Your Thoughts after First Test Drive

[Strokerduster]

Isn't this the same Motortrend that selected the likes of the Chevrolet Citation and the Chrysler K car, as the car of the year? WGAS.......not me.

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[saintpauljeff]

Motortrend absolutely savaged the truck on their first test drive review.

in this article?
https://www.motortrend.com/cars/ford/ranger/2019/2019-ford-ranger-first-drive-review/

 

[djrobb]

I drove a 4x4 non-Fx4 Black Lariat with chrome today at Cowles Ford in Woodbridge, VA. They just got it and it’s the only one they have there.

Likes:
Overall driving experience
Steering
Visibility
Engine/transmission
Torquey is power
Comfortable seats and lumbar
Head room
Quiet road noise
Safety features and driving aids
Engine growl (enhanced or not)
No turbo noise
Seamless auto stop/start
Rear seat room

Dislikes:
Wish adaptive cruise was stop/go
Tow/haul mode but no trailer brake
Rear window not powered even on lariat
No sunroofs even on lariat
Elbow can’t rest on console and reach stearing wheel
No 60/40 rear seat
Didn’t really love the lariat center screen

Overall I really liked the truck. I just enjoyed driving it. It was pretty fun, quite smooth, easy to drive and great visibility. I currently drive an ‘06 Taco. It feels like Ford got all the fundamentals right and missed a few things with the finish. The Lariat is nice, but doesn’t feel like a true top trim like the GMC Denali. Some of the things like not dampening the tailgate, not making the seats 60/40, having the console too far back are mysteries to me. They could have gotten those things right with extremely little additional build cost/complexity. I’m also haunted by the “whatif” of the 2.7L EB instead of the 2.3. I’d bet Chevy puts the 2.7 in soon.

If you look at the new Explorer it surprises me some of the nice features on that SUV and the larger engine are nowhere to be found on the Ranger. Anyway, I left the drive experience feeling like I want one. I really liked it and the things I disliked are pretty minor for me. I think it’s class leading right now, but it certainly hasn’t reinvented the segment.

I’m going to drive an XLT with FX4 when they have one. Not sure the Lariat is nice enough to reach for the top trim. I think if I can get an XLT with tow package, FX4, tech package and 302A package it will be the right fit. If I could get it at $35k I’d probably buy it new. $40k feels like too much when comparing to what you can get with F150. Will be interesting to see if GM puts the 2.7 in the Colorado, what the Jeep pricing is, and what the new Frontier is like. But all in all I really did like the Ranger very much and would feel good about owning one.

I’ve driven four of these now so am back with some more observations. The four I drove were at Crowley in Woodbridge, VA and Jerry’s in Alexandria, Virginia. I drove 3 Lariats and 1 XLT. All 4x4. One Lariat was FX4, one no appearance package, one Sport but still no FX4. These three all drove very similarly. I was curious if the FX4 off-road tuned suspension would make it a worse daily driver but I didn’t find that to be the case. The ones without FX4 were a tiny bit more nimble which might have been because of reduced weight. The XLT had a noticeably worse drive. Felt a little jumpy and the transmission shifts weren’t as smooth. It only had a few miles on it though so that’s probably what it was.

I was also curious if the FX4 would be useful in stop/go traffic. I think it would have limited utility. You would definitely have to do the braking as the AEB clicks in too late for comfort and I don’t know if it would in Trail mode anyway. Didn’t find out on the test drive! I suppose in stop/go traffic you wouldn’t have to use the accelerator and could just use the brake.

I also found that if I telescoped out the steering wheel I could rest my elbows on the arm rests.

These are my only remaining complaints and they are common:

- the lack of 60/40 rear seat is quite annoying especially when you have a car seat.

- there is adaptive cruise control and low speed off road cruise control, and AEB and front parking sensors. But no full stop/go cruise. Seems like the sensors are all there. Not sure why they would put a new installation of CoPilot360 on there that couldn’t go all the way to a smooth stop when using adaptive cruise.

- I don’t love the instrument cluster. I’d rather have a totally digital dash like my wife’s Tiguan on the top trim Lariat.

- Missing the trailer brake and powered rear window.

So, I still really really like the truck. It’s quite fun to drive. My quibbles are minor and are fixable. If they didn’t exist I’d already have one on order. Now I’m gonna wait and see if they make any changes for MY 2020 and if there will be any purchase incentives later this year.

 

[rangerdanger]

These responses are encouraging. Motortrend absolutely savaged the truck on their first test drive review. They said the ride without weight in the bed was horrible, and the transmission sucks. Modern cars have learning transmissions, and they generally get better at shifting with use. The gearbox issues don't scare me.

One thing they said which I would dearly love to hear confirmed or denied, they claim the truck dove badly under braking. My '05 Tundra does this. You hit the brakes, and braking feel does not begin until the front end squats down. This gives a full heart beat's worth of "NO BRAKES!" before you feel the truck slowing. That's not good. I hope they were wrong.

Another area they highlighted, which doesn't appear here, is they claimed the drive train has a great deal of NVH. My local dealer has a 4X4, but haven't seen a 2WD yet. I'll go for a drive and draw my own conclusions when they get one, but that MT review is scary.

I would read the latest article: CHEVROLET COLORADO VS. FORD RANGER VS. HONDA RIDGELINE VS. TOYOTA TACOMA: DOWN ON THE FARM

They were very unkind to the class sales leader Tacoma, and the review was better on the Ranger.

Edit: no surprise Ridgeline was #2. Surprised they can call Colorado #1 when the transmission is hot garbage and prematurely fails.

 

[RedlandRanger]

I would read the latest article: CHEVROLET COLORADO VS. FORD RANGER VS. HONDA RIDGELINE VS. TOYOTA TACOMA: DOWN ON THE FARM

They were very unkind to the class sales leader Tacoma, and the review was better on the Ranger.

Edit: no surprise Ridgeline was #2. Surprised they can call Colorado #1 when the transmission is hot garbage and prematurely fails.

It never ceases to amaze me - one review says how good the Ranger's ride is (which I would tend to agree with) - and then this one says it was awful. And the cabin room - I've seen so many reviews saying the Ranger is the roomiest cabin and then this one says it is cramped - I don't think I've seen any reviews saying it was cramped before. Subjective stuff is hard to interpret in a review.....

 

[unixadm]

A couple of items:

1. The person's frame could be different, or perhaps they normally drive larger vehicles, thus making something smaller, feel restrictive.
2. In terms of the ride, tire pressure could be a one possibility.

 

[pannwfn]

Motor trend and all the (talking heads that we know everything you know nothing) you like it you buy it. Make your own decisions. And the second one is not to watch MT.

 

[jesskewl]

I’ve driven four of these now so am back with some more observations. The four I drove were at Crowley in Woodbridge, VA and Jerry’s in Alexandria, Virginia. I drove 3 Lariats and 1 XLT. All 4x4. One Lariat was FX4, one no appearance package, one Sport but still no FX4. These three all drove very similarly. I was curious if the FX4 off-road tuned suspension would make it a worse daily driver but I didn’t find that to be the case. The ones without FX4 were a tiny bit more nimble which might have been because of reduced weight. The XLT had a noticeably worse drive. Felt a little jumpy and the transmission shifts weren’t as smooth. It only had a few miles on it though so that’s probably what it was.

I was also curious if the FX4 would be useful in stop/go traffic. I think it would have limited utility. You would definitely have to do the braking as the AEB clicks in too late for comfort and I don’t know if it would in Trail mode anyway. Didn’t find out on the test drive! I suppose in stop/go traffic you wouldn’t have to use the accelerator and could just use the brake.

I also found that if I telescoped out the steering wheel I could rest my elbows on the arm rests.

These are my only remaining complaints and they are common:

- the lack of 60/40 rear seat is quite annoying especially when you have a car seat.

- there is adaptive cruise control and low speed off road cruise control, and AEB and front parking sensors. But no full stop/go cruise. Seems like the sensors are all there. Not sure why they would put a new installation of CoPilot360 on there that couldn’t go all the way to a smooth stop when using adaptive cruise.

- I don’t love the instrument cluster. I’d rather have a totally digital dash like my wife’s Tiguan on the top trim Lariat.

- Missing the trailer brake and powered rear window.

So, I still really really like the truck. It’s quite fun to drive. My quibbles are minor and are fixable. If they didn’t exist I’d already have one on order. Now I’m gonna wait and see if they make any changes for MY 2020 and if there will be any purchase incentives later this year.

I am having a hard time in my head of the "what ifs" of the 2020 ZR2 and if it gets 2.7L L3B....for the pricing ZR2 features seem to be more bang for buck in comparison with rangers pricing.....guess time will tell and I'll be watching. I just love the ZR2 look personally more than the ranger.

 

[djrobb]

I am having a hard time in my head of the "what ifs" of the 2020 ZR2 and if it gets 2.7L L3B....for the pricing ZR2 features seem to be more bang for buck in comparison with rangers pricing.....guess time will tell and I'll be watching. I just love the ZR2 look personally more than the ranger.

The 2.7 with the 10 speed is the perfect engine for either the Ranger or the Colorado/Canyon. I am quite impressed with the 2.3 though. It feels fast and I haven’t even tried it with premium fuel nor a tune obviously. It’s a lot lot faster than my v6 Tacoma. The Colorado/Canyons need better seats and adaptive cruise for me. I think they are unlikely to get adaptive cruise since the Silverado and Sierra didn’t even get it.

 

[unixadm]

I went down to Elk Grove Ford, just south of Sacramento, CA to test drive a Ranger today. They let me drive a 2WD XLT Sport and a 4WD Lariat FX4. Honestly, I buy a lot of cars. They were super cool to me and have sold like 6-7 Rangers.

Coming straight-out of my 2015 Tacoma which has the TRD Pro suspension, I definitely felt lower to the ground in the Ranger. The interior comfort was quite good and the seats, especially in the Lariat were comfy. Driving ergonomics felt good as well.

Upon setting off, the engine noise is a bit meh. It's a little bit numb off the line, but once the engine builds boost, you can feel the torque build. The transmission seemed to shift quite smooth in both trucks. Was the truck fast? No - it doesn't put you back into the seat. However, it seemed to have ample power for daily driving.

The ride quality was pretty good, though I never made it into the cluster to check the tire pressures to see if they were set correctly. The ride and handling felt much better on the FX4 and it would be much nicer on a daily basis than my Tacoma. It was quiet in the interior, with the engine noise seemed to be the most intrusive thing around town, or maybe it's the fake engine note being played through the speakers.

With a fairly decent stab of the accelerator off the line, I could feel some driveline shudder as the axle wrapping on the parabolic leaf. However, if you're being nice, the drivetrain felt smooth. The engine idled with no vibration in both trucks and it generally felt well put together. The doors closed with a nice thud. The tailgate was nice and light. The fit and finish looks pretty decent, considering these are early builds.

In terms of driving dynamics, it felt like a nice daily driver. The only thing that stood out to me were the brakes. They stop well, but the pedal is very soft with a long throw of travel before getting into competent pad application. I never felt they wouldn't stop the truck, but I didn't like having to dive so deep into the pedal before getting some response. It kind of reminded me of the brakes on a Crown Victoria, but with a bit less firmness in the pedal. In comparison to my 2015 Tacoma TRD Off Road, with the electro-hydraulic booster, the brakes come on at the top of the pedal, have a firm feel, though can be a big grabby. No softness to the pedal and I prefer them, even though I'm sure the Ranger would out brake the Tacoma every day of the week, in general daily driving, I just prefer them even with the rear drums.

I also paid attention to the interior colors. The FX4 was Platinum White with the Stone interior. It didn't look bad and I liked the two tone, but I'm not sure I'd want beige. It just struck me as a somewhat dated color, so even though it's hot as hell here in the summer, I may opt for Ebony and accept swamp ass as being my reality. The interior somewhat reminded me of my 2015 Explorer, at least with the steering wheel design and cluster. The steering wheel did feel good in the Lariat and better than that of what I got in my Explorer. The center stack with the screen looks old and dated. The trim around the HVAC controls and console also looks extremely cheap. I seriously wish Ford could have done something there, especially on the Lariat trim. The general interior just had a dated vibe about it, but certainly felt more modern than the 2015 Tacoma I drove down there. It just reminds you that this is an older platform.

To sum it up, I liked the truck. Was I blown away? No. However, I wasn't disappointed. It felt very solid and smooth in all driving conditions. It certainly feels like a truck, but with a level of refinement. Power delivery was ample, but I wouldn't walk around bragging about it. However, I'm a tough critic, having owned a GT350, ZL1, C63 AMG, Tuned Ecoboost F150, Explorer Sport Ecoboost, etc. In stock form, it's not going to blow your mind, but it isn't going to disappoint either. I'd say if the truck had the 2.7L Ecoboost, it would be a little rocket ship. I didn't get a chance to test out the B&O audio system in the FX4, nor did I try the climate control system. That's one thing that is hard to test right now due to the cool weather - the A/C system. That's one thing in my 2015 Tacoma that is just adequate and certainly far from great. Having good A/C with a black interior is very important.

I'm leaning towards getting a Ranger, especially after the pretty weak updates for the 2020 Tacoma. The lack of powertrain improvements sealed the deal for me, so no 2020 Tacoma looks to be in my future.

 

[StAugKid]

I went down to Elk Grove Ford, just south of Sacramento, CA to test drive a Ranger today. They let me drive a 2WD XLT Sport and a 4WD Lariat FX4. Honestly, I buy a lot of cars. They were super cool to me and have sold like 6-7 Rangers.

Coming straight-out of my 2015 Tacoma which has the TRD Pro suspension, I definitely felt lower to the ground in the Ranger. The interior comfort was quite good and the seats, especially in the Lariat were comfy. Driving ergonomics felt good as well.

Upon setting off, the engine noise is a bit meh. It's a little bit numb off the line, but once the engine builds boost, you can feel the torque build. The transmission seemed to shift quite smooth in both trucks. Was the truck fast? No - it doesn't put you back into the seat. However, it seemed to have ample power for daily driving.

The ride quality was pretty good, though I never made it into the cluster to check the tire pressures to see if they were set correctly. The ride and handling felt much better on the FX4 and it would be much nicer on a daily basis than my Tacoma. It was quiet in the interior, with the engine noise seemed to be the most intrusive thing around town, or maybe it's the fake engine note being played through the speakers.

With a fairly decent stab of the accelerator off the line, I could feel some driveline shudder as the axle wrapping on the parabolic leaf. However, if you're being nice, the drivetrain felt smooth. The engine idled with no vibration in both trucks and it generally felt well put together. The doors closed with a nice thud. The tailgate was nice and light. The fit and finish looks pretty decent, considering these are early builds.

In terms of driving dynamics, it felt like a nice daily driver. The only thing that stood out to me were the brakes. They stop well, but the pedal is very soft with a long throw of travel before getting into competent pad application. I never felt they wouldn't stop the truck, but I didn't like having to dive so deep into the pedal before getting some response. It kind of reminded me of the brakes on a Crown Victoria, but with a bit less firmness in the pedal. In comparison to my 2015 Tacoma TRD Off Road, with the electro-hydraulic booster, the brakes come on at the top of the pedal, have a firm feel, though can be a big grabby. No softness to the pedal and I prefer them, even though I'm sure the Ranger would out brake the Tacoma every day of the week, in general daily driving, I just prefer them even with the rear drums.

I also paid attention to the interior colors. The FX4 was Platinum White with the Stone interior. It didn't look bad and I liked the two tone, but I'm not sure I'd want beige. It just struck me as a somewhat dated color, so even though it's hot as hell here in the summer, I may opt for Ebony and accept swamp ass as being my reality. The interior somewhat reminded me of my 2015 Explorer, at least with the steering wheel design and cluster. The steering wheel did feel good in the Lariat and better than that of what I got in my Explorer. The center stack with the screen looks old and dated. The trim around the HVAC controls and console also looks extremely cheap. I seriously wish Ford could have done something there, especially on the Lariat trim. The general interior just had a dated vibe about it, but certainly felt more modern than the 2015 Tacoma I drove down there. It just reminds you that this is an older platform.

To sum it up, I liked the truck. Was I blown away? No. However, I wasn't disappointed. It felt very solid and smooth in all driving conditions. It certainly feels like a truck, but with a level of refinement. Power delivery was ample, but I wouldn't walk around bragging about it. However, I'm a tough critic, having owned a GT350, ZL1, C63 AMG, Tuned Ecoboost F150, Explorer Sport Ecoboost, etc. In stock form, it's not going to blow your mind, but it isn't going to disappoint either. I'd say if the truck had the 2.7L Ecoboost, it would be a little rocket ship. I didn't get a chance to test out the B&O audio system in the FX4, nor did I try the climate control system. That's one thing that is hard to test right now due to the cool weather - the A/C system. That's one thing in my 2015 Tacoma that is just adequate and certainly far from great. Having good A/C with a black interior is very important.

I'm leaning towards getting a Ranger, especially after the pretty weak updates for the 2020 Tacoma. The lack of powertrain improvements sealed the deal for me, so no 2020 Tacoma looks to be in my future.

I felt the same way about the brakes. I was wondering if I was the only one. When I drove an XLT FX4 the brakes felt so soft and it took so much travel to get them to engage. It has almost put me off the truck but I really want to like it. I may be spoiled coming from my Fiesta ST, but I don't remember the F150 or the new Ram feeling that soft on the brakes.

 

[RedlandRanger]

I felt the same way about the brakes. I was wondering if I was the only one. When I drove an XLT FX4 the brakes felt so soft and it took so much travel to get them to engage. It has almost put me off the truck but I really want to like it. I may be spoiled coming from my Fiesta ST, but I don't remember the F150 or the new Ram feeling that soft on the brakes.

I've seen those comments about the brakes in a few reviews - My Honda has REALLY touchy brakes which I've never liked - they grab way too easy. As long as they stop well, I kind of like a softer pedal (not grabby). I didn't notice the pedal on my test drive being soft, but I guess this is another one of those personal preference things.

 

[unixadm]

I've seen those comments about the brakes in a few reviews - My Honda has REALLY touchy brakes which I've never liked - they grab way too easy. As long as they stop well, I kind of like a softer pedal (not grabby). I didn't notice the pedal on my test drive being soft, but I guess this is another one of those personal preference things.

It probably depends upon what you've been driving. I drive a 15 Explorer Sport, 15 Tacoma TRD Off Road and an 18 Miata Club RF with Brembos. All of those vehicles have pretty decent brakes, at least from a feel standpoint. So when I got in the Ranger and touched the brakes for the first time, it certainly felt different. As I mentioned in my observation, I didn't feel like the truck wouldn't stop, it just had a pretty soft brake pedal feel. After a few weeks, I'd probably be used to it, until I spent a week driving the Miata.

 

[Rp930]

I’ve driven two. I didn’t know how to find tire pressures on the first one but on the second tire pressures were 43 instead of the 30 on the sticker. Even so the ride was quite good. I’ll be ordering in April. Both were FX4 and that’s what I’ll order.

 

[djrobb]

I’ve driven two. I didn’t know how to find tire pressures on the first one but on the second tire pressures were 43 instead of the 30 on the sticker. Even so the ride was quite good. I’ll be ordering in April. Both were FX4 and that’s what I’ll order.

Order window might be closed in April? Not sure.

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