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"Are we supposed to put that one song on by Elton John?"
"Are we supposed to put that one song on by Elton John?"
The Ford Ranger was introduced in the North American market in 1982, and went through five generations in that period, before the popular midsize had been discontinued in 2011. To all it surprised, even the ones who don't know what the Ranger is, I was certainly upset to see it go, but there were some reasons behind it. The Ranger returns, now its in its sixth generation, and it faces very stiff new competition.
Cab Configurations & Trim Levels
Cab Configurations & Trim Levels
Trim levels and pricing only applies to the 2020 model year Ford Ranger.
XL SuperCab
XL SuperCab
MSRP $24,410
(4x4 +$4,160)MSRP $24,410
XL SuperCrew
XL SuperCrew
MSRP $26,810
(4x4 +$4,160)MSRP $26,810
XLT SuperCab
XLT SuperCab
MSRP $28,460
(4x4 +$4,000)MSRP $28,460
XLT SuperCrew
XLT SuperCrew
MSRP $30,635
(4x4 +$4,000)MSRP $30,635
LARIAT SuperCab
LARIAT SuperCab
MSRP $32,500
(4x4 +$4,000)MSRP $32,500
LARIAT SuperCrew
LARIAT SuperCrew
MSRP $34,675
(4x4 +$4,000)MSRP $34,675
Exterior Design
Exterior Design
The sixth generation Ranger has been in production since 2011 in other markets. Ford brought the Ranger but they refreshed it, and gave the Ranger unique steel front bumpers. I thought that the new Ranger would look more like a shrunken F-150, but Ford decided to make the Ranger straddle the line between a car and truck design. Regardless, it looks macho, especially in the FX4 or Sport Appearance Package guises.
The Ranger gets halogen reflector headlamps as standard. LED headlamps only come on Lariat models, which I frankly believe should be made standard, since the 2020 Toyota Tacoma's third refresh comes with LEDs as standard. LED fog lights are only on the Lariat model; lowers get halogens. No components of the front end except the hood, fenders, and tailgate are steel, with the latter being aluminum. The Ranger is not aluminum-intensive compared to the F-150.
Around the side of the Ranger, the Ranger looks quite unique. With the FX4 package, there's no plastic surrounding the vehicle. The fender accents become this mild gray color, which I think looks pretty cool. The Ranger comes with 16-inch steel wheels as standard equipment, but spring for the Lariat trim, and you'll jump to an 18-inch machined wheel that looks really good on the truck. The Ranger also has an emblem that has RANGER on it, as well as the trim name, taking inspiration from the F-Series trucks.
The rear is unique to the Ranger, but it does take a bunch of styling elements from the larger F-150. It unfortunately does not come with the bigger brother's tailgate assistance step integrated into the tailgate, and it is not dampened. I really wish it was because man does it thunk when it drops! Out back is full LED tail lights, with amber turn signals, which is a nice touch. Gray fender flares come on the FX4 packages and the Sport packages, and they add a more rugged look to the Ranger.
The tailgate is made of aluminum, but the bumper is steel. The Ranger is rated to tow a very stout 7,500 pounds and haul a class-leading 1,560 to just over 1,800 pounds. Keep in mind, this is a four-cylinder truck whose platform is now nine years old.
Interior Design
Interior Design
For being nine years old, this truck still looks slightly modern. But the interior does show its age very clearly at first glance.
Soft touch materials are very hard to find in the Ranger, but it has a barely soft-touch leather material with faux stitching at the top of the dashboard. There is gray, cheap plastic that surrounds the air vents and such, and it really feels dingy and cheap. The RANGER engraving does add a nice touch though.
A console shifter is standard and is the only option, but there is a choice of a SuperCab and SuperCrew cabs that seat four and five respectfully. But do yourself an extremely huge favor and get the SuperCrew cab instead of the SuperCab. Why do I say that? The back seats are so uncomfortable in SuperCab models because the seat backs sit straight up, and the seat bottom and back form an almost-perfect 90-degree angle, making your adult friends and your children very unhappy. SuperCab models have rear seat cushions that remove to expose two decent storage cubbies below. On SuperCrew models, the whole rear bench folds up to reveal the same storage cubbies below, but they look to be larger than the ones found in the SuperCab model. Also, SuperCrew models benefit from a little more storage located behind the rear seatbacks. There is a tether on the passenger side of the truck, that you have to pull to get the seatback to fold down. The seats don't fold flat, probably folding no more than 20 degrees.
At least in the back, you get two USB ports and a 110V power outlet, so even though your rear passengers might be extremely uncomfortable in the SuperCab, they can at least keep their devices charged so they can call their mommies saying they survived the rear seats of the Ford Ranger.
Safety & Technology
Safety & Technology
Ford offers their Ford Co-Pilot360 suite of safety technology on nearly all of the Ranger lineup. It is standard on the XLT and Lariat trims, but optional on XL trims. The XL trims do get the Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking as standard equipment, so that is at least slightly refreshing, though I wished Ford would have just made the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite completely standard on all trims because even though I believe that the bulk of sales will be the XLT trim, I believe it would have just been better for Ford to just add that suite to the base Ranger to give a little more of a value proposition compared to the Toyota Tacoma that has Toyota Safety Sense-P standard on even the base trim Tacomas, starting for the 2018 model year.
Ford Co-Pilot360 includes the Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with Cross-Traffic Alert and extended trailer coverage, a Lane-Keeping System, Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking, Auto High-Beam Headlamps, and a Rearview Camera with dynamic backup guidelines.
Adaptive Cruise Control only comes on Rangers equipped with the Technology Package, only available as an option on XLT and Lariat models.
The Ranger has just been tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The Ranger fails to earn a safety award, due to having Marginal-rated headlamps in both halogen and LED configurations, as well as earning only an Acceptable in the passenger-side small overlap crash test. At least the Ranger comes with a standard superior-rated front crash prevention system, and passed five of the six stringent crash tests. Not bad for a truck that is riding on an eight-year-old chassis. See more about the evaluation of the Ranger's safety credentials by clicking here.
Driving Impressions
Driving Impressions
I drove a Ranger recently thanks to Tri-Star Ford in Blairsville, PA.
310 lb/ft of torque means that the Ranger is no slouch. The truck was very quick, and it managed to give us some light to moderate wheelspin at every launch and full-throttle acceleration we did. The Ranger runs with the same 10R80 10-speed automatic transmission that's in the larger F-150, but the transmission is tuned more for Ranger duty. Ford's latest 10R80 transmissions have been absolutely smooth, with nearly imperceptible shifts. First versions of this 10R80 had some issues particularly from a stop, but in the Ranger, I couldn't find any problems. The transmission can also skip gears both up and down for better fuel economy, or go through each gear when you put your foot down. Shifts are crisp, surprisingly quick, and very smooth.
The Ranger is only second to the Jeep Gladiator in towing. 7,500 pounds no matter the configuration, which is 150 pounds less than the best rating in the Gladiator. The Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon Duramax diesel brothers can tow just 200 pounds more, but 7,500 pounds is pretty incredible for a truck that has a gas-powered four-cylinder. The Ranger slaughters the Honda Ridgeline by an astonishing 2,500 pounds, but the Ridgeline is more of a lifestyle pickup. Payload ratings are also really great, and start from 1,560 pounds and can run upwards of 1,800. The closest competitor to reach near the maximum is the 1,548-pound rating from the Chevy Colorado with its V6 engine.
Fuel economy is one of the strong suits of the Ranger. The Ranger has the very slight upper hand to the Ridgeline, which earns 19 city and 26 highway in its FWD configuration, down on city MPG to the Ranger by two. Switch to the AWD and 4x4 versions, and gas mileage becomes more tight. The Ridgeline does 19 city and 24 highway, whereas the Ranger does 20 in the city. Ford is only six miles-per-gallon off from the Colorado and Canyon's 30 MPG highway rating with the Duramax diesel option though, but Ford said it might be possible a diesel engine might be offered in the US in the future, but I'd expect it for the next generation coming in a couple of years.
Now for the other aspects. Handling... it's a truck. Lazy steering, but it has a good amount of heft and a decent amount of feedback. I will note the Ranger has a really bad turning circle, in feeling. It feels like the truck should turn quite tight because its only 211 inches long, but for it being as tiny as it is on the outside, the Ranger doesn't have a very remarkable turning radius. The ride in the Ranger is absolutely horrible. It's the roughest riding vehicle I've ever reviewed and driven. Every single road imperfection you feel, even a crack in the road feels rough. The Ranger does have independent front suspension, but the rear is a solid axle, and I'm telling you, the Ranger would benefit from some better suspension tuning, because the Ranger is both way too choppy and floaty.
Performance
Performance
When there was rumors of the Ranger returning, I knew that they would probably make the Ranger an all-EcoBoost lineup. I was curious on Ford offering the 2.3L as the base engine, and a higher-output 2.7L V6 as an option. Let's say I was just partially right, as the Ranger offers only the 2.3L EcoBoost pulled from the Mustang EcoBoost. It's not just a Mustang engine in a pickup; Ford did a lot to beef up the internals such as a forged crankshaft and pistons for truck duty. Power output is a standard 270 horsepower and a best-in-class (for gas engines) 310 lb/ft of torque.
The Ranger is the only midsize truck in the segment to get a 10-speed automatic transmission and it also comes standard with auto start/stop capability for improved fuel efficiency and better emissions.
Performance Figures
Performance Figures
2.3L turbocharged EcoBoost I4
Horsepower (hp @ RPM)
270 @ 5500
270 @ 5500
Torque (lb/ft @ RPM)
310 @ 3000
310 @ 3000
Transmission(s)
10-speed automatic
10-speed automatic
Drivetrain
4x2 / 4x4
4x2 / 4x4
EPA Fuel Economy (city/hwy)
20-21 / 24-26
20-21 / 24-26
0-60 Time
6.4 seconds
6.4 seconds
1/4-mile (sec @ mph)
15.2 @ 91.3
15.2 @ 91.3
Final Verdict & REVIEWS Score
Final Verdict & REVIEWS Score
The Ranger is a good entry in the midsize truck segment with impressive stats, but nothing can hide the fact that it is really old and has a downright disgusting interior, even on the top Lariat trim that can cost nearly $45,000.
The Ranger is a good entry in the midsize truck segment with impressive stats, but nothing can hide the fact that it is really old and has a downright disgusting interior, even on the top Lariat trim that can cost nearly $45,000.
Because of the reshoot on the review, there will be a new REVIEWS Score when determined by team.
Because of the reshoot on the review, there will be a new REVIEWS Score when determined by team.
37/85 | Accumulated Score
37/85 | Accumulated Score
07 | Reliability
07 | Reliability
03 | Ergonomics
03 | Ergonomics
02 | Value
02 | Value
04 | Innovation
04 | Innovation
03 | Electronics
03 | Electronics
04 | Wow factor
04 | Wow factor
08 | Safety
08 | Safety
31/70 | Subtotal Score
31/70 | Subtotal Score
06/15 | Subjective Category
06/15 | Subjective Category
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