*1,000-lb payload | **4,000-lb trailer | ***35-55-mph uphill acceleration with 3,160-lb trailerVehicle Layout XL STX Front-engine, RWD, 4-pass, 4-door truck Lariat Front-engine, 4WD, 5-pass, 4-door truck Engine/Transmission 2.3L turbo DOHC
16-valve I-4/10-speed automatic Curb Weight (F/R Dist) XL STX 4,229 lb (58/42%) Lariat 4,567 lb (57/43%) Wheelbase 126.8 in Length x Width x Height
XL STX 210.8 x 73.3 x 70.7 in Lariat 210.8 x 73.3 x 71.5 in Energy Cons, City/Hwy XL STX 160/130 kW-hr/100 miles Lariat 169/140 kW-hr/100 miles CO2
Emissions, Comb XL STX 0.84 lb/mile Lariat 0.90 lb/mileSPECS 2019 Ranger XL STX (SuperCab 2WD) Lariat (SuperCrew 4x4)
Base Price/As Tested $27,625/$29,445 $39,760/$44,465
Power (SAE net) 270 hp @ 5,500 rpm 270 hp @ 5,500 rpm
Torque (SAE net) 310 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm 310 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm
Accel, 0-60 mph 6.3 sec 6.7 sec
Accel, 0-60 mph (loaded) 7.1 sec* Not tested
Accel, 0-60 mph (towing) 12.5 sec** 12.9 sec**
Quarter Mile 14.9 sec @ 92.9 mph 15.2 sec @ 90.5 mph
Quarter Mile (loaded) 15.5 sec @ 89.1 mph* Not tested
Quarter Mile (towing) 19.1 sec @ 72.4 mph** 19.2 sec @ 70.6 mph**
Braking, 60-0 mph 125 ft 122 ft
Braking, 60-0 mph (loaded) 138 ft Not tested
Double Lane Change Tim 3.7 sec 3.6 sec
Davis Dam Frustration 8.1 sec @ 529 ft*** 9.4 sec @ 618 ft***Cruise Control 65-mph Overrun 4.0 mph 1.1 mph
EPA City/Hwy/Comb 21/26/23 mpg 20/24/22 mpgTOTY I Finalists
10-speed does a great job with
this engine, which provides more
than enough power despite its
mere four cylinders. Even when
we briefly towed more than 7,000
pounds, the Ranger’s capability
impressed the judges. When
towing 4,000 pounds, the Ranger
Lariat was quicker than the two
Jeep Gladiators and the Chevy
Silverado RST four-cylinder, all
pulling the same weight.
“The engine has a ton of
torque and pulls 7,200 pounds
with ease,” Evans said. “No trailer
brake, but it doesn’t need it.”
The Ranger has a few draw-
backs, though. The old architec-
ture is evident from the moment
you start driving. The poor body
control had judges complaining
about the amount of movement in
the cabin. “Going diagonally overT
he Ford Ranger came back
to the U.S. market after an
eight-year hiatus, during
which it spent time overseas
instead of filling the midsize truck
gap in the automaker’s North
American lineup. Rising popu-
larit y of the Toyota Tacoma and
Chevrolet Colorado forced Ford’s
hand, but instead of developing
a truck specifically for North
America, Ford simply brought the
existing Ranger here. And those
secondary-market roots show.
Ford made changes to the
chassis to comply with U.S. safety
standards, and the Ranger
arrived at the end of 2018 with
one engine option: a 2.3-liter
turbo-four that’s good for 270 hp
and 310 lb-ft of torque.
That said, one of the Ranger’s
best traits is its powertrain. Thea driveway entrance feels like a
tiny sailboat caught in a hurricane
being tossed all over the place,”
Evans said. And the steering
doesn’t deliver good feedback;
the Ranger’s handling definitely
has room to improve.
Sit in the Ranger XL SuperCab’s
second row, and you’ll need to
visit the chiropractor. The upright
seat back combined with the
negligible legroom is uncom-
fortable even on short rides. “It
basically has two jump seats that
are incredibly uncomfortable,”
said Priddle, who also lamented
the lack of grab handles.
And although the Lariat Super-
Crew has ample space for rear
passengers, its cabin design is
getting old. Ford’s Sync 3 infotain-
ment system needs an upgrade,
and Evans likened the instrumentcluster to something pulled from
a 2010 Fusion. The Ranger’s
competitors aren’t known for their
interior design, either, but Ford
could have invested more money
to improve the look and feel.
We have similar feelings
regarding the exterior. Although
design isn’t usually top of mind
for truck shoppers, the current
styling is already aging.
But judged against our criteria,
the Ranger has lot of value. With
its EcoBoost engine and high
towing capacity, even the lower-
spec Rangers get strong marks.
The XL 4x2 we tested came with
a price tag of $29,445. We’re
not fans of its credit-card-size
screen, but its utility really shines.
“The Ranger has all the
right parts and pieces to be a
strong pickup truck: Tow/Haul
mode, huge real-world payload
capacity, it tows like a champ (not
an easy thing at this size), and is
easy to maintain,” Williams said.
But the Ranger fell short
against the rest of our criteria.
Rumor has it Ford is already
working on a new Ranger for the
U.S. market, and it’s supposed
to arrive in the next four years. “If
Ford could get this engine and
transmission into an Ameri-
can-grade platform,” Lieberman
said, “it would have a terrific truck
on its hands.” Miguel CortinaPRO Powerful turbo-four engine • Great value • Towing performance CON Old architecture • Poor interior space • Aging designFord Ranger
XL STXJANUARY 2020 MOTORTREND.COM 51