2023 Ford Maverick vs 2022 Toyota Tacoma

The 2022 Toyota Tacoma had its roots deeply embedded in Toyota's history, with its origins tracing back to the Toyota Hilux of 1968 and the Toyota Pickup of 1972. This lineage formed the basis of the third-generation Tacoma, which debuted in 2016. Despite receiving a facelift in 2020, the Tacoma showed signs of aging, especially inside the cabin. From the outside, the Tacoma sported a contemporary appearance with its aggressive grille and sharp headlights. However, the interior was where the Tacoma's age became evident. Though it featured a contemporary enough design, it had numerous hard plastics and outdated surfaces mixed with newer elements like push-button start.

The Tacoma offered a variety of trims such as the SR, SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, Limited, and the premium TRD Pro. Starting with the base SR trim, customers could expect 16-inch steel wheels, a manually sliding rear window, air conditioning, manual seats, three USB ports, and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. As one moved up to the SR5, the Tacoma added fog lights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and an upgraded 8-inch infotainment screen, with even more features available in the Double Cab configuration with the V6 engine.

Higher trims like the TRD Sport switched to 17-inch alloy wheels, added a TRD-tuned sport suspension, push-button start, dual-zone automatic climate control, wireless device charging, and a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat. The TRD Off-Road returned to 16-inch alloy wheels but with all-terrain tires, a more road-oriented suspension, and additional off-road features like a locking rear differential. Meanwhile, the Limited trim targeted the road with its 18-inch polished aluminum alloy wheels, leather upholstery, a JBL premium audio system, and more luxurious features. The peak of the Tacoma line-up, the TRD Pro, offered unique styling, additional underbody skid plates, LED fog lights, a TRD-tuned suspension, and a sport exhaust system.

The 2023 Ford Maverick, on the other hand, was relatively new to the market. Maintaining its fresh looks for 2023, the Maverick paralleled Ford's truck family with a blocky front end and distinct headlights. The big update for 2023 was the introduction of the Tremor package, which added off-road credentials such as blacked-out logos, unique headlights, and taillights. The Tremor also introduced a new color option, Avalanche Gray, which stood out as a lighter and less blue-tinged gray than many competitors. This package added bright orange tow hooks, distinct fender vents, and a new grille with orange accents.

The Tremor Appearance Package added a Carbonized Gray roof and mirrors, black side graphics, and unique 17-inch dark gray wheels accented with Tremor Orange. The Maverick also offered base XL trim with 17-inch Sparkle Silver-painted steel wheels, the XLT with 17-inch Carbonized Gray aluminum wheels, and the Lariat with 18-inch Bright aluminum wheels. Additional packages like the FX4 allowed further customization with Ebony-painted aluminum wheels.

Inside, the Maverick also featured significant plastic surfaces, particularly in the steering column, but retained a functional and somewhat upscale appearance largely aided by the unique heathered Black Onyx seats. The design stayed consistent with the truck's utilitarian nature and offered practicality at a reasonable price point.

Performance-wise, the 2022 Toyota Tacoma started with a base 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine that produced 159 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque. This engine struggled to deliver adequate power and didn't offer much in the way of improved fuel efficiency. The real powerhouse of the lineup was the available 3.5-liter V6 engine that offered 278 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. This capable engine significantly improved the Tacoma’s towing capacity to 6,800 pounds and provided a payload capacity of 1,685 pounds. The V6 engine came standard in higher trims and was optional in the SR and SR5.

Both engines sent power to the rear wheels or an available 4WD setup via a six-speed automatic transmission, with the TRD models offering a six-speed manual transmission. While the V6 provided better acceleration off the line and more muscle on the trails, it still had trouble getting up to highway speeds due to suboptimal gearing. The Tacoma excelled in off-road situations, especially in the TRD Pro trim, which featured a suspension system designed to absorb rocks, bumps, and dips effortlessly. The TRD Off-Road and TRD Pro were also equipped with Multi-Terrain Select and Crawl Control for enhanced trail management.

Conversely, the 2023 Ford Maverick made headlines with its standard hybrid powertrain, being the first to offer a full-hybrid system in the pickup segment. This hybrid combined a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor to create a combined 191 horsepower with 155 pound-feet of torque. It used a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and front-wheel drive as default. Buyers could upgrade to a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine that produced 250 horsepower and was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This engine also allowed for the option of AWD for an additional $2,200.

The highlight for the 2023 Maverick was the Tremor off-road package, available on XLT and Lariat trims. This package came with Ford’s "Advanced 4WD" system capable of sending torque to either rear wheel, significantly improving off-road adaptability. The Tremor package also featured Trail Control, which managed acceleration and braking over rugged terrain, allowing the driver to focus on steering.

The Tremor's rugged build had special front and rear springs and shocks, steel skid plates, and a transmission cooler, providing a 1-inch lift for better ground clearance. The Maverick with the Tremor package had a lower towing capacity (2,000 pounds) and payload (1,200 pounds), compared to the 4,000-pound towing capacity and better payload offered by the FX4 Off-Road Package with the EcoBoost engine.

The 2022 Toyota Tacoma was available with two body styles: the Access Cab and Double Cab. Consumers could choose between a five-foot bed and a six-foot-one-inch bed. The Access Cab featured rear half-doors and seating for four, but the rear jump seats were tight on legroom, making them more suitable for children. The Double Cab offered more practical rear seating with four full doors and could seat five, though rear legroom was still limited.

In the front, drivers and passengers enjoyed plenty of legroom, although taller drivers might have struggled with the steering wheel's limited extension. With ample front storage solutions and cupholders, the Tacoma's cab was functional but showed its age. In the bed, models like the TRD Pro provided practical features like in-bed lighting and a wall-style power outlet, enhancing the truck’s utility.

The 2023 Ford Maverick, although 1 inch longer with the Tremor package, did not gain any additional legroom, maintaining a spacious 42.8 inches of front legroom in gas-powered models and 36.9 inches in the second row. Hybrid models had slightly less rear legroom at 35.9 inches. The Maverick comfortably outclassed competitors like the Hyundai Santa Cruz in terms of front legroom but lagged slightly in rear legroom for the hybrid model. Headroom figures were nearly identical to the Santa Cruz, with the Maverick offering a slight edge.

Despite a predominantly plastic interior, the Maverick's design echoed its practical, cost-effective nature. Upgrades were available, such as a heated and leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated seats, and power-adjustable driver’s seat through the Luxury Package. This package offered additional conveniences like heated mirrors and enhanced tech features, creating a more comfortable driving experience.

In terms of technology, the 2022 Toyota Tacoma featured a base 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a straightforward layout and large icons, making it easy to use. Higher trims offered an 8-inch touchscreen that was similarly intuitive. Despite being an older design, the infotainment system was reliable and familiar to many Toyota customers. The Tacoma also included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa compatibility. Our test model came with a wireless device charger, though it required manual activation.

The 2023 Ford Maverick had a basic 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. While unimpressive, its simplicity and familiar design were comforting and adequate for the truck’s positioning. Standard features included Bluetooth, wired Apple CarPlay, and wired Android Auto. Additionally, FordPass Connect enabled a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot with a subscription. A six-speaker sound system was standard, with options to upgrade.

The Maverick also had a 4.2-inch driver-information display nestled between its physical gauges, with the Lariat trim receiving a larger 6.5-inch LED screen. Front USB ports were standard, with additional USB ports for the second row available on higher trims. The Lariat trim added further luxury with features like a power-sliding rear window, ambient lighting, and a push-button start. The Lariat’s Luxury Package bundled advanced tech features such as an eight-speaker B&O sound system, wireless charging pad, and Ford's Sync 3 infotainment system.

Safety features were robust in both trucks. The 2022 Toyota Tacoma came with standard driver assistance features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, and lane-departure warning. Optional safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear parking sensors. The image quality of the backup camera was subpar compared to other modern vehicles. The Tacoma received a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA and had high marks for crash tests by IIHS for the 2021 model.

The 2023 Ford Maverick also offered comprehensive safety equipment, with Ford’s Co-Pilot 360 suite providing automatic high beams, pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking, and a rearview camera as standard. Available safety enhancements included adaptive cruise control, lane centering, evasive steering assist, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and hill-descent control. The Maverick’s reverse camera offered vigilant cross-traffic alerts. It earned a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA, though it had issues with rollover resistance and showed smoke and flame emissions post-crash. IIHS rated its front crash prevention highly during the daytime but found it less effective at night.