Used 2021 Ford Ranger

Winner: 2021 5-Year Cost to Own Award

Price: The 2021 Ford Ranger starts at $24,820.

The 2021 Ford Ranger midsize pickup truck keeps things fairly simple. It only has one engine/transmission combination, two cab sizes, and two bed lengths with limited configurations. But simplicity doesn’t have to mean a lack of ability.

Against the Chevy Colorado, Toyota Tacoma, and Honda Ridgeline, the Ranger compares well, with a 7,500-pound maximum tow rating and best-in-class payload numbers. It also sports high-tech infotainment and safety features. And its turbocharged 4-cylinder engine generates a strong 270 horsepower while still returning 26 mpg on the highway.

To those who use their trucks for off-road adventures, the 2021 Ranger pickup offers FX packages for both all-wheel-drive and rear-wheel-drive variants. And the new-for-2021 Tremor Off-Road package (available in the top two trims with all-wheel drive and the SuperCrew cab) goes even further with a specialized Fox suspension, Continental General Grabber all-terrain tires, and a 6-switch auxiliary power bank for winches, lights, etc.

The 2021 Ranger pickup proves that a modern 4-cylinder engine is muscular enough to handle a hard day’s work. This truck’s turbocharged 2.3-liter engine develops 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. Linked to a 10-speed automatic transmission, the Ranger moves with authority, even when loaded with people and gear.

The driving position feels just right, delivering a commanding view along with good support for the lower back and thighs. The suspension is clearly dialed in for work-truck duty, because the Ranger’s ride is far stiffer than the Honda Ridgeline and Chevrolet Colorado.

The steering is at least direct and responsive, helping to make the Ranger feel more like a midsize SUV from behind the wheel, rather than a bulky truck. Take a good, long test drive to make sure the Ranger would be a good fit.

SuperCab versions of the 2021 Ranger seats four, with comically tight rear quarters featuring a pair of small, upright seats and scant legroom.

If friends, family, and/or workmates are going to be regular rear passengers, the 5-seater Ranger SuperCrew model has more rear legroom and proper rear doors for easy entries and exits. SuperCrew models also have a rear armrest, which is a nice touch for passenger comfort or for separating squabbling siblings.

To acquire front seats with more than just 4-way adjustability and cloth covering means either stretching to the top-end Ranger Lariat trim, which has leather upholstery and power-adjustable front seats (8-way for the driver, 6-way for the passenger), or adding that extra comfort as an option in the XLT model. A manual sliding rear window is also offered, depending on trim and package.

The base XL trim is staunchly utilitarian, but an optional STX package adds some nicer cabin materials and an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration (as well as 18-inch alloy wheels).

Perhaps surprisingly, the Ford Ranger doesn’t look like a small-scale F-150, its bigger brother and the best-selling vehicle in the United States. That’s not a bad thing. The Ranger has its own identity, which includes slightly slanted headlights, hexagonal grille, and an athletic stance overall.

The Ranger comes as a SuperCab with a pair of rear-hinged half doors, or the larger SuperCrew with a pair of standard rear doors. Both models are 210.8 inches long. The difference is how they divide the area, with SuperCab models receiving a 6-foot bed and 4-door SuperCrew models having a 5-foot bed. There is no long-bed/SuperCrew permutation that some rivals offer.

The new-for-2021 Black appearance package (applicable to the XLT and Lariat trims) has exterior elements and 18-inch alloy wheels all finished in every accountant’s favorite color. New paint choices this year are Cactus Gray, Carbonized Gray, Cyber Orange, and Velocity Blue.

TOW-OPTIMIZED BLIND SPOT MONITORING
Ford excels in creating innovative features we never knew we needed but now can’t live without. The Ranger’s Tow-Optimized Blind Spot Monitor, for example, that extends its vision to include whatever is being towed behind the truck. The system can even memorize up to three trailer profiles with varying lengths.

BANG & OLUFSEN 10-SPEAKER AUDIO SYSTEM
In the top 2021 Ford Ranger Lariat trim with the Super Crew cab, buyers can opt for a high-end B&O audio system with bright highs, rich bass, and a volume knob that seemingly knows no limit (it has one, but your ears might give out first).

The 2021 Ranger midsize pickup truck comes in XL, XLT and Lariat trim levels. In its most basic form, the Ranger has a turbocharged engine and 10-speed automatic transmission, power windows, 16-inch steel wheels, and automatic on/off headlights. The basic audio system is a 4-speaker AM/FM unit with a 3.5-inch screen.

Commendably, the Ford Ranger’s standard features also include a pre-collision warning system that detects cars and pedestrians in front and can ultimately apply the brakes to prevent a collision.

It would still be a smarter call to consider the mid-level Ranger XLT, which adds the Co-Pilot360 safety system with blind-spot monitoring, trailer-tow monitoring, lane-keeping assistance, front/rear parking sensors, 17-inch wheels, 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, and Wi-Fi.

At the top of the 2021 Ranger lineup is the Lariat, with leather upholstery, heated/power-adjustable front seats, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, push-button start, LED headlights, and 18-inch wheels.

XL trim is eligible for the above-mentioned STX package. The XLT and Lariat trims can also be optioned with navigation and adaptive cruise control.

The FX4 Off-Road package is available with any all-wheel-drive variant. It brings an electronic locking rear differential, front tow hooks, off-road suspension, skid plates, and a terrain management system for tackling conditions like mud, snow, ruts, and sand.

The FX2 package for rear-drive models includes an electronic locking rear differential, skid plates, off-road wheels/tires, and Ford’s off-road instrument cluster that displays yaw, pitch, and roll in real time.

We’ve mentioned the Black appearance package and the Tremor Off-Road package above. Naturally, the Ranger also offers pickup specialties like spray-in bed liner, tonneau cover, and an aluminum cross-bed toolbox.

Every 2021 Ford Ranger pickup has a turbocharged 2.3-liter 4-cylinder engine developing 270 horsepower. It’s linked to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is the standard arrangement, all-wheel drive (AWD) is optional with any trim. The Ranger’s engine has a stop/restart function to help save fuel at idling, but it can be turned off by the touch of a button.

Although many rivals offer a choice of engines, including V6 and diesel options, the Ranger’s sole engine is competitive in the areas of power and towing. And its fuel economy is near best-in-class for a gasoline-powered engine. Another bonus is that the 2.3-liter turbo doesn’t require premium fuel. Only the diesel-powered Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon have better towing abilities, even then only by a couple of hundred pounds.

2.3-liter turbocharged inline-4
270 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
310 lb-ft of torque @ 3,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 21/26 mpg (RWD), 20/24 mpg (AWD), 19/19 mpg (Tremor)

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