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Nov 20, 2023

2024 Ford Ranger

Ford’s next-gen Ranger sneaks its apex predator into the United States. The Ford Ranger left the US market in 2011, but like a phoenix, the Ranger rose from those ashes in 2018 for the 2019 model

Ford’s next-gen Ranger sneaks its apex predator into the United States.

The Ford Ranger left the US market in 2011, but like a phoenix, the Ranger rose from those ashes in 2018 for the 2019 model year. This reborn Ranger rode on the global T6 platform and shared a lot of its hardware with Rangers from other markets like Australia. Despite sharing a platform with the Aussie Ranger, Ford kept the Ranger Raptor away from the United States. At least, until now. The 2024 Ranger will launch alongside the new Ranger Raptor and gives the Ranger another generation.

If you’re familiar with the Ford Bronco or the global Ford Ranger, this next-gen Ranger’s spec sheet won’t be a surprise. Base model Rangers get the 2.3-liter EcoBoost I4 under their hoods, which also powers the base-model Bronco. In Ranger trim, the 2.3-liter sends 270 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque through a 10-speed automatic transmission.

If that’s not enough oomph, Ford will offer the 2.7-liter turbocharged V6 in the fall, which sends 315 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque through the same transmission. Topping the powertrain range is the Ranger Raptor’s 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 that advertises 405 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque, also using a 10-speed automatic. While base model Rangers are available as two-wheel and four-wheel drive trucks, the Ranger Raptor is only available as a four-by-four.

Encasing this engine, and everything else, is new sheetmetal. The Ranger is somehow shorter than the outgoing model, and now only spans 210.6 inches in length, with the outgoing model besting it by 0.2 inches. Despite being slightly shorter, the new Ranger has a 128.7-inch wheelbase, which is 1.9 inches longer than the current Ranger.

The new Ranger is wider, too, with the total width now spanning 86.7 inches and 79.0 inches with the mirrors folded. That width hides a wider suspension track, which now spans 63.8 inches front and rear, with a 2.4-inch bump. Though, moving up to the Ranger Raptor nets you an even wider, 67.3-inch track width, which is only 0.6 inches narrower than the front track width of a 2021 Ford F-150.

The new Ranger takes advantage of that wider track width in the bed, too. Now, according to Ford, the Ranger can stash a standard 4-foot wide sheet of plywood or drywall between the wheel wells in the bed. The Ranger advertises a 1805-pound payload in the two-wheel-drive Ranger, with four-by-four models dropping to a still useful 1711 pounds. That number drops further with the Ranger Raptor, to 1411 pounds, though that’s just the cost of doing off-road business sometimes.

Underneath the Ranger is a new, boxed high-strength steel frame. Hanging off that frame, and controlling the front wheels, is a short-long-arm suspension. At the rear, leaf springs control the Ranger’s stick axle. With the wider track width, Ford was able to move the shocks at the rear outward, which should give better ride control on the road.

Of course, this all gets left in the parts bin when a Raptor rolls along the assembly line. The Ranger Raptor also has a short-long-arm front suspension, though it has forged aluminum control arms. At the rear, Ranger Raptor ditches the leaf springs and replaces them with coil springs to handle the load while a pair of trailing arms work with a watts link that now controls the rear axle. Fox Live Valve shocks also give the Ranger Raptor the dampening you’d expect for aggressive off-roading.

On the inside, you’ll see even more changes. The new Ford Ranger sports a standard 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster, which is flanked by a standard 10.1-inch infotainment screen. You can supersize both displays if you need more digital real estate. The digital instrument cluster can grow to an available 12.4-incher with the infotainment screen growing to an even 12.0 inches. Regardless of screen choice, Ford says Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard.

The Ranger’s only cab option is the SuperCrew, which can seat five. If you don’t need to use the rear seats for friends or family, you can flip the seat back down to reveal a flat storage area. Lifting the rear seat’s base up reveals a pair of storage cubbies to keep your prized possessions out of the bed, and out of a stranger’s view. Also joining the interior’s new features is an alternate shifter. While standard Rangers will have a traditional automatic gear selector, Lariat four-by-four models will get what Ford calls its E-Shifter, which electronically selects the gears for the 10-speed automatic.

Joining the new consumer-facing tech, the Ranger also has a selection of driver assistance features. Joining the new Ranger is blind-spot monitoring with trailer coverage, adaptive cruise control with stop and go and active park assist. Also available is a 400-watt inverter and outlet in the bed, if you want to power up some electronics while you’re tailgating or camping. This inverter system also has a failsafe to not drain the battery too far to keep it from starting.

Now, you’re probably wondering how much Ford’s next Ranger is going to cost when it hits dealers this summer. Ford says the Ranger is going to start at $34,160. That’s a big jump from the Ranger SuperCrew XL truck you can buy today, which starts at $31,725. Hitting the top run of the ladder, the Ranger Raptor will start at $56,960, which is nearly $20,000 less than its full-size big brother. This Ranger is showing its face right before Toyota’s next Tacoma—proof that it’s getting hot in the mid-size truck world.

Do you think the next-gen Ford Ranger will be a hit? Or will Toyota still claim the mid-size segment? Tell us your thoughts below.

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