Missing my Ranger already

[got3fords]

It's only been two days since I took my Ranger to the body shop. (remember the PYT thread) My rental is a 2021 Colorado. I never test drove a Colorado when looking to buy the Ranger. I am glad I didn't waste my time. However it actually rides better than the Ranger before the Eibach shock upgrade. The power is ok, but you have to give it a lot of pedal to get it. The overall throttle response on light acceleration is not great, you have to press down quite a way to get it moving. It's got a decent display screen for the trim level. You can't adjust the volume by the steering wheel though. I really hate the foot operated emergency brake. The shifter is awkward. There is a +/- on the shifter lever that I have no idea what is for. The features just aren't that appealing to me. The sun visor seems kinda flimsy and doesn't came back in the side position enough to block the sun from hitting the side of my face. I can't fit my favorite water bottle in the cup holder. But the interior is quiet and fairly comfortable. For some reason the back up parking assist and proximity warning is intermittent. It's a 2WD and so far the computer says I am averaging about 28MPG.
This would have been my go to choice if the Ranger 5G didn't exist, because it is much more appealing than a Taco.

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[HeavyDuty]

Always good to get perspectives of the competition.
I had to sell my 2019 Ranger because my wife got very ill. Replaced it will a Jeep Trailhawk that she could get in and out of. Took her about a year and a half to get better. Nothing wrong with a Jeep Trailhawk at all but when she really started to feel better a few months ago....I was right back to looking for another Ranger. I shopped around just to be sure. Nothing did it for me like the Ranger - so I bought a 2022 - Love it!

 

[got3fords]

You can't adjust the volume by the steering wheel though.

Correction, I found weirdly located buttons on each side of the back of the steering wheel, facing the dash. The buttons on the right side control the volume, the buttons on the left side, no clue.

 

[Azhang253]

It's only been two days since I took my Ranger to the body shop. (remember the PYT thread) My rental is a 2021 Colorado. I never test drove a Colorado when looking to buy the Ranger. I am glad I didn't waste my time. However it actually rides better than the Ranger before the Eibach shock upgrade. The power is ok, but you have to give it a lot of pedal to get it. The overall throttle response on light acceleration is not great, you have to press down quite a way to get it moving. It's got a decent display screen for the trim level. You can't adjust the volume by the steering wheel though. I really hate the foot operated emergency brake. The shifter is awkward. There is a +/- on the shifter lever that I have no idea what is for. The features just aren't that appealing to me. The sun visor seems kinda flimsy and doesn't came back in the side position enough to block the sun from hitting the side of my face. I can't fit my favorite water bottle in the cup holder. But the interior is quiet and fairly comfortable. For some reason the back up parking assist and proximity warning is intermittent. It's a 2WD and so far the computer says I am averaging about 28MPG.
This would have been my go to choice if the Ranger 5G didn't exist, because it is much more appealing than a Taco.

When shopping around, I also test drove a Colorado.

I was impressed with the ride quality and interior. But, the transmission felt weird, and that ecoboost POWA just absolutely blew it away. I walked away from the Colorado thinking, man, I actually don't care that everything other than the engine was better, I want the Ranger.

 

[got3fords]

I actually don't care that everything other than the engine was better, I want the Ranger.

You must have test driven a higher trim than my rental, because not everything other than the engine is better. But yeah, there is no comparison to the power train.

 

[Azhang253]

You must have test driven a higher trim than my rental, because not everything other than the engine is better. But yeah, there is no comparison to the power train.

I test drove a z71 with the technology package Colorado and an XLT ford ranger.
(My opinion obviously) but I felt the interior was roomier and nicer in the Colorado. The rear seats measure out larger and it was easier to get in and out with slightly more legroom. The actual driving comfort was better (but I prefer a firmer ride, the Ranger kinda feels like a bobble heady land-boat).

But the Colorado engine and transmission was pretty disappointing and the 2.3 ecoboost is a rocket ship in comparison by seat-feel. the Colorado was nicer to be in but the Ranger was much nicer to drive.
Edit: funny story, when I test drove the Colorado whoever drove it before me must have put the child safety door locks in, since I accidentally locked myself in the back and had to do an embarrassing crawl into the front seat to get out. I didn’t have the key yet and was just checking out the car lol

 

[got3fords]

I test drove a z71 with the technology package Colorado and an XLT ford ranger.

Edit: funny story, when I test drove the Colorado whoever drove it before me must have put the child safety door locks in, since I accidentally locked myself in the back and had to do an embarrassing crawl into the front seat to get out. I didn’t have the key yet and was just checking out the car lol

Yeah, that would have been a good comparison. I agree with the slighlty increased leg room. It's weird there is no 'dead pedal'. I should also note that there is some kind of weird pad sewn into the lower console directly beside the gas pedal. It catches my foot every time! If I don't think about it when I want to accelerate into traffic, little happens when I go to hit the gas. Very annoying.

I had to rescue a lady who was sitting in her back seat working on her laptop. She also locked herself in and I happened to park near her. I heard this knocking noise and a faint voice. Finally figured out where it was coming from.

 

[got3fords]

Well I have just discovered another nice feature of the Colorado, the windshield washer. Holy crap does it spray! Just press the lever and within a second the whole windshield is covered and wipers are wiping.
MPG are now averaging 24-25.

 

[Theslim_spaydee]

This same exact thing happened to me a few years back. I absolutely hated the Chevy for the three months I was in it (Covid part constraints). I am guessing the higher trim packages would provide a better experience but it just felt extremely boring and cheap (somehow cheaper than the ranger) on the interior.

 

[4rd SVT]

......... The shifter is awkward. There is a +/- on the shifter lever that I have no idea what is for. T...........

INSTEAD of shifting in drive ["D"], You place the shifter into the lower level/setting...

You are in "MANUAL" mode... you can shift thru all six gears like a manual transmission [IF it's a 6-speed]. That includes downshifts when you need assistance when slowing down too or to anticipate a turn up ahead. You can press the (+) button/tab & look at the dash to leave it up in 6th so you can down or up shift when needed.

I have a fleet-issued FWD Equinox with a tiny turbo engine, and I have to almost always drive in L and manual shift gears because it's so slow to react in drive.
To me I have better control of the vehicle and I "Tell-It" what to do...

When I first got this Equinox, It got me into a few close calls because of the lazy & neglected response from pushing the accelerator and waiting for it to respond or shift gears.

..............................................................................................................................................

PLUS, when you are in motion and then drop the shift down out of "D", remember the transmission will automatically shift down to 4th gear... gotta watch out... especially if you're at highway speeds.
So when you shift down, instantaneously push the (+) part of the button/tab so you are down just one gear... aka 5th gear to accelerate.

Also, EVEN when the vehicle is not in motion [aka stoplight or stopsign] you can look in the dash and keep tapping the (+) button/tab to "6"... it will drive using all gears.... UNLIKE the Ranger.

In the Ranger, It wants to "slam" into 1st gear when are about to come to stop using the sport mode shifting.

So that you have instant control to downshift if the need arises [trying to accelerate on a highway or crossing an intersection....].

 

[got3fords]

INSTEAD of shifting in drive ["D"], You place the shifter into the lower level/setting...

You are in "MANUAL" mode... you can shift thru all six gears like a manual transmission [IF it's a 6-speed]. That includes downshifts when you need assistance when slowing down too or to anticipate a turn up ahead. You can press the (+) button/tab & look at the dash to leave it up in 6th so you can down or up shift when needed.

I have a fleet-issued FWD Equinox with a tiny turbo engine, and I have to almost always drive in L and manual shift gears because it's so slow to react in drive.
To me I have better control of the vehicle and I "Tell-It" what to do...

When I first got this Equinox, It got me into a few close calls because of the lazy & neglected response from pushing the accelerator and waiting for it to respond or shift gears.

..............................................................................................................................................

PLUS, when you are in motion and then drop the shift down out of "D", remember the transmission will automatically shift down to 4th gear... gotta watch out... especially if you're at highway speeds.
So when you shift down, instantaneously push the (+) part of the button/tab so you are down just one gear... aka 5th gear to accelerate.

Also, EVEN when the vehicle is not in motion [aka stoplight or stopsign] you can look in the dash and keep tapping the (+) button/tab to "6"... it will drive using all gears.... UNLIKE the Ranger.

In the Ranger, It wants to "slam" into 1st gear when are about to come to stop using the sport mode shifting.

So that you have instant control to downshift if the need arises [trying to accelerate on a highway or crossing an intersection....].

Cool, gonna have to play with it some.

 

[shred5]

I have owned both and they are two different vehicles. I owned the Colorado for less than 3 years and now nearing 3 years on the Ranger.

I like somethings on the Colorado more and some things on the Ranger more.

I am not loyal to any brand I am a truck person. I like to buy different trucks.

First off I really liked both trucks.

I owned a Colorado Z71 and I currently own a Ranger XLT FX4.






Technology:
The Ranger has more tech on the truck for sure. I do like some of the tech on the Ranger like blind side detection. Ranger has actually stopped me from possibly hitting someone I could not see. Some of tech gives me issues especially in the snow or ice. Now we have other vehicles with almost the same tech and it does not. Way to sensitive and people drive trucks in the snow. But I have to pull over and wipe sensors off sometimes or I get a stupid alarm.

The apps is one place Ford stinks. The Chevy app does more and always works. Ford app I do not know how many times it wont show my truck, your garage is empty. Ford needs to work on this in this day and age.


Interior comfort.
The Ranger is far more comfortable and rides on the highway better. If you do allot of long trips the Ranger is the winner. Actually one of the most comfortable vehicles I have owned. The seats are so much nicer.



Ride:
Ride the Ranger is bouncy and soft, again more like a suv but it does feel better on the highway than the Colorado. I do some off road but not hardcore allot of trails, both are pretty good. The bounciness of the Ranger almost sometimes make it feel like the truck might get away from you. Having rear lockers is a huge plus though. The breaks on the Ranger are a little to soft.




Exterior:
Outer styling that is personal preference. I like them both but both look dated. The Colorado feels more rugged and would make a better work truck. It would take a beating, The Ranger all you have to do is look at it and the paint chips or you get a dent in it. I think the Colorado has a little more truck appearance and the Ranger a little more like a SUV.


Interior appearance and function:
Interior I think the Ranger looks better but both look cheap compared to full size trucks. Hope this changes next gen. The Colorado has nice big nobs and works better with gloves. The console on the Ranger has a weird angle and can be hard to see. My Ranger has a little more visibility than my Colorado. I like the 120 volt outlet in the Ranger. Dual zone is nice on the Ranger. Why doesn't the back seat lay flat in the Ranger?

Transmission:
Transmissions the Ranger excels at without a doubt not even close here.

Engine:
Engines I prefer the Colorado v6 over the Ranger 4 cyl. both are pretty quick and the 4 cyl is pretty peppy with almost no turbo lag. Both engines are very nice and very close. I slightly like the 6 cyl. more.


Sounding:
No matter what with the Ranger either you hear nothing or it sound like a import with exhaust upgrade. Hate it. Ford has to pump fake engine noise in? My Colorado had a nice rumble to it. 4 Cly vs 6 Cyl. noise I guess and I prefer 6 cyl.


Reliability:
This one is hard since I do not keep my vehicles long. Ranger has had nothing (knock on wood). I had my Colorado in a few times for minor stuff.



One thing I really liked about each Truck:

The big thing I miss is AWD on the Colorado. Where I live we have allot of farm fields and the wind will drift the roads for a short section than a bunch of dry pavement and back and forth. Extremely variable. I just liked not having to worry about shifting back to two wheel drive. You know all of a sudden you are going to go around a corner and forget your still in 4 wheel drive and it get all jerky.


One thing I like about my Ranger is the rear locker which the Colorado did not have.






Summary

Anyhow the Colorado really has no weaknesses except maybe the trani. It also has nothing that really stands out. It does have a feature I miss.

Now the Ranger has things it really excels at and things that stink.

The biggest difference is the Colorado feels a little more like a truck and the Ranger feels a little more like a SUV. I think if you are coming from a truck you might like the Colorado more and if coming from a SUV or car the Ranger more. I think if you are looking for a work truck Colorado wins. If you are looking for a everyday driver Ranger wins.

Both are great trucks and think most would be happy with either.

I think for us since we do so many long trips the Ranger has fit our needs better.

 

[got3fords]

I have owned both and they are two different vehicles. I owned the Colorado for less than 3 years and now nearing 3 years on the Ranger.

I like somethings on the Colorado more and some things on the Ranger more.

I am not loyal to any brand I am a truck person. I like to buy different trucks.

First off I really liked both trucks.

I owned a Colorado Z71 and I currently own a Ranger XLT FX4.






Technology:
The Ranger has more tech on the truck for sure. I do like some of the tech on the Ranger like blind side detection. Ranger has actually stopped me from possibly hitting someone I could not see. Some of tech gives me issues especially in the snow or ice. Now we have other vehicles with almost the same tech and it does not. Way to sensitive and people drive trucks in the snow. But I have to pull over and wipe sensors off sometimes or I get a stupid alarm.

The apps is one place Ford stinks. The Chevy app does more and always works. Ford app I do not know how many times it wont show my truck, your garage is empty. Ford needs to work on this in this day and age.


Interior comfort.
The Ranger is far more comfortable and rides on the highway better. If you do allot of long trips the Ranger is the winner. Actually one of the most comfortable vehicles I have owned. The seats are so much nicer.



Ride:
Ride the Ranger is bouncy and soft, again more like a suv but it does feel better on the highway than the Colorado. I do some off road but not hardcore allot of trails, both are pretty good. The bounciness of the Ranger almost sometimes make it feel like the truck might get away from you. Having rear lockers is a huge plus though. The breaks on the Ranger are a little to soft.




Exterior:
Outer styling that is personal preference. I like them both but both look dated. The Colorado feels more rugged and would make a better work truck. It would take a beating, The Ranger all you have to do is look at it and the paint chips or you get a dent in it. I think the Colorado has a little more truck appearance and the Ranger a little more like a SUV.


Interior appearance and function:
Interior I think the Ranger looks better but both look cheap compared to full size trucks. Hope this changes next gen. The Colorado has nice big nobs and works better with gloves. The console on the Ranger has a weird angle and can be hard to see. My Ranger has a little more visibility than my Colorado. I like the 120 volt outlet in the Ranger. Dual zone is nice on the Ranger. Why doesn't the back seat lay flat in the Ranger?

Transmission:
Transmissions the Ranger excels at without a doubt not even close here.

Engine:
Engines I prefer the Colorado v6 over the Ranger 4 cyl. both are pretty quick and the 4 cyl is pretty peppy with almost no turbo lag. Both engines are very nice and very close. I slightly like the 6 cyl. more.


Sounding:
No matter what with the Ranger either you hear nothing or it sound like a import with exhaust upgrade. Hate it. Ford has to pump fake engine noise in? My Colorado had a nice rumble to it. 4 Cly vs 6 Cyl. noise I guess and I prefer 6 cyl.


Reliability:
This one is hard since I do not keep my vehicles long. Ranger has had nothing (knock on wood). I had my Colorado in a few times for minor stuff.



One thing I really liked about each Truck:

The big thing I miss is AWD on the Colorado. Where I live we have allot of farm fields and the wind will drift the roads for a short section than a bunch of dry pavement and back and forth. Extremely variable. I just liked not having to worry about shifting back to two wheel drive. You know all of a sudden you are going to go around a corner and forget your still in 4 wheel drive and it get all jerky.


One thing I like about my Ranger is the rear locker which the Colorado did not have.






Summary

Anyhow the Colorado really has no weaknesses except maybe the trani. It also has nothing that really stands out. It does have a feature I miss.

Now the Ranger has things it really excels at and things that stink.

The biggest difference is the Colorado feels a little more like a truck and the Ranger feels a little more like a SUV. I think if you are coming from a truck you might like the Colorado more and if coming from a SUV or car the Ranger more. I think if you are looking for a work truck Colorado wins. If you are looking for a everyday driver Ranger wins.

Both are great trucks and think most would be happy with either.

I think for us since we do so many long trips the Ranger has fit out needs.

Now that's a write up. I have to ask though, were the two trucks the same model year?
Also, I finally had a reason to floor the Colorado to pass someone. And I was impressed with the results. Not quite as good as the Ranger, but definitely adequate.

 

[shred5]

Now that's a write up. I have to ask though, were the two trucks the same model year?
Also, I finally had a reason to floor the Colorado to pass someone. And I was impressed with the results. Not quite as good as the Ranger, but definitely adequate.

No not the same model year but neither has changed much. Ranger has been pretty much the same since 2019. I think the Colorado was 2017. I do not think the 2019 Colorado was any different from the 2017.

 

[landiscarrier]

My son has a 2016 4x4 Colorado and it definitely rides better than my 19' Ranger Lariat with Eibach. Its a nice truck.

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