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2019 Ford Ranger First Drive Review


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Motor Trend just did a very thorough comparison test of Ranger, Colorado, Ridgeline, and Tacoma. Lots of tests involving "trucky" things. Rankings are pretty much as expected, though Motor Trend was surprised the Ranger didn't do better overall. https://www.motortrend.com/cars/chevrolet/colorado/2019/chevrolet-colorado-ford-ranger-honda-ridgeline-toyota-tacoma-comparison/

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In last place is the supremely disappointing Toyota Tacoma. The Tacoma is all hat and no cattle; it looks fantastic, but whether you haul air or hay, it's let down by a cramped cabin, narrow bed, grabby brakes, and an engine and transmission that work in tandem about as well as a pack of cats and dogs.

In third place, in a surprise to us, is the Ford Ranger. As we saw on the farm, the Ranger is capable. Its stellar powertrain has more than enough power to tow and haul, its platform handles weight well, and its extra-wide bed proved to be incredibly useful. But on the road, the Ranger doesn't measure up to our top two finishers. Its suspension tuning is (at best) compromised toward a duty cycle this truck will rarely see in America, and its cabin is cramped and dated. "The Ranger, being the newest truck here, somehow manages to feel the oldest and least refined," Walton said.

The second-place Honda Ridgeline is slavishly designed around the idea of the lifestyle truck, where it excels. But it's relatively (and surprisingly) capable, too. Its pickup box is exceptionally large for its size, and the dual-use tailgate is a much more elegant solution to the problem of unloading a pickup bed than the overly complicated multiposition tailgates on some full-size pickups. There's still room for improvement, though; we'd like to see a dedicated tow-haul mode and something done to improve ride quality when hauling.

Our unanimous winner for best midsize pickup truck is the Chevrolet Colorado. The Colorado so effortlessly walks the fine line between being a lifestyle pickup and a work truck. It has plenty of power for work or play, a buttoned-down ride that doesn't beat you up on your daily commute, a good back-seat package, and an incredibly functional bed. It's the uncompromised pickup—the one that drives like a compact but hauls like a heavy-duty. "It's like these guys are truck-building experts or something," Evans deadpanned. "Not hard to remember why this is a two-time Truck of the Year." No, it's not. As for how it measures up to the (Jeep) Gladiator in the arena? We're as eager as you are to find out.

 

Edited by rperez817
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Funny thing that Motortrend crapped on the Ranger interior vs the others in that article.....but what did they have to say about it just one year ago?

https://www.motortrend.com/news/refreshing-or-revolting-2019-ford-ranger-vs-chevy-colorado-toyota-tacoma/

 

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The 2019 Ford Ranger's interior doesn't go for the chunky look seen in Ford's big trucks and SUVs, but instead adopts a sleek and modern aesthetic, with a dash that uses glossy trim and stitched soft-touch materials. The Ranger can be had with an 8.0-inch touchscreen and Ford's Sync 3 infotainment system, which must be where many of the truck's functions can be accessed as the center stack has minimal buttons. The Tacoma's cabin looks rugged, though you could argue some parts like the steering wheel and instrument cluster are dated. Once again, the Colorado isn't terribly exciting from the inside.

 

Yes, the same Motor Trend and the same trucks.

Funny, the trucks didn't change since them......maybe the advertising did?

Edited by Anthony
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My dealer still has not replace the one I bought.

Side note:  My neighbor stopped me and told me that someone in a Raptor was driving past my house yesterday.  They stopped, backed up and stared at my Ranger for a good minute.

I've gotten more second looks, thumbs up and people speeding up to see the truck when I'm out driving then anything I've ever owned.  

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I sat in one at the Chicago Auto Show. It is a candidate for my next vehicle, but only if I decide to get a camper as well. The Super Cab was a non-starter, it had little rear seat room(not that I was expecting any), the SuperCrew(?) was better.

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Finally sat in a super crew ranger xlt today. I think maybe I was expecting more from the interior so I walked away a bit disappointed. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it was, but something just seemed off. It’s almost like the interior can’t decide if it’s a truck or a car. Also there wasn’t much color variation. Maybe the differences in color are a bit more noticeable on the lariat interior. The back seat was also smaller than I expected. I’m 6’2” and with the driver seat adjusted to a comfortable position for me, the seat behind it was cramped. I had to spread my legs to sit comfortably. Not sure how well car seats will fit back there.

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I'm currently looking at pickup trucks. The mid-size trucks have almost the same capabilities as my '97 F-150, so I've been looking at them. Unfortunately, the lack of a long box with the crew cab has knocked the Ranger out of the picture right off the bat. Also, in Canada, you can only get a Ranger with a 4x4 drivetrain, which I don't want or need.

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29 minutes ago, 30 OTT 6 said:

I'm currently looking at pickup trucks. The mid-size trucks have almost the same capabilities as my '97 F-150, so I've been looking at them. Unfortunately, the lack of a long box with the crew cab has knocked the Ranger out of the picture right off the bat. Also, in Canada, you can only get a Ranger with a 4x4 drivetrain, which I don't want or need.

One reason I went with the F150 instead of waiting for Ranger was that I could get a 6.5" bed with the supercab which looks best to me and works better for hauling lumber, AND provides a usable back seat for those rare occasions when we have more than 2 people in the truck.

 

I don't like the look of the 4 door with the 5.5' bed and the 4 door with the 6.5" bed is too long.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Another poor review makes me a little nervous having one on order. I've had a chance to see one in person and I like what I saw, but did not drive it. Anyone drive or own a 4x4 FX4? It sounds like they drive and ride horrible according to this video review. After all the years it took to get it here you would think it would be class leading yet it once again loses a competition to Colorado and even the Tacoma. The class leader seems to still be the Colorado in just about every test and if I didn't hate GM products I'd probably get one. I'm sticking with getting the Ranger, but I hope I don't have buyers remorse.

 

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I own an FX4 Crew Cab and it rides fine.  A lot of owners are finding their tires are over-inflated from the factory (mine was 10 pounds higher than the door sticker indicated it should be) and the dealer never corrected during prep .  It was a bit firm at first but as soon as I lowered the tire pressure to the specs it rode absolutely fine. 

Theres more and more on lots. Go test drive one and test drive the Colorado (But check the tire pressure in the driver menu first.  It should be 30lbs cold) .  I would NEVER spend the amount of money for a vehicle without test driving one. 

Dont take my word or an internet review.  Try it yourself. 

Edited by Anthony
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18 minutes ago, 2005Explorer said:

Another poor review makes me a little nervous having one on order. I've had a chance to see one in person and I like what I saw, but did not drive it. Anyone drive or own a 4x4 FX4? It sounds like they drive and ride horrible according to this video review. After all the years it took to get it here you would think it would be class leading yet it once again loses a competition to Colorado and even the Tacoma. The class leader seems to still be the Colorado in just about every test and if I didn't hate GM products I'd probably get one. I'm sticking with getting the Ranger, but I hope I don't have buyers remorse.

I also pre-ordered a Ranger without test driving one (XLT 2WD). If you set your expectations properly about new 2019 U.S. Ranger, you should not have buyers remorse.

  • First, acknowledge that 2019 U.S. Ranger is not an all new truck. It's a hack job of the global T6 Ranger. Ford rushed it to market so it could have something to offer customers who would otherwise get a Colorado, Tacoma, Ridgeline, etc.
  • Everything about 2019 U.S. Ranger's ride and handling is old school "trucky". Have you owned an older Ranger? If so, you should find the new one just fine.
  • Is off roading something that you plan to do with your Ranger? As mentioned in the Edmunds review, Ranger 4x4 has quirks in off road situations that Colorado and Tacoma don't. But as also shown in the Edmunds video, the Ranger  can make it through moderate off road trails OK.

Best wishes 2005Explorer sir, hope you get your Ranger soon! Mine is supposed to arrive at my dealership in April or May.

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I drove one last week.   I haven't driven any of its competitors so the only thing I can compare it to is my 2001 Ranger.

It is an upgrade over the old Ranger for sure in terms of tech and safety.  It is also much quieter.  I found the ride quality to be pretty bad, though.  It has more load and towing capabilty than the old ones but it felt very stiff and bouncy to me compared to my old one.

The biggest disappointment to me was a lack of automatic function of the 4 wheel drive system.  It is the same part time system as my old Ranger.   I expected an automatic mode to be available.  

I wouldn't use the Ranger as a daily driver so the ride quality wouldn't bother me much.   However, overall, it wasn't quite the upgrade over the old ones that I expected.

 

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12 minutes ago, rperez817 said:

I also pre-ordered a Ranger without test driving one (XLT 2WD). If you set your expectations properly about new 2019 U.S. Ranger, you should not have buyers remorse.

  • First, acknowledge that 2019 U.S. Ranger is not an all new truck. It's a hack job of the global T6 Ranger. Ford rushed it to market so it could have something to offer customers who would otherwise get a Colorado, Tacoma, Ridgeline, etc.
  • Everything about 2019 U.S. Ranger's ride and handling is old school "trucky". Have you owned an older Ranger? If so, you should find the new one just fine.
  • Is off roading something that you plan to do with your Ranger? As mentioned in the Edmunds review, Ranger 4x4 has quirks in off road situations that Colorado and Tacoma don't. But as also shown in the Edmunds video, the Ranger  can make it through moderate off road trails OK.

Best wishes 2005Explorer sir, hope you get your Ranger soon! Mine is supposed to arrive at my dealership in April or May.

I understand it's only "new" to our market, but it's still a bit ridiculous they had to rush it to market when they had 8 years to get it here. I say that more as a criticism to poor planning on Ford management's part then anything. 

I currently drive a '16 F150 XL FX4 SuperCab that came with LT rated tires so I understand a firm truck ride. I actually expect the Ranger to ride smoother just because of the P rated tires.

It was a stock order that they adjusted for me so I don't have any money down on it. If I drive it and it's horrible I'll look at getting something else, but I think I'll like it. I've been waiting for a long time for a smaller pickup from Ford. My Dad owned a 2005 Ranger 4x4 XLT SuperCab and I liked that little truck, but it was just too small. I like the in between size of the new one.

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2 hours ago, 2005Explorer said:

I understand it's only "new" to our market, but it's still a bit ridiculous they had to rush it to market when they had 8 years to get it here. I say that more as a criticism to poor planning on Ford management's part then anything. 

That was Mark Fields finally agreeing  to Ranger in late 2016, we know how many plans were being swapped an changed at that time..

The final MCE for global Ranger was done and locked in when the US came knocking, I think they did remarkably well considering, 


I

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currently drive a '16 F150 XL FX4 SuperCab that came with LT rated tires so I understand a firm truck ride. I actually expect the Ranger to ride smoother just because of the P rated tires.

It was a stock order that they adjusted for me so I don't have any money down on it. If I drive it and it's horrible I'll look at getting something else, but I think I'll like it. I've been waiting for a long time for a smaller pickup from Ford. My Dad owned a 2005 Ranger 4x4 XLT SuperCab and I liked that little truck, but it was just too small. I like the in between size of the new one.

 

The rear seating in the Ranger supercab is a lot less than you're used to in your F150 Supercab - the Ranger Crewcab is  closer in rear keg room.

So jong as you're good with that, I yhink you will be pleased with it, the longer tray can be useful too.

 

 

 

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9 minutes ago, 2005Explorer said:

I currently have a SuperCab F150, but I'm getting a SuperCrew Ranger.

Thanks, now that makes sense.

 

The Supercrew's rear leg room is inadequate for most buyers,  it's not a big seller in overseas and I'm hoping that prompts Ford to increase rear leg room in both cab configurations and maybe a touch more shoulder room to bring Ranger more into line with the former Sport Trac.

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I traded in a 2015 Colorado Z71 for my Ranger Lariat, and, in all honesty, the Colorado had a little smoother ride down the highway.  Enough difference to bother me?  No.  They are both trucks so I expect them to ride like a truck.  And, as I drive the Ranger more, I become more accustomed to the ride and don't really notice the difference.   I find it has a nice and comfortable ride, so nothing to complain about.  I'm not sure why a review found the interior to be small.  It seems big enough from my perspective.   I figure if you want a really smooth ride and a huge interior, then move up to a Lincoln Navigator and forget buying a truck.

Edited by hared
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7 hours ago, 2005Explorer said:

Another poor review makes me a little nervous having one on order. 

If you're nervous, go find one and drive one.

As far as Edmunds goes, these are the same goobers who complained complained about not being able to figure out how to fold the second row seats on an Expedition (or maybe a CX-7) despite the instructions being clearly visible and legible in the pictures of the seats in their review (and refusing to correct the review after someone akirby and I both knew contacted them about it). I'm not going to place much stock in their complaints.

Edited by SoonerLS
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