Daily Slideshow: A Ford Ranger has not been introduced to the US market since 2011. But it has now made a triumphant return back to showrooms and is already getting rave reviews.
Where did the Ranger Go?
Ford’s Ranger truck was introduced to much fanfare in the 1980s. Over the years, it survived through several global movements that impacted its sales, including embargoes, revolutions, recessions and more. However, poor timing and decision making is what ultimately led to the Ranger disappearing for a while. You see, the truck went through a fairly major redesign in 1998, but then for the next decade, nothing really changed with it. And with that, consumer interest in the truck waned. Then, the recession in 2008 take place and suddenly the market was no longer interested in compact and mid-size vehicle anymore. This put the Ranger on the short road to being phased out.
After 2011
In 2011, Ford teased an entirely new Ranger for the overseas market that was a complete departure from the previous model. This design was proposed by Ford of Australia and was based on a lot of the success the division had seen in this category. However, it didn’t fit the tastes of the American public. It was seen as too soft and car-like; not the all-American tough truck the population desires.
>>Join the conversation about the Ford Ranger right here in the Ford-Trucks forum.
The F-150+ series also did not help things for the Ranger
From a purely business/profitability point of view, it did not make much sense for Ford to continue building the Ranger. As mentioned earlier, there was declining interest in the truck. Additionally, it was more profitable for the company to try and get a prospective buyer into an entry-level F-150 truck that was better looking and more capable and make more money on the vehicle.
>>Join the conversation about the Ford Ranger right here in the Ford-Trucks forum.
So, what makes the 2019 Ford Ranger so exciting?
Well, for one, the folks at Ford have re-invested their dollars into making the truck something worthwhile to purchase. Aluminum metal makes up much of the body of the vehicle, helping to keep its weight down. The new Ranger also features a fuel-efficient powertrain, so that it’s not as expensive to drive as it used to be.
>>Join the conversation about the Ford Ranger right here in the Ford-Trucks forum.
But is it a true truck?
The 2019 Ford Ranger is outfitted with a 2.3-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine that gives it great towing capacity. And if that’s not enough, the new iteration of the small truck also features a more rugged styling as well. So much so, in fact, that many reviews are saying it looks like the latest addition to the F-150+ family of muscular trucks.
>>Join the conversation about the Ford Ranger right here in the Ford-Trucks forum.
For information on maintenance and repairs, visit our How-To section here in Ford-Trucks.com.
