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.
Computers Are good…my boys fix my computers and other programmable devices. They tease my lack of knowledge on them.
But we collect and build 60s and 70s muscle cars (mostly they do now) , we fish and hunt.
I’d give it a look if I can get a 4dr & long box like my Tacoma.
2003 Ranger here. 130K.
My 1993 came with 14 inch rims, I changed them to 16" last year.
major bummer
Is it possible to get one with vinyl bench seats, vinyl floormat and no datalink to a mothership?
I use trucks to work out of.
My test of its usefulness is to throw a short handled shovel into the bed right behind the cab. If I can’t reach in and get that shovel it’s useless to me. That’s why I’ve been nursing our ‘98 Mazda B-4000 along. It’s a Ranger anyway.
We also have a 98 Ranger,mine is 4x4 that we just use on the
farm.Never have managed to get it stuck yet or fail to climb
any hill yet.Great little truck for its size.
It is a bugger to change that oil filter tho
Not!!
This is a GREAT truck ,, been on sale worldwide outside the USA for a few years ,, in the Philippines it is sold with either a 4 or 5 cyl diesel... no gas options.
Hey that looks like my 2003 Ford Ranger less the extended cab.
I love my 94 B3000. 207k, only had it for 5k miles and spends most of its retirement on our farm. I don’t drive it that much but work it hard when I do.
I love the idea of having a new 1/2 ton or heavy duty truck, but I can’t justify the exorbitant cost. This workhorse will haul anything up to 1000 pounds without much trouble, and it’s so simple that there’s just not a lot of stuff to break. No AC, no power windows, no cruise control, no auto transmission, no auto locking 4wd hubs. It’s just a plain old truck.
Looks like those are why it was never a sales leader and ultimately ABANDONED.
Sorry. The Ranger needed an update and it needed THIS update.
I had a 98 1/2, 2001, and 2004 Ranger. All suicide doors and awesome trucks. The 2004 had a Pioneer stereo that was so good sometimes I couldn’t get out of the truck.
You missed the point entirely. You’re concentrating on “looks” not on function. Try again.
Mine gave me about 200K or so.
Steering was worn out and at the last service me and the spouse figured it was time.
There was a lady service writer there that was gaga over it despite the problems. I let her know it was going to be traded in at the Toyota place up the interstate.
My ~1970 was a hard-working little bugger. Just right for suburban puttering around and got somewhere north of 30 MPG. (Not much EPA crapola on the plumbing to mess with its efficiency, tho)
Wanted to say 1970 Courier...
Fords Aluminum truck bed was a bad idea, unless you’re a poser. Does this Ranger sport a aluminum bed as well?
I agree.
I see a number of them in Vietnam.
Nice looking truck. I never understood why they kept tho old style truck in the States.
Now. Diesel.
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