2026 Ford Maverick vs 2026 Toyota Tacoma
On the public data alone the Tacoma edges it 4–1.
| 2026 Ford Maverick | 2026 Toyota Tacoma | |
|---|---|---|
| Segment | Pickup truck | Pickup truck |
| Powertrains | Hybrid, Gas | Hybrid, Gas |
| Best combined mpg | 38 | 23 |
| Safety Signal | 35 | 100 |
| NHTSA recalls | 7 | 0 |
| Critical recalls | 2 | 0 |
| Owner complaints | 8 | 6 |
| NHTSA overall stars | — | 4 |
2026 Ford Maverick
The 2026 Ford Maverick is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas pickup truck with 7 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Maverick HEV FWD, is EPA-rated at 38 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaig
A2026 Toyota Tacoma
The 2026 Toyota Tacoma is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas pickup truck with 10 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Tacoma Hybrid 4WD, is EPA-rated at 23 mpg combined. NHTSA lists no recall camp
Recalls at a glance
Maverick
Structure
criticalProblem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Maverick, F-150, and Bronco Sport vehicles. Certain vehicle joints may be improperly tightened. This can lead to detached parts, unsecured cargo, degraded crash protection, electrical system failure, or a loss of vehicle stability.
Risk: Improperly tightened vehicle joints may lead to a loss of vehicle control, electrical failure, or detached parts, increasing the risk of a crash or fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and tighten the vehicle joints or repair and replace the joint retention mechanisms as necessary, free of charge. Owner notifications letters are expected to be mailed September 21, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S60. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on August 26, 2026.
Suspension
criticalProblem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 Bronco Sport and 2022-2026 Maverick vehicles. The front lower control arm ball joints may have been incorrectly installed or incorrectly repaired at the vehicle assembly plant, allowing the control arm to disconnect from the front wheel knuckle.
Risk: A detached control arm can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and repair the front lower control arm ball joints as necessary, free of charge.Owner notification letters were mailed September 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S36. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 29, 2026.
Air Bags
highProblem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Bronco Sport and Maverick vehicles. The Occupant Classification Sensor (OCS) unit may fail to correctly detect the presence of an adult or child in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: Failure to correctly detect a passenger may result in the air bag not deploying as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the passenger seat occupant classification sensor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C19. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 2, 2026.
Tacoma
No recalls on file.
Green cells mark the better value on that row. Complaint counts scale with sales volume; treat them as a pattern signal, not a verdict. Sources: EPA, NHTSA.