2026 Ford Maverick vs. 2026 Toyota Tacoma

MotiveGrid ties the 2026 Ford Maverick and Toyota Tacoma at 72 out of 100 on its overall score, saying the Maverick is the cheaper one to own, roughly $5,829 less over five years, helped by better fuel economy, while the Tacoma counters with more towing capacity (3,500 vs 2,000 lbs) and more cargo room (38.1 vs 33.3 cubic feet), recommending the Maverick for long-term value and the Tacoma for towing and cargo space. HotCars says the two trucks share a basic silhouette but feel designed for entirely different lives, with the Maverick built for buyers who still commute and care about fuel economy, and the Tacoma engineered for buyers who plan to use every inch of its capability, tow more often, head off pavement, and keep the truck for decades, offering up to 278 hp and 317 lb-ft on its base turbo i-FORCE engine.

Which to choose, and why

Tied on overall score; Maverick cheaper, Tacoma tows and hauls more

MotiveGrid (opens in a new tab) ties the 2026 Ford Maverick and Toyota Tacoma at 72 out of 100 on its overall score, saying the Maverick is the cheaper one to own, roughly $5,829 less over five years, helped by better fuel economy, while the Tacoma counters with more towing capacity (3,500 vs 2,000 lbs) and more cargo room (38.1 vs 33.3 cubic feet), recommending the Maverick for long-term value and the Tacoma for towing and cargo space.

Built for two different lives

HotCars (opens in a new tab) says the two trucks share a basic silhouette but feel designed for entirely different lives, with the Maverick built for buyers who still commute and care about fuel economy, and the Tacoma engineered for buyers who plan to use every inch of its capability, tow more often, head off pavement, and keep the truck for decades, offering up to 278 hp and 317 lb-ft on its base turbo i-FORCE engine.

Questions buyers ask

Which is cheaper to own, the Ford Maverick or Toyota Tacoma?

MotiveGrid (opens in a new tab) says the Maverick, by roughly $5,829 over five years.

Which can tow more, the Ford Maverick or Toyota Tacoma?

MotiveGrid (opens in a new tab) says the Tacoma, at 3,500 lbs versus the Maverick's 2,000 lbs.

Side-by-side matrix

The published fields that can change the decision.

Ford Maverick: 7 records · Toyota Tacoma: 10 records.

Decision field	Ford Maverick	Toyota Tacoma
Exact EPA records	7	10
Model / option labels	7	6
Drive layouts	4-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive, Part-time 4-Wheel Drive	4-Wheel Drive, Part-time 4-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive
Engines / propulsion	2.5L 4-cyl Hybrid, 2L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI	2.4L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI, 2.4L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI; 2-mode (Power/Normal) TM, 2.4L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI; 2-mode(Power/Normal) TM, w/SS, 2.4L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI; 3-mode (Sport/Normal/Eco) TM, 2.4L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI; 3-mode (Sport/Normal/Eco) w/SS, +2 more
Transmissions	Automatic (S8), Automatic (variable gear ratios), Automatic 8-spd	Automatic (S8), Manual 6-spd
Fuel types	Regular	Regular
EPA classes	Small Pickup Trucks 2WD, Small Pickup Trucks 4WD	Small Pickup Trucks 2WD, Small Pickup Trucks 4WD, Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD
Combined efficiency	23–38 MPG/MPGe	20–23 MPG/MPGe
Electric range	Not listed	Not listed
Annual fuel / energy estimate	$1700–2800 per year	$2800–3250 per year

Head to head

Ford Maverick vs. Toyota Tacoma: size, power, capability and price.

Measure	Ford Maverick	Toyota Tacoma
Starting price (KBB base)	$29,990	$34,040
Top trim price (KBB base)	$43,270	$55,065
Horsepower	191-250 hp	228-278 hp
Torque	155-280 lb-ft	243-317 lb-ft
Curb weight	3,814-3,890 lb	4,375 lb
Length	199.8-200.9 in	213-226.2 in
Wheelbase	121.1 in	131.9-145.1 in
Towing capacity	2,000-4,000 lb	3,500-6,500 lb
Seating	5 seats	2-5 seats
Basic warranty	3 years	3 years

Figures are ranges across each model’s trims from Kelley Blue Book records (2026 model year); prices are KBB base prices.

The Ford Maverick starts $4,050 lower: $29,990 against $34,040 before options and fees.
On peak horsepower, the Toyota Tacoma leads: 278 hp against 250 hp.
On peak torque, the Toyota Tacoma leads: 317 lb-ft against 280 lb-ft.
The Ford Maverick is lighter, comparing lightest trims: 3,814 lb against 4,375 lb.
On length, the Toyota Tacoma leads: 226.2 in against 200.9 in.
On wheelbase, the Toyota Tacoma leads: 145.1 in against 121.1 in.
On maximum towing capacity, the Toyota Tacoma leads: 6,500 lb against 4,000 lb.
Both list the same seating capacity: 5 seats.
Both list the same basic warranty: 3 years.

Background on each vehicle

What public sources say about the Ford Maverick and the Toyota Tacoma.

2026 Ford Maverick

The Ford Maverick is a compact car manufactured and marketed by Ford for model years 1970–1977 in the United States, originally as a two-door sedan employing a rear-wheel drive platform original to the 1960 Falcon—and subsequently as a four-door sedan on the same platform. The Maverick replaced the Falcon in most of the world, but Australia kept selling and developing the Falcon.

Source: Ford Maverick (1970–1977) (Wikipedia)

NHTSA rated the 2024 Ford Maverick overall 4 of 5 stars, front crash 5 of 5 stars, side crash 5 of 5 stars, rollover 4 of 5 stars.

Recent recalls (26 campaigns across the latest model years)

August 2026, Structure:Body. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Maverick, F-150, and Bronco Sport vehicles. Certain vehicle joints may be improperly tightened. This can lead to detached parts, unsecured cargo, degraded crash protection, electrical system failure, or a loss of vehicle stability. Consequence: Improperly tightened vehicle joints may lead to a loss of vehicle control, electrical failure, or detached parts, increasing the risk of a crash or fire.
May 2026, Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 Bronco Sport and 2022-2026 Maverick vehicles. The front lower control arm ball joints may have been incorrectly installed or incorrectly repaired at the vehicle assembly plant, allowing the control arm to disconnect from the… Consequence: A detached control arm can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
April 2026, Equipment:Electrical:Engine Block Heater. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Maverick and 2026 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with a 1.5L or 2.0L MPC engine and an engine block heater. The engine block heater may overheat when the vehicle is parked with the block heater… Consequence: An overheated engine block heater can increase the risk of a fire.

Owners filed 72 complaints with NHTSA for the 2024 Ford Maverick, most often about power train (18), unknown or other (14), electrical system (13).

2026 Toyota Tacoma

The Toyota Tacoma is a pickup truck manufactured by Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota since 1995. The first-generation Tacoma (model years 1995 through 2004) was classified as a compact pickup truck; subsequent models are classified as mid-size pickup trucks. The Tacoma was Motor Trend's Truck of the Year for 2005.

Safety: The 2024 model year Tacoma crew-cab configuration was awarded "Top Safety Pick" by IIHS, but it did not receive the highest award as it has yet to be evaluated in the updated moderate overlap front test.

Source: Toyota Tacoma (Wikipedia)

Recent recalls (6 campaigns across the latest model years)

August 2026, Suspension:Rear:Shock Absorber. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2024 Tacoma Hybrid and 2024-2025 Tacoma vehicles. The metal flange on the front and rear shock absorbers may corrode and fail, resulting in detachment of the external oil reservoir. Consequence: An oil reservoir that detaches can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
March 2026, Equipment:Other:Labels. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Toyota Tundra, Tacoma Hybrid, Tacoma, RAV4 Hybrid, Land Cruiser Hybrid, Lexus GX550, 2024-2026 Tundra Hybrid, 2025 Sequoia Hybrid, Crown Signia, Grand Highlander, Lexus TX500 Hybrid, Lexus NX350 Hybrid, 2025-2026 Grand Highlander Hybrid… Consequence: A vehicle with an incorrect maximum capacity weight value may be overloaded, which can increase the risk of a crash.
October 2025, Power Train:Driveline:Driveshaft. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2025 Tacoma and Tacoma Hybrid vehicles. The front driveshaft constant-velocity (CV) joint may deform and break. Consequence: A broken driveshaft can impair steering. Vehicles with full-time 4WD may experience a vehicle rollaway while parked without the parking brake applied. Both scenarios increase the risk of a crash.

Owners filed 98 complaints with NHTSA for the 2025 Toyota Tacoma, most often about structure (39), power train (20), steering (10).

Open both dossiers

Resolve the exact engine, drive and EPA ID.

01 · 2026Ford Maverick7 configurations →02 · 2026Toyota Tacoma10 configurations →

Comparison answer desk

12 answers for this exact pairing.

Q01Which is more efficient: the 2026 Ford Maverick or the 2026 Toyota Tacoma?

Efficiency

The 2026 Ford Maverick lists the higher combined-efficiency midpoint in this snapshot (30.5 vs. the 2026 Toyota Tacoma's 21.5 MPG/MPGe).