When shopping for a new pickup truck there are some critical decisions to make. Most importantly, selecting the right vehicle for your specific needs.
For buyers requiring less than maximum towing and hauling capabilities, a midsize pickup such as the Ford Ranger could be a better and less expensive choice than the full-size Ford F-150.
The Ranger is in a grouping of similarly size vehicles that include the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier.
Today鈥檚 mid-sizers are plenty capable of a full day鈥檚 work on the job site and letting you keep some money in your pocket.
The latest Ranger, which arrived for 2024, is more stylish than that of the previous generation, especially the attractive grille and headlights. The sculpted door panels are also a nice touch. With the cancellation of the extended-cab body, all Rangers are four-door crew cabs with five-foot-long beds.
The overall length is about the same as before, but the width and the distance between the front and rear wheels have each increased by about 5.0 centimetres. The result is more rear-seat leg and elbow room, and 4x8 sheets of building materials will fit flat between the wheel tubs. Accessing the bed is easier with available recessed side steps located between the rear wheels and the bumper. There are 12- and 110-volt power outlets installed inside the bed.
To improve the ride and stability, the rear shocks are now positioned outside the frame rails. Ground clearance has also increased slightly.
Maximum towing and payload capacities are 7,500 and 1,805 pounds (3400 and 820 kilograms), respectively. Those numbers are slightly less for rear-wheel-drive models.
Along with a 10-inch digital instrument cluster and standard 10-inch or optional 12.4-inch vertical infotainment screen, the Ranger has a shelf above the glovebox with room for cell phones and other small items. Above that is an enclosed storage spot for larger items. Raising the rear-seat cushions provides dual secure storage areas for larger items. The seatback can also be lowered flat for transporting bulkier goods.
The powertrain lineup begins with a turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder that carries over from the previous Ranger. It鈥檚 rated at 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. Optional is a twin-turbocharged 2.7-litre V-6 rated at 315 horsepower and 400 pound-feet.
Exclusive to the Ranger Raptor is a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V-6, which produces 405 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. The Raptor, along with the Bronco and F-150 Raptors, give Ford a major presence in the off-road realm.
Four-wheel-drive is standard with all Ranger powertrains (including The Raptor) as is a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Fuel economy for Ranger with the base turbo engine is rated at 11.8 l/100 km in the city, 9.8 on the highway and 11.0 combined.
Pricing starts at $44,200 for the Ranger XL, which comes with the usual basic content plus safety technology such as blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning and autonomous emergency braking assist.
The XLT ($48,400) gets a navigation system, rear-parking assist and adaptive cruise control, while the Lariat ($56,600) loads up with leather seat coverings (heated and power-adjustable in front) power driver鈥檚 seat, premium sound system, automatic parking and 18-inch wheels (17s are standard).
Options include wireless phone charging, trailer backup assist and a 360-degree panoramic camera.
As expected, the Raptor ($80,250) receives a plethora of off-road gear. An independent rear suspension replaces the standard leaf springs and there鈥檚 adaptive (constantly adjusting) Fox-brand shocks, 33-inch all-terrain tires and wider fenders.
The Raptor鈥檚 interior has well-bolstered front seats as well as steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. A number of drive modes and a less exhaust-restrictive (loud) Baja Mode are also included.
The multi-tasking Ford Ranger鈥檚 attractive pricing and exemplary passenger, towing and hauling capacities 鈥� especially with the standard five-foot-long bed 鈥� are reasons enough to consider it over the F-150 and similar full-size General Motors, Ram and Toyota pickups.
