Is the Ranger the Hilux we've been wanting?

[Dalko43]

Most recent interview with a major Australian outfitter he explained that the Ranger is now the NO 1 ute sold in Australia. Top reasons he listed proven capabilities, modern, better comfort, better power and fuel consumption also more competitive price.

One man's opinion, but like I said: the Ranger is viewed as having a better engine relative to the Hilux. The hilux isn't lacking any capabilities or qualities compared to the Ranger, other than perhaps subjective qualities like ride comfort.

Arguably, the North American Ranger has the same advantage over the Tacoma, but it remains to be seen if that will translate into a quantifiable marketing advantage.

"Somewhat" is a subjective qualifier, but I'd personally call the difference "significant" for payload. The standard XLT 4x4 4 door Ranger carries a 1,560 lbs payload and 7,500 lbs towing rating and a 4x4 SR5 Tacoma double cab has payload rating of 1,175 lbs and 6,400 lbs towing.

Yep, the Ranger has higher ratings. Though Tacoma owners do overload their trucks all the time with gear and slide in campers, and those vehicles hold up just fine. Not condoning going over GVWR, but there is no question that the Tacoma's engineering exceeds its listed payload/towing ratings.

That said, neither the 3.5l v6 nor the 2.3l ecoboost would be my first choice for towing anything much beyond 6k lbs on a regular basis.

I have no interest in a dampened tailgate, as I stand there holding something heavy I just want the darn thing open. Most petty invention of the 21st century IMO. Ranger has manual shifting on the shifter like pretty much everything does nowadays and FX4 has trail control like a Raptor. Ranger shocks are still pretty far outboard on the axle, farther than most truck shocks were a few years ago (much farther outboard than my Ranger's are)

Fully boxed Ranger frame is more rigid which has been a common trend in the fullsize world for 15 years. My older Ranger has a flexy flyer C channel frame, I have never considered it's flexibility an especially awesome bragging point although it has certainly stood the test of time.

Taco has a better approach/breakover angle while the Ranger has a better departure angle. Ranger does have a lot of metal on the front for protection though (steel bumper and thick front skidplate)

Dampened tailgate is actually pretty useful, and other OEM's are starting to follow suite.

Does the Ranger actually have manual shifting or can it only set the upper/lower gear limit? There is a difference.

I don't consider the Tacoma's c-channel frame a bragging point, but then again it's not nearly the drawback that some people claim it is. F-250/350's used to have C-channel frames and they had far higher towing/payload ratings than either the Ranger or the F-150.

Everything else about the Tacoma is more inherently geared towards offroading, perhaps at the cost of ride comfort and onroad handling. Unlike Ford and GM, Toyota doesn't have to do a substantial rework of the base design in order to produce a more capable offroader.

 

[teotwaki]

The Global Conspiracy Against The Tall ...............

 

[rkj__]

Dampened tailgate is actually pretty useful, and other OEM's are starting to follow suite.

The tailgate on a midsize truck is not that heavy, and is pretty easy to manage, damped or not. On full size trucks though, the tailgates do get pretty heavy, so I can see people wanting the assistance features on those.

Personally though, I'm happy with my "one less thing to break" basic, heavy ol' steel tailgate on my Sierra 1500.

 

[Hilldweller]

yeah yeah yeah; you're in on it. Admit it.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

The tailgate on a midsize truck is not that heavy, and is pretty easy to manage, damped or not. On full size trucks though, the tailgates do get pretty heavy, so I can see people wanting the assistance features on those.

Personally though, I'm happy with my "one less thing to break" basic, heavy ol' steel tailgate on my Sierra 1500.

I put one on my F150... Best 29.99 I have spent in a while.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Dampened tailgate is actually pretty useful, and other OEM's are starting to follow suite.

Other OEM's have had it for awhile. I get tired of waiting while the things things gracefully open on customer's trucks when I carry out batteries and buckets of oil.

Does the Ranger actually have manual shifting or can it only set the upper/lower gear limit? There is a difference./QUOTE]

I have never heard one way or the other. You can use it with any t-case setting though (2wd, 4HI and 4LO). I think the Taco is only in 4LO and is limited to a slower speed. Ranger also has more gears to play with so it might be harder to find "the" gear manually before it would be ideal to shift to another one too.

What is the big perk? Having not used either system I would think letting the computer do its thing would be better than interjecting with whatever gear I think I want.

I don't consider the Tacoma's c-channel frame a bragging point, but then again it's not nearly the drawback that some people claim it is. F-250/350's used to have C-channel frames and they had far higher towing/payload ratings than either the Ranger or the F-150.

Heavier trucks usually kind of lag behind the curve, I think they dragged their feet because countless shortline companies make aftermarket beds for them them in that case. FWIW I think straight trucks and semis still have c channel frames.

In a comparison video FLT did they said that Toyota's stance on the more flexible c channel frame was to help with articulation... which seems like kind of a hokey excuse.

I don't mean to knock c channel frames too hard, everything I have has one.

Everything else about the Tacoma is more inherently geared towards offroading, perhaps at the cost of ride comfort and onroad handling. Unlike Ford and GM, Toyota doesn't have to do a substantial rework of the base design in order to produce a more capable offroader.

Such as?

 

[onemanarmy]

Didn't read the whole thread, but the answer to the original question is No.

No solid front axle. No manual transmission. No completely stripped interior. Damped tailgate? Get real.

It's great that people can get a 16 speaker stereo system in a truck, but make the stripped down model too.

I'll take a V6, 4 door, short bed, solid axle, HD suspension, rear locker, manual windows and locks, no screens, no auto anything, 17 in wheels with legit offroad tires, cloth seats, etc.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

[DaveInDenver]

No solid front axle. No manual transmission. No completely stripped interior. Damped tailgate? Get real.

Well since the Hilux hasn't had a solid front axle since 1998 I guess even the Hilux isn't the Hilux we've been wanting either? Hilux does get standard shift but even global trucks seem to be moving to automatics and in the U.S. you have to get a TRD Sport to get a stick, no longer available on SR or SR5 for a couple of years now.

It's great that people can get a 16 speaker stereo system in a truck, but make the stripped down model too.

I'll give Ford credit for offering a fleet/work version, which can be optioned with a rear locker with just a fairly modest convenience package. Don't need to get FX4 (e.g. TRD) to get just the locker you want.

 

[roving1]

The tailgate on a midsize truck is not that heavy, and is pretty easy to manage, damped or not. On full size trucks though, the tailgates do get pretty heavy, so I can see people wanting the assistance features on those.

Personally though, I'm happy with my "one less thing to break" basic, heavy ol' steel tailgate on my Sierra 1500.

Not anymore. They are all aluminum or composite now. My 02 Taco tailgate probably weighs the same as a Silverado now. It certainly requires less effort to close than my Taco does.

I have lifted more than one of these with so much force the my fly out of my hands or I slam them because they are so light now.

 

[teotwaki]

yeah yeah yeah; you're in on it. Admit it.

Here is how I measured cab height

 

[rkj__]

Not anymore. They are all aluminum or composite now.

Oh? Even Tundra and Titan?

 

[teotwaki]

I was on the main island of Fiji in 2015, saw a Ranger there and remember thinking : "That looks nice. Why don't they sell it in the States?"

Looked something like this

 

[roving1]

Oh? Even Tundra and Titan?

Trucks that have not a clean sheet redesign in over a decade and sell in boutique numbers are not particularly relevant to modern full size trucks.

But point taken "all" is not technically accurate phrasing.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Trucks that ... sell in boutique numbers

Koenigsegg, Pagani, Noble, Toyota Tundra!

 

[Christian P.]

I am in Tahiti right now and spotted a Ranger Raptor...looks pretty awesome. I'll try to get an actual picture if I see one again.