Compare the2026 Ford BroncoVS 2026 Toyota Tacoma

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive is standard on the Bronco. But it costs extra on the Tacoma.

Both the Bronco and the Tacoma have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Ford Bronco is safer than the Toyota Tacoma:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

There are over 2 times as many Ford dealers as there are Toyota dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Bronco’s warranty.

The Bronco has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Tacoma doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Bronco has a standard 800-amp battery. The Tacoma’s 776-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Bronco’s reliability 15 points higher than the Tacoma.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. With 7 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Ford higher than Toyota.

The Bronco has more powerful engines than the Tacoma:

As tested in Motor Trend the Ford Bronco turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Toyota Tacoma turbo 4 cyl. (manual transmissions tested):

As tested in Car and Driver the Ford Bronco turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Toyota Tacoma turbo 4 cyl. (automatics tested):

Regardless of its engine, the Bronco’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. Toyota only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the Tacoma Auto.

The Bronco 4-Door’s standard fuel tank has 2.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Tacoma (20.8 vs. 18.2 gallons).

The Bronco has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Tacoma doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Ford Bronco higher (5 to 6 out of 10) than the Toyota Tacoma (4 to 6). This means the Bronco produces up to 12.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Tacoma every 15,000 miles.

A 10-speed automatic is available on the Ford Bronco, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Tacoma.

For better stopping power the Bronco Raptor’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Tacoma:

The Bronco stops shorter than the Tacoma:

For better traction, the Bronco has larger standard tires than the Tacoma (255/75R17 vs. 245/70R17). The Bronco Raptor’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Tacoma (37 x 12.5R17 vs. 265/70R17).

The front and rear suspension of the Bronco uses coil springs for better ride, handling and control than the Tacoma SR/XtraCab, which uses leaf springs in the rear. Coil springs compress more progressively and offer more suspension travel for a smoother ride with less bottoming out.

The Bronco has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Tacoma doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Bronco’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Tacoma doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better maneuverability, the Bronco 2-Door’s turning circle is 6.7 feet tighter than the Tacoma XtraCab’s (35.5 feet vs. 42.2 feet). The Bronco 4-Door Sasquatch’s turning circle is 10.7 feet tighter than the Tacoma 6-ft. bed Trailhunter Double Cab’s (39.9 feet vs. 50.6 feet).

The Bronco Badlands 2-Door is 3 feet, 3.8 inches shorter than the Tacoma XtraCab, making the Bronco easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Bronco uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Tacoma doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Bronco 4-Door has 11.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Tacoma (108.2 vs. 97).

The Bronco 2-Door has 1.3 inches more front headroom and 1.3 inches more front legroom than the Tacoma XtraCab.

The Bronco 4-Door has 3.6 inches more front headroom, 1.3 inches more front legroom, 2.7 inches more rear headroom and 2.6 inches more rear legroom than the Tacoma Double Cab.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Bronco’s available rear seats recline. The Tacoma’s optional rear seats don’t recline.

The front step up height for the Bronco 4-Door is .5 inches lower than the Tacoma Double Cab (23.2” vs. 23.7”). The Bronco 4-Door’s rear step up height is 1.5 inches lower than the Tacoma Double Cab’s (23” vs. 24.5”).

The Bronco 2-Door has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Tacoma Double Cab with its long-bed bodystyle (52 vs. 47.7 cubic feet).

The Bronco 4-Door has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Tacoma with its long-bed bodystyle (83 vs. 47.7 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Bronco easier. The Bronco’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 31 inches, while the Tacoma’s liftover is 34 inches.

The Bronco 4-Door’s optional sliding cargo floor makes loading and unloading cargo easier and safer. The Tacoma doesn’t offer a sliding load floor.

The Bronco can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Bronco can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Tacoma can’t be towed flat on the ground.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Bronco’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Tacoma doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Safety Connect™ can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Bronco (except Soft Top) has a standard rear wiper. The Tacoma doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The Bronco 4-Door offers an optional center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Tacoma doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

Both the Bronco and the Tacoma offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Bronco 4-Door offers optional rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Tacoma doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Bronco as the 2022 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The Tacoma has never been chosen.