The Ford Ranger is back, and it’s bigger and better than ever. We research and name the top model year since the pickup truck’s ’80s-era debut.
The compact pickup truck has had a bit of a checkered past here in the United States. Truck buyers either love them or hate them, and the Ford Ranger is no exception. Its origin story dates back to 1972 and the Ford Courier.
The lesser-known Courier is the first compact pickup truck sold by Ford and was produced alongside the Mazda B-Series truck in Hiroshima, Japan. Starting in 1976, Ford sought to develop a replacement for the Courier, and “Project Yuma” was born.
Over the next several years the project continued, with Ford shooting for an aerodynamic shape that would mean higher mpg than the average full-size truck. Eventually, the project was renamed “Ranger,” which was at the time a trim level on the F-Series and Bronco.
Ford Ranger First-generation: 1982-1992
The Ford Ranger launched into production in 1982 and had the specs for success. Its payload was rated at 1,600 pounds, which was F-Series territory, and rear-wheel drive came standard, with part-time four-wheel drive as an option.
The first-generation Ranger came with a variety of four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines and was available in five trim levels: S, Ranger, XL, XLS, and XLT.
With design cues from its larger sibling, the F-Series, it was a full 18 inches shorter and 11 inches narrower than Ford’s best seller. A larger SuperCab was introduced in 1986 and provided a bit more interior space.
The first-generation Ranger ran for a full decade, with its replacement arriving for the 1993 model year.
Second-generation: 1993-1997
The 1993 Ford Ranger arrived with a fresh new design and all-new sheet metal while retaining the same basic chassis as the first-generation truck.
Aerodynamics were front and center, and interestingly the new rounded Ranger was also sold as the Mazda B-Series pickup truck, a role-reversal from the early days of compact trucks at Ford. Trim levels included the XL, XL Sport, Splash, XLT, and top-spec STX.
The standard engine was again a 2.3L inline four-cylinder with an uninspiring 98 horsepower. Gone was the 2.9L V6 from the previous generation, in its place the Ranger gained two optional V6 engines including a 140 horsepower 3.0L V6 (standard on STX trim and SuperCab 4x4s models) and an optional 160 horsepower 4.0L V6.
A Mazda-derived five-speed manual was the standard transmission for all three engines. The cool new Ranger Splash trim was released that came with a short stepside bed and lowered suspension, which was popular among compact truck enthusiasts.
Third-generation: 1998-2011
The Ranger was reborn again for its third generation, albeit with a very similar body style.
Resembling the second-generation truck, the updated Ranger rode on all-new upgraded chassis, suspension, and drivetrain. That included a series of engines, from the base 2.5L four-cylinder (117-119 horsepower) to the 3.0L V6 and 4.0L V6, which carried over from the previous generation.
The 2.5L engine was replaced in 2001 with an updated 2.3L four-cylinder (135-143 horsepower) and the 4.0L was replaced by an updated overhead-cam 4.0L V6. Finally, circa 2008, the 3.0L V6 left production and all third-generation Rangers used a standard Mazda-produced five-speed manual tranny with optional automatics.
Several special models and trim were used throughout the third generation Ranger‘s extensive life. They include the stylish Ranger Edge (2001-2005), the off-road-focused Ranger FX4 (2002-2009), and the Ranger Tremor (2002-2004) which was an appearance package mixed with higher-end audio.
Pricing for early 1999 models today starts in the sub $5,000 range, a few of the more popular years of used third-gen Ranger range are listed below. As you can see, with prices ranging from just over $8,000 to just under $17,000 there are quite a few cost-effective ways to get into a Ford Ranger. Older models will likely have higher mileage, so get a good pre-purchase inspection done prior to purchasing.
- 2005 Ford Ranger: Prices range from $8,166-$11,375
- 2006 Ford Ranger: Prices range from $7,654-$12,245
- 2007 Ford Ranger: Prices range from $8,957-$13,517
- 2008 Ford Ranger: Prices range from $8,136-$12,859
- 2009 Ford Ranger: Prices range from $9,151-$13,863
- 2010 Ford Ranger: Prices range from $9,929-$15,506
- 2011 Ford Ranger: Prices range from $11,463-$16,848
Fourth-generation: 2019-Present
The Ranger’s story overseas is completely different, an alternate timeline if you will. The first generation of the “International Ranger” dates back to 1998 and was a rebadged Mazda B-Series; making the Ford-Mazda back and forth even more complicated.
The second-generation Ranger, produced between 2005-2011, continued to share critical components with the compact Mazda but got a more unique Ford look. The larger third-generation “T6” Ranger dates back to 2011 and was designed by Ford Australia. It represents an effort to consolidate the various Ford and Mazda versions of the Ranger around the world and is important for another reason – it’s actually the fourth generation Ranger that we get in the United States now.
After an eight-year gap, the Ford Ranger returned to the U.S. market for the 2019 model year. Now marketed as a midsize truck, the new Ranger is sold in four-door SuperCab (six-foot bed) and four-door SuperCrew (five-foot bed) configurations. We get a single powertrain, but it’s a good one.
The latest Ranger comes with either rear-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive, and both are powered by a 2.3-liter EcoBoost inline four-cylinder mated to a 10-speed 10R80 automatic transmission. The engine features a twin-scroll turbocharger, good for 270 horsepower and 310 lb.-ft. of torque.
That’s a pretty solid output for a midsize truck and fares well against the competition. It’s worth noting that the Ranger RWD is EPA-rated at 21 mpg city and 26 mpg highway, while the Ranger 4WD is quite close, at 20/24 mpg, which are both best-in-class.
Trim levels for 2019-2021 include XL, XLT, and Lariat. For the 2020 model year, Ford added new color options, plus the upgraded FX2 suspension package. For 2021, you can find the new Black appearance package, which will get you black 18-inch wheels, black grille, and black Ford oval badges, and new bedside decals.
New exterior paint colors have also been added for 2021 including Cactus Gray, Carbonized Gray, Cyber Orange, and Velocity Blue. Prices range from $31,382-$41,508 for 2019 models, $34,365-$42,984 for 2020 models, and $24,820-$38,785 for 2021 models.
Ford Ranger’s Best Year
The fourth-generation of the Ranger offers more than enough performance, features, and capabilities to make it one of the hottest mid-size trucks on the market-—but it’s not our favorite. No, that title we give to the 2011 model, long before things like fuel economy and creature comforts were even an afterthought.
At its roots, the Ranger has always been a truck for the practical, offering half-ton-like performance, without the bulkiness (or the price tag) of the F-Series lineup. By the time Ford ended production of the Ranger in 2011, it had built a name for itself as one of most reliable smaller pickups in its class, sitting just below the Honda Ridgeline for the #2 slot.
What’s more, you can easily find a late fourth-gen Ford Ranger for under $10,000. We suggest a model with the 4.0L V6 engine as they tend to age better than those with the smaller 2.3L I4.
Photos: Ford; Wikimedia Commons/Gregg Gjerdingen; Wikimedia Commons/safercar.gov