New Midsize Ford Ranger Offers Full-Size Truck Capabilities

The all-new, redesigned, reconfigured, and updated 2019 Ford Ranger was built to be exactly what consumers are now looking for in a truck. Whether you are heading out for some type of weekend adventure or just needing a truck for everyday responsibilities like commuting to work, running errands, or dropping the kids off at their numerous events, the Ranger is comfortable and versatile enough to do it all. I've now had the opportunity to drive the new Ford Ranger on four separate occassions. Each time I drive it, I'm more impressed with its full-size truck capabilities with a mid-size truck feel and ease.

Built Ford Tough

One immediate difference you will see with this model Ranger is the towing and payload capacity. Every truck worth its salt from the beginning of time needs a strong foundation, and this new Ranger has it. It might be considered a mid-size truck on paper, but it had to go through the same legendary torture testing as the F-150 series trucks before it would be considered for production.

Best in Class

The Ranger's foundation is a high-strength steel frame that is fully boxed with 6 cross members. It also has hearty solid rear axle and Hotchkiss suspension and a hitch platform that is a through-welded receiver tube. This strength allows the Ranger to boast best-in-class towing capacity at 7,500 lbs and best-in-class payload at 1,860 lbs. The true outdoorsman will be able to load gear and a four wheeler in the bed of the truck and then hitch up a 24' travel trailer and head to the country or favorite campground site for the week for some serious fun.

Turbocharged Fun

This week's test model is the Ranger Lariat Supercrew 4x2. It comes standard with the turbocharged 16-valve 2.3-liter EcoBoost® engine that is found in the current Mustang GT. The Ranger is being marketed not just as a daily grocery getter, but as an outdoor adventure seeker as well; so to create the strength and durability needed to pull campers and trailers, the truck is equipped with a forged-steel crankshaft and connecting rods with chain-driven dual overhead cams.

The extra beef in the engine is not just for show; it will create a class-leading 310 lb.-ft. of torque and 270 horsepower while getting a very respectable 26 mpg on the highway and 21 mpg in town. This new mid-size Ranger will do something you would have never done with the previous generation Ranger, and that is to pull a trailer full of four-wheelers into any mountainous region across the country. The new Ranger will also have the only 10-speed transmission in the mid-size class. It will be the same one used on the full-size Ford F-150 series.

Upgraded Technology

When the last Ranger was built back in 2012, most of today's technology was a pie-in-the-sky dream, but today the Ranger comes standard with some of the most advanced driver-assist technologies like automatic emergency braking. If you are considering buying a Ranger to tow a trailer, then you will want the XLT or Lariat package to get the lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, reverse sensing system, and class-exclusive blind spot information system with trailer coverage. Noticeably absent is the dynamic cruise function, but I'm OK with that.

The old Ranger, like all mid-size trucks back in the day, was built and sold for its great gas mileage despite its limited payload capacity. It was great for the daily commute, weekend trip to a cabin for some fishing, or the occasional trip to the hardware store to buy and haul a couple bags of grass seed and weed killer. The Ranger of today can still do those things but also much more.

The truck has full-size capability to haul what most weekend thrill seekers need without the price tag and maintenance costs of a full-size truck. It has full-size capability, but it will drive, handle, and park at the mall like the mid-size it is. The new 2019 Ranger is definitely worth a test drive.

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat Supercrew 4x2

Starting MSRP: $32,390

Engine: Turbocharged 16-valve 2.3-liter EcoBoost

Transmission: Class First 10-Speed Transmission

Torque: Class Leading 310 lb.-ft.

Towing Capacity: Best-in-class 7,500 lbs

Payload Capacity: Best-in-class at 1,860 lbs

Fuel Economy: 21 mpg City, 26 mpg Highway

Seating: 4/5

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