As an owner of a 2020 Ford Ranger, I'd like to add my perspective. My family has always been a GM truck family. My last truck was a 1999 GMC Sierra. I had decided, without driving, that I thought I wanted a ZR2. I love the looks and capability of the truck. I mainly do beach driving, but wanted to get into some mild off-roading -- fire roads and basic trails, but no rock crawling. Owning two modern diesels, I knew I didn't want the 2.8 Duramax, so I located a v6 ZR2 locally and went for a test drive.
On the road, the ZR2 handles well. The ride is soft and supple for a pickup. The steering and brakes felt great, too. The seats are ok, but the plastic side trim is VERY high and I could actually feel it while sitting in the seat (I weigh 230lbs and have a 34" waist so I'm likely larger than average, but not huge). This would have been totally uncomfortable on a trip longer than something down the street. The seating position is nice and upright, though. The infotainment system is nothing to write home about, but it's easy to use and looks nice. The upgraded stereo sounded good enough for what it is. I like the power the v6 delivered; enough down low grunt, but felt powerful as it revved, too. The transmission shift without any issues (read tons of complaints about shuddering/shifting problems). The ZR2 was totally lacking in the tech department, though. It's been a year since I drove it, but I remember it not having any driver aids (radar cruise, collision avoidance, etc), no push button start, etc. I was struggling with the asking price over what I was getting at this point, because while the ZR2 package is special, it's missing many modern features.
After the test drive I was speaking to a friend who is a Ford parts guy and he recommended I come drive a new Ranger. Said he'd hook me up with the sales manager so I could drive one without all the sales pitches so off to Ford I went. I knew I wanted a Lariat with the FX4 and Sport Packages (no chrome and I like the FX4 bash/skid plate in the front). I test drove a Magnetic Gray FX4 with Sport package and 501a. At the time, this was basically all the options. The ride was great on smooth roads, but over anything bumpy, it was not anywhere near as composed as the ZR2 (the Multimatic DSV shocks are fantastic). Steering was great; a little light, but still had decent feedback. Brakes were a little soft, but all modern Fords are this way. The radar cruise and lane departure warning systems are fantastic. They work flawlessly, aren't too obtrusive, and can be turned off if you don't like them. The 2.3 liter Ecoboost is a powerhouse in a small truck. It has torque everywhere and pulls HARD up top. It also sounds AMAZING thanks to the engine sounds Ford pumps in the cabin. The 10-speed transmission fires off shifts like nothing I had experienced short of a ZF/Aisin 8-speeds used in German vehicles. The B&O sound system, like the ZR2's setup, was acceptable. The seats in the Ranger are soft, supportive, and comfortable.
I also looked at a Tacoma, but the cab is so uncomfortable, that there was no way I could do it. The seats ride VERY low and your legs are nearly straight out. This is great in a sports car, but not a pickup. The engine has NO power down low. I felt like there was no way you'd ever get decent fuel economy with it if you always had the accelerator on the floor. Tech is severely lacking in these trucks as well.
When I finally made a decision, the fact that I drive the truck 98% of it's life on road getting to a beach or trail meant I really should weigh the aspects that make it a better on road vehicle more heavily than the front locker or better offroad tires. The only thing the ZR2 did better was the ride quality, but I knew I'd eventually do a lift/level and put different wheels/tires on it so I could "fix" that. I have just over 10k miles on my Ranger, and we've been up and down the Outer Banks of NC MANY times. It's served us very well and I'm very happy with the truck.