Ranger performance at altitude

[svendough]

Hi all

My apologies if this is the wrong forum to drop this note! I'm still in the research phase of my search for a truck and I had one question that I can't really find the answer for so I was hoping someone here might be able to help.

In short: How does the Ranger perform at altitude? I'd be looking at a 2020. Specifically, high-altitude mountain passes.

I live in CO and regularly drive over passes that eclipse 10,000 feet. I'm coming from a Subaru Crosstrek which has no power at all that high. Heck, it doesn't have much power down on the Front Range, either.

I still need to test drive some vehicles—I'm naturally looking at the Tacoma, too (mainly for it's high resale)—yet I'll never be able to test drive these trucks on a high mountain pass, so really I was just curious how the Rangers EcoBoost Engine performs above the clouds.

And I understand that this is a slightly subjective question. For me, it would just be nice to be able to finally pass folks going up a hill. Other than that, a truck is certainly my next vehicle as my wife has plenty of yard projects and I'm an avid MTBer.

Cheers

Sponsored

 

[dmeyer302]

It's not really even close at sea level, but the EcoBoost would mop the floor with the Taco at elevation.

 

[Deleted member 1634]

Since the Ecoboost is a turbo-powered engine it has very little, if any, altitude affects. A normally aspirated (non-turbo) engine, like those in the Taco for example, will gasp for air when there isn't as much, thus running less efficiently and lacking power. But a turbo will essentially force feed the engine all the air it needs so it essentially runs like it would at sea level no matter the altitude (within reason).

 

[dtech]

Turbos have an advantage over na engines at altitude, losing far less power. A na engine loses approx 3% of power every 1k rise in elevation, while the turbo will compensate by providing more boost to offset the lower air pressure at elevation, some power will be lost but it's minor compared to na engine power loses. prudent to use 91 octane at higher elevations.

 

[Jon Olivier]

This might help with your decision as well.

 

[rang19ca]

True story. Turbocharging was developed to help airplanes keep power at high altitudes. Yes it makes a big difference with the EcoBoost engine in the Ranger.

 

[dtech]

also forgot to mention - crosstek is pretty meagerly powered at any elevation, I'm kind of amused at some of the subies and other small na vehicles that gradually slow down going up a steeper mountain pass, pass them either driving my turbo Saab, turbo Hyundai or now the Ranger, but then once at the crest some of these little econ boxes will go way over the speed limit on the downside.

Here is a true story - back in 1986 I bought a Saab 9000 - fast car at the time, was headed to Snowmass lake for some fishing, was driving up the east side of Independence pass when a 5 series BMW blows by me, I tell my friend to wait a bit so when the pass was steeper and winding I caught up to the BMW and just blew right by him, there was no way he could keep up, so we reach the summit and a several miles on the west side I pull off a side road to take a pee -we had been having a few beers, so we're in the middle of relieving ourselves when I hear a car approaching on the side road, it's the BMW I'm kind of anticipating a confrontation so we finish and the car pulls close and the driver gets out of the car - offers me his hand and says "now I know why your car was named to C&Ds 10 best in 1986. We still still laugh today about this incident.
In any event coming from a crosstek you will love the power and responsiveness of the Ranger.

 

[svendough]

Hey thanks everyone! I feel silly not having known that about turbos. Guess I should have conducted a broader search on the topic, live and learn I guess.

@dtech you’re totally right about the Subaru. It’s honestly a fantastic little car but really struggles with power. The 2021 has the larger Forester engine but nothing compared to the Ranger. I’m just tired of driving it on our roads. That said, it is a super capable little car. I’ve taken it over Hagerman and Weston (Gravel and Rock) pass with no issues at all.

 

[Deleted member 1634]

In any event coming from a crosstek you will love the power and responsiveness of the Ranger.

It’s honestly a fantastic little car but really struggles with power. The 2021 has the larger Forester engine but nothing compared to the Ranger. I’m just tired of driving it on our roads. That said, it is a super capable little car. I’ve taken it over Hagerman and Weston (Gravel and Rock) pass with no issues at all.

As someone who also came from a Crosstrek to the Ranger, I can confirm all these statements. Took mine out to Rocky Mtn NP a couple years ago. My dad and I and all our gear for a week trip and boy was that not fun climbing the mountains. We made it just fine, and since it was a National Park everyone else was going plenty slow anyways so there wasn't any issues keeping up. The manual transmission helped a bit with that. But it was woefully underpowered in almost all scenarios anyways. I end up barely pressing the gas pedal in the Ranger to match what I had been able to achieve in the Crosstrek. Like OP said, a great car that I loved very much, but just wasn't cutting it for where my life has migrated.

 

[IdahoRanger]

@dtech you’re totally right about the Subaru. It’s honestly a fantastic little car but really struggles with power. The 2021 has the larger Forester engine but nothing compared to the Ranger. I’m just tired of driving it on our roads. That said, it is a super capable little car. I’ve taken it over Hagerman and Weston (Gravel and Rock) pass with no issues at all.
[/QUOTE]

That's why you get the Forester XT or the 3.6R Outback.
Not sure if I would try this in my Ranger.

 

[Chad Allred]

Mine is just FANTASTIC here in the mountains! Took it up to Granby last weekend and it did amazing. NEVER felt underpowered and I forgot to put it in tow haul mode too lol

 

[dtech]

Hey thanks everyone! I feel silly not having known that about turbos. Guess I should have conducted a broader search on the topic, live and learn I guess.

@dtech you’re totally right about the Subaru. It’s honestly a fantastic little car but really struggles with power. The 2021 has the larger Forester engine but nothing compared to the Ranger. I’m just tired of driving it on our roads. That said, it is a super capable little car. I’ve taken it over Hagerman and Weston (Gravel and Rock) pass with no issues at all.

Well there are plenty of Roos to be seen around the mountains - decent value proposition as you get very good fuel economy, solid full time awd, decent off road from high clearance and a good amount of room in the forester and outbacks. A number of years ago they were known for head gasket issues, I helped a friend change one with the engine in the car and it was pretty cramped quarters. I expect to see the 2.5T engine in the ascent to be in the outback soon if it isn't already.

 

[svendough]

Well there are plenty of Roos to be seen around the mountains - decent value proposition as you get very good fuel economy, solid full time awd, decent off road from high clearance and a good amount of room in the forester and outbacks. A number of years ago they were known for head gasket issues, I helped a friend change one with the engine in the car and it was pretty cramped quarters. I expect to see the 2.5T engine in the ascent to be in the outback soon if it isn't already.

That's the Outback XT. And agreed. There are tons of Roo's here, it shouldn't be hard to sell my Desert Khaki 2017 XV. Of course my reason for not entertaining a higher spec'd Subi is simply because I'm in the market for a truck

 

[jerrywin]

I drive the front range n get 20+ mpg. Lately Been regularly going to 9k alt. No power issues for sure, even when towing 2-3k trailer. Mpg's hold up well on the hills too. Some steeper spots where i come across slow people in the "wrong" lane ... easy to pass. Compared to what I've driven before (jeep liberty, subaru outback), this truck moves when I need it to.

 

[jdmorrow]

Im coming up to St Mary’s glacier in my Ranger July 10th. We will be meeting up with my wife’s dad in his rubicon wrangler to play around above 10k feet for a week. If you’re still looking at that point I’ll let you know how mine did. I’ve been told with the turbo though I shouldn’t experience any performance loss by livernois due to the computer adjusting for it. I don’t have a programmer on my truck I just asked livernois if altitude would affect anything and they said no.

Sponsored