{"id":23224,"date":"2018-12-26T14:59:57","date_gmt":"2018-12-26T18:59:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=23224"},"modified":"2018-12-28T15:07:34","modified_gmt":"2018-12-28T19:07:34","slug":"payne-compact-ford-ranger-has-out-size-capabilities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2018\/12\/payne-compact-ford-ranger-has-out-size-capabilities","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Compact Ford Ranger has out-size capabilities"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Ranger<\/p>\n

I get the big truck thing. Big Ford F-series trucks that drive small business to construction sites every day. Big Ram trucks that haul race cars to the track. Big Chevy Silverado profits that fuel GM\u2019s big autonomous dreams. Big, big, big. \u201cUngh, ungh, ungh,\u201d as Tim Allen might grunt.<\/p>\n

But I\u2019m a compact vehicle guy.<\/p>\n

I like spicy Ford Fiesta ST meatballs with nimble handling and hatchbacks you can stuff IKEA stuff into. Mazda CX-5 crossovers that will carry the kids to school, then dance through the twisties on the way home. Buick Encores that have single-handedly put POP POP into a FIZZLE FIZZLE brand.<\/p>\n

So I\u2019ve been watching this compact truck thing. Once a sleepy segment monopolized by the Baja-shredding Toyota Tacoma, it has come back to life as the Detroit Three have invaded with their unique truck features: Handsome GMC Canyons, Chevy Colorados with corner-step beds, Rubicon-forged Jeep Gladiators.<\/p>\n

Now comes the Ford Ranger pickup, and I like it a lot.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a truck with all that compact stuff I crave: utility, interior room and fun, fun, fun. If I were a construction boss like my neighbor, Pickup Bob, I\u2019d have an F-series with acres of interior room for long days on the job. But we can barely fit the things in our garages. It needs a tugboat to get down my driveway.<\/p>\n

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\"Adventurers<\/p>\n
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But I have to admit, I was underwhelmed at first sight. The Ranger has been a long time coming since Ford left the segment in 2011, but the midi-pickup didn\u2019t spend a lot of time at the plastic surgeon. Whereas big brother wears a chiseled bod and Olympian\u2019s face, Ranger wears rounded, plain lines. There are\u00a0no signature F-150 touches like the scalloped A-pillar window \u2013 though the higher bed sills look cool.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Add three things and my pulse quickens: FX4 off-road package, Sport package… and getting behind the wheel.<\/p>\n

Compact sedans like the Volkswagen\u00a0Jetta are value leaders with standard safety features like adaptive cruise-control, blind-spot assist, etc. Compact trucks, not so much.<\/p>\n

The Ranger doesn\u2019t get interesting until you opt up to the $35,210 XLT SuperCrew with standard Co-Pilot360 safety package (adaptive cruise-control, Blind Spot Information System,\u00a0etc.) plus FX4 off-road goodies like a bash plate. It makes the Ford a better deal than a comparable Toyota TRD Off-Road.<\/p>\n

Add the Sport package\u2019s blacked-out grille and 17-inch wheels, and now you got attitude. Attitude to match the Ford\u2019s handling.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m a big Tacoma fan, but its talents lie off-road, not on.<\/p>\n

The Ranger is a mid-sized truck that truly feels compact on the road with tight handling and minimal bed flutter. Where I had to saw at the Tacoma\u2019s wheel through fast corners, the Ranger is steady. It\u2019s got the feel of the pricier, Multimatic-shocked Chevy Colorado ZR2.<\/p>\n

Under the skin is one of Ford\u2019s finest mills \u2013 the versatile 2.3-liter turbo-four found in the riveting Focus RS and base Mustang. But while the four-banger seems inadequate in the pony car, Chief Engineer Rick Bolt and his merry band of elves have blessed Ranger with a gravelly voice. Ungh, ungh, ungh.<\/div>\n

Married to Ford\u2019s 10-speed tranny, the engine’s 310 pound-feet of torque\u00a0does everything well from cruising to hauling motorbikes.<\/p>\n

Excellence extends off-road.<\/p>\n

While Ranger left the U.S. market, it never ceased international production. But to meet U.S. customer standards\u00a0\u2014\u00a0and the expectations that come with being Son of F-series \u2014 engineers went through the Ranger head to tow (pun intended).<\/p>\n

The head gets a class-exclusive steel bumper for when, well, you hit things off-road. Towing gets the aforementioned muscle thanks to liberal use of high-strength steel in the frame. On a challenging California off-road course, the Ranger rollicked like a Raptor, eagerly attacking moguls with its steel chin and underbelly skid plates (get the FX4 off-road package), then sprinting across open spaces under full throttle.<\/p>\n

Ford trucks are expected to have brains to go with their brawn. The Ranger brings to the game Trail Control,\u00a0the clever\u00a0low-speed adaptive-cruise option I also tested on the F-150 Raptor in Utah last month. The feature takes care of low-speed crawling over rocky terrain so you can enjoy the scenery while steering.<\/p>\n

This Jeep-like feature is a reminder that the Ranger\u2019s size is more suited to the craggy Outback than big brother Raptor. (Ahem, when is that Ranger Raptor coming to the U.S., Ford?)<\/p>\n

Thus equipped, my lightning-blue, tech-tastic, 4WD, SXT (middle trim) Ranger with Sport package comes in at a very class-competitive $40,000.<\/p>\n

The bad news for the Ranger is that, at $40,000,\u00a0pickup lovers might just trade up for a bigger F-150 XLT.<\/p>\n

The good news is that a well-equipped Ranger SuperCrew can be had for about the price of a Ford Escape Titanium for the family that needs access to a bed for weekend adventures,\u00a0but without sacrificing good road manners and most interior amenities.<\/p>\n

The Escape customer might frown on the Ranger\u2019s hard plastic surfaces like door sills and lower dash. Ford counters they\u2019re necessary for the truck customer who expects a truck to be rough, muddy \u2014 and even washed down internally. Fair enough. But a truck for this price should also come with the same standard amenities as a compact car.<\/p>\n

Pay the premium, however, and Ranger\u2019s tech offerings are plentiful: Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, two USB ports in the rear seat, digital instrument display. It\u2019s a thoroughly modern truck that’s\u00a0light years from the ol\u2019 2009 nail.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn some ways it\u2019s a good thing it took us a decade to get back to market,\u201d says engineer Keith Erickson, \u201cbecause the truck has changed so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

Welcome back, Ranger. Because big matters \u2014 but so does compact.<\/p>\n

2019 Ford Ranger<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vehicle type: Front-engine, rear or four-wheel drive, five-passenger pickup<\/p>\n

Price: $25,395 base including $1,095 destination fee ($42,085 SuperCrew 4×4 as configured)<\/p>\n

Powerplant: 2.3-liter, turbocharged inline-4 cylinder<\/p>\n

Power: 270 horsepower, 310 pound-feet torque<\/p>\n

Transmission: 10-speed automatic<\/p>\n

Performance: 0-60 mph,\u00a0<\/strong>6.3-6.7 seconds\u00a0(Car and Driver est.); 1,860-pound payload (SuperCab 4×2); 7,500-pound towing<\/p>\n

Weight: 4,145 pounds base (4,441 pounds SuperCrew 4×4 as tested)<\/p>\n

Fuel economy: EPA fuel economy: 20 city\/24 highway\/22 combined (4×4)<\/p>\n

Report card<\/p>\n

Highs: Capable on and off-road; tech-tastic<\/p>\n

Lows: Vanilla looks in base truck; tech will cost ya.<\/p>\n

Overall: 3\u00a0stars<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I get the big truck thing. Big Ford F-series trucks that drive small business to construction sites every day. Big Ram trucks that haul race cars to the track. Big Chevy Silverado profits that fuel GM\u2019s big autonomous dreams. Big, big, big. \u201cUngh, ungh, ungh,\u201d as Tim Allen might grunt. But I\u2019m a compact vehicle […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23224"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23224"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23224\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23224"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23224"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23224"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}