The next-generation U.S.-market Ford Ranger has arrived. The 2024 model marks the first comprehensive update since the first midsize Ranger rolled off the line in the United States in 2018, and even that model was only new to us; the rest of the world got it way back in 2011. And while it wasn’t for nearly as long, this new Ranger was delayed coming this way too. The base truck debuted way back in 2021 and the global Raptor was shown more than a year ago. The Ranger crossed the pond virtually unchanged, but our Raptor gets quite a bit more punch than the global version — the better to keep up with its smaller sibling, the Bronco.
New twists
The outgoing American Ranger was offered with just one engine. That 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder returns with 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, but this time around it’s joined by an available upgrade: A 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged V6 pushing 315 hp and 400 lb-ft. That’s in addition to the tuned-up, 3.0-liter unit offered in the Raptor, which we’ll detail below. Both engines will be mated to Ford’s 10-speed automatic and available with optional shift-on-the-fly 4WD. The interior also received an overhaul. At its center is a new infotainment system, available with two screens: 10.1 or 12 inches. It’s powered by Ford’s Sync 4A.
Same fundamentals
The 2024 Ranger has grown slightly, but its general footprint remains about the same. SuperCrew remains the only body style, and only one bed length (6′) is offered. The V6 may seem tempting for heavier-duty work, but it’s actually the 2.3-liter engine that gets you the most trailering. A 4×2 paired with the Trailer Tow package gets you 1,805 pounds of total payload capacity (down 100 pounds from ’23) and 7,500 pounds of trailering (carry-over). The four- and six-cylinder diesel options offered overseas did not make the trip over.
Raptor
The Ranger Raptor isn’t new, but its U.S.-market availability is. Ours is a little spicier than the one offered overseas to boot. While it’s not quite as punchy as the 418-horsepower Bronco Raptor, it does make a respectable (or best-in-class, as Ford would put it) 405 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. Coupled with standard 4WD with a two-speed transfer case, 33-inch BFGoodrich KO3s, a beefed-up frame, front and rear electronic locking differentials, upgraded drive modes, trick Fox Live Valve shocks and a Watts-link rear suspension, it’s fit to rule its (Ford’s words again) class of one.
Ford’s boast isn’t baseless. The midsize pickup segment has gotten hot in recent years, but only Ford has really dared to turn up the wick. The Jeep Gladiator Rubicon/Mojave and GM’s crawl-ready ZR2 and AT4X are certainly fun in their way, but none of them has a twin-turbo six thrumming beneath its sheetmetal. The Raptor gets 10.7 inches of ground clearance and offers approach, departure and breakover angles of 33, 26.4 and 24.2 degrees, respectively. This capability comes at a cost, however, as the Raptor’s maximum payload capacity drops to just 1,411 pounds and max towing to 5,510 pounds. Not bad for a rabid little runabout.
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