The Ford Ranger has been around for some time and this classically designed small truck has not received any real design changes since 1998 and it is starting to show. This year will actually be the last year for the Ranger. Ford has already announced that it will be discontinued in 2011 after that years release. Even though the Ford Ranger has not seen many changes it is still a consistent seller for Ford and because of its favorable fuel economy it offers a great choice for those looking for a lot of external storage, some towing capability and a daily driver all in one.
The inline 4 cylinder motor is not a big powerful engine, but offers plenty of strength for the Rangers small size and makes the entry level models very affordable. The Ranger does not offer much when it comes to add-on features for the interior, but these barebones trucks are exactly what some consumers are looking for, a useable truck and at a great price. The Ranger start at under $18,000 and can be upgraded with a bigger V-6 engine and towing packages to make it even more durable and functional.
The Range
Bodystyles: Truck
Engines: 2.3L I-4, 4.0L V-6
Transmissions: 5-speed manual, 5-speed automatic
Models: XL, XLT, Sport
What's New
For 2010, the FX4 Off-Road trim was discontinued along with the 7-foot bed to simply the lineup. Despite the lack of changes, EPA fuel economy for the I-4 and 5-speed manual combination improved by 1 mpg city and highway.
Exterior
The Ranger can be had in two cab configurations, regular cab or SuperCab, the latter with two or four doors. A six-foot bed is the only one available. Sport models get wide fender flares.
Interior
Ranger XL and XLT models come with a bench seat up front that can seat three. SuperCab models come with dual side-facing jump seats and seat five. Sport models get front bucket seats and a center console.
Performance & Handling
The Ranger's 2.3-liter I-4 with 143 horsepower, 154 pound-feet of torque is not the most powerful engine, but it offers the best fuel-economy of any truck on the market. Opting for the 207 horsepower V-6 allows the Ranger to tow up to 5,860 pounds, but at a substantial hit to fuel economy. Regardless of engine or cab choice, max payload is 1260 pounds.
Safety
The Ranger comes with roll stability control, which monitors yaw and roll motions plus four-wheel ABS and a tire pressure monitoring system. Four airbags -- dual front and front side – are standard.
EPA Fuel Economy
I-4: 22 mpg city/27 mpg highway (manual); 19 mpg city/24 mpg highway (automatic)
V-6 Manual 2WD: 15 mpg city/21 mpg highway
V-6 Manual 4WD: 15 mpg city/19 mpg highway
V-6 Automatic 2WD: 16 mpg city/21 mpg highway
V-6 Automatic 4WD: 14 mpg city/18 mpg highway
You'll Like
- I-4's fuel economy
- Smaller size
You Won't Like
- V-6's fuel economy
- Dated interior
Sum Up
Aged, but still capable
If You Like This Vehicle
- Chevrolet Colorado
- GMC Canyon
- Nissan Frontier
- Suzuki Equator
- Toyota Tacoma