Compare the2024 Toyota TacomaVS 2024 Ford Maverick

The Toyota Tacoma has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Maverick doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Tacoma has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Maverick doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Tacoma offers an optional Parking Support Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Maverick doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Tacoma’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Maverick.

The Tacoma (except SR/SR5/PreRunner) offers an optional Panoramic View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Maverick only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

Both the Tacoma and the Maverick have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, rearview cameras, available four-wheel drive, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The Toyota Tacoma weighs 414 to 1157 pounds more than the Ford Maverick. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Tacoma for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Maverick.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. With 7 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Toyota higher than Ford.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Ford is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Ford is ranked 22nd.

The Tacoma has more powerful engines than the Maverick:

As tested in Car and Driver the Toyota Tacoma turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Maverick Hybrid 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid (automatics tested):

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Tacoma uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Maverick requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Tacoma has 4.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Maverick Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (18.2 vs. 13.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Tacoma has 1.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Maverick 2.0 EcoBoost’s standard fuel tank (18.2 vs. 16.5 gallons).

The Tacoma offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The Maverick doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

For better stopping power the Tacoma i-Force Max’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Maverick:

The Tacoma’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Maverick are solid, not vented.

The Tacoma stops much shorter than the Maverick:

For better traction, the Tacoma has larger standard tires than the Maverick (245/70R17 vs. 225/65R17). The Tacoma PreRunner/TRD Off-Road’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Maverick (265/70R17 vs. 235/65R17).

The Toyota Tacoma’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Ford Maverick only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Tacoma has a standard full size spare so a flat doesn’t interrupt your work or a trip. A full size spare costs extra on the Maverick. Without the option you must depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Tacoma offers an active front sway bar, which helps keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnects at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Maverick doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The Tacoma offers an available. The Maverick’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Tacoma 5-ft. bed Double Cab’s wheelbase is 10.8 inches longer than on the Maverick (131.9 inches vs. 121.1 inches). The Tacoma 6-ft. bed Double Cab’s wheelbase is 24 inches longer than on the Maverick (145.1 inches vs. 121.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Tacoma is 2.7 inches wider in the front and 3.4 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Maverick.

For greater off-road capability the Tacoma XtraCab has a 2.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Maverick (10.7 vs. 8.6 inches), allowing the Tacoma to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Tacoma 5-ft. bed TRD Off-Road Double Cab’s minimum ground clearance is 1.6 inches higher than on the Maverick Tremor (11 vs. 9.4 inches).

The Tacoma’s cargo box is larger than the Maverick’s in almost every dimension:

The Toyota Tacoma has a standard easy lower and lift tailgate, which prevents the heavy tailgate from falling with a crash and causing injury. It allows adults and children to easily open and close the tailgate with one hand to better facilitate loading and unloading. The Ford Maverick doesn’t offer a tailgate assist.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Tacoma’s power cargo door can be opened just by a gesture, leaving your hands completely free. The Maverick doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening tailgate.

The Tacoma’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Maverick’s (3500 vs. 2000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Ford Maverick is only 4000 pounds. The Tacoma offers up to a 6500 lbs. towing capacity.

The Tacoma has higher optional payload capacities than the Maverick:

The engine in the Tacoma is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Maverick. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

The Tacoma Limited/Trailhunder/TRD Pro has a standard heads-up display that projects speed in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Maverick doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Tacoma has standard power remote mirrors. The Maverick XL doesn’t offer either a remote driver side or passenger side mirror. The driver will have to roll down the windows and reach across the car to adjust the mirrors.

The Tacoma’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Heated mirrors cost extra on the Maverick and aren’t offered on the Maverick XL.

The Tacoma SR5/TRD/Limited/Trailhunter’s standard rear view mirror has an automatic dimming feature. This mirror can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on it, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Maverick doesn’t offer the luxury of an automatic dimming rear view mirror.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Tacoma (except SR/SR5/PreRunner) keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Maverick doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Toyota Tacoma comes in extended cab and crew cab bodystyles; the Ford Maverick isn’t available as an extended cab.

The Toyota Tacoma outsold the Ford Maverick by over two to one during 2023.