The country’s best-selling midsize truck has a “new” truck in its segment to compete for buyers’ affections. The 2020 Toyota Tacoma has dominated its class for the last 14 consecutive years, and now it will be putting up its accomplishments against the newly-returned Ford Ranger.

Both trucks have a strong reputation for toughness and ruggedness. Tacoma and the Ranger look impressive as well. Here are a few reasons why, though, 2020 Toyota Tacoma should still be considered the superior choice.

Since the 2019 Ford Ranger is the first model year back for this midsize truck, it should remain unchanged for 2020. The 2020 Ranger has not reached dealerships yet. Based on this, I will give my thoughts on 2019 Ford Ranger vs 2020 Toyota Tacoma.

2020 Toyota Tacoma has performance versatility

I appreciate the variety of powertrain choices in the 2020 Tacoma more than the 2019 Ranger (remember, the 2020 Ranger is not out yet, and it should be the same as 2019).

For people in the market for a new midsize truck, Toyota offers 2 different engine choices with the 2020 Tacoma.

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Buyers can select between a 4-cylinder engine that delivers 159 horsepower and 180 lb.-ft. torque and the more popular V6 engine that brings 278 horsepower and 265 lb.-ft. torque.

Also, both Tacoma engines can be matched with either a 6-speed automatic or a 6-speed manual transmission. Although some would argue that driving a manual transmission is a dying art, many people out there still love this method and need this as a buying option.

The 2019 Ford Ranger only supplies one engine choice - a 2.3-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. Although it offers less horsepower than the 2020 Tacoma (270hp versus 278hp), the 2019 Ranger does provide drivers with more torque (310 versus 265). This is matched with a 10-speed automatic transmission.

Toyota Tacoma has better resale value than Ford Ranger

A brand new 2020 Toyota Tacoma will cost buyers less over the full cost of ownership partially due to a superior resale value. According to IntelliChoice, it is estimated that Tacoma will hold 61.41% to 75.5% of its original price after 5 years, but the Ranger only keeps 48.71% to 54.99% of its original value. That is a big difference in value.

Kelley Blue Book supports this logic as well. It ranked the 2019 Toyota Tacoma as Number One overall above all makes and models according to its 2019 Best Resale Value Awards. They predict 2019 Tacoma will have a resale value of an astounding 69.4% after 3 years and 62.2% after 5 years.

Well-build, dependable, popular vehicles are the ones that hold the highest values. I give you the Toyota Tacoma.

Drive Tacoma for hundreds of thousands of miles

I hear from readers on a pretty regular basis about how many miles they have on their Toyota Tacoma trucks. This is not something I am all that surprised to hear drivers brag about, as the Toyota Tacoma has built a solid reputation for reliability and dependability over the long haul of vehicle ownership.

Many have reported hundreds of thousands of miles on their Tacoma odometers and still going strong. I even wrote a story about one 2008 Tacoma owner who has logged over 1.3 million miles on his truck.

Watch as I interview the "Million Mile Tacoma" owner Mike Neal

This is not a fair point for comparison, obviously, as the 2019 Ford Ranger is brand new to the market after an 8-year lapse. There is no way to tell how reliable this Ranger will end up being. It might be fantastic.

However, maybe J.D. Power and Associates can offer some more to the conversation. According to 2019 surveys of owners of 3-year-old vehicles, Toyota is ranked second among all manufacturers in overall dependability. With 38 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 16th.

Time for your thoughts on Ranger versus Tacoma

Everyone has different criteria for evaluating cars, trucks and SUVs. Since I normally follow how long people keep their vehicles and how happy they are over the course of a decade or longer, I think many people who would agree with me that 2020 Toyota Tacoma, along with previous model years, is the safest and most practical choice.

In fact, they must, as Tacoma trucks have outsold the Ford Ranger by 4 to 1 so far in the 2019 calendar year.

What do you think of the debate between Toyota Tacoma and Ford Ranger? Do you own either of them and how is your experience so far?

You may also enjoy seeing a first look at 2020 Highlander Hybrid that comes out next year. Click here to subscribe to Torque News YouTube channel for the latest Toyota news and automotive analysis.

Thanks for reading everyone. See you next story when I show you why it might be the perfect time to buy a 2019 or 2020 Tundra.

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Bookmark Jeff Teague's Toyota News and Reviews at Torque News Toyota. Please subscribe to Jeff’s “Toyotajeff” YouTube channel for Toyota news, reviews and how-to videos. Follow Jeff on Facebook and Instagram. Twitter him @toyotajeff1 and tweet him tips for new stories.