The Ranger has been the staple in Ford's arsenal of trucks for years for those who want a smaller, more economical ride for city life. While this next generation Ranger should be a boon to Ford loyalists, they could really screw it up. Here are 10 ways that Ford can shoot themselves in the foot.
1. They Can Make it too Big
Chevy, GMC, and Toyota have been gobbling up the market with their mid-sized offerings. Ford lost this space when they stopped making the Ranger in 2011. They ruled this market back then and if they think bigger is better, it will surely come back to bite them. The market doesn't need another large offering that won't be much different than Ford's already popular Super Duty lineup.
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2. Create a Raptor Twin
The Raptor is the king of the off-road vehicles. Those who are looking for an off-roader need not look any further than Ford's already top presence in this arena. The Ranger can still be lean and mean and have the ability to handle the rocks, but that's not where its home is at. It should be able to handle the tough jobs without looking like the dollar store version of its big bad brother.
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3. They Could Make it too small
Honda already owns the diminutive truck space. The Ridgeline is just so cute. That's not what we are looking for. It's not made tough to handle big jobs. Grandma's rocking chair is the largest thing you'll get to haul in that. Ford needs to make sure the new Ranger can handle bigger jobs without the need for wide load escorts down the freeway.
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4. Make it Look Like Something That it Really Isn't.
Ford could deck the Ranger out too look like a Raptor on steroids. Big beefy wheels, sharp edges and a tall suspension could sell this truck as a durable off-roader, but that's not what Ranger loyalists have come to love. Soften the edges, make it look capable but well within it's range.
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5. Make it too High Tech
Bells and whistles are nice, but the more cutting edge parts and pieces, the more expensive this truck will be to purchase, own and repair. Keeping it tastefully simple with nice options will bring them back for more, after all, are we really that desperate for heated steering wheels?
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6. Make it a Front Wheel Drive
There is a reason why American-made front-wheel drive pickups have been absent for over 30 years. No one who really wants a pickup truck to do pick up truck things wants them. Let Honda have at it. Red blooded American pickup truck owners want that rear wheel drive (with an all-wheel drive option to boot). There's a reason why the Chevy Montana is produced and sold in Brazil.
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7. Make it Way too Expensive
If we wanted to sink our hard earned Benjamins into a pickup, we'd get the Raptor or the Super Duty. The Ranger needs to be economical yet capable of standing its ground in its own space. $25,000 is a good spot to be in for this glorious comeback. Don't put it out of reach for everyone who's looking for one. There will be plenty of mods soon to follow to suck our wallets dry. The Titan looks pretty sweet, but it also comes with a Titan price tag that we don't want to see on the new Ranger.
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8. Make it a 2-door
The Ranger isn't meant to be a small S-10 wannabe. Bigger families and friends are going to want to be invited to your sweet new ride. Give us space and let us cruise. A two door is just too small and the Ranger is going to live in the mid-sized world.
>>Join the conversation about Ways that Ford Could Miss the Mark with the New Ranger right here in the Ford Truck Forum!
9. Make it Cheap
Expensive isn't the opposite of cheap. Affordable as it should be, please Ford, don't use cheap and unreliable parts and materials. We don't need another Silverado that has very low consumer ratings. Bring the Ford quality along for the ride and give us a mid-sized truck that is both affordable and highly reliable.
>>Join the conversation about Ways that Ford Could Miss the Mark with the New Ranger right here in the Ford Truck Forum!
10. Make it a Gas Guzzler
Diesel, yes. Gas guzzling behemoth, no. Leave the crappy 17mpg to Nissan and give us a high quality, durable mid-sized beast that is light on the wallet and doesn't need to stop at the gas station for a refill before leaving the neighborhood.
>>Join the conversation about Ways that Ford Could Miss the Mark with the New Ranger right here in the Ford Truck Forum!
Check out the how to section of Ford-Trucks.com to keep your truck on the road and working hard.
