Compare the2025 Toyota TacomaVS 2025 Ford Maverick

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Cargo Capacity
Payload and Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

© 1999 - 2025Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. ND47A-AZEGH 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2025/07/19

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Tacoma have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Ford Maverick doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Toyota Tacoma has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help 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.

With its standard Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, the Toyota Tacoma is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Ford Maverick, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	Tacoma	Maverick
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH	AVOIDED	-24 MPH
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-11 MPH
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-18 MPH
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-11 MPH
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-13 MPH
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
37 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-8 MPH
Warning Issued-Brights	2 sec	1.5 sec
37 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-3 MPH
Warning Issued-Low beams	2.3 sec	1.3 sec

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Toyota Tacoma achieved a “Good” rating - the highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Ford Maverick has not been tested.

Both the Tacoma and Maverick offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the Tacoma with Rear Cross Traffic Alert also has Parking Support Brake (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Maverick’s Cross-Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Compared to metal, the Tacoma’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Ford Maverick has a metal gas tank.

Both the Tacoma and the Maverick have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available four-wheel drive, blind spot warning systems and around view monitors.

The Toyota Tacoma weighs 414 to 1847 pounds more than the Ford Maverick. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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

	Tacoma	Maverick
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Compression	37 lbs.	47 lbs.

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

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Tacoma is safer than the Ford Maverick:

	Tacoma	Maverick
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	22	87
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.7 inches
Abdominal Force	78 lbs.	150 lbs.
Hip Force	131 lbs.	200 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	43	174
Spine Acceleration	24 G’s	57 G’s
Hip Force	222 lbs.	971 lbs.

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Toyota Tacoma Double Cab is safer than the Maverick:

	Tacoma	Maverick
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	107	146
Neck Tension	89 lbs.	357 lbs.
Neck Compression	45 lbs.	89 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.31 in	.67 in
Shoulder Force	112 lbs.	223 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.71 in	1.1 in
Pelvis	GOOD	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	602 lbs.	1272 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	96	295
Neck Tension	67 lbs.	178 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.47 in	2.2 in
Shoulder Force	245 lbs.	580 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.83 in	1.81 in
Torso Deflection Rate	8 MPH	12 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	535 lbs.	848 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Warranty

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.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota second in reliability, above the industry average. With 92 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 23rd.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota third in overall reliability. Ford is ranked 13th.

Engine

The Tacoma has more powerful engines than the Maverick:

	Horsepower	Torque
Tacoma SR 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder	228 HP	243 lbs.-ft.
Tacoma 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder	270 HP	310 lbs.-ft.
Tacoma 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder	278 HP	317 lbs.-ft.
Tacoma Trailhunter 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid	323 HP	465 lbs.-ft.
Tacoma 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid	326 HP	465 lbs.-ft.
Maverick 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid	191 HP
Maverick 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder	238 HP	275 lbs.-ft.

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

	Tacoma	Maverick
Zero to 60 MPH	6.8 sec	7.7 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	18.5 sec	20.7 sec
Quarter Mile	15.2 sec	15.9 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	92 MPH	90 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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 84.9 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).

Transmission

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

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Tacoma i-Force Max	Maverick
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	12.8 inches
Rear Rotors	13.2 inches	11.9 inches

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:

	Tacoma	Maverick
70 to 0 MPH	171 feet	172 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	114 feet	137 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

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.

Suspension and Handling

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 continuously variable suspension system. Using sensors on steering angle, speed and other driver inputs, the shocks soften to improve ride, or stiffen when appropriate to aid handling on tricky roads. 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 3.3 inches wider in the front and 4.1 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Maverick.

For greater off-road capability the Tacoma XtraCab has a 3.3 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Maverick Lobo (10.7 vs. 7.4 inches), allowing the Tacoma to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Tacoma 5-ft. bed TRD Pro Double Cab’s minimum ground clearance is 2.4 inches higher than on the Maverick Tremor (11.5 vs. 9.1 inches).

Cargo Capacity

The Tacoma Double Cab shortbed has a much larger cargo box than the Maverick shortbed (39 vs. 33.3 cubic feet).

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

	Tacoma XtraCab	Tacoma Double Cab	Maverick
Length (short/long)	73.5”	60.3”/73.5”	54.4”
Max Width	56.4”	56.4”	53.3”
Min Width	44.7”	44.7”	42.6”
Height	20.2”	20.2”	20.3”

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, especially for short adults, the Tacoma (except SR/SR5/PreRunner) offers an optional power cargo door, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Maverick doesn’t offer a power tailgate.

Payload and Towing

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 Double Cab 4x4 has a much higher optional payload capacity than the Maverick (1705 vs. 1500 lbs.).

Servicing Ease

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.

Ergonomics

The Tacoma’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Maverick does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Tacoma Limited has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts 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’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Maverick’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Tacoma the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Maverick can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Tacoma has standard Smart Key that allows you to unlock the doors from the driver’s outside door handle and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Only the Maverick XLT/Lariat/Lobo/Tremor offers Intelligent Access.

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.

Compared to the Ford Maverick, the Toyota Tacoma eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its optional integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.

Compared to traditional radio, the Toyota Tacoma’s standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks. Satellite radio costs extra on the Maverick.

Model Availability

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

Recommendations

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Tacoma first among midsize pickups in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Maverick isn’t in the top three.

The Toyota Tacoma outsold the Ford Maverick by 38% during 2024.

See Available Inventory