2019 Ford Ranger First Drive: It's Baaack!

2019 Ford Ranger First Drive: It's Baaack!
2019 ford ranger

we've waited nearly a full year since its debut at the 2018 north american international auto show in detroit to get behind the wheel of the 2019 ford ranger — was it worth the wait? the ranger hasn't been sold as a new vehicle in the u.s. since 2011, but it remained a favorite of many, even as ford insisted it didn't need a mid-size pickup truck in its american lineup.



we just did our the first press drive of the new ranger — we'd already taken the briefest of test drives when we took part in a consumer-oriented event — and had our first chance to drive multiple variations of the ranger in situations an owner might find themselves beyond normal street driving — like hauling off-road vehicles or towing a boat.

2019 ford ranger specs & reviews find a 2019 ford ranger near you

pickuptrucks.com editor mark williams took the ranger through those scenarios and got a chance to experience some of the relatively few configurations the new ranger offers. at launch, there will be only one powertrain: a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. that gives the ranger the highest epa fuel economy ratings of any mid-size truck's gas used engine , though the diesels in the chevrolet colorado and gmc canyon offer greater fuel efficiency.

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the ranger will also only have one wheelbase, with bed length determined by whether the truck is an extended cab or crew cab. extended-cab models will get a 6-foot bed and crew-cab models a 5-footer.

be sure to read williams' full first drive over on pickuptrucks.com to find out if the ranger revolutionizes the mid-size truck class or if it's simply the next step in an ongoing competition.

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