The Ford Ranger has been redesigned for the’24 model year with enhanced off-roading features.
Ford
DEXTER, MI – Remember a decade ago when the midsize pickup market was dead? Today, the segment is surging and profitable, meeting demand from tradespeople, weekend adventure seekers and those who want to have a pickup as a second vehicle that actually fits in a standard garage.
So it’s no surprise that the’24 Ford Ranger, redesigned stem to stern, has a wheelbase that is 2 ins. (51 mm) longer and wider than the current model. To be better these days, you have to be bigger.
That extra room will be appreciated by the carpenters and small contractors who will now be able to stack 4’x8’ sheets of plywood, paneling and Sheetrock on the bed floor, something that was only possible in the outgoing model if you stacked them on top of the wheel wells in the bed.
Midsize pickups such as the Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, Nissan Frontier and Ford Ranger have seen their sales steadily increase during the past decade. In 2011, the midsize pickup segment accounted for just 3.5% of all light-vehicle sales in the U.S. By 2020, that figure had grown to 5.2% and is forecasted to rise further. Stellantis, too, has plans to bring back the Dakota under the Ram brand.
In the past decade, Ranger sales have climbed 112% globally. The compact Ranger is a world car, which is why Ford says this version of the truck was put through its paces on five continents and in 18 countries.
One reason for the growth of the midsize truck market is the increasing popularity of outdoor activities like camping, hiking and fishing. Many consumers are looking for a vehicle that can haul their gear and take them off-road, but they don’t necessarily need the towing and hauling capacity of a fullsize pickup. Also, the prices of fullsize trucks have gone well north of $50,000 and a lot of buyers don’t need that much truck or that high a monthly payment.
Indeed, Ford engineers have paid special attention to the off-road capability of Ranger – as have Ford’s rivals. And having the Raptor off-road trim brand in the lineup is key for a reeling in a profitable percentage of buyers.
“Ranger Raptor is the high-performance off-road truck so many customers have been begging for,” says Carl Widmann, Ford Performance chief engineer. “This is the baddest Ranger we’ve ever made.”
Studies by automakers including General Motors and Stellantis show only about 20% of light-truck owners leave the pavement once a year. But based on sales volumes, that is a percentage worth catering to.
Even if the number is less than one-in-five, marketers of trucks and SUVs know all too well that hardware, even if rarely or never used, contributes to the sporty, adventuresome image buyers want to project to their friends and neighbors.
Ranger starts at $34,160, while Ranger Raptor starts at $56,960. The truck’s build and price website should be available in June.
Ranger Highlights
Standard 2.3L EcoBoost I-4, producing 270 hp and 310 lb.-ft. (420 Nm) of torque. Available 2.7L EcoBoost V-6, producing 315 hp and 400 lb.-ft. (542 Nm) of torque. 10-speed automatic transmission and available shift-on-the-fly 4×4 system. Fully boxed high-strength steel frame. Available Pro-Trailer Backup Assist, with integrated trailer-brake controller and 360-degree camera for hands-free backing up. Fold-flat rear seats. 120V AC outlet in the bed, plus a DC auxiliary power outlet. Tailgate work station with built-in ruler, clamp holes and organizing surface for screws, nails and other hardware. Rear shocks and shock mounts moved outboard of frame rails for a less-jittery ride when the bed is empty. Maximum towing capacity of 7,500 lbs. (3,402 kg) High-resolution 12.4-in. (31.4-cm) digital instrument cluster and 12-in. (30.4-cm) center screen.
Ranger Raptor
3.0L EcoBoost V-6 producing 405 hp and 430 lb.-ft. (583 Nm) of torque. Reinforced front frame rails, front shock towers, rear shock brackets and suspension mounting points to stand up to off-road conditions. Drive Modes: Normal, Tow/Haul, Sport, Slippery, Off-Road, Rock-Crawl and Baja. Trail Control, which is akin to cruise control for rock crawling, enabling the driver to better navigate tight, tricky spots while the truck manages throttle and brakes. A system to minimize turbo lag by enabling a boost-on-demand in Baja mode, keeping the turbochargers spinning for up to three seconds after the driver backs off the throttle, so acceleration is there when exiting corners. 10-speed automatic transmission mated to a 4-wheel-drive system with a new, electronically controlled on-demand 2-speed transfer case. combined with front and rear locking differentials. 33-in. BF Goodrich all-terrain KO3 tires on 17-in. wheels. 360-degree camera and front-view camera to assist off-roading.
The biggest reason automakers killed off midsize pickups was that they were over-producing fullsize pickups, resulting in rampant discounts, at the same time price creep was putting midsize stickers in the same ballpark. That made the price-value proposition of midsize trucks a tough sell.
But as Ford, GM and Stellantis have cut back on cars and right-sized production following the 2009-2010 economic calamity, there is not only demand for smaller, less pricey, more fuel-efficient pickups, but dealers also need a greater portfolio of trucks, SUVs and crossovers to keep customers.
Keyword: 2024 Ford Ranger Redesigned Amid Surge in Midsize Pickups