Your Thoughts after First Test Drive

Rp930

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Closed?
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djrobb

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rangerdanger

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I have no idea what Iā€™m talking about but I think there is a cutoff for MY 2019 orders. Then there is a gap before taking MY 2020 orders. They may take the order though but just have a delay while they retool for 2020. Iā€™m sure someone else on here knows better though.
https://www.donlen.com/buildstart-trucks-ford.html
Yes that's my baseless speculation as well.

@Rp930 they started taking orders on August 14th 2018, so it makes sense they stop on March 1st 2019. They also started produced them on November 26th 2018, so it makes sense they end production on June 1st 2019 to changeover for the 2020 model year.
 

Rp930

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Good to know. I would like a dealer to chime in.
 

MotoWojo

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I ordered my Lariat back in the beginning of December and it has an estimated delivery date of March 31st. That said, today, I got my first look at one in person and even got a good amount of seat time on a test drive. I test drove an XLT SuperCrew model, 4x4, no FX4 package. I think the size of the truck is perfect. A few people have commented that it was too big, similar in size to the late 90s F150, of which I owned several, and that is not the case.

First off, I am a big guy, 6"3", 270 lbs and I was pleased that I fit very comfortably in the truck. I test drove a Tacoma and a Ridgeline previously, and the Ranger definitely has the most comfortable seats and seating position. Unlike the Toyota I can easily get in and out of the truck with out ducking my head. I tested the rear seat latch and I was able to unlatch it and latch it back up, but it took a pretty good "slam" to do so. Not that much of an issue as there is not much reason to unlatch it. The rear seat is one of the bigger disappointments, as I think Ford could of easily engineered a "lay flat" option at little to no extra cost. I do not fit well in the back seat, but I expected that. I think an averaged sized adult will be fine.

Some reviews have implied that the interior seems dated, but I liked the simplistic non-cluttered approach. If anything, the climate controls could have a few more knobs or something for tactical feedback? I tested all the controls and I found it odd that I could not choose which vents the HVAC is directed to, upper vents/floor vents, without using the Sync screen? If there was a button for it, I couldn't find it? Not that big of a deal because it is all on the Sync screen? On the plus side, my Samsung Note 8 fits in the little cubby in the center console, which looked too small to me in pictures and video online. My other disappointment, following the rear seat design, was the stock stereo system. I did not think it sounded that good, hopefully, it was just the FM stations and that when I get mine I will be able to spend more time fine tuning it? My stock Shaker 500 in my 10+ year old Mustang sounds way better and the Audiophile system in my old 2004 F150 was also much better. I am almost wishing I had opted for the B&O system for mine, but having to jump up to the Lariat for Leather and Push button start was about all my wallet could handle. The only options I ordered were 4x4 and tow package.

On to the test drive. With the cold weather, -15 when I got up this morning, the roads really suck around here, especially the roads around this Ford dealer. The Ranger "bounced" a lot over where the pavement was buckling, but it wasn't harsh at all. I looked at the tire pressures, dash readout, and they were all about 40 psi vs. the 30 psi that is specified on the door jamb decal. I am betting it would of rode even nicer with the correct air pressures. I went down an old country road that was snow covered in 4wd HI, trying to break it loose, but it never did and felt very confidant. Once I got to the Interstate on-ramp, I mashed the accelerator and was pleasantly surprised at how well the little 4 banger pulls. The "pumped" in sound was a bit more than I expected. I think Ford should have optioned to have that feature as an off/on selection? At highway speeds of about 70 mph, I got on it again, it had plenty of passing power if needed. I also tested out sport mode, but just for a short stretch. It definitely held in gear quite a bit higher into the RPM range vs the normal drive selection. At first I was quite surprised at how high it revved before shifting and I am guessing sport mode is an actual "sport" mode? The Ranger "felt" quick for a truck, quicker than any of the 4.6L and 5.4l F150s I have owned in the past.

In the drivers seat, the Ranger definitely feels like a truck, in a good way, and not like an SUV at all, at least not to me. For comparisons, the Ridgeline I test drove, felt more like an SUV and didn't have that "on top of the world" sitting up high feeling. Driving the Ranger felt very similar to my F150s in that regard. I felt the side mirrors were very good, but the small back window made the rearview mirror something I will probably not use as much, even more so when I get my truck as it has the slider, which I wish I could have optioned out.

Overall, I was quite pleased with it, the fit and finish, and especially how comfortable the seating position was for me. I am so looking forward to getting my Lariat as I have been without a truck after selling my F150 over a year ago.
 


Geoff

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This isn't really a review but I got my first hands on look at a Lariat today (I finally got to see what I ordered 5 months ago !!). I was not disappointed. I crawled under it (nice clean showroom floor) and must say that oil filter is really buried so it's good to see they made an access hole thru the wheel well. It looks more robust than my '02 and I love how Ford tucked everything up high. It was an FX4 and had a plastic bed liner. The tailgate wasn't light but I'm sure that was due to the plastic tailgate protector. I found the seating to be "Ford comfortable" in both front and rear seats. I guess I'm not as fussy as some because I had no qualms with the interior (then again I'm currently driving 2016 Fusion and everything seemed quite similar and familiar - I liked that). I tried the rear seat latches and had no problems latching either the seat back or seat bottom. The dealer did remove the inboard passenger side rubber bumper on the seat back and it latched with a satisfying click. The engine sits pretty far back from the front grill which may make working on it a bit of a PITA, but that's not a concern, just an observation at this point. The foam engine cover is pretty flexible and seems like it should offer additional sound proofing. The front bash plate is pretty thin sheet metal so I can see this getting beat up somewhat but I may opt to install this to replace the more fragile non FX4 cover. I did not ask the dealer for a test drive since I'm not buying from him but overall I was quite happy with what I saw. Is it perfect? No. But at $44K I don't think perfect exists. I'm now more anxious than ever to get my truck.....fortunately the long wait for me is nearing the end, baring shipping horrors that I've been reading about (it sounds like a slow boat from China would beat the trek from MAP to LA).

EDIT, I would have opted for a fixed rear window without the slider if that was an option. I especially didn't like the weather stripping around the slider. All in all it's just an inconvenience when cleaning the rear window and serves no real purpose for me except to block the rear view.
 
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rduvall

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I would have opted for a fixed rear window without the slider if that was an option. I especially didn't like the weather stripping around the slider. All in all it's just an inconvenience when cleaning the rear window and serves no real purpose for me except to block the rear view.
Agreed!
 

saintpauljeff

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FX4Offroad

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wow, brutal, definitely gives me second thoughts, guess I'll see how the test drive goes whenever I get to that point
I love this review. I just picture the raggedy Ann driver, with no skeletal structure, flopping around, head bobbing, arms flapping and legs wobbeling while driving around.

Of ALL the reviews I've read, this person is the only one that hates the ride...I mean REALLY hates it.

Bet he drives a Chevy?
 

saintpauljeff

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I love this review. I just picture the raggedy Ann driver, with no skeletal structure, flopping around, head bobbing, arms flapping and legs wobbeling while driving around.

Of ALL the reviews I've read, this person is the only one that hates the ride...I mean REALLY hates it.

Bet he drives a Chevy?
are you talking about me or the Motortrend reviewer?

Let us know how Honda Ridgeline ownership goes LOL
what??
 

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I love this review. I just picture the raggedy Ann driver, with no skeletal structure, flopping around, head bobbing, arms flapping and legs wobbeling while driving around.

Of ALL the reviews I've read, this person is the only one that hates the ride...I mean REALLY hates it.

Bet he drives a Chevy?
I drove my '05 Ranger to my test drive - and the difference between the '05 and the '19 was literally night and day. The new Ranger was WAY more comfortable - still a truck, but a very refined truck - especially when compared to a 14 year old truck.
 

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RedlandRanger

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It's a reference to this similar MotorTrend article: https://www.motortrend.com/cars/che...ger-honda-ridgeline-toyota-tacoma-comparison/

Apparently the Ridgeline is the smoothest and most comfortable midsize truck, better than Tacoma and Ranger.
You should put truck in quotes for the ridgeline - or you could say "Honda Pilot with the backseat turned into a bed" :LOL:

Of course it will have the best ride.... it is a unibody vehicle, not a body on frame vehicle. Comparing the rides is really not a fair comparison. That would be like dinging a car for not having a good hauling capactiy....
 

saintpauljeff

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