Maverick vs. Tacoma

[JennyJoannSuebeeMcNash]

I'm sure someone has already posted about this, and yes, I debated as well.

Since I couldn't get past the ADM on the base Tacomas, I never bothered to drive one. However, last weekend my friend let me borrow hers for a few hours. A few observations:

1) At 5'6" tall, I had to do a hell of a lot of adjusting in the truck to get halfway comfortable and still felt like I couldn't see over the hood, and still felt like I was sitting too low. I had to scooch the front seat so damn close to the steering wheel, it was a knee surgery waiting to happen. (She's an inch shorter than me for reference.)

2) The 2.7L base engine at 159hp is kinda slow, at least off the line until you're up to 40mph. For reference, I think my Honda Accord has 181?/186?hp and gets up to speed in no time. My neighbor has the same truck in the SR5 model and said he wished he had spent the extra money on the 6 cylinder version.

3) For a "small truck" it certainly still drives like a bigger truck.

4) The ground clearance on the Tacoma is awesome. Getting in, no problem. Getting out though, I felt like my toes would never touch pavement.

5) Since I opted for the Ecoboost version of the Maverick, I'm really looking forward to having the 250hp engine. I foresee some red and blue lights behind me in the future...hopefully to just ask about the Maverick, but given my driving habits, I'll probably be getting my first speeding tickets since 2014.

6) Happy with my choice to get the Maverick. Only time will tell after that! (Have to actually GET my Maverick first, which looks to be some time in March.)

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[MLowe05]

The Taco is a great truck but there is something seriously strange about the driving/seating position and the interior proportions in general.

 

[BootXL76]

I'm sure someone has already posted about this, and yes, I debated as well.

Since I couldn't get past the ADM on the base Tacomas, I never bothered to drive one. However, last weekend my friend let me borrow hers for a few hours. A few observations:

1) At 5'6" tall, I had to do a hell of a lot of adjusting in the truck to get halfway comfortable and still felt like I couldn't see over the hood, and still felt like I was sitting too low. I had to scooch the front seat so damn close to the steering wheel, it was a knee surgery waiting to happen. (She's an inch shorter than me for reference.)

2) The 2.7L base engine at 159hp is kinda slow, at least off the line until you're up to 40mph. For reference, I think my Honda Accord has 181?/186?hp and gets up to speed in no time. My neighbor has the same truck in the SR5 model and said he wished he had spent the extra money on the 6 cylinder version.

3) For a "small truck" it certainly still drives like a bigger truck.

4) The ground clearance on the Tacoma is awesome. Getting in, no problem. Getting out though, I felt like my toes would never touch pavement.

5) Since I opted for the Ecoboost version of the Maverick, I'm really looking forward to having the 250hp engine. I foresee some red and blue lights behind me in the future...hopefully to just ask about the Maverick, but given my driving habits, I'll probably be getting my first speeding tickets since 2014.

6) Happy with my choice to get the Maverick. Only time will tell after that!

That was exactly why I had to drive one before buying/ordering with it being a 4 cyl… about 2 minutes into my test drive “yep, sign me up”
Not being a liability getting up to speed when merging onto freeways etc is a HUGE thing for me

 

[jmav]

Tacoma is a bit of a land barge compared to the Maverick and I agree the low seating position is a disadvantage as well. When I say land barge I mean highway/street manners/handling. Not sure about the 0-60 times and all of that but I am guessing the Maverick could get up and run away from the Tacoma on any kind of twisty road and hold its own on slippery/snowy conditions. Of course, Tacoma will win in a pure off-road scenario (if properly equipped). The bottom line for me is the Maverick is easier to live with on a daily basis because of the better economy and road manners at a much lower price point.

 

[Gulfcoast]

I currently have a Tacoma and am looking forward to the arrival of my Maverick hybrid. The Tacoma is a great truck...tried and true...but it is cramped and inefficient. The seating position of the Maverick is far superior and the city economy is double that of the Tacoma. The performance of the Maverick has to exceed that of the Tacoma...a 4 cyl Tacoma is sloooowwwww! The ride of the Tacoma is stiff with downshifts and revving engine on the and highway - I suspect the Maverick will better the Tacoma here, as well.
This sounds like a dump on the Tacoma - it is not, the Maverick is a newer platform and it shows. The Tacoma is a true body on frame truck, the Maverick is a unibody with a truck bed. For my needs, the Maverick appears to be a better choice!

 

[TacoHolder]

I drive a base 2021 Tacoma. Yeah it's pretty slow. The ECT Power button let's it rev a bit higher between shifts. At 5'11" the seating position is fine for me and I have no trouble getting in or out. My wife is 5'3" and has expressed the same concerns as OP. I'm planning to trade it in for the Mav. If I had opted for the V6 4x4 for another $5K, I would not have ordered the Mav at all.

 

[Snax]

I think that the Tacoma and Maverick are really in different classes. The mid-sized Tacoma is larger, tougher, less fuel efficient, and more expensive than the Maverick. It’s really more similar to a Ranger.

That said, I was looking at a Tacoma before I heard rumors of the Maverick. I had an ‘89 Toyota pickup decades ago, and it was a bombproof, inexpensive, and fun little truck. I was shocked with how huge the Tacoma was, and decided not to buy one, even before the Maverick was released.

I find it ironic that I had to buy a Ford to get a small truck, when Toyota basically originated the class so many years ago. Maybe they will return, now that the Maverick has proven that small trucks are desirable again.

 

[JennyJoannSuebeeMcNash]

Just curious after reading some of these posts...for those of you lucky enough to have received your Maverick, can you explain how it feels to get in and out of it. Too low? Too high? Just right? Ground clearance is what...a little over 8"?

 

[14mustangNJ]

Just curious after reading some of these posts...for those of you lucky enough to have received your Maverick, can you explain how it feels to get in and out of it. Too low? Too high? Just right? Ground clearance is what...a little over 8"?

Perfect with basically no effort. You’ll be able to basically slide right in without hunching over or climbing in. I’m tall though (6’ 4-5 ish”) but the entry room is huge and it doesn’t have that immediate high floor/seating position you get in a lot of SUVs and Trucks today.

 

[TacoHolder]

I find it ironic that I had to buy a Ford to get a small truck, when Toyota basically originated the class so many years ago. Maybe they will return, now that the Maverick has proven that small trucks are desirable again.

Small trucks have always been desirable. Blame the EPA for killing them.

 

[2517X]

Just curious after reading some of these posts...for those of you lucky enough to have received your Maverick, can you explain how it feels to get in and out of it. Too low? Too high? Just right? Ground clearance is what...a little over 8"?

Just right. Right after I got the Maverick it seemed like when exiting the vehicle it was a little bit like getting out of a tub in that you had to lift your feet a little bit more that I was used to to get out. After having it a few weeks it is not an issue at all now.

 

[brnpttmn]

I think that the Tacoma and Maverick are really in different classes. The mid-sized Tacoma is larger, tougher, less fuel efficient, and more expensive than the Maverick. It’s really more similar to a Ranger.
.....

I don't think the mid-size trucks are in a much different "class." The Tacomas/Rangers and Maverick overlap more than they differ, and really they only have two big distinctions on specific uses (towing/off road) along with, for the hybrid, efficiency/total cost.

Thinking about defining characteristics:

• Exterior - similar class/size
• Passengers/cabin - same class/seating
• Load/bed - same class
• Towing - different class
• Off-roading - different class (although EB AWD is "similar" enough for most uses)
• Efficiency - (eco) similar class / (hybrid) different class
• MSRP - similar class

Obviously these are more similar or different based on options on the trucks, but if you're not towing or off-roading, I'd say the Mav is basically smack in the same "class" as the mid sized trucks. Also obvious, if you consider body-frame vs unibody to automatically be different "classes," then they're different. But functionally, they're more same than different.

 

[Scott Asheville]

Since we're all going to be waiting another year for our Mavericks to arrive, it's worth noting that a major redesign of the Tacoma is about to drop. Ditto for the Ranger. Ditto for the Chevy-GMC midsize. They are all about to release all-new designs.

 

[999]

Never driven a Tacoma, but have rented Nissan Frontiers a couple times and hated them. The size and weight are ponderous, and at the same time they ride shitty and feel cheap. For me- I'd just get a full sized truck if I "needed more truck" than a Maverick.

My Maverick drives great, handles great and looks great. It also get 45mpg and cost $22500.

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