Review: 2006 Ford Ranger

The main advantages of buying a Ranger are low price and durability. The fact that the truck has gone unchanged mechanically for so long means that Ford has corrected most issues with the engine, suspension, and other systems, making for a truck that should last for the long haul. The lack of redesign also means that engineering costs have long ago been amortized, so good deals abound and leases are dirt cheap. The Ranger is perfect for small businesses in need of an inexpensive cargo mover, which helps explain why the truck continues to sell in large numbers.

Anyone who needs to carry a whole family with a pickup should look toward crew cabs or full-size trucks with extended cabs; the Ranger is simply too small to carry more than two comfortably. If you tow, the Ranger offers a respectable capacity, but Toyota, Dodge, and Nissan all beat it by 1,000 to 1,500 pounds when properly equipped, and each of those trucks also offers more headroom, legroom, cargo space, refinement, and power. Ford's marketing machine tries to breathe life into the Ranger with words like "street smart," "versatile," and "fun-loving," but street-smart buyers would do well to look elsewhere.

A dated player in a recently revitalized market segment, the Rangers harkens back to an era when trucks were trucks and cars were cars. Today's vehicles are asked to be more versatile, earning their keep with both workday commuter and weekend adventure abilities. The Ranger is classic, without any of the charm the term implies.

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