2026 Ford Ranger vs the Competition

As the other mid-size truck from a domestic brand with a rich pickup-truck history, the Colorado is likely the closest competitor to the Ranger. The Colorado replaced the S-10 pickup in 2003. Ten years later, the Colorado skipped the 2013 model year but returned the following year with a redesigned version. A decade after that, it skipped the 2023 model year before launching a redesigned 2024 model. All Colorado models are equipped with a 2.7-liter turbocharged inline-four engine producing 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque. Like the Ranger, every model features a four-door cab paired with a five-foot bed.

• The Ranger has a standard ten-speed, shiftable automatic transmission, compared to the eight-speed shiftable automatic in the Colorado.
• The Ranger has 8.7 inches of ground clearance compared to 7.9 inches for the Colorado.
• The Ranger offers a little more room for rear passengers, particularly when all three seats are occupied, with more shoulder room (56.7 vs. 56.1 inches) and more hip room (54.1 vs 53.1 inches)
• EPA-estimated city/highway/combined fuel economy is slightly better in the Ranger (4×2) with 21/25/23 compared to the Colorado’s 19/24/21.
• The Ranger has a wider bed, including between the wheel wells (48.2 vs. 45.5 inches) and overall (62.1 vs. 58.2 inches).
• The Ranger has a little more volume in its bed than the Colorado. (43.5 vs. 41.9 cubic feet).
• The Ranger comes with standard selectable drive modes to optimize operation in desired conditions, including Eco Mode and Sport Mode. The Colorado does not have selectable drive modes.
• The Ranger XL has a driver’s lumbar adjustment, which the Colorado LT lacks.

It wasn’t called “Frontier,” but the then-Datsun-branded pickup came to the U.S. in 1959 and was the first compact pickup truck available in the U.S. The Frontier name dates back to 1997 and applies to a larger midsize truck for the US market. The Frontier is powered by a 310-hp 3.8-liter V6 for all trims. It is available with both extended King Cabs and four-door Crew Cabs, the former with six-foot beds and the latter with a choice of either five- or six-foot beds.

• Frontier’s one-size-fits-all V6 powertrain has more horsepower (310 vs. 270) but less torque (281 vs. 310 lb-ft) than the Ranger’s 2.3-liter Ecoboost.
• The Ranger’s peak torque is also available at 3,000 rpm vs. 4,400 for the Frontier.
• The Ranger has a standard ten-speed, shiftable automatic transmission, compared to the nine-speed, shiftable automatic transmission for the Frontier.
• The EPA-estimated city/highway/combined fuel economy for the Ranger (4×2) is 21/25/23, compared to 19/24/21 for the Frontier.
• The EPA-estimated city/highway/combined fuel economy for the Ranger (4×4) is 19/24/21, compared to 17/21/19 for the Frontier.
• Maximum towing ability for the Ranger exceeds that of the Frontier (7,500 vs. 7,160 pounds).
• Maximum payload for the Ranger is considerably greater than the Frontier’s (1,757 vs. 1,620 pounds).
• Rear passengers in the Ranger enjoy more legroom (34.6 vs. 33.2 inches) and more hip room (54.1 vs. 53.7 inches).

The Toyota Tacoma is 31 years old this year, although previous Toyota pickups date back to 1968. Starting in 1979, the third-generation truck introduced four-wheel drive, an automatic transmission, fuel injection, an independent front suspension, an available V6, and an XtraCab model. With the introduction of the 2005 Tacoma, the truck transitioned to mid-size. Since the 2024 redesign, the model has been powered by 2.4-liter turbocharged inline-four engines with five trim levels available. The hybrid drivetrain is designed for power and fuel savings.

• On base models, the Ranger XL has considerably more power than the more expensive Tacoma SR, with both more horsepower (270 vs. 228) and more torque (310 vs. 243 lb-ft).
• The Ranger has a standard ten-speed, shiftable automatic transmission, compared to the eight-speed, shiftable automatic in the Tacoma.
• The Ranger’s 7,500-pound maximum towing capacity is greater than that of the base Tacoma SR (3,500 pounds) and the upgrade SR5, and other similarly powered Tacoma models (6,500 pounds).
• The Ranger’s maximum payload is 1,757 pounds, which is a little greater than that of the non-hybrid Tacoma (1,680 pounds).
• Rear passengers in the Ranger have more legroom than in the Tacoma (34.6 vs. 33.7 inches).
• Motor Trend found that the Ranger had a shorter 60-0 mph stopping distance than the Tacoma (125 vs. 137 feet).
• The Ranger has speed-sensitive variable-assist power steering, and the Tacoma does not. The system provides a better feel for the road, easier parking, and better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering.
• The Ranger provides a greater bed width between the wheel wells (48.2 vs. 44.7 inches) and overall (62.1 vs. 57.8 inches), as well as a higher bed height (20.8 vs. 20.2 inches).
• The Ranger has a standard center-folding armrest for the rear passengers, which the Tacoma does not offer.

The Jeep Gladiator is the latest addition to the mid-size truck segment, introduced for the 2020 model year and remaining largely unchanged since then. Coming from a company well-known for SUVs, it is built on an expanded version of the Wrangler chassis and shares much of the Wrangler’s off-road imagery and capability, as well as on-road weaknesses in noise and ride refinement. Another Wrangler trait shared with the Gladiator is an extensive model line with eight trim levels to choose from. All trim levels have four-door cabs, 3.6-liter V6s, 4×4 drivetrains, and are available with either soft retractable or hard removable roofs. With a starting MSRP of $39,820*, the Gladiator Sport is the most comparable in price to the $39,470* Ranger XLT 4×4.

• The Gladiator’s V6 offers more horsepower than the Ranger’s standard engine (285 vs. 270 hp) but falls significantly short in torque (260 vs. 310 lb-ft).
• The Gladiator’s V6 falls short of the Ranger’s optional 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged V6 in both horsepower (315 vs. 285 hp) and torque (400 260 lb-ft).
• The Gladiator features an eight-speed automatic transmission, while the Ranger has a ten-speed automatic transmission.
• The Ranger 4×4 has a standard engine EPA-estimated city/highway/combined mpg rating of 19/24/21 mpg, respectively, which is higher than the Gladiator’s rating of 17/22/19 mpg.
• The Gladiator has a maximum towing capacity of 7,700 pounds, just edging out the Ranger’s 7,500-pound capacity. However, the Ranger has a tow/haul drive mode, which the Gladiator lacks.
• Because it is basically a Wrangler from the rear doors forward, the Gladiator is long but over a foot narrower than the Ranger. This is apparent in the reduced front/rear shoulder room: 55.7/55.7 inches versus 57.1/56.7 inches.
• The Gladiator’s narrow body also creates a significantly narrower cargo bed: 56.8 versus the Ranger’s 62.4 inches.
• The Gladiator is quite stingy with charge ports, offering a 12V, USB, and USB-C port in the front—and that’s it. In contrast, the Ranger XLT provides a 115V port in the rear and cargo area, a 12V port in both the front and rear, USB ports in the front, rear, and cargo area, and USB-C ports in the front and rear.
• The Ranger XLT includes a wireless charging station in the front, whereas the Gladiator Sport does not.
• The Ranger also has more interior storage options, including a dedicated sunglasses holder and additional storage under the seats, which the Gladiator lacks.
• Safety and driver-assist features that are standard on the Ranger XLT but not available on the Gladiator Sport include:
  • Front and rear automatic emergency braking
  • Blind spot safety and rear cross-traffic alert
  • Lane deviation sensors
  • Lane keeping assist
  • Pre-collision warning system
  • Rear parking sensors
  • Driver attention alert system

* All MSRPs do not include destination or tax, title, or license fees.