Compare the2026 Jeep WranglerVS 2026 Toyota Tacoma

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive is standard on the Wrangler. But it costs extra on the Tacoma.

Both the Wrangler and the Tacoma have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Jeep Wrangler is safer than the Toyota Tacoma:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Wrangler is much safer than the Tacoma:

There are almost 2 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Toyota dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Wrangler’s warranty.

The Wrangler has a solid front axle with a floating power axle for durability that the Tacoma 4x4’s independent front suspension and exposed front driveshafts don’t offer.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Wrangler second among compact suvs in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The Tacoma isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Jeep above average in initial quality. With 14 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated below average.

The Wrangler has more powerful engines than the Tacoma:

As tested in Car and Driver the Wrangler Moab 392 6.4 V8 is faster than the Toyota Tacoma turbo 4 cyl. (automatics tested):

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Wrangler 392’s fuel efficiency. The Tacoma doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The Wrangler 4-door’s standard fuel tank has 3.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Tacoma (21.5 vs. 18.2 gallons).

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Jeep Wrangler higher (6 out of 10) than the Toyota Tacoma (4 to 6). This means the Wrangler produces up to 12.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Tacoma every 15,000 miles.

The Wrangler 392’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Tacoma doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the Wrangler’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Tacoma:

The Wrangler stops shorter than the Tacoma:

For better traction, the Wrangler 4-door Moab 392/Xteme 35’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Tacoma (315/70R17 vs. 265/70R17).

The Wrangler Sahara 4Xe’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Tacoma Double Cab TRD Sport/Limited’s 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Wrangler 4Xe has standard 20-inch wheels. The Tacoma’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

The Wrangler has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Tacoma doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Wrangler has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Wrangler flat and controlled during cornering. The Tacoma SR/XtraCab suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The front and rear suspension of the Wrangler uses coil springs for better ride, handling and control than the Tacoma SR/XtraCab, which uses leaf springs in the rear. Coil springs compress more progressively and offer more suspension travel for a smoother ride with less bottoming out.

The Wrangler has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Tacoma doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Wrangler’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52.2% to 47.4%) than the Tacoma’s (56% to 44%). This gives the Wrangler more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the Wrangler 2-door’s turning circle is 9.5 feet tighter than the Tacoma XtraCab’s (32.7 feet vs. 42.2 feet). The Wrangler 4-door 4Xe’s turning circle is 11.7 feet tighter than the Tacoma 6-ft. bed Trailhunter Double Cab’s (38.9 feet vs. 50.6 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Wrangler Rubicon 4-door Xtreme 35 has a 1.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Tacoma 5-ft. bed TRD Pro Double Cab (12.9 vs. 11.5 inches), allowing the Wrangler to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Wrangler 2-door is 3 feet, 10.2 inches shorter than the Tacoma XtraCab, making the Wrangler easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Wrangler has 6.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Tacoma (103.7 vs. 97).

The Wrangler 4-door has 1.1 inches more front headroom, 1.9 inches more rear headroom, 4.6 inches more rear legroom and .4 inches more rear hip room than the Tacoma Double Cab.

The Wrangler 4-door has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Tacoma with its long-bed bodystyle (72.4 vs. 47.7 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Wrangler easier. The Wrangler’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29.7 inches, while the Tacoma’s liftover is 34 inches.

The Wrangler can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Wrangler can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Tacoma can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Wrangler’s speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Tacoma’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Wrangler has a standard rear wiper. The Tacoma doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The Wrangler 4-door offers an optional center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Tacoma doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

Both the Wrangler and the Tacoma offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Wrangler offers optional rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Tacoma doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Motor Trend selected the Wrangler as their 2019 Sport Utility of the Year. The Tacoma has never been chosen.