Ranger Engines / Transmissions

The Ranger comes with two available engines. First, the base model has a 2.3 four cylinder engine with 143 horsepower and 151 foot pounds of torque. The other engine is much more powerful, but less fuel efficient. The upgrade is a 4.0 liter V6 engine with 207 horsepower and 238 foot pounds of torque. Both engines can come with a five speed automatic or manual transmission with overdrive.

Fuel Economy

The Ford Ranger is the top of its class, tied with the Toyota Tacoma. The four cylinder engine gets 27 miles per gallon on the highway, and 22 miles per gallon in the city. The V6 gets less at 21 miles per gallon on the highway, and 15 miles per gallon in the city, which is still respectable for that much power. The fuel tank also holds 19.5 gallons.

Safety

The Ford Ranger was given the second highest grade of "Acceptable" by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. However, the test is a bit outdated and the 2010 model has a lot of extra safety features that make it safe. First, the car comes with electronic stability control, which is extremely important for trucks as it is easy for them to lose steering or even rollover. Anti lock brakes are now standard. There are also side, torso, and head airbags throughout the car.

Extra Features

The Ranger has a lot of extra features that you can add in to soup up your truck. You can get Sirius satellite radio installed so that you can listen to all genres of music, or sporting events. You can get an audio input jack so that you can connect your iPod or other MP3 player to your car. You can also get a GPS system installed right into the car, made by nuvi. There are a variety of mats for both your floors, but also your trunk bed. A hood deflector is another great option, as well as door visors. Both increase the aerodynamics of your Ford Ranger to increase your fuel economy.

Considering the low base price, the Ranger provides a truck for a low price, and a lot of reliability.