Ford Maverick vs Toyota Tacoma: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Ford Maverick burns about $1,600 of fuel annually against $2,550 for the Toyota Tacoma. That $950 yearly gap compounds to roughly $4,750 over five years and $7,600 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City and highway economy: the Ford Maverick leads in both cycles — 42 mpg city and 35 mpg highway against 23 and 26 mpg — so its fuel-efficiency advantage holds whether you commute in traffic or cover long highway miles.

Powertrain choice: the Ford Maverick is recorded with 3 distinct engine configurations (Hybrid, SIDI & PFI, SIDI), the Toyota Tacoma with 4 (SIDI & PFI; 3-mode(Sport/Normal/Eco), w/SS, SIDI & PFI; 2-mode(Power/Normal) TM, w/SS, SIDI & PFI). Across 23 recorded Ford Maverick configurations and 90 for the Toyota Tacoma, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Ford Maverick is offered with Front-Wheel Drive, Part-time 4-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel Drive, the Toyota Tacoma with Rear-Wheel Drive, Part-time 4-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Small Pickup Trucks 4WD and Small Pickup Trucks 4WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Ford Maverick emits 234 g/mile of CO2 versus 379 g/mile for the Toyota Tacoma. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.