Pros

• It has a strong engine and can pull and carry a lot of weight.
• A ride that is smooth and pleasant.
• The Raptor version makes the Ranger better at going off-road.
• Technology tools are easy to use.

Cons

• It costs more than similar names.
• There is only one mix of bed and car.

How does a Ranger get around? The four-cylinder engine is strong overall. Our Ranger Lariat with four-wheel drive went from 0 to 60 mph in 6.7 seconds on the Edmunds test track. When we tested it, the same Tacoma took almost a full second longer to hit 60 mph.

It can be slow for the truck to cruise at slower speeds, but it has plenty of power for passing or merging. The Ranger seems stable and easy to handle when going around corners (for a truck). The weight and amount of help with turning are just right. The car is simple to drive straight on the highway and in parking lots.

How does the Ranger make you feel? Even though trucks have a lot of problems, the Ranger is comfy. The ride is smooth and much better than those of the rivals. If you choose a Raptor, the front seats will be even cozier and have more support to keep you locked in off-road. The front seats are nice and supportive for long trips. The Ranger needs help in busy places. The engine makes a rough sound when it’s running at full speed, like other medium trucks with four-cylinder turbochargers.

How is the inside? In the front, there is a fantastic amount of space. The driver’s seat and steering wheel can be adjusted in many ways, which makes it easier to find a good driving position. The Ranger can also see better than its rivals because its hood is lower. The Ranger’s back seat legroom isn’t as big as a Ridgeline or Gladiator’s, but it’s good enough for kids and people who travel rarely.

The driver has easy access to all the commonly used features, such as the main tablet. While driving, some of the climate settings on the screen can be distracting. However, the row of quick-access buttons at the top of the screen is very useful for things like the optional camera system.

What’s wrong with the tech? The Ranger’s networking features are great. Smartphone integration choices for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto talk to each other wirelessly, which makes it easy to switch between them and the original entertainment system. This infotainment system can understand real speech, but Google Assistant in the Chevrolet Colorado is better.

The Ranger really stands out from other midsize trucks when it comes to tools that help the driver. They need to be more noticeable and work well for daily driving. The extra surround-view camera is also very good. It gives you a clear view in all directions, and the front-facing camera shows the path of the front tires with lines, which makes it easy to drive over or around objects when you’re off-road.

How do you store and tow things? The Ranger has only one cab-and-bed option. Ford has stretched the bed so that it can hold up to 1,805 pounds of cargo and has 4 feet of room between the wheel wells, which is enough to lay a sheet of plywood flat. A new step built into the frame instead of the bumper has been added to make it easier to get to the bed.

The most weight that can be on a trailer is 7,500 pounds, which is a little less than the Colorado’s 7,700 pounds. Ford’s Pro Trailer Backup Assist system, on the other hand, has a knob in the center dashboard and lets the driver reverse the car while pulling a trailer. It is the most advanced tow technology on the market.

How much fuel does it use? The EPA says that the Ranger with a four-cylinder engine will get an average of 22 mpg in both 2WD and 4WD driving. This is the gas mileage of a medium truck. When we used the Ranger, it was easy to follow the EPA’s predictions. There will also be a V6 engine that is more powerful but gets 20 mpg on average.

Is the Ranger worth anything? People often say, “You get what you pay for.” Each trim level of the Ranger costs a little more than the Chevrolet Colorado. The Ford is more refined than the Tacoma, and it has better materials. So, it’s a good deal for the quality you get, even though the base price of the truck goes up at each stage.

This truck doesn’t really have any problems. It gets around many of the problems that come with owning a truck by offering a good mix of quality, technology, and driving ability. It’s okay if a Ranger that isn’t a Raptor looks less powerful than it really is. These days, trucks are trying too hard to show how strong they are.

We suggest the XLT to most buyers because it gives them access to many of the Ranger’s features and gadgets inside. The XLT has improvements that let you use all the safety features, such as adaptive cruise control and a great 360-degree camera system. It also has a bigger tablet for entertainment than the XL. The Lariat also has these features, but they are cheaper than they are on the other models.

Several types of Ford Rangers

It has a 5-foot bed and is called the crew-cab 2024 Ford Ranger. You can choose from four trim levels: XL, XLT, Lariat, and Raptor. At launch, there will only be one engine choice for the first three model levels. It will be a 2.3-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine with 270 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The 2.7L V6 turbocharged engine will have 315 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque when it comes out in the summer of 2024. There are two types of drive available for each trim level: rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive. The Raptor has four-wheel drive as standard.