I have a 2019 Lariat FX4. It tows like a beast and does everything well. Recently took it on vacation long drive. The truck was comfortable and did great. On one leg of the trip it got 28MPG!! Very happy with the truck and will keep it a long time.
I agree, except MPGs. Best I ever got on the highway is 26 with 4x4. But towing, this thing is impressive... I towed a 3,000-3,500 18-foot camping trailer over 1,000 miles over 2 mountain passes and it did very well, handled high speeds, wind, and big hills like a champ. It got between 10-14 mpgs while towing, but the electronic sway control was awesome.
Real owners review! Have the 19, Supercab, 4x4. My hand calculated mileage is 22-25 on average, mix of highway/city. I've never wished for more power. Off road it does amazing, same in the snow. I'll agree, brake pedal is a little grabby at first. But you learn, and it's not a thing anymore. Comfortable seats, with great adjustments. The tailgate weighs almost nothing, it's aluminum. So waking the neighborhood if you let it fall is an extreme exaggeration. You can add a Ford damper, for those that like to drop their tailgate. 🤦🏼♂️ Been a truck owner for two decades, zero regrets on this truck.
@@andybub45 Less expensive trucks also have heavy steel tailgates. My point is, dampened tailgates are a thing of the last few years. We've gone 100+ years without them. To me, a truck driver for a long time, I literally do not care if it's dampened or not. I don't drop my tailgate. Never have.
@@IslandTosh, pushing 8k. No issues, rattles, or anything. I'll be in maybe in September for it's first oil change. Will be modding it out a little too! Adding the Fox shocks/level kit, and the Ford skid plates. I use my trucks as trucks, but definitely take care of them too. 👍🏻
Actually, my crack about the tailgate comes from me losing a grip on it one morning and having it drop. My neighbor three house up yelled to me "your going to wake the neighbors with that thing". And my point is, at the price tested, the tailgate should be dampened. Good to hear your having a positive experience. My dad has a Canyon and it's been great.
I’m about to have a year with my Ranger this Halloween and the memories with this, the size engine everything is perfect. I highly recommend this truck if you want a truck that isn’t too big but can comfortably fit 4 people I recommend it. I am 5’11 And I am pretty big and fit comfortably in the back with the seat all the way back.
Another excellent, entertaining review. These reviews are little oases of normalcy, refreshing pauses that remind me normal, good-natured life is still out there. I am also amazed by the first-class production quality of these essentially home spun productions. Operating as an almost one person shop, Tom does a knockout job producing reviews that set the standard. Good on you, Tom, and thank you.
Recently purchased a 2020 Ranger Lariat 4X4 Supercrew, live in the city and could not be more pleased. Parking, zipping around and maneuverability are really appreciated. The Ranger allows me to do everything I used my F150 for, gets great fuel mileage, decent ride quality and very impressed with the powertrain. Looking forward to having the Ford Performance level 2 kit installed next week!!
Here in socal the fully equipped 2021 Ranger Tremor Lariat is 47k. A fully equipped F150 is closer to 64k. Since I run work now I don't need a full size truck any longer and the Ranger is a lot easier to maneuver around the city and find parking. I got my Tremor in cactus grey and I love it. Great on road as well as off. Quiet, roomy interior with an excellent power train. This truck does everything but make coffee for me lol. I absolutely love being able to use auto start while I'm in the kitchen and when I get out to the truck the engine is warmed up, cabin cozy, windows defrosted and the butt warmer going. The infotainment system (Sync 3.4) does everything I could ask and the adaptive cruise control is just frigging awesome. I've never had these features in a truck before and I really didn't know what I was missing. Even has a wifi hotspot which keeps my tablet, that I use for plan reading, connected without having to bother setting it up on my phone. Also it gets better reception than my phone from inside the cab. Rock climbing and other extreme off-road activities are not my thing I just want to be able to leave the highway without worrying about getting stuck. I also love the way the truck looks, clean and stylish, unlike the latest batch of enormous grills and "muscular" body panels (22 tundra yuck lol). All in all I am having a blast with this one. Cheers
Having the 19 model since March 2019, I have just hit 30k miles and still very happy with my truck. I have the XLT model 2wd. I will purchase the 2022 since it will get a new design after I hit 100k and pass this one down to a family member. Great review!
Honestly, if you're looking for a mid-sized truck, this is the one to go with. Definitely more "get up and go" than the others I've driven. You have better visibility out of the Ranger than most of the others as well.
Thank you for doing this review. Thinking of getting this pickup in this trim and cab size. The color is exactly my spec so thank you for doing this review again. I don’t need the off road package so that’s the only thing I would change. Love the spray in bed liner and tono cover. Your review are always amazing and great quality. Always look forward to your reviews. Thank u.
I bought the first Ranger in my area 18 months ago the Lariat trim w/o offroad package. There were a few production issues in beginning but issues dealt with. 27k miles on it great truck so far.
*Good review as always Sir, I am also amazed by the first-class production quality of these essentially home spun productions. Operating as an almost one person shop, Tom does a knockout job producing reviews that set the standard. Good on you, Tom, and thank you.*
I have a 2019 Crew cab XLT FX4 and love it. I’ve had it for 9 months now and am at 9,000 miles on it. It has plenty of power, and it is fast. Super comfortable. I hope they bring the ranger raptor here.
I own the ranger raptor here in Manila and I can't complain at all. I used to have a Tundra for a while but this raptor is good for its size. packs a punch too.
Glad to see Tom doing a mainstream vehicle review. I sort of get bored when he focuses for a while on luxury/hybrid. I'm not saying don't do those reviews, just throw in some more regular vehicle reviews. Thanks.
3 years from now this truck will be in the scrap yard with the rest of them. American trucks and cars are junk. Every year they built them with new engine because their are crap especially the ecoboost engine nothing but problems. Please don't waste your hard earned money on American junk. Get a Toyota Tundra and 30 years from now it will still be on the road and it will worth more than that crap. I drive a 2005 Toyota Tacoma and it has 260k on it and its still driving excellent. Toyota all the way
@@danieloliver20 yes you are right, but their plan are created by Japanese engineers.Just like ford, GMC in Mexico that are built there. The reason for that is because Toyota is the #1 selling automobile 🚘 in the world.
Well I owned one of these overseas and I can assure you that is a pain to load and is it really a downfall of this truck. The back seat is also a bit awkward and the back seat does not fold flat but only goes down obliquely which is only useful to get to the Jack and that's about it. The front seat has very comfortable seats and probably best in class but the ergonomics of the knobs and the windows Etc are poorly engineered. I ended up with a frontier pro-4x which has about the same cabin space and ground clearance but the bed height is much lower the seats fold down completely flat in the back and the ergonomics of the controls up-front are superior to the ranger plus it has a sunroof which the ford does not even offer and full power seats including recline which the Ford does not have I still think the frontier is the best for the money plus the Bilstein off-road suspension is more stable does not wobble as much as a ranger which tends to make one sea sick.
I had a 1993 Ranger. Died after about 300K miles. My wife bought a new 2WD CC Ranger a couple of months ago. She loves it. Lots of power and the AC is strong. I am thinking about getting the 4WD model
I am so happy the Ranger came back. My husband and I have wanted a truck, but all of them just seemed so big. Ultimately we wanted something fun (sorry Tacoma :( ), smaller, but still enough for some light towing (Jet-skis) and a large enough bed that we could, for the most part, pick up our own home improvement supplies without relying on delivery. I think at this point we are both waiting for the Raptor to come, and at that point I think we will pull the trigger.
Hmm... A highly stressed four-cylinder engine, no manual transmission, no full-time 4WD, and a ridiculously high price with expensive options. Do mid-size truck buyers really want leather seating? I had an affordable Dakota that was ideal for me at the time, new full-size trucks are gigantic and expensive. Great review, keep them coming!
The 4 cyl is hardly stressed and no midsize pickups, unless you call the Ridgeline a pickup, offer full time 4wd let alone maybe a couple in the full size pickup segment anymore.
Im still debating between the Tacoma and this, I will probably end up with a Ranger. The tuning this engine can give and the power you can get out of it is what intrigues me the most. The honda, isnt really a truck, its an odyssey with the roof line removed, so id rather get a frame on body actual truck. Its funny, the ridgeline has such high scores everywhere, and all I see around me is Tacomas, Frontiers, and Rangers.
I have off-roaded a Ridgeline with a factory kit. It works. Ridgeline is a great truck (and finally gets a tougher look). Let's not forget Defender is unibody. Why not test drive everything? You're about to spend a lot of money Kirk.
I recommend buying American made. It's time for people to start supporting their own industry and stop sending corporate profits overseas to other countries. I purchased the 2021 Ranger Tremor with Lariat trim and it's a great mid-sized truck for the money. Just my 2 cents.
@@TSWest Not to get into a pissing match about “American” made, but these pickups are assembled in Mexico. Do a little research and you’ll see most of the “American “ companies are assembled or partially made outside US. Vise versa on the Asian brand, they ship parts to US for final assembly. So which is better? Foreign parts shipped and assembled in US or US parts shipped and assembled outside US?? There’s a reason the chip shortage should have opened some manufacturers eyes…but they probably won’t learn. Just my two cents 😜🙃
@@SA-hk8xj Yeah I understand that it's a complex issue but my only point is that I would rather support a US company rather than a foreign company. Not saying Toyota is a bad company or makes inferior products its just at the end of the day the corporate profits end up in Japan. Anyway its a personal choice on my part because I still believe in the pledge of allegiance. I've done work in neighborhoods that were almost entirely Asian and I very rarely ever saw an American vehicle. Loyalty goes both ways. Cheers
Just bought a black 2020 4x4 rides nice, great stereo sound and the wife can park it easier than the F 150 , there are better deals for the F150 by price point but if you don't haul much and just want a round town and truck to take you fishing this is a nice truck I have zero complaints
Just purchased one of these, 2020 XLT with FX4, after driving a full size Ram 1500 for years. I thought that stepping down in size would make a much bigger difference than it actually has. I would guess the majority of folks that complain about the size of the bed on the Ranger probably don't have a thing in their truck bed most of the time (that's how I was, at least). I have 2 children, so the super crew made sense, and the FX4 was important for driving out to hunt camp several times per month. Long story short, great truck with no regrets.
I have 12k on my 19 Ranger. Haul a 23 ft camper (3800 lbs) all over. Pulls it better than my F150. My over all MPG has been average 22.5. Have went several trips my hand calculated MPG was approximately 25. Love Rita (trucks name).
Your reviews are the most honest out there. We are looking at trucks as we want to get an under 4000# dry travel trailer or nicer pop up. The issue it seems is that our border/springier lab mix dog travels with us (even without the camper) and she settles in nicely on the back floor board of our 2013 Outback. If we could find a truck with a 5-6k tow rating that would have the same interior space as an Outback we’d be golden. The Ridgeline seems to have the space but it doesn’t look like the Ranger back seat and floorboard is large enough??
I have owned 5 different ford truck. F100, 2 x f150s, ranger, and f250. I have been driving my 2020 ranger Styx 4x4 for a month now. Best work truck I have ever owned. Waiting to see if it will outlast those Tacoma’s.
Midsize Pickups are the best fit for my needs as a retired person in the upper midwest. I have owned trucks since the 1970's all types and makes. I live in a large metro area and travel to my 2nd home 2 hrs away in the country year round so I need 4wd. I don't need extra off road capability however I have a utv for that. I have a fast sports car to fill any performance uses. Last October I traded a 2016 GMC Canyon 4x4 that was unreliable on a new 2019 Nissan Frontier 4x4 pickup. Research showed the Frontier to be the best value. I'm surrounded by Ford dealer's but the Ranger cost several thousand more so it wasn't the best value. So far the Frontier has been a perfect fit and at $28,000 for a new decent optioned 4x4 extra cab I'm quite happy.
Great review guys! On reliability, biggest issue on this 2.3L will be the DI-only (no port injection) that may lead to carbon buildup on the intake valves. The 2.7L and 3.5L ecoboost mills have already incorporated port injection to address this as well as manage power cycles, but we shall see in time!
This review couldn't have popped up at a better time. I've been considering ditching my little crossover (Rouge Sport, which isn't THAT horrible) and getting something that is more comfortable off road. I love that wild looking Colorado ZR2. However, Nissan Frontier has always been an underrated truck in my opinion and a redesign might be the thing I'm looking for.
1:56 digital cluster with analog speedo is only available in wildtrak models in international version of ranger which you can clearly see the model they used on the inclinometer very idenfiable because of the bed sportsbar.
This guy must be 5’6, I’m 6’3 I have to say I’m at the limit for the rear seat in the ranger, however I could still fit without being too uncomfortable. I just got one for a work truck the other day and for the same price as a reasonably equipped 4 year old 70k mile used f150 I got a new ranger crew cab fx4, fully loaded aside from the cloth seats. If you don’t need the extra room or extra luxury it’s hard to beat the value in some of the mid models vs a full size truck. That being said, I also have a longbox, crew cab Cummins in the driveway as even small jobs can be way over the rangers head as far as towing, hauling 3+ adults for extended drives and room in the box goes. Good review though!
I drive a Taurus. Test drove Ranger. It drives like a taller Taurus with a bed. Considering one seriously. I too wish for the V6 like my Taurus but ecoboost had almost as much power.
We have these in the Philippines, not exactly identical because it's got 3 diesel options, and they are a perennial sellers. It's pretty late in the product cycle but the Ranger Raptor does spice up the range.
3 years from now this truck will be in the scrap yard with the rest of them. American trucks and cars are junk. Every year they built them with new engine because their are crap especially the ecoboost engine nothing but problems. Please don't waste your hard earned money on American junk. Get a Toyota Tundra and 30 years from now it will still be on the road and it will worth more than that crap. I drive a 2005 Toyota Tacoma and it has 260k on it and its still driving excellent. Toyota all the way
The one problem I have is you only get one choice of engine. I don't think having a twin turbo is such a great idea for a little i4 engine. They needed to put a v6 naturally aspirated
I’m coming around on the new ranger I was skeptical about it’s engine but the unfortunate part is Ford doesn’t offer a 6 foot bed with the 4 door configuration. The Colorado has a long wheelbase option with the 4 doors and a 6’ bed I am a fan of the 3.6 V6 and I’m leaning towards purchasing the baby Duramax.
I've read that to access and change the oil filter you have to remove the passenger's side front tire and wheel. If true, that would be a deal breaker for me.
No you don't. I'm an average guy who likes to change his oil, and I was able to do oil/filter change without removing anything or lifting it. Tires pointed straight forward, there is enough clearance (stock) to unbutton the felt guards and reach in to remove old filter and put on new one. Seriously, the hardest part about changing the oil is removing the plastic clips that hold the trim on... everything else is easy.
I have a 2019 4 door 4X4 I got new in April of this year. I love it. I drove Dakotas for years, I bought a Toyota. Big mistake It was a 2wd 4 cyd with a 6 speed transmission. So I traded it in on a Ford Ranger. I am a happy Camper now!!!! I love the turbo. I haven't had anybody catch me in a race yet. I outran a Chevy 8 cyd on the interstate. I love mine . Another thing I cannot get a full size truck in my garage. I can get my truck in my garage. I test drove a GMC Canyon. It looed plastic like and the seats hurt my back. I sat in a Chevy and it was all plastic. I love the 360 protection on the truck. Chevy don't have it!
Don't know why they think they need more power. I have not driven a new ranger yet. I had a 04 fx4 ranger with the 4.0 v6 that would get the truck sideways if you weren't watching it. 270 hp should be enough in my mind when my 04 had 210 and still set the truck sideways
i have a 2019 xl supercab. i love it. it is NOT perfect sized. it is a very good size and compares well with everything else currently available BUT / if you had gotten used to driving an older small truck in the City, these new trucks are WAY too Big. same sized box but truck is wider and longer. so much tougher to park and maneuver in tight spaces. I love it and it is So Nice on the highway but definitely not the "perfect size". perfect would have been much narrower without all these flaring body parts.
I have a 99 flare side Ranger with a 5.0 V8 swap, 4.56 gears, lift on 33's. Great condition inside and out, but not nice enough to worry about it when I beat on it. It's a little tonka always ready to have fun in or commute to work on snowy days. I would buy the new Ranger if it came with the 2.7 or even better the 3.5 ecoboost.
I found a 2020 I wouldn't mind having, but the dealer must like paying floorplan interest. I've had my eye on this truck for several months and he still won't budge off sticker less Ford incentives.
I have a 2019 ranger there are things that need fixed in future models like a back seat that folds flat, add a 2.7 v6 engine and other features that are in the 2021 bronco.
I was afraid that the back seat didn't fold flat from the reviews I've seen so far. If you have stuff you don't want to put in the bed, yet don't want to mess up the back seats, it seems like you're screwed.
Great review as usual. 👍 This version of the Ranger will be gone when they relaunch it Globally. This was a toughened up version of the European Ranger for North America. From my understanding it will be launched on the new Bronco chassis with an all new interior.
American diesels are trash because of extra emissions equipment. You can't reliably daily drive a diesel long term unless you really work the engine (towing and hauling). The dpf filters clog too easily and need regens performed constantly. Not to mention all the issues with diesel exhaust fluid heater lines and injectors. It's a nightmare.
@@AIDAHAR210 Unfortunately I believe you have to go to the Tacoma for that configuration. I almost considered one, but I haul a good amount of drywall and plywood so I really like 48" at the narrowest part of the bed. So, it's a 2008 F150 with a 5 speed for me. Not sure what I'll go with when it's time for a new one.
Proudly Australian designed and engineered! We have had this Ranger since 2012 but only diesel engines are available in Aus unfortunately. It is also available in Aus as the Ford Everest SUV.
I'm an American that owned a Malaysian Ranger built in 2014 with 3.2 diesel and that is not an unfortunate thing it's unfortunate that the US does not get this motor.
I got the Ford Ranger and I live on a reservation, 2 hours on the dirt road and I don’t like how it fishtails when I hit bumps and potholes, even when I’m going 50kms!
Well you got to remember the reason they put this out was because the midsize Market was really taking off and Ford had been saying all along that the market was dead and they were dead wrong. So they decided to use the Australian T6 Ranger in a rush job to have something in the segment. Which means the interior is more or less the same as it was in 2012. I think Nissan will have the best midsize when they come out with their 2021 with the new 3.8 direct injected engine and Daimler Benz 9-speed. The gm twins are getting pretty old at this point and the Tacoma design basically throws back to the early 2000s still utilizes high floor and chopped roof which makes a very bad driving position using a horrible drive train at this point. As far back as Nissan may be in this segment they are going to have the most up-to-date product relatively soon. Anyone in this market should wait for the Nissan product before they pull the trigger they may be very sorry if they don't.
@@HiPlains1 Only if Nissan sheds their Renault power plants; those have been a disaster for Nissan ever since they started putting them in their cars back when Ghosn took over...
@@HiPlains1 The advantage to the new Ranger being a rushed Oz immigrant is that it may have missed the chance for Fnord's US office to ruin the interior. Their usual ergonomics efforts seem more inclined to building cars for our alien squid overlords, or for species w/ two elbows in each arm rather than tentacles. I'm completely unschooled in ergonomics, yet my experience w/ Fnord products indicates I've forgotten more than their designers have ever known! Once this whole CCP virus nonsense has calmed down again I'll have to schedule a visit at my local stealership to see how the new Ranger stacks up. At least the door releases aren't below & behind your knee like in past Fnords... ::p
The Ranger looks surprisingly good, and I've got a sentimental attachment, as I learned to drive stick on an old Ranger. But I don't see anything that sways me away from getting a Ridgeline for my next truck.
@@DrivenCarReviews Yeah honestly if I was looking for a truck that's not really a truck, that new Santa Cruz would be right up my alley. And I imagine it'd be waaaaay cheaper for our modest incomes.
I like the look of the Ranger a lot and the size is just right. It's the content or lack of that keeps me from buying. Things like cooled seats,memory seat, power tilt wheel, sunroof etc. If I were buying the F-150 I'd pick the Limited. That's the model Ford needs to add to the Ranger lineup.
Well, coming from Europe I Drive a Ranger with a 2,2 Turbodiesel shifter. In my Last trip from Germany to France I got about 30mpg while doing about 75mph. The only dislike is the 5ft bed that comes with the crewcab. Why can‘t they offer the crewcab with the 6ft. bed like a Tacoma.
I really wanted to like the ranger but I need a mid to compact pickup with a 6ft bed and 4 doors to make it useful for me where I park and what I haul. Ranger just dosent cut it for my needs and I'm a ford guy. I chose the Colorado 3.6L 4door 6ft bed 4x4 and have been vary pleased with it. Ford needs to step up.
The biggest problem with auto reviewers and journalists is that they're all speed & handling enthusiasts and don't give a crap about car comfort. Par for the course here with Tom's preference for heavy steering.
That's BS. I specifically point out one of the strengths of this vehicle is comfort. And with full disclosure that I prefer weighted seeding effort, people know whether the steering works for them.
Been driving one of these for a month. Mine is a 4wd. The 4 banger is smooth however the mating to the ten speed trans is not worked out. It always jumps to the highest gear it can, causes the driveline to chug under load. You have to press down harder to get it to quit. Then it revs way to high. On the highway it's perfect. Around town, very annoying. The plus is the steering, full power in parking lots, very easy to whip. The screen is way too small.
I don't know about the ranger but the base models for colorado are kind of junk. No rear diff auto locker, stock shocks are horrible, the truck doesn't sit level/air dam looks like shit and is too low. The 8 speeds have problems too.. Especially in cold. But I suppose that would translate to the z71/zr2 as well.. I might try a ranger next round if it corrects some of these issues I have with the colorado. It honestly doesn't even feel like a truck to me, just an suv/crossover with a truck bed.. More like an el camino.
whatever the consumer report says, don't believe them. My 2015 Subaru leaks head gasket on 20K miles but found them after the warranty over and few other parts broken already after 1 year of ownership. It was CR's top pick and they love the car.
I don’t consider a Ridgeline a truck, i wouldn’t even consider it an option. The Ranger is nice but I still think I’d choose a 2020 Frontier or Tacoma, i will be buying a small truck in a couple years and the Ranger will definitely be a contender.
Tailgate dampener is available in accessories store($50) . Also Ford drops the power pack at the end of the month! Factory performance tune for Mo Power Baby ( donut ) 😎
@@DrivenCarReviews Tom, What year was that truck? I did not know a fancy 4 speed manual was a Ford pickup option in the days we were learning to drive.
@@rightlanehog3151 I want to say it was a '69 that my dad bought from the Forest Service surplus fleet. It was old and beat up by the time we got it. And had no parking brake. If you know how hilly Duluth is, you'll understand I was the original MacGyver when it came to parking the damn thing.
My parents recently got a Ford Ranger and I 100% agree with you on the brake pedal modulation. When I first got into it, I though that something was wrong with the brakes because of the amount of travel there is. While I'm used to it now, I noticed that I have to step on the brakes a lot earlier because of that travel, which can make it a bit hard to come to a smooth stop when driving around in the city. For me this is how it feels: I first step on it, nothing happens for 2 seconds as I'm slowly pressing down harder, and suddenly the truck starts slowing down
I was a bit taken back by brakes at first. My previous vehicle was a performance package mustang gt with brembo 6 piston so I thought that was part of it. The pedal does have some travel but they modulate linearly and do a good job stopping the 4300lbs.
Reliability is huge. Who wants to buy a vehicle that will fall apart 4 years down the road? Who has that kind of cash? Lots of duds being reviewed receive the same treatment as soon to be endless money pits (SK!).
@@DrivenCarReviews our accent is great, but yours is fantastic 😎👍 One thing we don't get though is the Ecoboost transit, that 3.5 Ecoboost transit would be great. We also don't get the smallest transit like you Americans, we get the Transit Custom......which does look better tbh