2019 Ford Ranger

Pros: Good selection of safety and technology features; towing and cargo capacities impressive for the size; projected fuel economy

Cons: Only one engine/transmission choice; full-time 4WD not available

CG Says: Ford returns to compact/midsize pickup market with the long-awaited reintroduction of the Ford Ranger for the 2019 model year. (The previous Ranger was dropped from the U.S. after 2011.) Although the model was absent from America, Ford continued selling Rangers in international markets, and the new model is based on a global platform. The Ranger is a traditional body-on-frame pickup truck and is built at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant. Two body styles are offered: a SuperCab (extended cab) with rear-hinged rear doors and a 6-foot bed or a SuperCrew with conventional front-hinged rear doors and a 5-foot bed. A regular cab is not available. The sole powertrain (at least for now) is a 270-horsepower turbocharged 2.3-liter 4-cylinder engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard and part-time 4-wheel drive is available, along with off-road aids such as locking rear differential and Terrain Management System with driver-selectable drive modes. Full-time 4-wheel drive that can be used on dry pavement is not available. Standard on all Rangers are front-collision warning and automatic emergency braking; other available safety features include lane-keep assist, blind-spot alert with trailer coverage, rear parking sensors, and adaptive cruise control. Midsize-pickup sales have been growing, and the Ranger’s return seems long overdue. Ranger offers a more maneuverable and less expensive alternative to Ford’s popular F-150. With its lone powertrain choice and lack of an enthusiast-oriented extreme off-road model, the Ranger lineup isn’t as broad as its GM and Toyota rivals’, but it’s still an impressive debut… and the Ranger’s model offerings should be expanding in the near future.