Yahoo Autos 2024 Ford Ranger First Drive: Finally Built to Play Ball
The outgoing Ford Ranger, which debuted in the U.S. as a 2019 model, was a federalized version of an eight-year-old world-market Ranger that the local Ford team put together to reenter the game. The 2024 Ford Ranger represents a full-court press meant to transform this newest Ranger into a legitimate threat.
It's tough being a mid-size pickup nowadays, not least because a recent surge in new product has made an already-competitive field that much more cutthroat. Ford's Ranger, in particular, had a lot of ground to make up, finishing fourth of four in a comparison that took place even before the competition made recent strides. Could it dig itself out of an ever-deepening hole? The task is not as imposing as it seems.
My, How You've Grown
At first glance, the Ranger now looks more like a downsized F-150, as it shares the broad-shouldered look of the bestseller. It's no illusion, because the new Ranger is 2.2 inches wider than the old one, and its front and rear track widths are each meatier by 2.4 inches. Its 128.7-inch wheelbase is likewise 1.9 inches longer than before, but it's a fractionally shorter from nose to tail thanks to some front and rear overhang trimming. Its flanks have also traded the previous model's exaggerated rake for a more traditional stance. The largest tires now stand 31 inches tall, which is an inch taller than before, and the smallest wheel diameter is now 17 inches. The end result is a Ranger that looks burlier and beefier but still maintains the tidy dimensions necessary to negotiate tight parking lots and ease into a garage as a mid-size should.
Engines Old and New
Under the hood, the new Ranger retains the EcoBoost turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder from before, and it makes the same 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. It somehow feels punchier here, although that was never a problem before. The 10-speed automatic's first- and second-gear ratios are indeed shorter, but the numerical difference doesn't seem significant enough to explain the apparent increase in verve. Maybe our memory has gone soft. It'll take a track test to see if the new one is quicker than the 6.5 seconds to 60 mph we measured with the retiring player.
The EPA says that the four-wheel-drive models' fuel economy is unchanged at 22 mpg combined (20 city/24 highway), but two-wheel-drive thrift has sagged from 23 mpg combined to 22, owing to a highway rating that has backtracked from 26 mpg to 25 mpg. We're not too bothered by this small slip; in fact, we're kind of impressed because, while the new truck isn't meaningfully heavier, it does punch a significantly larger hole through the air. Perhaps the taller tires amount to a higher effective final drive, which is otherwise identical from an axle-gearing standpoint.
The new Ranger's extra width comes with wider-spaced frame rails that make room for V-6 engines. The F-150's EcoBoost twin-turbo 2.7-liter V-6 will be optional, and here it'll make 315 horsepower and 400 pound-feet. We haven't had the opportunity to drive it yet, and it won't arrive until midyear, but EPA filings suggest V-6 Rangers will be limited to 4WD and will be rated at 20 mpg combined (19 city/23 highway). And then there's the Ranger Raptor, which is new for North America and will sport a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 that'll make 405 ponies and 430 pound-feet. Look for details on the junior Raptor in a separate review.
