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The more I drive this truck, the more I like it. Especially the 2.3L turbo mated to the 10speed trans. I have seen some of the complaints of only 1 engine option (no V6), I'll say from experience - I see no need. At 270hp, this engine has ample power and torque for any driving situation with plenty to spare (and I have a HEAVY foot). And the 10sp seems to keep the RPMs right in the max torque "sweet spot" during acceleration, and maintains an an even cruising RPM on the highway.
Cons:
Dealer service. Let me explain. I found part of the issue with my rough ride. The tires were 12lbs over-inflated (max pressure on the tire sidewall). Good Grief!! Pretty disappointed that such a basic step was done incorrectly at pre-delivery. After dropping down to correct PSI (located on the door tag), ride is MUCH better.
Rear seat hard to latch. but discovered there's already a TSB for this, minor adjustment of bump-stop. Just gotta get it into the dealer.
Step-bars. I would not order these again. They're located too far inward, stepping is an awkward position. And they seem to be good for no more than collecting excessive ice/slush only to be deposited on my garage floor.
Other observations - the "miles to go" seems to be very accurate. While driving in South Dakota (where gas stations can be few and far between), I ran the gauge down to 1 miles to go (yeah, I'm one of THOSE guys ), filled up with 18.7 gallons (gas tank spec is 18.8 gallons).
Spare tire / Tire pressure monitor - TPMS saved my ***. I was cruising at freeway speeds, heard a small "plink" noise, about 30 seconds later - Low pressure tire light comes on. Dash cluster immediately displays tires pressures (pretty cool safety feature), left front was already down to 19PSI, 30 seconds later - down to 14 PSI.
Pulled of the next exit - at 5 PSI. If not for the TPMS warning, I would have been stuck changing tire on the freeway shoulder. Very dangerous. Instead I was able to do the swap in a parking lot.
Tire tools, jack access, very easy. And thanks to a FULL SIZE spare, I was back on the road within 20 minutes.
Yes, thanks for the writeup. I'm getting more and more interested in this little guy. I'm trying to wait until I see what will be offered in the next gen, then buy what I can find of this gen, or go for the all new one.
Great writeup....3 of my last 4 new vehicles had tires overinflated by 8-12 lbs at delivery... Manufacturers ship cars and trucks with excessive pressure to avoid flat-spotting the tires, and for allowing seepage if the vehicle is not sold for a while, or if it has to sit until the coldest days of winter.
I have taken to checking tire pressures (and fluid levels) as soon as I buy a vehicle....you'd think that dealer prep departments would work with a checklist but I bet they use lower level employees to do the pre-delivery stuff (which is mostly removing plastic covering the seats and washing/detailing), not their best mechanics.
CVT's and transmissions with lots of gears are amazing as they can keep an engine in its powerband. It's a long time since there was stuff like 2-speed Powerglide automatics. And with the wide torque curve of a turbo engine, this is even a better way to maximize performance and fuel economy.
I would not drive a tank of gas that low--fuel pumps inside gas tanks are supposed to live longer if they are immersed in gas, which serves to cool them.
Great writeup....3 of my last 4 new vehicles had tires overinflated by 8-12 lbs at delivery... Manufacturers ship cars and trucks with excessive pressure to avoid flat-spotting the tires, and for allowing seepage if the vehicle is not sold for a while, or if it has to sit until the coldest days of winter.
The TPMS in my Titan XD gives you a warning if your tire pressure is more than 4 psi overinflated.
Wonder why Ford's system does not do this.
● If the tire is over-inflated more than approximately 4 psi (30 kPa), the horn beeps and the hazard indicators flash three times. To correct the pressure, push the core of the valve stem on the tire briefly to release pressure. When the pressure reaches the designated pressure, the horn beeps once.
Also, when adding air to the tires, there is no need for a tire gauge. When the correct pressure is reached, the horn toots. A surprisingly handy feature.
When adding air to an under-inflated tire, the TPMS
with Easy Fill Tire Alert provides visual and audible signals outside the vehicle to help you inflate the tires to the recommended COLD tire pressure.
Vehicle set-up
1. Park the vehicle in a safe and level place.
2. Apply the parking brake and place the shift lever to the P (Park) position.
3. Place the ignition switch to the ON position. Do not start the engine.
Operation
1. Add air to the tire.
2. After a few seconds, the hazard indicators will start flashing.
3. When the designated pressure is reached,the horn beeps once and the hazard indicators stop flashing.
4. Perform the above steps for each tire.
Does not seem to me to be all that difficult to add this feature to every TPMS. Only a few lines of code.
The TPMS in my Titan XD gives you a warning if your tire pressure is more than 4 psi overinflated.
Wonder why Ford's system does not do this.
Also, when adding air to the tires, there is no need for a tire gauge. When the correct pressure is reached, the horn toots. A surprisingly handy feature.
Does not seem to me to be all that difficult to add this feature to every TPMS. Only a few lines of code.
The Nissan system only gives an overinflation warning when you have it activated to inflate a tire, not when the tires are normally filled by a dealer or tire store or while you are driving. There is a Murano in my garage with that same system that was 12 lb overinflated on delivery. A gauge seems easier and more exacting than relying on the car's sensors when adjusting air pressures but the individual reads are excellent. Amazing how outdoor temps affect pressure.
A gauge seems easier and more exacting than relying on the car's sensors when adjusting air pressures but the individual reads are excellent.
I had a gauge with me when I filled the tires up. When the horn beeped, I checked the pressure with the gauge and it was right on. Front and rear tires use different pressures and the system knew that.
It is a cool feature but as I said, it will not report overinflation if you are not using the "airing up" feature of the system. I still use a gauge when filling tires and have found the Nissan system to be exact compared to my gauge.
If it's a hot or cold day, or if I have been on the road and the tires are hot, I may want my pressures to be somewhat different from what the basic recommendation is. I may want to bleed off a lb or two, for instance, or add a lb or two.
I don't think anybody has ever said the 2.3L is weak. I think all the wishes for a V6 are based upon the poor track record of EcoBust engines from a dependability/reliability/longevity standpoint. Apples to oranges there. (And no, I'm not going to hash out the pages and pages of TSBs and recalls on Ford's little turbo engines again. That gets old.)
But I'm glad you're enjoying the truck. A flat tire when new like that is such a pain. Happened to my wife a month after she got her new Cherokee. Ugh...
Thanks for the 8000 mile update so far. I look forward to hearing more updates not only from you but from other owners of this new Ranger. Do you mind if I ask what kind of fuel economy you're averaging, and what grade of fuel you're using?
Re: the step bars, are they really needed on this size of a truck? Or do you simply have them there for sake of appearance? I installed a set on my F-150 to make it easier for my wife to get in and out. But since even a 4wd Ranger should sit lower than a 4wd F-150 (stock height), I'm wondering if I would still need to order them?
How's the lighting on this truck? Being a Lariat yours would have the LED lighting, which I believe is unique to the Lariat trim. Do the headlights light up the road well enough by themselves without having to use fogs or high beams? Do the reverse lamps cast enough light behind you when backing up? The reverse lamps have always been one of my biggest gripes about my F-150. Too small and not bright enough. How about the outward visibility out the back and sides of this truck? I'm just thinking of little things that one starts to notice after owning a vehicle for a while. During the initial 10-minute test drive the salesman is usually too busy yackin' at you for you to notice any inherent flaws within the vehicle. Those flaws don't become apparent until after you've signed the paperwork and get it home. That's all part of their game.
How's the lighting on this truck? Being a Lariat yours would have the LED lighting, which I believe is unique to the Lariat trim. Do the headlights light up the road well enough by themselves without having to use fogs or high beams? Do the reverse lamps cast enough light behind you when backing up? The reverse lamps have always been one of my biggest gripes about my F-150. Too small and not bright enough. How about the outward visibility out the back and sides of this truck?
Haven't really paid much attention to back-up lights, I'll try to watch that for you and offer notes.
Headlights are superb, from my 3,000 feedback post:
Originally Posted by FordsOnlyGarage
Headlights – all I can say about this is….BADASS!! It lights up the highway like friggin’ daylight, and in all the right places.
On visibility - it's just fine out side and front. I think seems even better after from lower ride height of the Flex. Rear window is bit tight but not enough to be significantly bothersome.
Originally Posted by Pgh Rebel
Do you mind if I ask what kind of fuel economy you're averaging, and what grade of fuel you're using?
Re: the step bars, are they really needed on this size of a truck? Or do you simply have them there for sake of appearance? I installed a set on my F-150 to make it easier for my wife to get in and out. But since even a 4wd Ranger should sit lower than a 4wd F-150 (stock height), I'm wondering if I would still need to order them?
I'm doing in low 20's on MPG, but I do a lot of city driving and when I'm on the freeway I have a heavy foot (especially in the Dakotas with the 80mph limits.)
On the step bars, I am going to take back what I said earlier. The height of the rocker is similar to the F150. Asked my wife about her thoughts on the step bars for getting in/out (she's only 5'4"). She says they're definitely a necessity.
), filled up with 18.7 gallons (gas tank spec is 18.8 gallons).
