and diminutive interior keep it from reaching best-in-class.To make sure you get exactly what you’re looking for in a mid-size pickup,
Jerry
has gathered the deets on 8 of the Toyota Tacoma’s top competitors.1. Honda Ridgeline
Starting price: $39,435 to $46,865
Selling points: Versatile and packed with configurable features, generous passenger space
Weak spot: Lackluster off-road capabilities and towing capacity
The
Honda Ridgeline
’s short 5.3-foot truck bed is simultaneously one of its greatest strengths and greatest weaknesses. Obviously, its general smallness is the downside, but the locking, weather-tight in-bed trunk with 7.3 cubic feet of volume makes it much easier to take. Add to this more space between the wheel wells than any other mid-size pickup, and you’ve got yourself a great work truck.The Ridgeline’s 280-hp 3.5-liter V6 is another polarizing feature. On the one hand, it’s the most fuel-efficient V6 in its class at 28 mpg combined. On the other, it lacks the towing capacity of many of its rivals, including the Tacoma. When properly outfitted, the Ridgeline can pull up to 5000 lbs—not as much as the Tacoma, but still laudable.
2. Jeep Gladiator
Starting price: $38,765 to $55,675
Selling points: Undeniable off-road capabilities, impressive towing capacity
Weak spot: Poor highway manners and fuel economy
While the
Jeep Gladiator
isn’t as easy to handle on trails as a Wrangler
, buyers who opt for this model are often more interested in the combination of power and utility than just off-road chops. However, that off-road capability is where it really takes the Tacoma to the competitive mats.The Gladiator comes standard with a 3.6-liter gas-guzzling V6 capable of 285-hp and 260 lb-ft of torque at 4400 rpm. Optional equipment includes a more fuel-efficient 3.0-liter diesel V6 that sacrifices 25 ponies in favor of 442 lb-ft of twist at a mere 1400 rpm—the highest torque rating in the mid-size pickup segment. That said, cooling restrictions actually result in the diesel pulling 1000 lbs less than the standard gas engine.
3. Chevrolet Colorado
Starting price: $27,230 to $44,345
Selling points: Excellent handling, ZR2 with impressive off-road capability
Weak spot: Weak base engine, meager active driver assists, cheap cabin materials
In its base configuration, the
Chevrolet Colorado
doesn’t offer much competition for the Tacoma, but outfitted with the available 308-hp V6 or the torquey diesel option, the Colorado can pull up to 7700 lbs. All engines offer average fuel efficiency, with the diesel leading the pack at 20 mpg city and 30 highway.The Colorado’s interior—while cheap-looking—is functional and offers class-leading storage capacity. The Colorado’s cargo-bed capacity gets the job done—and more. Whether you choose the 41-cubic-foot short box or the 50-cubic-foot long box, you’ll have more payload capacity in the Colorado than any of the competition, including the Tacoma.
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4. GMC Canyon
Starting price: $28,595 to $44,395
Selling points: Stylish and fun to drive
Weak spot: Limited driver-assist options
The first thing to do with the
GMC Canyon
is to walk right past the base engine option and go for the potent V6 or the fuel-efficient diesel. With the diesel, the Canyon can pull up to 7700 lbs, giving you full-size truck towing capacity in a mid-size package and pricing. The 3.6-liter V6 makes an impressive 308 horses and features cylinder deactivation for efficiency. While the diesel powertrain sacrifices speed, it increases fuel efficiency by 5 gallons and spins up 178 more lb-ft of torque, making it ideal competition for the Toyota Tacoma.
5. Nissan Frontier
Starting price: $29,985 to $38,390
Selling points: Surprisingly quiet interior, refined ride
Weak spot: Cramped interior, unresponsive steering at low speeds
The newly redesigned 2022
Nissan Frontier
gets a much-needed dose of style, inside and out. Towing power comes from a 3.8-liter V6 capable of 310-hp and 281 lb-ft of torque. Unfortunately, that towing power tops out at only 6720 lbs—less than the Tacoma and its competitors.The off-road-oriented Pro-4X model offers off-road capabilities not present in many of the Frontier’s competitors, but it is on par with the Tacoma’s TRD off-road trims. If you’re heading to the trails, the Frontier’s Zero-Gravity thrones make it a top choice for rough terrain.
6. Ford Ranger
Starting price: $27,425 to $41,000
Selling points: Power for go and tow, exciting new Raptor off-road options
Weak spot: Boring interior with limited tech options
The
Ford Ranger
was missed by fans during its 8-year hiatus, as it offers the perfect mid-size option to the F-150
. Though the Ranger doesn’t feature the same V6 and V8 options as its full-size big brother, the Ranger’s turbocharged 2.3-liter 4-cylinder sacrifices nothing for power. Capable of releasing 270 horses with 310 lb-ft of torque, the Ranger is both speedy and grunty—pulling up to 7500 lbs when properly equipped.Since its reintroduction in 2019, the Ranger hasn’t offered much competition for rivals when it comes to off-road capability—but that’s about to change with the 2023 model year. The new Ranger Raptor will feature the extra ground clearance, underbody protection, and long-travel suspension needed in an off-road god.
MORE: How to build a custom Ford Ranger
7. Hyundai Santa Cruz
Starting price: $25,735 to $41,465
Selling points: Versatility, class-leading interior tech, rich handling
Weak spot: Forgettable base engine, costly upper trims
The new
Hyundai Santa Cruz
offers more competition to the Honda Ridgeline than the Tacoma with its similar unibody construction. Again, you’d do well to ignore the base power plant, even though the turbocharged 2.5-liter 4-cylinder will set you back an additional $10K. Body-on-frame models, like the Tacoma, can tow substantially more than the Santa Cruz, but at 5000 lbs max capacity, the Santa Cruz is pretty capable.While you may have to pay more to get Tacoma-comparable power in the Santa Cruz, you also get a hefty load of fancy equipment and standard all-wheel-drive. The Santa Cruz’s interior is already one of the nicest among mid-size pickups, offering a fully digital gauge cluster and a standard 8.0-inch touchscreen to a handy 10.3 inches infotainment system on upper trims.
8. Ford Maverick
Starting price: $22,470 to $28,335
Selling points: Surprisingly powerful, unique design, exceptional payload capacity
Weak spot: Rough ride, weak towing capacity
Last, but not least, on our list is the new
Ford Maverick
. While it shares a good deal of equipment with the Ford Ranger, it rides on the Bronco Sport
platform. This coupled with a standard hybrid powertrain makes the Maverick a great option to the Tacoma for those seeking mid-size truck capabilities with compact hybrid crossover fuel efficiency.Unfortunately, to get the full 5000-lb towing capacity out of the Maverick, buyers must opt for the non-hybrid turbocharged 4-cylinder, which drops fuel economy substantially but at 22 mpg city and 20 highway, it still gets better gas mileage than any other competitor on our list, including the Tacoma.
Toyota Tacoma vs. the competition
Want to see it all laid out? Below is our side-by-side comparison of the 2022 Toyota Tacoma with its fiercest competitors.
Model | Starting price range | Engine options | Maximum seating capacity | Maximum payload capacity | Maximum towing capacity | Maximum fuel economy (city/highway/combined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
$28,485 to $41,670 | 4-cylinder or V6 | 5 seats | 1560 lbs | 6800 lbs | 20/23/21 mpg | |
2022 Honda Ridgeline | $39,435 to $46,865 | V6 | 5 seats | 1583 lbs | 5000 lbs | 18/24/21 mpg |
$38,765 to $55,675 | V6 | 5 seats | 1700 lbs | 4500 lbs | 16/23/19 mpg | |
$27,230 to $44,345 | 4-cylinder or V6 | 5 seats | 1400 lbs | 7000 lbs | 19/25/22 mpg | |
$28,595 to $44,395 | 4-cylinder or V6 | 5 seats | 1440 lbs | 7000 lbs | 19/25/22 mpg | |
$29,985 to $38,390 | V6 | 5 seats | 1460 lbs | 6720 lbs | 18/24/20 mpg | |
$27,425 to $41,000 | Turbocharged 4-cylinder | 5 seats | 1770 lbs | 7500 lbs | 20/26/22 mpg | |
$25,735 to $41,465 | 4-cylinder or turbocharged 4-cylinder | 5 seats | 1753 lbs | 5000 lbs | 21/26/23 mpg | |
$22,470 to $28,335 | 4-cylinder hybrid | 5 seats | 1500 lbs | 4000 lbs | 42/33/37 mpg |
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