SALT LAKE CITY – The 2024 Ford Ranger is all-new, nevertheless it isn’t only for you, America. Whereas its varied midsize pickup rivals are successfully unique to North America, leaving completely different vans to fulfill the wants of varied international markets, the Ranger sees obligation throughout the globe. Actually, it’s already been on sale in locations like Nice Britain, Australia and Thailand for months. I did a double take once I sauntered previous one in central London final September.
Now, if you understand something in regards to the last-generation Ford Ranger, this will likely not come as a shock. That too began life overseas lengthy earlier than coming ashore right here, albeit with new underpinnings beneath a copy-paste physique and cabin. It may be argued these carryover components have been what made the Ranger a less-than-successful entry. It was good to drive, loads succesful and we even put it first in a midsize truck comparability take a look at, however the inside was simply as dated as the worldwide Ranger’s first mannequin 12 months would counsel (2011), whereas the styling spoke to completely different truck tastes. To place it bluntly, People need their vans to look all rugged and hard. Of us in Iceland and Down Underneath? Not a lot.
Effectively, that was the idea, a minimum of, together with by these inside Ford. Nonetheless, Ford went out on a limb with a typical burly-and-tough design for each market the next-generation Ranger would service. That features a important 2-inch enhance in wheelbase and width that provides it notably completely different proportions than the tall, skinny visage of not-from-around-here pickups just like the last-generation Ranger. Ford model supervisor Andrew Cascaden says it was theorized that this extra American path would find yourself resonating with different markets, nevertheless it was nonetheless a speculation. Seems, the reception exceeded expectations. Rugged and hard works in Bangkok and Sydney, too, it appears.
American prospects have been those particularly demanding these two adjectives, nonetheless, together with varied requests for the inside that I’ll get to in a second. From an aesthetic perspective, the broader stance, harder entrance finish and creased fenders do a lot of the macho heavy lifting. It appears good with out attempting too exhausting, and with out making the usual Ranger look completely bare when you’ve seen the Ranger Raptor (its story is coming March 21).
From a mechanical perspective, the brand new Ranger doesn’t signify an enormous rugged-and-tough distinction. The body is improved, not all-new, as a result of bear in mind, it wasn’t as previous because the physique on prime. What we’re actually speaking about, then, was a perceived deficit in toughness that didn’t align with the Ranger’s precise functionality. Nonetheless, the brand new Ranger has higher floor clearance and higher strategy/departure angles. Its most payload is now 1,805 kilos (base engine and rear-drive) and 1,711 (base engine, four-wheel-drive), up from 1,770 and 1,560, respectively, for the outgoing Ranger SuperCrew. Its max towing capability of seven,500 kilos, no matter engine and drivetrain, is precisely the identical as earlier than. It’s additionally 1,000 kilos higher than the Toyota Tacoma, however 200 kilos wanting the Chevrolet Colorado. Somebody at GM most likely simply did a fist pump.
Do you have to rating toughness by what’s happening underneath the hood, although, the brand new 2024 Ranger can unquestionably be the extra muscular specimen. Emphasis on “can.” As soon as once more, the usual engine is a 2.3-liter turbocharged inline-four that produces 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. That crushes the bottom GM and Toyota engines, falls only a tiny bit wanting the Tacoma’s mid-grade selection, and can be painfully defeated by their burliest improve selections. Don’t be so fast with one other fist pump, although, as a result of the 2024 Ranger now gives a selection in engine. There’s the Raptor, in fact, which pumps out a class-best 405 hp and 430 lb-ft from its 3.0-liter turbo V6, however we’ll get to that in a pair days. There’s additionally an choice for the usual Ranger, nonetheless: the identical 2.7-liter turbo V6 provided within the Bronco good for 315 hp and 400 lb-ft. That bests all within the phase however the Colorado ZR2 (much less energy, extra torque) and the upcoming Tacoma hybrid (extra of each). Sadly, we didn’t get an opportunity to check this engine throughout our brief time with the usual Ranger. Pricing has additionally not been introduced for it, so “to be continued” on that entrance.
Regardless of these new choices and the above comparisons, the two.3 stays an impressively clean engine with loads of torque to make you marvel, a minimum of in a vacuum, if one thing burlier is basically wanted. The Tacoma’s turbo-four feels a bit agricultural by comparability. The usual 10-speed computerized proved to be equally fault-free regardless of throwing a number of grades at it throughout the take a look at drive. The guide mode additionally fortunately held a specific gear when travelling downhill.
The Ranger additionally demonstrates ample refinement by way of its experience. There may be the anticipated body-on-frame wiggling and jiggling over larger bumps, however the damping is spot-on, sopping up bumps but controlling rebound exceptionally nicely. It feels subtle. Chassis response and physique motions on winding mountain roads have been additionally superb for a small truck, however the steering is just too numb, particularly on middle, and is a letdown given the remainder of the dynamic bundle. Choosing the Sport mode tightens issues up a bit, however the Ranger’s steering was higher earlier than. Might or not it’s higher now? Ask me once more in a pair days.
It is most likely value mentioning right here that the Ranger doesn’t simply have a steering wheel, however a steering knob as nicely. Inherited from the F-Collection, the Ranger is accessible with the Trailer Reverse Steerage system that lets you use the knob surrounding the 4×4 controls to steer the truck in reverse when connected to the trailer. Simply look within the facet mirrors or on the rear/facet digital camera feed, and switch the dial within the path you need, simply as you’ll the steering wheel when dealing with ahead. No must do the same old psychological gymnastics usually required to again up a trailer. I used to be certainly capable of extra exactly reverse a trailer via a pair chicanes value of narrowly spaced cones. You possibly can see it in motion beneath.
You might need observed earlier when discussing payload that I particularly in contrast the brand new Ranger to the last-generation Ranger SuperCrew. That’s as a result of the 2024 Ranger is just out there with a single body-bed configuration: crew cab and 5-foot mattress. The SuperCab and its longer mattress aren’t any extra. GM made the identical selection for its midsize vans, whereas Toyota continues to supply two cab sizes plus the choice of pairing the prolonged cab’s longer mattress with the crew cab. So does the Nissan Frontier. Not surprisingly, product planner Andrew Cascadan says information indicated the SuperCrew/5-foot combo is what most individuals needed, and that it made extra sense to commit no matter price range would possibly’ve been used for making a SuperCab in direction of different enhancements.
If any went towards cabin high quality, design and have content material, good name bean counters. The brand new Ranger’s inside just isn’t solely suitably trendy in comparison with its antiquated predecessor, however its high quality is surprisingly good for a midsize truck and, fairly frankly, for a lower-priced Ford. Whereas the Lariat and Raptor acquire a padded and stitched soft-touch pleather to the doorways and sprint, even a fundamental, $39,520 XL with the STX look bundle we drove (pictured above in blue) advantages from richer wanting plastics than what you’ll discover within the Tacoma and fundamental GM vans. There’s a combination of textures that agreeably distract from what continues to be exhausting plastic. The distinctive air vents admittedly add many of the visible zing, together with considered one of two vertically oriented touchscreens.
Talking of which, Cascadan stated that moreover “tough” and “rugged,” prospects have been additionally in search of “modern,” and there’s nothing extra trendy than great-big shows. It’s really a bit exhausting to inform that there’s a distinction in measurement between the usual 10-inch and improve 12-inch screens. Each have the identical, new spinoff of Sync 4A that makes use of the vertical house nicely, together with with a brand new, square-orientation for Apple not too long ago devised for CarPlay that lets the system solely partially take up the out there actual property (someone please inform Toyota that is doable). The instrument panel is accessible in 8- or 12-inch sizes, with the latter extra customizable, feature-packed and typical in look. The bottom display has an analogous uncommon structure because the Bronco with its vertical bar graph tach.
Clients additionally apparently needed higher storage, so Ford added a sizeable bin underneath the touchscreen that may home the out there wi-fi charger plus a small shelf on the passenger-side sprint. The Lariat and Raptor additionally get a second glove field above, however that simply looks as if nickel-and-diming the decrease trims that aren’t precisely low cost with beginning costs within the higher $30,000s. Ditto the very fact the XL’s bins aren’t lined in the identical rubbery materials discovered within the higher trims; what good is a bin in case your stuff flies off its slick plastic floor?
There’s one other bin underneath the again seat, which now has a fold-flat seatback. That will be one other buyer request, and though definitely extra useful for carrying cargo than what was there earlier than, each the seat again and backside are nonetheless one piece. It’s due to this fact troublesome to hold a passenger again there along with cargo, particularly baggage. The Tacoma and GM vans have 60/40-split seats.
With a wider Ranger additionally comes a wider mattress, significantly between the wheel wells the place the hole measures 4 toes. Convey on the plywood! Ford added a “Box Side Step” between the bumper and wheel nicely, nevertheless it’s not a nook step like these of the Tacoma and GM vans that allow you to climb into the mattress. That is for supplying you with a lift when leaning over the facet – the Tremendous Responsibility has one thing comparable between the wheel and cab, however that placement’s not an choice within the Ranger. I’m truthfully undecided how helpful it’s; I feel I’d somewhat have an help step into the mattress just like the one provided by the F-150.
Ah sure, it’s about time the Ranger’s large brother was talked about. For People used to Ford vans wanting a sure means, the final Ranger was at all times a bit, nicely, overseas. The brand new one is definitely no Mini Me, however there’s additionally now a household resemblance that ought to make choosing the Ranger and its many advantages simpler to understand. These advantages would in fact be value, effectivity and, crucially, a sportier and extra maneuverable character. If something, I feel Ford might have turned up the foreigner dial a bit of extra, a minimum of by way of the accent catalog. Perusing the Australian Ford configurator reveals a “manual roller shutter” mattress cowl not not like the Hyundai Santa Cruz’s, a factory-fit “Stylish Dual Lift Canopy” mattress cap, and a “Flexible Rack System” pictured beneath in grey that features SUV-style roof rails and cross bars, rails on prime of the mattress partitions and a presumably flexible-in-some-way alternative for the tubular roll bar and buttresses (or no matter they’re known as in Australian) included on most Ranger fashions Down Underneath. And whereas I’m at it, the roll bar and buttresses must be provided, too. They’re cool, simply ask Marty McFly.
Pricing begins at $34,265 together with the hefty $1,596 vacation spot cost, and clearing $50,000 for a Lariat 4×4 with choices. Earlier than clicking off to see base costs for its rivals, know that you simply received’t be seeing apples to apples. The Tacoma and Frontier supply prolonged cabs, for example, whereas the Colorado comes with much less tools (most notably when evaluating the favored Ranger XLT versus Colorado LT). The Ranger additionally comes with extra commonplace energy. That is all a good distance of claiming “the Ranger may seem more expensive, but look closer.”
The difficult bit will likely be getting midsize truck patrons to take a look at one thing apart from a Tacoma. Toyota’s overhauled best-seller is sure to proceed its overwhelming supremacy within the midsize truck phase, however this replace of the Ranger a minimum of appears sure to extend Ford’s share of no matter pie stays. A brand new comparability of that pair plus the Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon, and oh heck, Nissan Frontier can be mighty fascinating. I’d enterprise the Ranger would stand a really stable likelihood of being a repeat champion.