Tacoma or Ford Ranger? Decisions decisions...

I'm always hesitant on first year production models, but after the early production 2011 F-350 I owned, I would never buy another first year production Ford again. Toyota has had some time to work out the kinks on the 3rd Gen (took them long enough!), so I would lean that direction.

 

I am on travel for work and Avis gave me a 2019 Ranger XLT.... I've been driving it for 4 days, another 20 days to go and I can't wait to get back to my Taco.

I feel like the 10-speed automatic transmission shift points are horrendous; I feel like I am driving a 5-ton truck. I miss my ECT.

The interior layout also feels alien to me, maybe just because it is a Ford, but when I have driven other rental cars/trucks it has never felt as "off" as the Ranger does.

I had fond memories of driving a 1996 "danger ranger" back in the day. I don't know if the years have made the memories fonder, or they have always been this terrible.