2014 Escape -> 2023 Ranger.. right move?

[sal33n]

For #6... We drive to FL from OH and find it very comfortable. However there are only my wife and myself, we are empy nesters. I will say though that there are differences between seats as we have a Lariat and from what I have heard here from some, the Lariat seats are more comfortable.

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[Kevan]

@Kevan - If you are relocating to Indiana and do not yet have a primary bank selected; consider looking at local credit unions. With lack of credit they may be willing to write you a loan if you are a member with "enough" money in your accounts and proof of good employment via paystubs being deposited to your account, there is a chance they will take a chance on you and offer you a loan on decent terms.

The "big boys" will say "sure, 9%," but Credit unions tend to be more local and interested in serving their members. My two.

It is surprisingly difficult to re/open accounts when not in the USA physically. Sad but true. I was able to open one at a small local bank with a manager I happened to graduate high school with. She helped with setting things up and we're looking at starting a secured card + secured loan to at least get an actual rating of some kind going. Likely would apply for the car loan through them as well..

I do prefer credit unions but sadly they were .. not so helpful.

When I left Indiana more than a decade ago, there was little demand for serious IT people.. now I'm getting headhunted and offered more than I ever have - bit of a surprise. Trying to take advantage of it to build credit before the return Stateside if possible.

 

[btsmith52]

I've actually owned both of those vehicles or similar configurations. Still own a 2022 ranger (not 2023) and our 2014 had the 2.0 L.

I think I can give you some reasonable answers:

1. Is it big enough for 3 small kids in the back seat (car seats/boosters)? My wife and I are both around 5'10. Yes, assuming you are talking about a supercrew in the ranger. Neither have great back seat leg space, but both are adequate for kids and also adults for a short time. I have not used car seats, but I don't know why either would be an issue. Take your car seats to the dealership and try them out.
2. Does this realistically get better mileage than the v6 alternatives? I get 19-20 around town and 23-25 on the highway realistically. Mileage seems to drop to the low end of the spectrum in cold weather.
3. My 1.6l experiences rather annoying turbo lag - is the 2.3l a smoother experience with less lag? Turbo lag is about the same as the 2.0L and it is noticeable from a standstill. Having said that, the 2.3 is pretty darn powerful overall and will smoke the 1.6L. Don't discount the 10 speed transmission in the Ranger. The overall transmission behavior is much better than th 6F35 in the Escape. Shifts are smoother and the engine's powerband is well utilized.
4. I'd be buying XLT/Lariat 4x4 but w/o offroad package - probably XLT (as I prefer a physical key). How well can I expect it to do mileage wise without all the extra suspension? Everything I watch online is FX4 or Tremor which doesn't really fit my use case. Mileage is about the same as the FX4 which isn't profoundly different than the regular 4x4 (sligthly bigger tires, different shocks, some traction control tuning, and a locker). The Tremor has awful mileage . . .something like 19 in the city and highway. The FX4 price is probably worthwhile if you are leaning towards not being on pavement more. My use case was more pavement, so I went with the standard 4x4 to save money.
5. Ordering with the spray in liner seems to be a point of delay on build process, can anyone recommend a good aftermarket liner? Nothing magical about the spray in that comes from Ford, so I would get the truck sooner and have someone else do the liner. I can't recommend a specific brand.
6. How does it do long distance? From IN I'll need to visit (at least): MI, OH, MN, MD, TX, CA and FL to catch up with family. Is it a good distance truck? It does well, and I think it rides better than the Escape on the highway. It has a longer wheelbase and more tire. The Ranger can get a little wallowy (sp?) if the road conditions are very bad, but it is less jarring than the Escape in general.

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