10 Trucks Just As Or More Reliable Than The Toyota Tacoma

In 2024, the Toyota Tacoma was the fifth best-selling pickup in the United States. Although it may never outpace the Ford F-Series or other higher-ranking trucks, the Tacoma sold more than 192,000 units, and that's is nothing to scoff at. There are plenty of pickup trucks on the market to choose from, and the Tacoma consistently ranks near the top. It's the one exception to the general rule that American's prefer U.S.-built trucks.

That said, there's a lot to know before buying a Tacoma, like which models have better resale value, and which model years might be more susceptible to breakdowns. In general, the Toyota Tacoma has favorable reliability ratings, earning an above-average 3.5 from RepairPal, and consistently competitive dependability scores from J.D. Power. For example, the 2022 Toyota Tacoma earned an 83 for Quality & Reliability from J.D. Power, in the midsize pickup category.

All that said, looks and cost aside, many pickups are just as reliable as the Tacoma, and some are even more so, depending on the model year. To determine which trucks rival the Tacoma on dependability, we compared consumer reviews from RepairPal and referenced J.D. Power dependability awards for a fair comparison. Our results don't include specific year recommendations, but do involve multiple points of comparison across different model years. Stay tuned for more on our methodology after the list of reliable trucks.

If you want to stick with a Toyota pickup, but aren't sure the Tacoma is right for you, the Tundra is a real powerhouse. J.D. Power rates it in the large light duty pickup category, and comparing it to the Tacoma isn't exactly apples to apples — the Tacoma is classed as a midsize pickup, and the Tundra is full-sized. Still, if the overall look and performance of a Toyota pickup is what you're after, a Tundra is a great option.

When it comes to reliability, the Tundra has earned dependability awards from J.D. Power, including for the 2019 model year. For that year, in particular, the Tundra ranked higher in the Quality & Reliability category than the Tacoma. Looking at RepairPal's report on consumer feedback, the Tundra's reliability rating matches the Tacoma's, though repair costs average out higher per year. The caveat here, RepairPal notes, is that the Tundra may have more severe issues, but they occur less frequently than average.

Because the two trucks are in different classes, the Tundra actually ranks higher in its class for reliability with RepairPal. Tacoma, on the other hand, ranks 7th for reliability in its size category. Thus, the Tundra is only the beginning when it comes to trucks that rank better than the Tacoma for reliability.

For a time, the Ford F-150 was the best-selling U.S. vehicle overall. Today, the F-Series remains the best-selling pickup in the United States, with a massive sales volume of more than 732,000 vehicles in 2024. Of course, that includes every truck in the F-Series, not just the entry-level XL; Ford also offers 2025 STX and XLT models, plus the Tremor, Lariat, Platinum, Raptor, and King Ranch F-150s. Regardless of its trim, the F-150 is an exceptionally rated pickup that rivals the Tacoma's when it comes to reliability.

As another large light duty pickup, the Ford F-150 outpaced other pickups in its category in J.D. Power's 2025 rankings. The 2022 Ford F-150 received relatively high marks across all categories, and a higher-than-average Quality & Reliability rating. The F-150 is another indirect comparison because it's in a different category than the Tacoma, but both trucks have ranked highly in J.D. Power's reviews for multiple years.

Plus, both trucks have similar reliability rankings based on RepairPal data. The Ford F-150 has an average annual repair cost of almost double of the Toyota Tacoma, though both trucks are reported to have less frequent repairs than some other comparable truck models. Both trucks receive a 3.5 out of 5 for reliability, based on consumer input, but the F-150 comes from a larger category and ranks near the middle of the list for full size trucks. That makes the F-150 just as reliable as the Tacoma by all our measures.

SlashGear loved the 2024 Ford Ranger XLT, awarding it a 10/10 rating for its ease of driving, standard equipment, and relative fuel efficiency. Older models have just as stellar of a reputation. Not to mention, the Ranger is a truer comparison to the Tacoma for many reference points, since it's also a midsize pickup.

For the 2021 model year, while the Toyota Tacoma outpaced the Ford Ranger in its overall rating, the trucks had the same Quality & Reliability rating from J.D. Power. While resale values for the Ranger were a bit lower for that model year, the Ranger is said to have a better driving experience than the Tacoma, if you're considering more than pure reliability. Plus, the difference in reliability is only a single point, in favor of the Tacoma.

When it comes to feedback from owner drivers on RepairPal, the Ford Ranger actually wins out in the reliability category. The Ranger is third on the midsize truck list on RepairPal, with a score of 4.0 against the Tacoma's 3.5. Not only does the Ranger have an above-average reliability rating based on driver feedback, but the severity of repairs is lower with the Ranger compared to the Tacoma. Customers suggest the Ranger might be a small truck, but it's got plenty of heart — and even towing power — that makes it slightly more reliable than the Tacoma.

The Gladiator is one of the more expensive trucks on our list, and there are many more affordable alternatives. However, if you have the budget for it, a 2022 Gladiator especially makes for a supremely reliable option if a Tacoma isn't quite up your alley. For its 2022 model year rankings of midsize pickups, J.D. Power tied the Jeep Gladiator and Nissan Frontier for first place. The Tacoma squeaked into second, one point behind the first-place trucks.

While both the Tacoma and Gladiator earned "great" numbers for Quality & Reliability, the Gladiator had a few points over its competitor. It also had a slightly higher resale value, though both earned "best" numbers in that category. As far as driver reports on RepairPal, the Gladiator is a unique case; it doesn't appear in the rankings at all.

However, given that the Gladiator is more or less a Wrangler with a pickup bed, the Wrangler's rankings may be accurate enough for both models. The major difference between the Gladiator and Wrangler is that they are categorized differently, with the Wrangler qualifying as a compact SUV based on RepairPal's categorization. However, the Wrangler — and thus the Gladiator, if we're extrapolating — also earns a 3.5, above-average reliability rating, just like the Tacoma. That makes the Gladiator just as, if not more, reliable than the Tacoma.

Some Frontier model years are better than others, but the 2022 and 2019 Nissan Frontiers, in particular, appear to be more reliable than the Toyota Tacoma. In J.D. Power rankings, the 2022 Frontier tied for first place in the midsize pickup category with the Jeep Gladiator. The Frontier earned high marks for reliability for 2022, as well as 2019, when the Frontier was actually number one in its category.

The 2019 Frontier ranked highest in Quality & Reliability with J.D. Power, outpacing the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma, which earned second and third place, respectively. Overall, it appears that the Frontier is more reliable than the Tacoma, considering that Nissan outranked Toyota twice in recent model years. Not only that, but the Frontier also has great ratings on RepairPal, with consumer feedback earning it a 4.0 — or excellent — rating for reliability.

The Frontier boasts similar average annual repair costs to the Tacoma, but a slightly higher reliability rating; the Frontier is actually the most reliable midsize truck, per RepairPal's ranking system. Repair frequency is low with the Frontier, and repair costs are about average, while the Tacoma has more severe issues with a similarly low frequency. Another perk? A Nissan Frontier may cost you a few thousand dollars less than a Toyota Tacoma, if you're after a 2019 of either model.

Another pickup truck that might be more reliable than the Toyota Tacoma, depending on the model year you choose, is the GMC Canyon. In the 2022 lineup of J.D. Power-ranked midsize pickups, for example, the Tacoma was number two. It tied with both the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon for the spot, and all three had the same reliability rating.

What might push the Canyon over the edge into better-than territory is the fact that consumer feedback on RepairPal ranks it a 4.0 for reliability. The Canyon is the second most reliable midsize truck per RepairPal, and although it has higher average yearly repair costs than the Tacoma, with less severe repairs in general.

While it may not be the most popular truck in the U.S. (the Canyon doesn't rank in the top five best-sellers in the U.S.), RepairPal highlights that the Canyon is a dependable truck with fewer known recalls than the Tacoma. What's more, the Canyon has less than half the known problems that the Tacoma has. Though this could be a numbers game, since many more Tacomas have been sold compared to Canyons, it could also indicate that the GMC Canyon is worth the buying risk if you're in the market for a used truck.

A GMC Sierra 1500 may not fall into the midsize pickup category, but its stats are impressive enough to label it as more reliable than the smaller Toyota Tacoma. In fact, the 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Limited ranked the highest of any large light duty pickup with J.D. Power, and its stats were higher than the 2022 Toyota Tacoma's, from Quality & Reliability to the Overall Rating.

Although average yearly repair costs are a few hundred dollars more with the Sierra 1500 versus the Tacoma, their repair frequency and severity are closely matched, according to RepairPal. Consumers also rank the Tacoma and Sierra similarly for reliability, with the latter earning a 3.5 and ranking third in the full size truck category. RepairPal doesn't specify any particular model year, but it's worth noting that even in 2024, the GMC Sierra remains one of the best-selling pickup trucks in the U.S.

GMC sold over 340,000 Sierra units in 2024, outpacing the Tacoma by more than 48,000 units. That said, though a new GMC Sierra 1500 might be on your wish list, some older models are also known for being reliable, like the 2020 edition. If dependability is your focus, you can't go wrong with many newer GMC Sierra 1500s, and you'll be in good company, too, with hundreds of thousands of other GMC owners.

Among the best years for Chevy Colorado are the 2021 and 2020 models, according to SlashGear's research, but other model years have great reputations for reliability, too. For example, for the 2022 model year, the Chevrolet Colorado was ranked number two for reliability in J.D. Power's lineup. That was the same year the Colorado tied with the Toyota Tacoma and GMC Canyon for second place, while the Nissan Frontier and Jeep Gladiator tied for first. Though the rankings can change year by year (and some years, the Tacoma didn't even show up on J.D. Power's radar), it's a good sign that the Colorado tied with the Tacoma for at least one year.

Plus, looking at consumer feedback via RepairPal, drivers have had great experiences with the Chevrolet Colorado. Its reliability rating is a 4.0, higher than the Tacoma's and above average overall, although repair costs are slightly higher. Fewer recalls have plagued the Colorado versus the Tacoma, too, which again could be due to the huge number of Tacomas that have been sold in the U.S. each year.

Given that Chevrolet also manufactures the second-best-selling pickup in the U.S., you probably can't go wrong with a Colorado. Plus, the rankings on the Colorado suggest that it's just as reliable as the Tacoma, if not more so in some years.

In 2024, Chevrolet sold over 542,000 Silverado 1500s, and pure volume alone suggests that the Silverado is not a bad truck to consider if you're in the market. What makes it just as good as — or better than — the Toyota Tacoma, though? Dependability is definitely part of the equation.

In J.D. Power's lineup of 2022 model years, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Limited outranked every other truck for dependability in the large light duty pickup category. Again, while the Silverado is in a different size category than the Tacoma, its numbers were better than the Tacoma's for that model year.

In addition, RepairPal's rankings — which, again, don't factor in model years — the Silverado has the same reliability ranking of 3.5 that the Tacoma has. One caveat, according to consumers, is that there are far more known issues with the Silverado 1500 than there are with the Tacoma. There's also the fact that repair costs are a bit higher with the Silverado, but it might be a decent enough tradeoff if a Tacoma isn't quite your style. After all, a 2025 Silverado has some cool features that might be worth checking out. Or, you can go with an earlier model that's earned praise from J.D. Power and consumers for reliability.

You might be surprised to find the Honda Ridgeline on this list, and it's true there are some caveats. However, according to J.D. Power's ratings, for 2019, at least, the Honda Ridgeline and Toyota Tacoma were nearly tied for Quality & Reliability. A single point separated the two, with the Ridgeline coming in slightly lower, but the Ridgeline was still in the top four with other big names like the Ford Ranger and Nissan Frontier.

What's more, when it came down to driver reports via RepairPal, the Honda Ridgeline closely tied with the Toyota Tacoma for reliability, with a score of 3.5. Remember how the Tacoma ranks seventh out of just as many entries for the midsize truck category? The Ridgeline is sixth out of seven in the midsize category, which is not terrible given that its reliability score is still above average. The Ridgeline has a slightly higher average repair cost, but fewer known problems and far fewer recalls than the Tacoma.

Suffice it to say, a Ridgeline circa 2019 makes a decent alternative to a Tacoma, if you have the budget for it. Ridgelines appear to hold their value better, with a 2019 model costing thousands more than a Tacoma of the same year. That said, if an older Ridgeline is more your speed, even a model as early as 2007 could be the reliable daily driver you're after.

Our judgment of pickup truck reliability centers on J.D. Power rankings and consumer feedback (via RepairPal) on each model. Note that the trucks on this list span different pickup truck categories; the Tacoma is considered a midsize pickup by J.D. Power, for example, while the Ford F-150 is classed as a large light duty pickup.

Each year, J.D. Power evaluates vehicles that were new three years prior. Rankings vary by model year, but our list of pickups — both midsize and large trucks — consistently rank high on dependability, whether they're just as or more reliable than the Tacoma. Given that J.D. Power rankings span earlier model years, our recommendations don't highlight any particular year of pickup truck, and we can't speak for the reliability of brand-new models that haven't yet been rated by organizations like J.D. Power.

In addition to J.D. Power rankings, each truck on this list was just as or more reliable than the Toyota Tacoma, according to consumer feedback on RepairPal. RepairPal's reliability rating is based on unscheduled repairs and maintenance, and factors in costs, frequency, and severity.