Given the success of the F-150, one might suspect that the Ford Ranger might be just as popular in its own class. Like its full-size sibling, it offers competitive towing and hauling capabilities. It will also be fiercely available soon.
However, the trend is lower than that of rivals such as the Chevy Colorado and Toyota Tacoma. It sold fewer than 60,000 units last year, and it tends to get mixed reviews from auto experts. Here’s why Edmunds thinks the Ford Ranger is the least popular of the trucks.
, every other truck in the midsize class is better than the Ford Ranger. The Nissan Frontier is far ahead in the standings, while the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon are tied for fourth.
Surprisingly, the Jeep Gladiator and Honda Ridgeline outperformed the consumer darling. Even the Ford Maverick and Nissan Titan, the two lowest-ranked trucks in the pickup and truck classes, had higher overall scores than the Ranger.
What’s wrong with the Ford Ranger?
He says the Ford Ranger’s lack of interior storage solutions is one of its biggest annoyances. It has a small center console and not enough room to fit smaller items under the back seat.
Additionally, testers were also not happy with the Ranger’s bumpy ride quality. Even the smallest pavement imperfections cause the Ranger to wobble, especially when rounding a corner. This truck also tends to dive into the front end while braking and doesn’t offer the most responsive steering.
The infotainment interface is generally intuitive, and all functions work smoothly, but it has far too many menus to contain physical shortcut functions. Test drivers also had problems understanding the Ford Ranger’s climate control layout.
The Ranger is still a good truck
There is clearly room for improvement, but Edmunds still has some kind words about this truck’s performance. Every Ford Ranger has a turbo four engine capable of 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission.
In Sport mode, Edmunds’ Ranger test truck was able to hit 60 mph in 6.8 seconds. It also delivers competitive fuel economy for its class, rated up to 21/26 mpg city/highway with the rear-wheel drive construction.
Every Ranger can be optioned with the Trailer Tow Package, allowing you to tow up to 7,500 lbs. Payload specifications depend on cab and drivetrain configuration, but it has a maximum capacity of 1905 lbs. The Ranger also offers a choice of a 5-foot or 6-foot cargo box, each with six tie-down cleats.
The Ford Ranger SuperCab is available with either bed, while the larger SuperCrew can only be had with the 5-foot option. The SuperCrew has a maximum seating capacity of five, but Edmunds warns that the rear seats are a little stiff. Additionally, the front seats received no complaints regarding overall support and comfort.
While the Ranger XL is a regular work truck, the Ranger XLT gets a standard 8-inch touchscreen with smartphone integration. It also adds more features to the Ranger’s fairly basic safety suite. The most luxurious features, such as heated leather seats and a premium sound system, are reserved for the Lariat.
Despite professional complaints, it should be noted that 75% of Ranger reviews from regular drivers are very positive. Plus, even the XLT model is thousands of dollars cheaper than Edmonds’ favorite midsize trucks. Ranger fans should look forward, which promises a new interior and revised suspension.
