3rd Gen Tacoma vs F150

Hey guys! New to the forum here and looking for some advice. I'm debating on buying a 17+ TRD off road with manual transmission vs an F150 sport. My only hesitation with the Taco is having two car seats in the back. Is it manageable? I think the look of the Tacoma's is epic and untouched by other trucks. The F150 with sport appearance package is a close second and very comparable in cost when buying both used with low miles.

The F150 gets about the same gas mileage, has more space, and can tow more if needed. But as you guys know, it's not the same. Please let me know your thoughts and help me decide!

 

Bummer... I thought the way this topic title was it was going to be like a head on crash video or some shit....

Do you want to be able to get an okay amount when you are done with it? If so, get the Tacoma.
Do you want to be able to have a huge dick and drive a manual? If so, get the Tacoma.
Do you want to be a self respecting father? Take your two car seats and put them in a Tacoma with your kids in it during the test drive to make sure they fit. If they don't, sell the kids.

 

It is manageable with two car seats. The access cab tundra has more room than the dbl can taco. It will be a little tight but totally manageable. I’m tall and have my seat all the way back so there is no room behind me. Have you drove both?

 

I was in the same debate with myself when buying a truck. Came down to reliability which the Tacoma wins and I didn’t need the size as it’s just me and my GF with no intentions to add little ones to our mix. If I was planning on starting a family or getting a big trailer would of been the F150 forsure. But I love the look of the Tacoma and know it’s a truck I will have around for many many years to come so Tacoma was the only clear winner!

 

He can’t sell the kids here though.

At least not until he has enough posts.

 

I have both a Tacoma and an F150 with the 5.0. I know this will cause a shit storm, but my F150 there's nothing to really hate. I've racked up 130k on the F150 and the only repairs have been a set of front brakes and one door check. I did have the back driveshaft replaced, but that was my fault since I high centered over a 2 foot drop off. I bent the shit out of it, but was still able to drive home.

 

The F150 is the safe option. It lacks character and isn’t really inspiring but it’s durable and absurdly capable when it comes to truck stuff. The 5.0L 4x4 can haul more than twice what a comparable 4x4 Tacoma can haul and towing isn’t remotely comparable.

The Tacoma is what you buy for fun because it has personality. If you really need a truck, there’s no other reason to buy one over an F150 if it’s a vehicle you intend to keep long term when you can get 15% off sticker and 0% on the Ford when the sales come up. The reason F150 resale “sucks” is because they do absurd sales. The rankings are based off MSRP and only idiots pay MSRP for an F150.

 

When I was due for a truck rotation I was offered a new RAM and told them to pass that on to the next person in line. I like my F150 that much. I would likely never buy one as a personal truck because of its size.

 

But he might be able to trade 'em for TRD logo'd stuff.

 

Test drive them both. The F150 is gonna be more comfortable with way more power but the Tacoma looks cooler and is more reliable (allegedly). I had a 2016 xlt crew cab with the 3.5 eb for a while. I loved it, but had tons of problems.

 

F150 all the way. Like you said, not that much difference in price, but a big difference in the power train. 10 spd + ecoboost = yee ha! Ford right now is the best domestic truck, hands down. I'll bet the frame won't rust out on the F150, ecoboost has torque, and 10 spd auto has plenty of gear reduction, there's more room in the cab, and bed. Ford warranty is now similar to Toyota's as well, they cover safety systems, and drive train electronics for 5/60. Toyota was for years, the only car maker doing that, at least to my knowledge. If I had the money, I'd go buy a new F150 right now. I drool every time I think about all that low speed torque. I had a modded Ram Cummins years ago, and I do miss all that power, too bad the Dodge part was junk.

 

I don’t have experience with car seats in the back but from all the pictures and discussion on this forum it seems like the f150 would be the best option considering how much room is in the back.

 

As a man who has raised 2 kids and currently has 4 grandkids, buy a 1/2 ton. F150 is a good place to start, and my choice, but not the only option. Your car seats will fit now, but kids grow. And there will come a time when they want to bring along friends. I'd have spent a lot less on vehicles over the years if I'd just bought a full size 4 door truck when my kids were small and a Suburban type SUV for my wife to drive.

I did eventually do that, but before I got smart wasted a lot of money trying to go cheap and make something else work. I didn't buy my 07 Tacoma until after my youngest graduated from HS and it was just my wife and I. Have had the truck for 12 years, 198,000 miles and still love it. But 3 years ago I bought a Supercrew F150 simply because I needed the room for the grand kids. The Tacoma was worth more to me to just keep rather than trade. It is now my wife's daily driver and we still use it for longish trips. My daughter, her husband and 2 kids drove it nearly 1200 miles on a road trip 2 months ago because I trust it more than their car. I daily drive an old Honda around town that my wife drove when I drove the Tacoma. The big F150 is used only when I need the room, for towing or for longer road trips.

 

F150 with the v8 would be the better choice

 

Advertised at a dealer in KC:
NEW 2018 F150 XL 4x4 single cab 2.7 EB - 28k.
How can a Tacoma compete with that?
Reliability, resale value, available manual transmission, and looks is how I see they compete.
Comfort, room, power, payload, and price makes the F-150 tough to beat, however. Just depends on what you're using your truck for.

 

Is it even a contest...?

 

Full size kicks a Tacoma’s ass all day, every day.

Only thing you lose is midsize manners.. more maneuverable, lighter, smaller wheelbase - and resale value because domestic trucks are still not great resellers and Tacoma has more fanboys than a girl band.

Otherwise, no comparison. Especially with car seats. Tacoma double cab becomes useless pretty quickly if you have 2 car seats and are 6’ or taller.

 

A Tacoma can fit in most garages.
An F-150, however...not so much.

 

I have been lurking for a while and just joined this forum to research the Tacoma.


I am also debating this exact apples and oranges decision. To replace my Jeep Wrangler, I am deciding between a 2020 TRD Off-Road Access Cab VS a F150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab. The MSRV on the F150 appears to be about a $7-9K additional price over the Tacoma. As of now the Tacoma is my preference because of size; the price difference will not be the major factor in my decision. This vehicle will be intended only to transport a driver and one passenger, mostly just a driver (me). Either vehicle will not be used to haul heavy loads or tow a large/heavy trailer, just a small utility trailer. Now I need to test Drive a V6 auto Tacoma to help me decide. I would consider a manual transmission if it were available on the Access Cab