2019 Ford Ranger
July 4, 2019
By: Anthony Murdoch
It's the fourth of July, and what could be more American (or Canadian for that matter) than a good old fashioned pickup truck! For 2019, after a hiatus of nearly seven years, the Ranger is back for Canadian and American markets, and from what I can tell at least, these things are flying off dealer lots faster than free pancakes at a Calgary Stampede breakfast.
First off, the 2019 Ranger is not really all new, as this current body style has been on sale in various parts of the world, and notably Mexico and Australia for a couple of years now. This being said, the Ranger still looks modern enough yet at the same time not too over the top as to discourage more traditional-minded individuals.
Power comes via a 2.3-litre inline four-cylinder EcoBoost engine rated at 270 horsepower and 310 lb.-ft. of torque. The motor is mated to a ten-speed automatic transmission, which is the same unit found in the F-150. Off the line, the stout little motor gets the Ranger up to speed fast, and shifts are quick when the motor is pulling hard. However, when cruising around town, shifts can be a little lumpy at times and not so smooth. Maybe this is an issue with calibration or just my test car. I did not have this same experience in the F-150 with the same transmission. Honestly, Ford should offer a traditional 6-speed manual transmission. There is a market for this for sure, and it would potentially help lower the base price of a base model Ranger. It should be noted that a manual transmission is offered in other markets.
Steering is rather light and has a decent feel, and I did like the way the Ranger tracked on the road. It felt solid and comfortable and its body of frame construction felt like it was ready to do some hauling, or off-road adventuring should it be called for. Tire noise was rather low, and I was actually surprised by how quiet the interior was at highway speeds.
The Ranger I test drove was the XLT model with a starting price of $33,090 Canadian dollars. It comes well equipped, but I get the feeling that this might be too much for a humble Ranger. The whole point of a smaller truck is to offer the utility of a larger one for a lot less. Even the base model without the extended SuperCrew rear doors and the extra inside room starts at $28,987. That's quite the big chunk of change. That being said, the 4x4 Electronic-Shift-On-the-Fly (ESOF) is a nice thing to have, and it worked well in the limited test I gave it. It should be noted that all models in Canada come with 4x4 as standard.
Inside, my tester was equipped nicely with comfortable cloth seats and an excellent sounding six-speaker stereo. It also came with a good old fashioned twist key. I love older keys and loathe the new keyless entry systems because keys get lost, loose battery power, and well, I just don't like them. The gauge cluster was analog, and that is a good thing! I prefer traditional gauges to screens. However, it should be noted that if you opt for the Lariat, you get a dual screen gauge cluster with only a centre analog tachometer.
Overall, the Ranger is a capable new small size pickup truck and will definitely be a popular sales leader in Ford showrooms. I really hope Ford offers a smaller engine option or Diesel engine option with a manual transmission. Put simply, hardcore Ranger folk prefer their trucks with sticks, and if its already in other markets, why not Canada?
Pros:
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By: Anthony Murdoch
It's the fourth of July, and what could be more American (or Canadian for that matter) than a good old fashioned pickup truck! For 2019, after a hiatus of nearly seven years, the Ranger is back for Canadian and American markets, and from what I can tell at least, these things are flying off dealer lots faster than free pancakes at a Calgary Stampede breakfast.
First off, the 2019 Ranger is not really all new, as this current body style has been on sale in various parts of the world, and notably Mexico and Australia for a couple of years now. This being said, the Ranger still looks modern enough yet at the same time not too over the top as to discourage more traditional-minded individuals.
Power comes via a 2.3-litre inline four-cylinder EcoBoost engine rated at 270 horsepower and 310 lb.-ft. of torque. The motor is mated to a ten-speed automatic transmission, which is the same unit found in the F-150. Off the line, the stout little motor gets the Ranger up to speed fast, and shifts are quick when the motor is pulling hard. However, when cruising around town, shifts can be a little lumpy at times and not so smooth. Maybe this is an issue with calibration or just my test car. I did not have this same experience in the F-150 with the same transmission. Honestly, Ford should offer a traditional 6-speed manual transmission. There is a market for this for sure, and it would potentially help lower the base price of a base model Ranger. It should be noted that a manual transmission is offered in other markets.
Steering is rather light and has a decent feel, and I did like the way the Ranger tracked on the road. It felt solid and comfortable and its body of frame construction felt like it was ready to do some hauling, or off-road adventuring should it be called for. Tire noise was rather low, and I was actually surprised by how quiet the interior was at highway speeds.
The Ranger I test drove was the XLT model with a starting price of $33,090 Canadian dollars. It comes well equipped, but I get the feeling that this might be too much for a humble Ranger. The whole point of a smaller truck is to offer the utility of a larger one for a lot less. Even the base model without the extended SuperCrew rear doors and the extra inside room starts at $28,987. That's quite the big chunk of change. That being said, the 4x4 Electronic-Shift-On-the-Fly (ESOF) is a nice thing to have, and it worked well in the limited test I gave it. It should be noted that all models in Canada come with 4x4 as standard.
Inside, my tester was equipped nicely with comfortable cloth seats and an excellent sounding six-speaker stereo. It also came with a good old fashioned twist key. I love older keys and loathe the new keyless entry systems because keys get lost, loose battery power, and well, I just don't like them. The gauge cluster was analog, and that is a good thing! I prefer traditional gauges to screens. However, it should be noted that if you opt for the Lariat, you get a dual screen gauge cluster with only a centre analog tachometer.
Overall, the Ranger is a capable new small size pickup truck and will definitely be a popular sales leader in Ford showrooms. I really hope Ford offers a smaller engine option or Diesel engine option with a manual transmission. Put simply, hardcore Ranger folk prefer their trucks with sticks, and if its already in other markets, why not Canada?
Pros:
- Strong 2.3 motor with good passing power.
- Surprisingly good on fuel, if you keep your foot out of it.
- Styling is not too dated despite not being all new.
- Great off road capabilities and smaller size do not compromise its truck abilities.
- Lesser models get a good old fashioned twist key and fantastic traditional analog gauges.
- No manual transmission or smaller base motor offered.
- Price can be on the steep side if you go options crazy.
- Interior still has some cheap plastics for this price point.
- Ten-speed automatic is sometimes jerky at low speeds.
Follow us on Twitter at @CDNAUTOJOUR and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/canadianautomotivejournal/
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