Ford Ranger is finally out for North America

Latest Ford Ranger is about to go on sale in North America, about a year after the popular ute became available in other parts of the world.

Compared to the previous generation Ranger, there seems to be less difference between the global and US versions. Last time, the US Ranger got a unique bonnet and tailgate, went on a higher suspension and used a single wheelbase setup for both the super body and the crew.

This time around, the North American Rangers only had body styling, a four-door crew cab. External differences seem to be limited to smaller details, such as side marker lights integrated in the wheel arch guards and altered graphics for the taillights.

The American Ranger is 5350mm long, 1920mm wide, 1890mm tall and has the same 3270mm wheelbase as the global ute. Ground clearance is 240mm on 4×2 models and 260mm on 4×4 variants.

Since diesel engines are not common in the US, unless we are talking about larger pickups intended for work, such as the Ford Super Duty and Chevrolet Silverado HD, it is not surprising to hear of our Ranger line. The US only includes turbocharged gasoline engines.

Standard is Ford’s 2.3 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder EcoBoost petrol enginerated at 201kW And 420Nm.

All regular Ranger variants can be optionally with a EcoBoost V6 2.7-liter twin-turbo petrol engine that is supposed to grow 235kW And 542Nm.

Both engines are mated exclusively to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is the base configuration, with a 4×4 electronic gearshift system available.

In the US, the Ranger has a maximum payload of 819kg (1800 pounds) and a maximum towing capacity of 3400kg (7500 pounds).

Unlike the current car, the new car raptor will also be sold in the US. Like the global version, it is equipped with a 3.0 liter twin-turbo V6 petrol engine that creates 302kW And 583Nm.

The Ranger Raptor gets a bold Ford-branded grille, a wider stance matched with extended wheel arch guards and 33-inch BFGoodrich off-road KO3 tires on 17-inch alloy wheels. It runs on long-travel suspension with a Watts link setup at the rear and 2.5-inch Fox Live Valve shock absorbers.

Inside, the cabin will be instantly recognizable to Ranger fans from other parts of the world. An 8.0-inch digital device display and a 10.1-inch touchscreen are standard, as is a 4G LTE modem.

Higher-spec models get a 12.4-inch gauge cluster and a 12.0-inch touchscreen running the latest Sync 4A infotainment system.

Available features include exterior area lighting that can be controlled via the touchscreen or the FordPass smartphone app, a 400W inverter with an in-tray outlet, and a built-in side steps. behind the rear wheel.

Driver assistance items extend to adaptive cruise control with stop and go, automatic parking, trailer prompts and guidance lines, and blind-spot monitoring that takes into account the accompanying trailer.

One category notable by its absence is the steering wheelless, intuitive Blue Cruise Level 2 autopilot system, which operates on some highways in Canada and the United States. Currently Blue Cruise is only available on the Mustang Mach-E, F-150 and Expedition.

While Rangers in Australia are manufactured in Thailand and other global markets are served by Ford’s plant in South Africa, Rangers in North America are manufactured in Wayne, Michigan.

The new Ranger will go on sale soon with the first cars reaching owners in the middle of the third quarter, though buyers who choose the 2.7-liter V6 will have to wait until around November.

It will be interesting to see if the new model helps revive the Ranger’s fortunes in the US. Last year, sales fell nearly 40% to 56,987, meaning it lost second place to the Toyota Tacoma.

In 2022, the Ranger was sold by Tacoma (215,853), Chevrolet Colorado (89,187), jeep fighter (77,855), Nissan Frontier (76,185) and even the smaller Ford Maverick (74,370).

It managed to get ahead of the Honda Ridgeline (42,762), Hyundai Santa Cruz (36,480) and GMC Canyon (27,821).

THAN: Everything Ford Ranger