2020 Ford F-350 Super Duty vs 2021 Toyota Tacoma

Heavy-duty trucks are all about getting work done. They have the highest tow ratings of any non-commercial vehicles, and they have the features and tools for worksites and contractors. But a trend over the past decade is the increasing popularity of the “luxury truck.” Owners also use their trucks as commuter cars, family haulers, and road trip vehicles.

The 2020 Ford F-350 Super Duty is offered in a wide variety of trims to accommodate its equally wide variety of potential uses. For 2020, the F-350 gets a new 7.3-liter V8, expanded use of the new 10-speed automatic transmission, and a new off-road-inspired trim called the Tremor. But which Ford Super Duty is right for you?

Last redesigned for the 2016 model year, The Tacoma once dominated midsize-truck sales. In recent years, though, it’s faced stronger competition from the Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon twins, the Ford Ranger, and the Jeep Gladiator. A redesigned Nissan Frontier and heavily-updated Honda Ridgeline are also on the way.

Meanwhile, the Tacoma enters the 2021 model year largely unchanged. The only updates are two new special editions—the Nightshade Edition and Trail Special Edition—and standard dual-zone automatic climate control on all V6 models.

Pickup truck buyers tend to want choices, and Toyota delivers. The Tacoma is available with four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines, Access Cab and four-door Double Cab body styles, rear-wheel drive (RWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD), and six trim levels— SR, SR5, TRD Off Road, TRD Sport, Limited, and TRD Pro—plus the two special editions.

Our test vehicle was a Tacoma TRD Pro Double Cab. The TRD Pro is the most off-road focused of the Tacoma models, so naturally, it gets standard 4WD drive. While Toyota does offer a more comfort-oriented Tacoma Limited model, the TRD Pro is also positioned at the top of the lineup.

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