Posted on 01/16/2018 2:37:10 PM PST by Red Badger
Ford has officially announced the 2019 Ford Ranger, the long-awaited return of this midsize truck.
From 1983 to 2011, the Ranger was one of the most popular pickups on the road. It disappeared as the car companies moved more and more toward oversized trucks, leaving a big fan base pining for the return of the Ranger ever since. The success of the Chevy Colorado has been a barometer for the mid-size truck market, and sales are up 83 percent since 2014. Now Ford is banking on the new Ranger as a Chevy rival and a solid alternative to its best-selling full-size F-150.
Ford has packed all of the tech and ruggedness of the F-150 into the smaller Ranger, which will boast better fuel economy and maneuverability compared to its larger sibling. A high-strength steel frame supports a mostly steel body, with the hood, front fenders, and tailgate being the only areas where aluminum is used (for now).
Ford's proven 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine and 10-speed automatic transmission provide a solid power plant and drivetrain. The F-150 will introduce a diesel option in 2019, but that will not be available on the Ranger.
The Ranger will be available in a slew of trims and packages to fit the budgets and needs of a variety of buyers. These options include the entry-level XL, mid-level XLT, and high-level Lariat series with available Chrome and Sport appearance and FX Off-Road packages, and in SuperCab or SuperCrew cab configurations. Although the FX4 Ranger will be a capable off-road vehicle, Ford has yet to announce a Raptor version of the Ranger—which, if launched, should compete nicely with the ZR2 Chevy Colorado.
Production on the Ranger will begin later this year at Ford's Michigan assembly plant, the same location where the 2020 Ford Bronco will be built. Both new trucks should bolster Ford's already impressive truck lineup, and we look forward to seeing how each performs long-term.
Well, Ford tried again and it looks like they’ve finally got something right.
Bench seats are history. The reason the bench seat is gone away is that the mfrs would have to install another air bag system to accommodate the third possible passenger, upping costs and complexity. Making room for the extra air bag would make the dash even more crowded....................
This object that they're calling a "Ford Ranger" is a loser. It's not a pickup truck. I don't care what "styling cues" it has ... it's NOT a pickup truck. It's a toy for yuppies to go and have "adventures" with. You totally miss the point.
I don’t really care about the bench seat, one way or the other. I care about the bed.
I had a Chevy Van.
It had a bed.............................;^)
If this rig's rockin', don' bother knockin'.
My 2008 F-150 has a bench seat and airbags. Maybe the rules have gotten tighter since then...but that goes back to giving CONSUMERS choices, rather than letting the government decide what we need.
Make Trucks Great Again!
I agree, it is not a work truck. But I am glad to see a ladder frame, some tow capability, and real 4 wheel drive.
As an old retired guy in the west needing something better than 19 mpg, I will certainly look at it when it hits the lots. Probably won’t buy, but I look.
Does it have a center air bag?................
That song, Chevy Van, was probably responsible for more births than any other song in history..............
It would be really easy for them to put a super-cab and a 6-foot bed on that frame. Then they’d have a Ranger pickup truck. And I might be interested.
But!
No doubt the new PU truck is bedeviled with electronic gadgets sufficient to “drive” any decent, sane American to the point of wondering just wtf is America anymore anyway!
Have read numerous articles lately—some by Eric peters—that make me wonder if driving is even worth it any longer...and perhaps that too is part of the plan....wtf cares what “we” think!
@PlanetWTF!
*********************
Very complex very expensive in the long run. 10 speed trans mission? Turbo? Right. You will get maybe 100K out if this thing before a MAJOR bill.
No center air bag. AC is in the center.
Is it a manual and/or 4wd?................
“For the North American market, the new Ford Ranger is equipped with a direct-injected and turbocharged 2.3-liter 4-cylinder engine. To improve durability, the engine employs forged steel for the crankshaft and connecting rods, and uses chain-driven cams.
A 10-speed automatic is standard, ensuring that the engine is both as efficient as possible and as responsive as possible. Ford is also claiming that the new Ranger will supply segment-leading towing capacity, which means it must exceed the 7,700 pounds supplied by the diesel-powered Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon.”
http://www.jdpower.com/cars/articles/new-car-previews/2019-ford-ranger-preview
Maybe it is just me, but towing 8,000 lbs or more with a 2.3 turbocharged 4? Doesn’t SOUND good for durability.
And yes, I used to use the granny gear regularly.
Mine are: 1982, 1987, 2002?, 2011 -— yikes, I’ve gotten so old that I’m forgetting their birthdays now!!!
Just added a 2003 work truck to the “family” a little more than a year ago -— no new ones available. : (
My F-150 is a stripped down manual, 2-WD, 6’ bed pickup. Rubber floor, manual windows, manual everything. Has both AM & FM on the radio, though! When it gets muddy, I just hose out the interior. But I’m also one of those people who believe a 6’ bed is on the short side. No desire to buy a truck to haul my groceries in the back.
Very interesting ....
Growing up I have at one point or another owned a '79 Toyota pickup, '89 Mazda B2000, '90 Ranger, and a '96 Nissan hardbody. All of them were what were known as compact pickups. Perfect for what I needed in a truck.
Nobody makes these things anymore. Today I drive a '15 Tacoma. I love it but compared to my old trucks, it's just massive. Way more than what I need in a pickup.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.