Comparing the 2019 Ford Ranger to the Competition
The Ford Ranger has finally returned to America. Which means it’s time to see how it stacks up with the competition!
Exactly one year after Ford made the Ranger’s U.S. comeback official, we finally get to see the finished product. We also (mostly) know the exact specs of the mid-size pickup, from powertrain to trim levels. And we can now say, definitively, that this isn’t your father’s Ranger. Larger in size and offered in never-before-seen configurations including a four-door SuperCrew, the formerly compact pickup has really grown up. So the next question is, how does the 2019 Ford Ranger stack up to its more established competition?
It won’t be long before we get to actually drive the new Ranger and report back on things like comfort and off-road capability. But in the meantime, we can certainly work with what we already know. Which, aside from MSRP, EPA fuel economy rating, power, and payload/towing capacity, is finally public.
| 2019 Ford Ranger | 2018 Chevy Colorado | 2018 Toyota Tacoma | 2018 Nissan Frontier | |
| Base MSRP | ? | $20,200 | $25,200 | $24,500 |
| Trim | XL, XLT, Lariat, FX4 | WT, LT, Z71, ZR2 | SR, SR5, TRD, TRD Offroad, TRD Pro, Limited | S, SV, Desert Runner, Pro 4X |
| Cab | Supercab, Supercrew | Crew, Extended | Access, Double | Crew, King |
| Engine | 2.3L Ecoboost | 2.5L I4, 3.6L V6, 2.5L I4 Diesel | 3.5L V6, 2.7L I4 | 2.5L I4, 4.0L V6 |
| Transmission | 10-Speed AT | 6-Speed MT, 6-Speed AT, 8-Speed AT | 6-Speed MT, 6-Speed AT | 6-Speed MT, 5-Speed AT |
| Max Payload | ? | 1,548 | 1,420 | 1,430 |
| Max Towing | ? | 7,000 | 6,800 | 6,690 |
Ford hasn’t released final power numbers for the 2.3-liter Ecoboost as of yet. But we can expect its output to be similar to the 2.3 in the Explorer. In that guise, the little engine makes 280 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. We would also expect more than one additional engine option in the future, perhaps including a diesel or V6 offering.
The Ranger is currently the only mid-size pickup to offer a 10-speed transmission, which should greatly aid fuel economy and performance, as we’ve already seen in the 2018 F-150. And if tow and payload ratings come close to the global Ranger’s 7,700 and 2,000-3,000 pound ratings, respectively, the competition should be very worried. Now, Ford just needs to stop teasing us and sell the Ranger Raptor in America so we can also have a ZR2/TRD Pro killer!
