2024 Ranger Lariat new owner review: why I ditched my Tacoma Limited order

[Aardvark]

Well, after finally being able to test-drive the Tacoma Limited I had been waiting for for a year and a half, I immediately bought the Ranger Lariat instead!

Things I prefer about the Ranger

1. I find the V6 engine is way smoother. The Tacoma 4-cylinder puts out power, but I found it rough. I'd make the decision again on this one factor alone; the Ranger 2.7 is just so smooth

2. The Ranger cab seemed somehow less confining to me (and it's super quiet BTW)

3. I much prefer the vertical screen below the dash vs. the Tacoma novelty-sized horizontal screen sticking up out of the dash...

4. The Ranger has a dedicated button to turn off the autostop/start, and I didn't see one in the Tacoma (maybe because of the hybrid)

5. Didn't like all the chrome on the Tacoma Limited

Things I still like about the Tacoma Limited

1. All-time four-wheel drive. I wish Ranger offered this in the non-Raptor models, like they do in Australia (maybe diesel only?)

2. HUD. Not "important", just a nice-to-have

Some random observations on my new Ranger

- the V6: I drove the 2.3 and 2.7 back-to-back and would go for the 2.7 every time, for the extra smoothness and power and very reasonable option price

- Lariat vs. XLT: I could go either way on this, and bought the Lariat because it's what was available with the options I wanted. The deciding factor was when the dealer agreed to swap out the wheels for the XLT wheels

- FX4 package: I know some writers say the FX4 makes road driving harsher, but I could never see how that would make sense, and for me I'm happy to say it doesn't. I drove with and without FX4 back-to-back at the dealer, and there's no doubt in my mind that the FX4 made for a better on-road experience in terms of soaking up any bumps. Haven't tried off-road yet

- The transmission is smooth. During the test drive it sometimes seemed a bit clunky, but I'm happy to say this has gone away and there are zero issues in day-to-day driving. The truck has about 800 km on it now

- The adaptive cruise control is great & works flawlessly. The lane centering OTOH seems stupid in its insistence to keep both hands on the wheel, thereby defeating its own purpose of making your life easier. Hoping for a software update

- My gripes: (a) lack of all-time four-wheel drive, even as an option, (b) the stupid shifter in the Lariat - it's just a bad design all around in my view, (c) tailgate is pretty heavy going down and coming up, and (d) the billowing leather seats - I've read up on this seat issue now and conclude Ford does not yet have a fix for this. So I think I'll wait and monitor this and make a warranty claim perhaps later once I believe there's an actual fix. The cloth seats on the XLT don't seem to have this problem (they stay taut)

Overall, I think this is a great truck, a very competent vehicle, and I'm really happy I bought it!

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[hand-filer]

You made the right choice Peter. I briefly considered the Tacoma limited but quickly concluded that the 2.7 Lariat was the optimum choice for my requirements. Having come from a 2019 Nautilus that I ordered with the 2.7, there was never any question on engine choice.
Enjoy your Lariat!

 

[MK8.5 Golf R]

One thing that I found was really odd about the Tacoma limited is the lack of memory settings for the seat, makes no sense. All the chrome on the Tacoma, I guess some people like it, with the Ranger, we have different packages for every taste. As for the V6, I drove both and I think they 4 and 6 cylinder both are great.

 

[Jason B]

The lane centering OTOH seems stupid in its insistence to keep both hands on the wheel, thereby defeating its own purpose of making your life easier. Hoping for a software update

tailgate is pretty heavy going down and coming up,

You don't need BOTH hands on the wheel, one will do.

Doesn't your tailgate have the tailgate assist and damper? Or is that something that's been eliminated

 

[Aardvark]

Hi, on mine, the lane centering requires you to have both hands on the wheel - just one, and the reminders keep coming. It's just how it is.

And the tailgate may well have some assist (spring-loaded?), and yes it has dampers, I'm just saying whatever these assists amount to, they're not doing much, it takes both hands to raise the tailgate and you certainly can't let it drop either. It's just pretty heavy in the result. Not a deal-breaker obviously

 

[gapiel]

I wish I had asked my dealer to swap the Lariat wheels for XLT wheels!

 

[SnyperX]

Hi, on mine, the lane centering requires you to have both hands on the wheel - just one, and the reminders keep coming. It's just how it is.

And the tailgate may well have some assist (spring-loaded?), and yes it has dampers, I'm just saying whatever these assists amount to, they're not doing much, it takes both hands to raise the tailgate and you certainly can't let it drop either. It's just pretty heavy in the result. Not a deal-breaker obviously

Odd comment. I have the damper and my tailgate doesn't drop hard or anything. Actually I feel like the damper works a bit too well and lets the tailgate down too slowly.

 

[Lion77]

The wheel has no ability to sense weather you hands are on it or not. It uses force feedback. All it's looking for is the driver input force, you can do it with two fingers or a knee.

Basically, if you get too lazy and let the lane keep assist do all the steering, it will time out as it doesn't sense any driver input to turning the wheel (as one would trying to keep the truck on the road without lane keep assist).

Just give the wheel an ever so slight nudge left or right and it will shut up. At first, I thought my Raptor's lane keep assist was malfunctioning as I had both hands on the wheel and kept getting the warning until I realized it was just driver forced feedback that it was looking for.

There's no pressure sensors or capacitive sensors in the steering wheel; it all happens through the turning force sensing and I'm guessing it's actually sensing it down at the epas.

 

[Sizzle Chest]

Congrats on your purchase and that was a good mini review! Thank you!

 

[basic007]

Congrats on the new truck. Mine went through production yesterday - can't wait !

I have the same deception you did with Lariat wheels. Saw a post a few months ago of someone who had them repainted - looked much better - but I would take XLT wheels in heartbeat.

Side note on the shifter - I believe I will be getting the mechanical shifter in the 2025 instead of the silly e-shifter from 2024. Ford discontinued their park assist feature rendering the need for an eshifter obsolete.

 

[Rangerjimm]

Congrats on the new truck. Mine went through production yesterday - can't wait !

I have the same deception you did with Lariat wheels. Saw a post a few months ago of someone who had them repainted - looked much better - but I would take XLT wheels in heartbeat.

Side note on the shifter - I believe I will be getting the mechanical shifter in the 2025 instead of the silly e-shifter from 2024. Ford discontinued their park assist feature rendering the need for an eshifter obsolete.

I can verify the taller standard shifter on my 2025 Lariat.

 

[ChronciallyChronic]

Congrats on your purchased. I picked up a '24 Lariat 4x2 Sport at the end of Feb this year. A excellent truck, I cross shopped against Tacoma, Frontier, Ridgeline and Colorado. It was no comparison, Ranger won hands down.

I also went with a truck with the mechanical shifter, didn't want any part of the e-shifter - it felt like a toy to me.

 

[MK8.5 Golf R]

The vehicles that I test drove, the tailgate was light as a feather and the damper coming down worked well and smooth.

 

[AndresJ]

Did you ask for the XTL sport wheels? or are they an option now? IMO, far better looking than the Lariat ones

 

[Massman]

My tailgate feels light to me and it drops down slowly. My 04 Sport Trac's tailgate weighed a ton and if I let go when opening it slammed down. On my way to work one day I heard this loud bang. I thought I blew a tire. Pulled over to check and found the tailgate fell open. I guess I didn't close it tightly when I headed out.

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