Toyota Tundra vs Ford Ranger

What's the difference?

The Tundra Platinum is a good-looking and well-engineered RHD full-size US pickup which stands apart from local competitors with its unique hybrid drivetrain and unmatched power/torque outputs. However, it also comes with a conspicuously high purchase price, which given the quality of local Ram, Chevrolet and Ford competition could be a deal-breaker for some.

The Ford Ranger PHEV is an impressive plug-in hybrid ute. Its positives – including equipment, comfort and capability as well as acting as a novel power source for your job-site or campsite – will appeal to those who might otherwise prefer a diesel Ranger, but it comes at a cost. The Ranger has a bigger price-tag than the BYD Shark 6 and GWM Cannon Alpha, and offers less than those two competitors in terms of battery capacity and electric-only driving range. The Ranger brand has a strong following in Australia though, and the plug-in version will likely attract its fair share of fans.

This is a substantial vehicle with bold, bluff-fronted styling characterised by an enormous grille that has an imposing presence wherever it roams.

Toyota's TNGA-F ladder-frame chassis platform is shared with the LandCruiser 300 Series and Prado models, but the big American has a much longer 3700mm wheelbase, spans almost six metres in length (5955mm) and is more than two metres wide (2040mm). However, it’s less than two metres tall (1985mm), so it can access underground and multi-storey carparks. 

It rides on double-wishbone coil-spring front suspension and a multi-link coil-spring live rear axle, with electric power-assisted rack and pinion steering and big four-wheel disc brakes.

Off-road credentials include 216mm of ground clearance, 23 degrees approach and 21 degrees departure angles – which are ample for accessing rugged worksites – while the turning circle is an expansive 15 metres.

The interior, with its panoramic sunroof, has a spacious and airy ambience, enhanced by contrasting blue stitching on its leather-appointed upholstery.

Although the cabin has a high standard of fit and finish, as you’d expect from Toyota and WAG, it doesn't look and feel quite as lavish as the sumptuous interiors found in its top-shelf US rivals. The centre console lid in particular feels too light and plasticky for a vehicle in this price range.

The Ranger’s appearance mostly stays the same except for a few little things – inside and out – that indicate this is a PHEV.

For starters, there are the little blue EV triangles on the rego plates, PHEV badging on the front wheel arches, as well as an electric charging port over the rear-left wheel arch, and the tub’s raised base to compensate for the battery underneath.

Inside, it has the 12-inch vertically-oriented touchscreen system up front rather than the 10.1-inch version in ‘normal’ Rangers.

It also has an EV button on the centre console which the driver uses to cycle through the EV driving options: Auto EV, EV Now, EV Later and EV Charge.

Our test vehicle has the optional General Grabber all-terrain tyres (255/65R18) and matching spare, as well as Asphalt Black 18-inch alloy wheels.

In terms of dimensions, it is 5403mm long (incl. tow receiver), its wheelbase is 3270mm, it’s 2207mm wide (with wing mirrors out), 1883mm high and has a listed kerb weight of 2566kg.

For reference, the Cannon Alpha PHEV is 5445mm long (with a 3350mm wheelbase), 1991mm wide and 1924mm high; while the BYD Shark 6 is 5457mm long (with a 3360mm wheelbase), 1971mm wide and 1925mm high.

Interesting to note, the battery, wiring and 240V outlets for now prevent the tub being removed in order to fit a tray or canopy. But the aftermarket will soon figure out how to do that.

The tub is standard Ranger stuff, with a sturdy-looking liner, four fixed-in-place tie-down points, a 12-volt outlet, and LED lighting – but it also has two sliding tie-down points mounted high on each inner sidewall of the tub and that adds some flexibility to the cargo area.

Noteworthy is the fact that the Ranger has a built-in step on both exterior sides of the tub towards the rear, providing a safe place in which to put your foot when you want to gain a higher position in order to pack or adjust something in the cargo area, or even climb into the tub.

With its 2834kg kerb weight and 3536kg GVM, the Platinum has a 702kg payload limit which is modest compared to smaller 4x4 utes with genuine one-tonne-plus capabilities.

However, it’s rated to tow up to 4500kg of braked trailer on a 70mm ball and with its substantial 7980kg GCM (or how much weight it can legally carry and tow at the same time) that would require only a small drop in payload from 702kg to 646kg to avoid exceeding the GCM. So, that’s a practical set of numbers if you ever need to tow the maximum 4.5 tonnes.

The load tub is 1660mm long, 1491mm wide and 531mm deep, with 1237mm between its rear wheel-housings allowing either a standard Aussie or Euro pallet. It’s accessed through a power tailgate, which can be operated from the driver’s seat if required.

The tub’s internal surfaces are protected by a composite drop-in liner, with handy slots moulded into each side for vertically inserting planks of wood to serve as lateral load-dividers if required.

The Platinum's tub also has unique hooded LED lighting in each sidewall, plus there’s fixed load-anchorage points front and rear at mid-height (would be better if just above floor height) and rails with adjustable sliding anchorages along the top of the front and side walls for securing taller loads.

Cabin storage includes two 600mL bottle-holders and storage bins in each front door plus a decent-sized single glovebox, a 12V dash socket and an overhead glasses-holder.

The centre console offers open storage up front including a wireless phone-charging pad, plus a pair of small-bottle/cupholders in the centre and a large lidded box at the back containing USB ports.

The large rear doors, with pull-up privacy screens on their windows, provide wide entry to the rear bench seat. There’s enough shoulder room for three adults and even tall passengers enjoy ample legroom, although those seats in the centre must contend with a transmission hump, which is absent in its flat-floored rivals.

There’s two 600mL bottle-holders and a bin in each rear door, plus large pockets on each front seat backrest and two more bottle/cupholders at the rear of the centre console, which also has controls for rear seat heating/cooling, plus USB ports and adjustable air-vents.

If travelling with two, the centre seat backrest folds down to provide a comfortable armrest and two more bottle/cupholders (that's 14 in total), so drink storage is well catered for in this cabin.

The rear seat’s 60/40-split base cushions can also swing up and be stored vertically for more internal luggage space, but there’s no storage compartments underneath as this space is occupied by the hybrid drivetrain’s battery, with large vents on either side providing it with ample ventilation.

Our only criticism of the rear seating is limited headroom for tall people, caused by a deep contour in the roof-lining to accommodate the Platinum’s sunroof.

This contour sits very close to foreheads and limits head space. So, if you have tall passengers, they might get cranky on long drives, particularly those seated in the slightly higher centre position with (like me) the top of their head pressed firmly into the roof lining.

The Ranger PHEV retains what’s good about the ‘normal’ Ranger: a practical and comfortable interior with busy tech.

In fact, the Ranger’s interior has become so familiar over the years that. with its clean layout and user-friendly setup, it’s an easy space in which to spend many hours.

The Sport gets leather upholstery and plenty of soft-touch surfaces mixed in with the life-ready durability of plastic sections.

Upfront, the aforementioned 12-inch touchscreen system is a labyrinth of menus and sub-menus, but it’s easy to get your head around if you give yourself enough time to figure out where everything is.

If it’s charging you’re after there are USB-A and USB-C ports upfront and a wireless charging pad.

Storage? There’s a centre console receptacle, bottle holders in the doors, and cupholders upfront, and in the back-row armrest.

This Ranger’s front seats are as comfortable as usual: supportive and adjustable in numerous ways to suit the user – power-adjustable for the driver, manual for the front-seat passenger.

There’s plenty of head room in this cabin, even with the optional ceiling-mounted panel of auxiliary switches fitted to our test vehicle to offer aftermarket-style operational versatility.

The rear seats are, as expected, not as comfortable as the front seats but are more than adequate. Passengers back there have access to cupholders in the fold-down armrest, as well as an air-con control panel, USB-A and USB-C ports, a 230V power outlet, and dual air vents in the back of the centre console.

As for the tub, it’s 1605mm long, 1520mm wide (1217mm between the wheel arches), 498mm deep and has a listed load height of 878mm.

For securing loads, it has four tie-down points, and the Adventure pack’s cargo management system (moveable tie-down points in rails on the tub’s inner sidewalls).

It also has two 15A power outlets (3.45kW each) in the tub, connected to this Ranger’s Pro Power On-Board system which uses the battery pack to provide power through those points, and it can provide up to 6.9kW of output via three 240V plugs and a 10-amp outlet inside the cabin with 2.3kW of output – for a total capacity of 6900W.

This Ranger does not have a 12V outlet in the tub.

While the raised tub floor reduces the tub’s packability and the battery weight affects payload, the benefit here is that you can use the Ranger as a job-site or campsite generator, letting it run/charge the battery even while the vehicle itself is switched off and locked.

You can charge the Ranger at home – a Mode 2 home charging cable is supplied – using a standard 240V wall socket. The 11.8kWh battery takes about seven hours to charge on a 10A outlet, or about four hours on a 15A socket. I charged it from 0 to 68 per cent in about five hours off 10A power at home.

The Ranger PHEV does not offer DC fast-charging, but you can use EV Charge mode when you’re driving and away from power as that effectively turns the petrol engine into a generator: great for when you want to use the onboard Pro Power set-up to run 240V appliances on your work site or in camp.

This ute’s optional full-size spare is mounted under the tub.

The Ford Ranger PHEV is available in four specs: the base XLT, the Sport (our test vehicle), Wildtrak and Stormtrak.

At time of writing, the Sport is $75,990 before on-road costs. For reference, the bi-turbo version costs $66,390, the V6 costs $71,340, the BYD Shark starts at $57,900, while the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV kicks off from $59,990.

Standard features in the Sport include 12-inch touchscreen multimedia system (with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), leather-accented heated front seats with electric adjustment, wireless charging and a suite of driver-assist tech.

It also has full-time 4WD, EV drive modes, 18-inch alloys, 6.9kW Pro Power Onboard system, 18-inch wheels, LED lighting, adaptive cruise control, stop-and-go technology, traffic-sign recognition and lane centring.

Gear, like a 360-degree view monitor, can be included onboard this Ranger as part of one of the available optional packs.

Our test vehicle’s price (including all options and on-road costs) hits the $89,340 mark because it does have the optional Adventure Pack ($500), available on XLT, Sport and Wildtrak, which includes the cargo management system (rails in the tub), and six auxiliary ceiling-mounted switches in the cabin. It also has the Technology Pack ($950), available on Sport, which includes Pro Trailer Back-up Assist and a 360-degree camera.

Colours include Frozen White (no-cost option) or you can choose from Agate Black, Blue Lightning, Carbonised Grey, Iconic Silver and Lucid Red (on our test vehicle), each of which costs $700.

The Tundra’s powertrain consists of a 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine that produces 290kW of power at 5200rpm and 649Nm of torque between 2400-3600rpm.

This is paired with an electric motor mounted directly behind, which produces 36kW/250Nm and draws its electrons from a 6.5Ahr Ni-MH (nickel metal hydride) battery located beneath the rear seat.

Their combined output is 326kW and 790Nm, which is more power and torque than any of its local rivals and therefore appealing for those who need to haul and/or tow heavy loads.

Its refined 10-speed torque converter automatic offers the choice of sequential manual-shifting, a dedicated Tow/Haul setting and three drive modes comprising Normal (default), Sport and Eco.

The 4WD system is part-time, dual-range with 2H (2WD High Range), 4H (4WD High Range) and 4L (4WD Low Range). There’s also an automatic limited-slip rear differential, but unlike its competitors no full-time AWD mode is available.

The Ford Ranger PHEV Sport has a 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing 138kW and 411Nm and an electric motor – producing 75kW (no torque figure available) – and a 11.8kWh battery.

This PHEV’s engine runs the show, with the electric motor (which is between the engine and transmission) on support duties, which is the opposite of how the Shark 6 and Cannon Alpha operate.

Maximum combined power and torque outputs in the Ranger PHEV – from combined petrol engine and electric motor – are 207kW and 697Nm.

For reference, BYD claims outputs of 321kW and 650Nm and a 100km electric range for the Shark 6, by way of a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine, dual electric motors and a 29.58kWh battery. GWM’s Cannon Alpha PHEV has listed outputs of 300kW and 750Nm, as well as a 110km NEDC range from its 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, single electric motor, and 37.1kWh battery.

The Ranger PHEV has a 10-speed automatic transmission, a rear diff lock, and full-time 4WD. This set-up has selectable two-wheel drive (2H), four-wheel drive high-range (4H), four-wheel drive low-range (4L) and four-wheel drive automatic (4A = 4Auto) that sends drive to the front and rear axles as needed, and which can be safely used on high-traction surfaces, such as bitumen.

The hybrid system has four drive modes – Auto EV, EV Now, EV Later and EV Charge.

Driver-selectable modes include Normal, Eco, Tow/Haul, Slippery, Mud/Ruts, Sand and Sport.

With the Tundra’s GVM rating exceeding 3.5 tonnes, Toyota is not required under current ADRs to publish fuel consumption figures. Even so, we covered a total distance of 298km, which comprised a mix of suburban, city and highway driving of which about one third was hauling a near-maximum payload.

When we stopped to refuel, the dash display was claiming average combined consumption of 14.1L/100km, but our own figure calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings was 15.8, which is in the same ballpark as mid-teen figures we’ve achieved in its six and eight-cylinder rivals.

Therefore, based on our own figure, the Tundra Platinum has a real-world driving range nudging 800km from its big 122-litre tank, which according to Toyota requires minimum 95 RON petrol.

Official fuel consumption is 2.9L/100km on a combined cycle and official battery-only driving range is 45km.

Energy consumption is a claimed 18.7kWh/100km.

On this test, I recorded 9.6L/100km (it takes 95RON) and an average of 35km of EV driving range.

The Sport has a 70-litre fuel tank so, going by that fuel figure – and a claimed EV range of 45km or so – I reckon you could reasonably expect a combined driving range (petrol and electric) of about 774km (729km plus 45km), or 764km (729km plus 35km – based on on-test figures).

For reference, the Ranger PHEV's smaller battery has 11.8kWh and a claimed electric-only driving range of 45km. The BYD Shark has a 29.58kWh battery for 100km of claimed electric driving range (battery will only go as low as 25 percent), while the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV has a 37.1kWh battery (in two parts) for a claimed 110km of EV driving range.

The side steps are set close to the sills and, therefore, a bit narrow for size 12 boots, but big handles on the A and B pillars assist climbing aboard, where you’re rewarded with a spacious driving position with multiple adjustments.

The analogue-flavoured RHD dash module has numerous physical dials, buttons and switches, which thankfully leaves minimal reliance on distracting touchscreen prompts. Some items, like the left-hand-side indicator stalk and HVAC controls, are biased towards LHD, but you soon get used to these idiosyncrasies.

Its excellent steering feel, braking response, supple but responsive four-coil ride quality and effective noise insulation are what we’ve come to expect from WAG’s extensive remanufacturing process. In the Tundra’s case, it uses many original equipment components from existing Toyota 4WD vehicles and OEM suppliers.

The V6 engine produces a meaty V8-style soundtrack, with a melodic throb at idle and a guttural roar at full throttle. From standing starts, the abundant torque gets more than 2.8 tonnes of pickup to triple-digit speeds in about six seconds, which is comparable to Ford's sporty Ranger Raptor.

The hybrid drivetrain displays excellent refinement, as it continuously and seamlessly switches between petrol and electric power to optimise performance and economy. The Tundra is also an effortless highway cruiser, with negligible tyre and wind noise at 110km/h allowing conversations at loungeroom levels.

To test its load-hauling ability we strapped just over 500kg into the load tub, which with our two-man crew equalled a total payload of 675kg that was nudging its GVM limit. The coil-spring rear suspension only compressed 50mm, leaving ample bump-stop clearance and no risk of bottoming-out on our test route.

It made light work of hauling this payload in city and suburban driving and didn’t seem to notice it had anything in the load tub on our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km set-climb at 60km/h.

Engine-braking on the way down, in a manually-selected second gear, wasn’t as robust as expected given the assistance of regenerative braking, but the large four-wheel disc brakes were more than capable of keeping speeds under 60km/h when called upon during the descent.

From the get-go – after climbing in via chunky side steps and using a substantial grab handle for assistance – the PHEV offers a very similar driving experience to the ‘normal’ Ranger in terms of handling and ride quality.

And that’s to say, impressive.

It’s composed on the road with smooth acceleration and response through its engine-and-electric-motor setup and it’s also very quiet, courtesy of the EV side of operations.

The reach-and-rake adjustable steering has a nice balance to it and though this Ranger is a heavy vehicle and not particularly dynamic on-road, it’s an easy-driving ute.

The hybrid system has four drive modes – Auto EV, EV Now, EV Later and EV Charge – which all pretty much do what you think they do. It quickly becomes obvious the Ranger’s electric-only driving range is reached around the 30-35km mark. You can recharge the battery through regen braking and selecting the ‘EV Charge’ mode.

So, it’s decidedly smooth, comfortable and refined on-road, but how does it perform off-road?

The standard Rangers are very capable 4WDs, so there’s no need to doubt the PHEV’s bush-ability.

It’s a big ute with a 12.9m turning circle so it takes some considered driving to work it through the bush, especially if tracks are grown-over, but it handles most off-roading scenarios with aplomb.

The suspension setup – independent, double wishbones, and coil springs at the front and live axle with leaf springs at the rear – yields soft, mostly controlled ride and handling, but this ute becomes somewhat unsettled though more severe ruts, corrugations and mudholes.

The full-time 4WD system gives the driver the option of selecting 4A (four-wheel drive auto, centre diff unlocked) which means you can drive it in 4WD on sealed/high-traction surfaces without risking transmission wind-up.

The Ranger’s combination of off-road traction control, driving modes, dual-range transfer case, and rear diff lock make it very effective in the dirt or on sand.

While its ground clearance (listed as 228mm), off-road angles (approach: 30.1 degrees, departure 24.7 and rampover 20.6 degrees) won’t set any serious 4WDer’s imagination on fire, if it’s driven well this Ranger can cope with a vast scope of off-road challenges.

With a wading depth of 850mm we had no strife driving through a series of knee-deep mud holes on our test track.

I drove up and down several steep rocky hills without the need to lock the rear diff, and this Ranger did it with ease and control.

Engine braking in this hybrid is lacklustre, but thankfully hill descent control makes up for some of that.

The bonus with this ute though is that you can drive it in 4WD high-range in 'EV Now’ mode, which offers up instant torque – there’s no messing around trying to get your revs up – and that means there’s plenty of oomph to tackle hill-climbs.

In general 4WDing, there’s more than adequate torque available and it’s delivered in an even-handed manner. And the Ranger’s suite of off-road-focussed driver-assist tech is comprehensive and effective.

Even the Ranger’s all-terrain tyres (General Grabbers) are decent enough, though better suited to light to moderate off-roading than hardcore 4WDing.

In terms of load carrying and towing capacity, the Ranger PHEV Sport has a listed payload of 934kg (at 2566kg kerb weight, or 805kg payload at 2695kg maximum kerb weight) and is rated to tow 750kg (unbraked), and 3500kg (braked).

For comparison, the BYD Shark’s payload is 790kg, unbraked towing capacity is 750kg and braked towing capacity is 2500kg; while the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV has a payload of 685kg, unbraked towing capacity of 750kg and braked towing capacity of 3500kg.

Remember, start adding people, gear and pets – not to mention aftermarket accessories – and you’ll swiftly be over legal limits. Always keep those figures in mind – gross vehicle mass, payload etc. – because all of those numbers come in handy when you're trying to figure out how much you can legally carry onboard your vehicle.

GVM (gross vehicle mass) on the Ranger PHEV Sport is 3500kg and its gross combination mass (GCM) is 6580kg.

The Ranger line-up has the maximum five star ANCAP safety rating from testing in 2022.

As standard, it has nine airbags (front, side, knee and full-length curtain and far side driver front airbag) and a comprehensive suite of driver-assist tech including auto emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control, tyre pressure monitoring, front and rear parking sensors, and more.

The Ranger PHEV’s second row has an ISOFIX point on each outboard seat with top tethers for child restraints.

The Tundra comes with Toyota’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is class-leading.

Scheduled servicing is six months/10,000km whichever occurs first, with capped-pricing of $450 per service for the first five years/100,000km. So, that’s $900 annually, if serviced twice a year as scheduled.

Toyota currently has 275 dealers across its vast network located in metro, rural and regional areas. Toyota dealerships are also service centres.

The Ford Ranger PHEV is covered by a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and an eight-year/160,000km warranty on the battery.

Capped-price servicing applies for the first five years – $399 per service (reasonable) – with service intervals recommended at 12 months or 15,000km.

Ford Australia has about 200 dealers across the country with a decent spread across metro, rural and regional areas. Ford dealers are also service centres.