The 2019 iteration of the Ford Ranger gets a lot of fresh features and updates. In the time since the Ranger has been off the market, the Toyota Tacoma has dominated the mid-size segment, ranking behind only the best-selling full-size trucks.
The 2019 Ford Ranger CrewCab is back in the U.S. market with its latest iteration, the Ranger has remained a great value for money proposition, but it is still a far way away from the sheer dominance and off road prowess of the monstrous Ford F-150 series which has pretty much defined the full-size pick-up truck segment in the USA. Ford’s mid-size pickup comes in two body styles with two bed lengths, and its trim levels range from the base model XL to the more luxurious Lariat.
All Rangers are powered by a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine and offer a 10-speed automatic transmission; both rear- and four-wheel drive models are available. The 2019 Ford Ranger will be getting an all new suspension setup, hill-roll assist, rear locking differentials and broader tires with bigger treads, the 2019 Ford Ranger will be starting out an MSRP of $24,300 and will be competing against the likes of the Honda Ridgeline, Chevrolet Colorado and Toyota Tacoma.
Ford has been taking an increased interest in its trucks lately, and with their passenger cars stopping production in America, there needs to be a product other than the F-150s that can keep the public interested in the brand. With the mid-size pickup segment spouting gold in recent times, it makes sense for Ford to want a share of the action. Hence, we now have the 2019 Ford Ranger Pickup Truck.
The Ranger is a very capable mid-size pickup truck, great for both leisure driving and working. The vehicle also gets some off-road driving assist features, although there isn't a full-fledged off-roading 'Raptor' variant available yet. What you get though, are two body styles and one engine option. It isn't plenty, but it's enough for now.
Available either as a two-door, four-seater SuperCab, or a four-door four-seater SuperCrew. Both the variants sport a 4-cylinder turbocharged mill, good for a 270 HP power output. Here we only concern ourselves with the SuperCrew variant, which comes in three trims.
|
Trim |
XL |
XLT |
Lariat |
|---|---|---|---|
|
MSRP (RWD) |
$24,300 |
$27,940 |
$32,210 |
|
MSRP (4WD) |
$28,460 |
$31,940 |
$36,210 |
|
Key Features |
FordPass Connect with 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot |
Same as XL with additions or replacements |
Same as XLT with additions or replacements |
|
Black front grille and bumper |
Chrome front grille and bumper |
Chrome front Grille with Chrome bars in the middle |
|
|
Plastic front grille - black |
Steel front bumper - Body-colored |
SYNC 3 with 8-inch LCD Touchscreen in Center Stack |
|
|
Autolamp - automatic on/off headlamps |
Blind Spot Information System |
Dual-zone Electronic Automatic Temperature Control |
|
|
Daytime Running Lamps - Halogen |
Cross-Traffic Alert for both truck and trailer |
Handles, door, and tailgate - Body-colored |
|
|
Carbon Black bumpers |
Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking |
||
|
Fog lamps |
Auto High-Beam Headlamps |
||
|
Premium cloth 4-way Ebony Black seats |
Rear View Camera |
||
|
Adaptive Cruise Control |
Which trim should you buy?
The 'XLT' trim has the best value of all the trims present, although the base 'XL' trim is a good option if you only need a rugged workhorse. There's little to complain about, as the Ranger gets moving seamlessly and continues to accelerate swiftly even at higher speeds. Turbo lag is minimal. A standard 10-speed automatic transmission rattles off shifts with precision, and it finds the right gear for whatever driving situation you're in.
The engine on the Ford Ranger is a rather modest 2.3-liter turbocharged inline-4 motor, capable of producing 270 horsepower and 308 pound-feet of torque. For a mid-size truck, these figures are quite impressive, especially the torque. The Lariat trim also gets the push-button start and intelligent access in the cabin.
To harness the power, the Ranger uses an electronic 10-Speed automatic transmission, the same as used in the F-150 pickups. The gears are smooth to change and usually keep the vehicle in the powerband. The engine pulls neatly from a standstill in a polite manner, never pretending to be sporty.
|
Models |
2019 Ford Ranger |
2019 Honda Ridgeline |
2019 Chevrolet Colorado |
2019 GMC Canyon |
2019 Toyota Tacoma |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
MSRP |
$26,520 |
$29,990 |
$26,700 |
$27,600 |
$26,530 |
|
Engine |
2.3 Liter Turbocharged four cylinder |
3.5 Liter V6 |
2.5 Liter Inline-4 |
2.5 Liter Inline-4 |
2.7 Liter Inline-4 |
|
Transmission |
10-speed Automatic |
6-speed automatic |
6-speed automatic |
6-speed automatic |
6-speed automatic |
|
Horsepower |
270-hp @ 5,500 RPM |
280-hp @ 6,000 RPM |
200-hp @ 6,300 RPM |
200-hp @ 6,300 RPM |
159-hp @ 5,200 RPM |
|
Torque |
310 lbs.-ft. @ 3,000 RPM |
262 lbs.-ft. @ 4,700 RPM |
191 lbs.-ft. @ 4,400 RPM |
191 lbs.-ft. @ 4,400 RPM |
180 lbs.-ft. @ 3,800 RPM |
Talking about acceleration, the Ranger has some. While trucks don't usually have the best performance figures, the 2019 Ranger does well, owing to the great engine-transmission combo. Even though it only gets an inline-4, the EcoBoost engine offers plenty of torque, which pulls the car neatly, surging it forward with gusto. Still, you won't see the speedometer needle rise too fast in them. The Ford pulls from 0 to 60 MPH in just over 6 seconds, fine for a vehicle this size.
2019 Ford Ranger Crew Cab 0-60 MPH in Just 6.3 sec
|
Models |
2019 Ford Ranger |
2019 Honda Ridgeline |
2019 Chevrolet Colorado |
2019 GMC Canyon |
2019 Toyota Tacoma |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
0-60 MPH |
6.3 |
6.5 |
6.1 |
7.3 |
7.1 |
|
Quarter mile |
14.7 |
15.1 |
14.7 |
15.6 |
15.5 |
|
Engine |
2.3 L |
3.5 L |
2.5 L |
2.5 L |
2.7 L |
The 2019 Ford Ranger is an adept handler as long as you remember you are sitting in a 2-ton-plus automobile. As the driver's seat is quite high, even the tiniest of body roll gets amplified ten times. The bulk can be felt under much at speed and ride-quality turns a little bouncy at speed, but the truck never feels out of breath anywhere. You can carry considerable speed into a corner, and the Ranger makes sure you come out alive.
You get electronics like Blind Spot Information System to make sure you don't accidentally hit any motorist with the side of the box or the tail section. Apart from this, the Ranger gets a lane-departure warning and assists blind-spot monitors with trailer coverage as well.
The Ranger is a big vehicle, and when you brake, you feel the weight. The car also gets driver-assistance features including ABS, EBD, and automated emergency braking. All these electronics make it easier, and also considerably safer too.2019 Ford Ranger Crew Cab Braking
|
Model |
2019 Ford Ranger |
2019 Honda Ridgeline |
2019 Chevrolet Colorado |
2019 GMC Canyon |
2019 Toyota Tacoma |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Brake Rear (in.) |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Curb Weight (lbs.) |
4,232 |
4,242 |
4,027 |
3,996 |
4,095 |
|
60-0 MPH (ft.) |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Just like its bigger and more powerful cousin, the F-150, the Ranger has an impressive towing capacity. With the vehicle rated at 7500 pounds of towing capacity, it can haul some serious metal, nearly 4 tons.
|
Model |
2019 Ford Ranger |
2019 Honda Ridgeline |
2019 Chevrolet Colorado |
2019 GMC Canyon |
2019 Toyota Tacoma |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Towing Capacity (lbs.) |
7500 |
3,500 |
3,500 |
3,500 |
3,500 |
The Ford Ranger has an impressive payload capacity of 1860 pounds, which is a little more than 100 pounds short of the F-150. What this means is that you can throw almost a ton's worth of cargo in the back and go about your work.
|
Model |
2019 Ford Ranger |
2019 Honda Ridgeline |
2019 Chevrolet Colorado |
2019 GMC Canyon |
2019 Toyota Tacoma |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Capacity (lbs.) |
1860 |
1,465 |
1,444 |
1,475 |
1,505 |
This mid-size truck is surprisingly efficient for its size, courtesy of the turbo inline-4. EPA tested the vehicle and found it to be even more economical than the Honda Ridgeline, which is a massive surprise. The Ford Ranger returns gas mileage of 21 MPG in the city and 26 on the highway, which is roughly 23 MPG combined.
|
Model |
2019 Ford Ranger |
2019 Honda Ridgeline |
2019 Chevrolet Colorado |
2019 GMC Canyon |
2019 Toyota Tacoma |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
MPG (city) |
21 |
19 |
20 |
20 |
20 |
|
MPG (highway) |
26 |
26 |
26 |
26 |
23 |
|
MPG (combined) |
23 |
21 |
22 |
22 |
21 |
The Ford leads the way in fuel efficiency, owing to its lovely engine, which is smaller than others. The Ranger is reasonably accommodating. The front seat is roomy and easy to get in and out of, but the same isn't true of the crew cab's rear bench. Likewise, visibility out the front is good, but the view out the rear is another story.
The Ranger doesn't really have the best quality cabin and feels quite outdated, to be honest. Still, it feels well-built and sturdy. The SuperCrew version gets a 4-door 4-seats, with plenty of space all around, unlike the SuperCab version which just has space in the front. If you plan on picking or dropping adult guests, you'd really appreciate the space.
There are plenty of cubby holes around as well, and the doors have bottle holding spaces too. Not only does the Ford offer a lot of space, but a lot of equipment too, such as Pre-Collision Assist, Automatic Emergency Braking, and Tire Pressure Monitoring System as standard. You also get interior lighting and lighting for the bed behind as well, which are some neat practical touches.
|
Model |
2019 Ford Ranger |
2019 Honda Ridgeline |
2019 Chevrolet Colorado |
2019 GMC Canyon |
2019 Toyota Tacoma |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Passenger capacity |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
|
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.) |
41.0/56.3/43.1 |
40.1/62.0/40.9 |
41.4/57.5/45.0 |
41.4/57.5/45.0 |
39.7/58.3/42.9 |
|
Rear (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.) |
38.3/56.3/34.5 |
38.8/61.5/36.7 |
38.3/56.1/35.8 |
38.3/56.2/35.8 |
38.3/58.9/32.6 |
As standard, the 2019 Ranger gets a 4.2-inch LCD display in the center console, and a 2.3-inch screen in between the dials in the driver's console as well.
2019 Ford Ranger Crew Cab Infotainment Screen
Ford's Sync infotainment system does duty in this vehicle, which although nice, is a little outdated at the moment. The 2019 Ranger keeps the conventional strong tall boy stance as an integral part of its design language with its latest iteration 3rd generation 2019 Ford Ranger CrewCab
This midsize pickup truck has quite generous dimensions, with nearly 210 inches of metal between the nose and the tail. The wheelbase is also quite long, at 127 inches, and that makes maneuvering a little difficult.Weight is also quite high, at 4000 pounds, but still less than the competitors, mainly Honda Ridgeline.
The weight is never a problem though unless you are actively trying to find the limits of the car. Under everyday driving conditions, it isn't really noticeable.
|
Model |
2019 Ford Ranger |
2019 Honda Ridgeline |
2019 Chevrolet Colorado |
2019 GMC Canyon |
2019 Toyota Tacoma |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Curb weight (lbs.) |
4,232 |
4,242 |
4,027 |
3,996 |
4,095 |
|
Length(in) |
210.8 |
210.0 |
212.7 |
212.4 |
212.3 |
|
Width(in) |
85.8 |
78.6 |
74.3 |
74.3 |
74.4 |
|
Height(in) |
71.1 |
70.2 |
70.7 |
70.7 |
70.6 |
|
Ground clearance (in) |
8.4 |
7.3 |
8.3 |
8.3 |
9.4 |
|
Wheelbase (in) |
126.8 |
125.2 |
128.3 |
128.3 |
127.4 |
The last Ford Ranger (2011) sold in the US was not a very handsome car, but that is not the case with the 2019 model. The current iteration of this vehicle looks extremely modern and is based on Ford's T6 global platform. It has a big front grille, very reminiscent of the F-150 Raptor.
The headlights are simple, near-rectangular, units. The car feels very high due to the placement of these elements on the face. The vehicle gets 17-inch steel wheels as standard, with 17-inch alloys as an option. You don't get LED lights though, and even the DRLs are halogen, which is a bit disappointing.
Ford has also made sure that the Ranger offers good safety equipment as well. Standard safety features on the truck are listed below:
NHTSA and IIHS have not yet rated the 2019 Ford Ranger as yet. But going by Ford's safety standards and reliability levels, the 2019 Ford Ranger CrewCab should prove to be a safe bet for the passengers.
The Honda Ridgeline is a more expensive offering than the Ranger and is only offered as a Crew Cab. It is completely different from the rest of the segment, in that it is much less capable off-road, has much less towing, but is much more car-like than the others.
If you want a good car that just coincidentally happens to have a box attached to the backside, this is the car to have. If you want a proper truck, however, then the Ford is the better pick. It does all that a truck should do and is much less expensive too. The Ranger also has better gas mileage than the Ridgeline, which just adds to the money you save with the former over the latter.
Ford and Chevrolet are both very popular brands as far as trucks are considered. Both the Ford Ranger and the Chevrolet Colorado are brilliant vehicles, however, the Chevy inches a little ahead in terms of engine, or rather an engine option.
Colorado offers a powerful V6 and a fuel-efficient turbo diesel, as opposed to the Ranger which only has a single engine option, a turbo inline-4. The max towing capacity is also better on Colorado by a few hundred pounds, although payload capacity is still better on the Ford.
GMC Canyon is basically the same car as Colorado, and except for the looks, both these cars are essentially the same. The interiors are better than the Ford, and the car is cheaper too, as with Colorado, although the difference between the Canyon and Ranger isn't as much. You could let personal preference choose this one, as there isn't a clear advantage of having any of the two.
Toyota Tacoma offers a great quality interior, better than the base model Ford Ranger in all honesty. Toyota is best described as the Jack of all trades in the segment. It does everything well enough, but nothing exceptionally well. It is underpowered when compared to the Ford, and also hauls less in towing and payload. It has better interiors though, and off-road capability is certainly better on this, although enthusiasts would prefer the much more specialized Tacoma TRD Pro variant for that.
Ford's re-entry into the mid-size segment may have not been the best, but it certainly created a huge series of ripples in the market. Ford's popularity with the F-series means that they know how to build trucks, and that is one piece of info you can't argue with. Reliability has never been an issue, and neither has service backup, which are two very important things to consider. Overall, this is one vehicle that you should definitely consider, and probably keep at the top of your buying list.
Mid-size trucks do not pack the same level of capability or luxury as their full-size counterparts, which is why a lot of buyers like to spend a bit more on the larger model, which not only enables for heavier load bearing abilities, but also seems to hold its value a lot better over the course of time. But in the mid-size segment, this revived Ranger makes a strong case for itself with handsome styling, an upmarket interior, solid safety and cabin technology, and capable off-road chops. The benefits greatly outweigh the flaws here and we would have no problem recommending the Ranger.