What’s the best midsize truck for your backroad and beach adventures, the 2025 Ford Ranger or the 2025 Toyota Tacoma? Our comparison guide takes a closer look at everything these pickups have to offer!
Key Takeaways
- With its more comfortable ride and roomy, modern cabin, the Ranger is our favorite road-trip truck!
- Both midsize pickups excel when it comes to technology, delivering modern infotainment and cutting-edge safety aids.
- Compared to the Tacoma, the Ranger delivers maximum muscle and stronger workhorse capabilities.
- With more power and off-roading upgrades available, the Ranger feels at home on North Carolina’s backroads and beaches.
Road-Trip Comfort: 2025 Ford Ranger
Thanks to last year’s redesign, the Ranger’s ride is as smooth and comfortable as it’s ever been. This midsize truck also gets high marks for seating comfort and cabin space. And moving up the Ranger’s list of trim models (XL, XLT, Lariat, and Raptor) only means more luxury. Available comfort features include leather seating, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated seats and more.
Unfortunately, the Tacoma isn’t quite as accommodating. The front seats are a little flat, and they feel increasingly less supportive as your road trip wears on. As far as ride is concerned, some Tacoma trim models are more comfortable than others. The ride is pretty stiff on lower trims, but the more expensive models deliver a smoother performance, thanks to their advanced suspension.
Street-Smart Technology: It’s a Tie!
Here, both the 2025 Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma shine, albeit in different ways. After a major redesign for 2024, the Ranger introduced cutting-edge infotainment. Every version of this truck comes with a digital gauge cluster, SYNC 4 infotainment and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Better still, the Ranger is the only midsize truck to offer advanced safety aids like Pro Trailer Backup Assist, blind-spot monitoring with Trailer Coverage and adaptive cruise control with Stop and Go.
The Tacoma delivers a similar infotainment setup, but it also offers a longer list of standard safety aids. Compared to the Ranger, the Tacoma adds to its standard lineup with high-tech conveniences like adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist. Of course, Toyota’s midsize truck also shares many of the Ranger’s high-tech upgrades, like wireless smartphone charging, premium audio and built-in navigation.
Premium Power: 2025 Ford Ranger
Whether you’re shopping for muscle or speed, the Ranger makes the most convincing arguments on both fronts. Depending on trim model, Ford’s midsize truck offers your choice of two turbocharged V6 engines. The strongest trim model, the Ranger Raptor, leaves the Tacoma in the dust with 405 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. The Ranger can also tow and haul more than the Tacoma. Properly equipped, this truck can tow up to 7,500 pounds or haul payloads of up to 1,805 pounds!
2025 Ford Ranger Powertrain Options
- Standard 2.3L turbocharged four-cylinder engine (270 hp, 310 lb-ft)
- Available for XLT, Lariat: 2.7L turbo V6 (315 hp, 400 lb-ft)
- Raptor-exclusive 3.0L turbo V6 (405 hp, 430 lb-ft)
- 10-speed automatic transmission
- Rear-wheel drive or optional four-wheel drive
While the 2025 Toyota Tacoma isn’t as powerful as the Ranger, you can’t say that it isn’t powerful! Choose from three peppy engine options, the strongest of which supplies 326 horses and 465 pound-feet of torque. Toyota’s midsize truck can also move a pretty big trailer, with a max tow rating of 6,500 pounds. Depending on body style and equipment, max payloads reach 1,710 pounds.
2025 Toyota Tacoma Powertrain Options
- Standard 2.4L turbo four-cylinder engine (228 hp, 243 lb-ft)
- Available high-output 2.4L turbo four-cylinder engine (278 hp, 317 lb-ft with automatic; 270 hp, 310 lb-ft with manual)
- Available 2.4L turbo i-Force Max hybrid four-cylinder engine (326 hp, 465 lb-ft)
- Eight-speed automatic transmission
- Available six-speed manual transmission
Rugged Capabilities: 2025 Ford Ranger
Whether you’re exploring the Sandhills or headed into the Smokey Mountains, the 2025 Ford Ranger is the right midsize truck for the job. To equip your Ranger for the trail, you have two options. First, you can add the rugged FX4 package to either the XLT or Lariat trim model. This is a great way to add rugged features (like an electronic-locking rear differential, off-road-tuned suspension, and underbody skid plates) to your truck at a reasonable rate.
The second option is the Ranger Raptor trim model. Introduced for 2024, this truck is designed for high-speed off-roading, and it outclasses the competition with its superior power and Fox racing shocks! King of all midsize off-roading trucks, the Raptor will take you furthest down difficult Smokey Mountain trails!
Although the Ranger has the edge, the Tacoma is a stiff competitor. However, instead of an off-road package that you can add to any trim model, the 2025 Toyota Tacoma offers a variety of off-road-ready trim models: the TRD PreRunner, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, TRD Pro, and Trailhunter. The TRD Pro aspires to the Raptor’s high-speed off-road performance, featuring upgrades like Fox shocks, 33-inch all-terrain tires, and a performance exhaust. But without the Ranger Raptor’s power (405 horses), the Tacoma TRD Pro (326 horses) lags behind.
The Best Midsize Truck in North Carolina
We feel very confident in naming the Ranger as the most versatile midsize truck for daily driving and weekend trips in NC 2025. Are you ready to experience the power, performance, and advanced technology of this midsize truck? Then visit us at Lafayette Ford in Fayetteville, NC, and get behind the wheel of your very own Ford Ranger!