2019 Ford Ranger Reviews Compilation

[jcardona1]

Kinda stopped reading after this bit. What a drama queen.

Entering a driveway at an angle was guaranteed to send your head flying toward the door window

Sponsored

 

[Toytec]

I thought it was a very honest review on his part. The last paragraph summed it up well. I like to hear both sides when it comes to these reviews. If I'm going to spend this kind of money, give it to me, good or bad.
BTW, this will definitely be an "upgrade" for me.

 

[Geoff]

This is interesting - it almost reads like they had an axe to grind. They say the ride is terrible, but almost all the other reviews I've read say how good the ride is (for a truck). Even the objective measurements seem to be in line with others, but they seem to negate them. To me, it indicates bias on the reviewers part.

Curious what others thoughts are on this review?

Pretty much thought the same thing. I'm just going to ignore it and wait until I get mine before coming to any conclusions.

 

[rangerdanger]

TT005 from Tacoma World

My local Ford dealer contacted me today regarding the arrival of its first Ranger. I took a break to check it out, and I eventually took it for a test drive. At $46k, the Lariat 4x4 packs a hefty amount for a mid-size pickup. I walked away thoroughly impressed with the Ranger. In my opinion, the Ranger beats out the Tacoma in multiple aspects. Nevertheless, I still can’t get over the exterior of the Ranger. The Tacoma looks much better, in my opinion.

Interior:
The Ranger’s cabin space (front seat, rear seat, and headroom) feels larger than the Tacoma. The Ranger has a lower floor than the Tacoma. At 6’1”, I was far more comfortable sitting in the Ranger than the Tacoma. The steering wheel feels smaller and thinner than the Tacoma. The dash, interior panels feel softer to the touch and higher quality than the Tacoma. I counted four USB ports (two up front, two in the rear). The view through the rear glass appears more cramped than the Tacoma. No sunroof in the Ranger I test drove.

Suspension:
Smoother ride than the Tacoma, but a little bouncy at times. Ranger rides almost like a sedan, not stiff, tight like most trucks.

Engine/Transmission:
Ranger feels plenty powerful and readily available throughout the range. Power is linear, not abrupt after pinning the accelerator to the floor like the Tacoma. Seamless transmission, but long term reliability will be the true test. Accelerator, brake input is light.

Exterior:
The tailgate isn’t power assisted, but is extremely lightweight. The bed is deeper than the Tacoma. The bedliner is rigid.

 

[rangerdanger]

bijick from Tacoma World

Saw my first one in person today and I'm impressed. I’d never buy one for drivetrain reliability and lack of an mt option, but they look real nice. This one is priced at 46.8 tho so it better impress me. I was really impressed with how easily the 4wd engaged/disengaged and how easily and quickly the locker engaged as well. It also engages in 2wd which is sick. I feel like this is the first real competition for the yota and am pretty excited about it. Once that dealer gets more I’ll drive one for shits n grins, but I’ll never see it doing this.

 

[Bubbabiker]

Kinda stopped reading after this bit. What a drama queen.

Not only that I'm questioning the Colorado 0-60 times he stated. Truck Trend was able to muster a 0-60 time of 7.4 seconds out of the Colorado's sibling, the Canyon with the V6. Only the gen 1 Colorado with the 5.3L V8 was able to dip down into the 6 second range.

 

[RodSlinger]

Not only that I'm questioning the Colorado 0-60 times he stated. Truck Trend was able to muster a 0-60 time of 7.4 seconds out of the Colorado's sibling, the Canyon with the V6. Only the gen 1 Colorado with the 5.3L V8 was able to dip down into the 6 second range.

Car and Driver published low 6 second times for the Colorado with something like a 14.5@95mph in the quarter mile. I've test driven them and they will move pretty well when your foot is in it. They do seem to have a little better low end torque than the other V6 trucks but it still needs to have the pedal buried to get the best out of it. I'm looking forward to some real, instrumented back to back tests by some of the major publishers. Real world tests. Not playing in the dirt treats.

 

[j0shm1lls]

 

[kaltzbar]

Video reminds me of The Price is Right. "Tell him what he's won!"

 

[SRAces]

bijick from Tacoma World

$46,800? It's a great looking Ranger, but the sad thing is that it has the Sport Package to get the magnetic grill and the magnetic color around the front quarter panel badges. Then you had to pay an extra $900 roughly to get the wheels almost identical to the standard Lariat wheels. I would wonder if it would have been cheaper just to leave the Sport Package off and then just replace the grill and side badges with replacement ones in the magnetic color or have the existing ones painted. As everything else would have been color matched on the standard Lariat trim.

 

[FLEngineer]

Video reminds me of The Price is Right. "Tell him what he's won!"

Apparently you've never watched Motor Week; the deadpan is half the appeal. I always enjoy the no frills delivery of their reviews, although this one isn't too in depth.

 

[j0shm1lls]

 

[j0shm1lls]

The salesguy has given out a couple bits of wrong information in this vid...
"bi-xenon HID lights"
"only short bed"
"aluminum bed" (its just the tailgate)

 

[rangerdanger]

Review: 2019 Ford Ranger FX4 Brings Brains to Off-Roading

The FX4 package makes the Ranger a great off-roader and camping vehicle. (Photo: Ryan ZumMallen/Trucks.com)

The new 2019 Ford Ranger is the latest entry into the market for midsize pickup trucks that can easily venture off-road. The available FX4 package makes it one of the best.

The stock Ranger includes a gutsy and efficient powertrain attached to a steel frame and bumpers. The $1,295 FX4 package adds off-road shocks, all-terrain tires and a terrain-management system.

It also adds skid plates and an electronic locking differential that puts the Ranger FX4 on par with the Chevrolet Colorado Z71 and Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road when it comes to exploring. The package is available on all three trims, the XL, XLT and Lariat – putting a serious off-roader within reach of most new truck shopper budgets.

FROM TOWN TO TRAIL
A week of testing the 2019 Ranger Lariat with the FX4 package proved its mettle. It ran errands around town and easily crawled a mountain range. But the midsize pickup is not without hiccups.

The Ranger tested by Trucks.com came equipped with Yakima bed racks and the company’s SkyRise rooftop tent. Ford and Yakima have a new partnership that allows buyers to roll the price of accessories into their truck payments. It’s an effort to appeal to rising demand for overlanding and outdoor gear.

The $1,295 FX4 packages includes off-road shocks, all-terrain tires and a terrain-management system. (Photo: Ryan ZumMallen/Trucks.com)

The appearance of the rooftop tent setup screams adventure. On the road toward the Santa Ana Mountains in Orange County, Calif., the Ranger provided a smooth and quiet ride. Its 2.3-liter four-cylinder Ecoboost engine and 10-speed automatic transmission make a crisp pairing.

The truck’s Terrain Management System, standard with the FX2 and FX4 packages, provides four driving modes: Normal, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud/Ruts and Sand. It has a new Crawl Control feature that automatically handles off-road traction to power the Ranger up inclines or down steep grades. The Hankook Dynamo all-terrain tires provided a smooth ride and good grip, though rugged adventurers will likely swap them out for more aggressive rubber.

The independent front suspension handled bumps well, and the solid rear axle, weighed down by the tent, felt smooth over long distances. The gas and brake pedals are both electronic. While there is little direct connection to the road, both were responsive. Combined with the powertrain, the advanced engineering made the Ranger feel ahead of rivals with older designs.

The steering, however, detracted from the experience. It is also electronic and worked fine around town. But on sweeping mountain roads it felt heavy-handed. Mile after mile of changing direction created a roiling sensation in the cabin.

OUTDATED INTERIOR
Another weakness is the interior. It is mostly unchanged from the global Ranger on sale since 2011. The layout of small buttons can be confusing, and the helpful Sync 3 infotainment system comes on a small, 8-inch touchscreen.

The 2019 interior is virtually unchanged from the global model that debuted in 2011. (Photo: Ryan ZumMallen/Trucks.com)

Leather seats in the Lariat trim provided comfortable support and good visibility compared with the Toyota Tacoma’s famously awkward positioning. But taller passengers will find rear legroom lacking, even in the larger SuperCrew configuration. The bench folds up as a single unit rather than allowing one seat to move independently for extra storage. The rear floor holds small storage spaces. The Ranger could benefit from more attention to its interior packaging.

Still, the cabin is comfortable for a truck capable of tough work. It has soft arm rests and other touch points. The front and rear each have two USB ports. The Ranger is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Its interior is on par with other midsized trucks that also suffer from dated interior design. Ford missed an opportunity to set it apart from the competition.

QUICK SETUP
At a campsite in the Cleveland National Forest near the top of the mountain range, the truck settled nicely on level ground. The tent proved easy to set up. The outside cover unraveled, and the metal platform folded down flat. This automatically hoisted the tent up without the need for assembly. The ladder extended easily to the ground and made the SkyRise ready for elevated camping.

Setting up Yakima's Skyrise tent was an easy task. (All photos: Carly Schaffner/Trucks.com)

Unfortunately, packing the tent up proved more difficult. It’s a trick to get the ladder steps to release from their locked position.

Tent issues aside, the Ranger handled the mini-adventure well. The SkyRise is a lightweight rooftop tent at just 95 pounds, while the truck has a gross vehicle weight rating of 6,050 pounds. It can haul the tent, a cabin full of passengers and a bed full of gear without trouble. Its steel bed has six tie-downs, and all Ranger trims and configurations can tow up to 7,500 pounds with the Trailer Tow Package.

Back in town the Ranger is maneuverable even with the tent on top. Its wheelbase and overall length are about 1 inch shorter than both of the best-sellers in this segment: the Chevrolet Colorado and the Tacoma. A full suite of sensors and cameras enables good visibility. The electronic steering makes handling precise at city speeds. The biggest drawback is a loud engine fan that roars in order to lug the turbocharged truck through parking lots.

GOOD VALUE
Overall the 2019 Ford Ranger presents good value for its performance. A fully loaded Lariat with the FX4 off-road package came to $44,170 before destination. Ignore the Sport appearance package, Bang & Olufsen stereo and adaptive cruise control – which cuts out below 12 mph – and the truck barely crosses $40,000.

The average transaction price for a midsize pickup in 2018 was $32,788, according to J.D. Power. At that price a capable Ranger is the two-wheel-drive XLT trim with cloth seats and safety suite, plus the optional locking differential and tow package, for $31,010 before destination fees. It may allow buyers to add Yakima accessories and other goodies.

The 2019 Ranger FX4 makes adventuring accessible off the showroom floor. It combines the no-nonsense strength of a work truck with modern technology like the turbocharged powertrain, intelligent terrain-management system and advanced safety features.

However, its small missteps show that the Ranger still has room for improvement. Buyers now have a lot of choice in the midsize pickup segment. While the FX4 package doesn’t cover every blemish, it offers immediate capability that once took a lot of accessorizing.

Read Next: Quick Facts to Know: 2019 Ford Ranger

 

[RedlandRanger]

Review: 2019 Ford Ranger FX4 Brings Brains to Off-Roading

One interesting quote I had not heard anywhere else:

The gas and brake pedals are both electronic. While there is little direct connection to the road, both were responsive.

Has anyone else heard that? So this is "by wire"? Instead of direct connection to the throttle body and master cylinder?

Sponsored