2024 Ford Ranger Steps Up Its Game, Built for Adventure

Ford has fully redesigned the powerplant of the 2024 Ranger with a muscular new 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine. This EcoBoost powerhouse replaces both the old sluggish naturally aspirated four and the bellowing V6, aiming to satisfy truck buyers yearning for torque and crawl.

With a whopping 370 pound-feet of twist arriving from just 2800 rpm, the turbo four gives the Ranger Schwarzenegger-esque arms to tow or haul with authority. It’s also rather peppy, churning out a Hulk-like 310 horsepower allowing the mid-sizer to scamper from traffic light to light.

Tasked with getting this turbomed engine’s torque safely to the terra is a stout yet sleek 10-speed automatic transmission. With overdrive gears almost reaching into the teens, it aims to keep the engine singing yet sipping when highway cruising.

With its increased oomph and modernized underpinnings, the Ranger can now tug a chunky 7500-pound payload behind it when properly equipped. Whether hauling horses, boats, bulldozers, or campers, this truck wants to work for a living without living at the pump.

And live lightly at the pump it aims to, with combined fuel economy estimated at a respectable 24 mpg. With 22 mpg showing in the city and a highway rating of 28 mpg, the new Ranger aspires to be a hardworking friend of both professionals and weekend warriors alike.

Though still unmistakably a truck beneath its square fenders and gaping grille, Ford has given the 2024 Ranger some new clothes inside and out. With a broader smile up front and tightened rear haunches, it now cuts a more stylish figure down the highway.

Buyers can choose between a two-door SuperCab for carving canyons or the extended five-seater SuperCrew for shuttling the whole family in comfort. Both flaunt their rugged hoods high while keeping a lower center of gravity for surefootedness off-road.

The LARIAT and posh PLATINUM are the fancypants versions for those needing power-everything and sumptuous saddle leather to match their custom trucks. With features fit for kings including plush massage seats, these luxury trims are fit for the discerning professional indeed.

But even the most basic Ranger comes well-appointed now as the standard kit includes necessities like rear parking alerts, dual-zone climate control, and an 8-inch touchscreen. Gone are the days when drivers had to clamor and upgrade to feel pampered in this capable compact.

2024 Ford Ranger Is Finally Built to Play Ball

The Ranger surrenders little comfort to larger trucks thanks to reworked dampers, wider rubbers, and clever suspension tuning. It glides down the highway with supple isolation yet also masks bumps and ruts with soft-touch sophistication when venturing into the wild.

While still no sports sedan, the Ranger’s electrically assisted steering is less numb around the edges now though could use more feedback. It follows the driver’s aims obediently if not flamboyantly into every bend and roundabout.

New brake hardware and programming have made stopping smoother and safer in this truck too. Pedal modulation feels refined with linear action whether in town or country, inspiring confidence at all speeds.

On slippery slopes or loose surfaces, drivers can also choose from Normal, Mud/Ruts, Sand, and Grass/Gravel/Snow modes to fine-tune traction control interventions specifically for the conditions at hand. It’s options like these that help the Ranger conquer where others would falter.

Four-wheel drive is standard on many Rangers, with low-range transfer cases ideal for scaling rocky ledges or towing through thick sludge. The dual-range gearing grants ultra-low-end grunt perfect for tricky situations far from the pavement.

With its new factory-installed rocket booster, the Ranger blasts to 60 mph in a mid-size besting estimated seventh-second sprint. That’s well under most family sedans and quicker than expected in a practical workhorse like this.

Thanks to immediate boost pressure and broad shove from just above idle, the 2.3L EcoBoost packs a punch right off the line. Its easy-revving nature keeps that urge consistent whether cruising or corralling a heavy payload up steep switchbacks.

Shifting through its 10 gears, the automatic can occasionally hunt or hesitate briefly when asked to sprint hard up through the ratios. But for the most part, it lets the engine sing and enhances the driving experience with smooth ratio changes.

Rear leg bending room feels plentiful compared to other compact pickups, ideal for carpooling colleagues in comfort. The SuperCrew cab even impresses with space comparable to big guns like the Silverado or F-150 Crewmax.

While accommodating in the back, the Ranger’s front pews could use a bit more padding and contour. Long stints will have drivers wishing for softer surfaces and adjustable lumbar, though overall support is above average.

At just over 5 feet, the Ranger bed is functional if not titanic. But clever tie-down rails, steel walls, and LED lighting help maximize smaller capacity for those who don’t need full-size bulk behind the cab.

Towing up to 7,500 pounds and hauling a solid 1,850 pounds of payload means this Ranger is ready to work hard all week without complaint. Whether tasked with tilling the pasture or towing the ski boat, it’s more than most buyers will demand.

Pricing starts quite reasonably at just under $30,000 including destination for the pure-and-simple rear-drive XL SuperCab. Moving up to gleaming luxury LARIAT 4WD adds only around $10,000 more, offering good value versus competitors.

Of course, the top-dog PLATINUM 4×4 pushes the budget further at almost $51,000 fully loaded. But for a truck stuffed with every conceivable comfort and safety tech, it still undercuts rivals like the comparable Toyota Tundra TRD Pro.

In the competitive mid-size truck space, the 2024 Ranger must face challengers like the brawny Toyota Tacoma, newly redesigned Chevy Colorado, and stalwart Nissan Frontier. But with its combination of power, efficiency, dynamics, and refinement, Ford’s Ranger separates itself from the pack.

With its efficient yet potent new EcoBoost mill, the Ranger delivers the goods where it counts most – underneath the hood. Its power edge over every rival helps seal more deals whether with contractors or weekend DIYers wanting muscle without gutting their bank.

While trucks are fundamentally functional, passengers appreciate upgrades that transform the daily grind into a soothing lounge. The Ranger cushions bumps with care rarely found in mid-sizers, proving you don’t need full-size scale to deliver luxury-car ride quality.

Though perhaps not the last word in corner carving, the truck handles twisting tarmac with composure few expected. It obediently follows commands with ease belying its workhorse roots, ensuring enjoyable drives whether hauling or not.

Refined details make the Ranger feel as upscale inside as its top-shelf prices imply. Soft-touch plastics, intuitive tech, and supportive seats give it saloon sedan sophistication, especially in opulent PLATINUM guise.

2024 Ford Ranger Is Finally Built to Play Ball

With its simple-to-use touchscreen and responsive features, the Ranger aims to liberate drivers from the frustrations modern infotainment can breed. Distraction-free menus paired with smart connectivity make technology work seamlessly in service of the journey.

As the years progress, trucks grow ever more luxurious and complex. Yet the Ranger strikes a sensible balance, retaining the essential simplicities and strengths the everyday buyer truly needs and expects. It makes hauling and getting dirty downright pleasurable.

While mid-sizers will never match full-size prowess, the Ranger maximizes cargo and passenger volume within its smaller footprint. Few will find its dimensions inadequate whether commuting solo or with entire clans in tow behind.

The EcoBoost no doubt slays when stamping on the accelerator. But its increased potency comes at the cost of increased thirst, with real-world fuel use often falling short of optimistic targets. Efficiency remains an Achilles heel.

With many competitors now electrifying, the Ranger is admittedly playing catch up by sticking solely with gasoline power. But for most buyers focused on compatibility, tow ratings, and value, traditional torque still reigns supreme for the time being.

Of course, some customers crave third-row seating, full-size towing, or want nothing but a maxed-out heavy-hitter. But for the mass of mid-size truck customers, the 2024 Ranger superbly fulfills their daily needs with driving enjoyable enough to commute in pleasure.

While not the cavernous realm of full-size trucks like Ford’s own Super Duty or GM and Ram heavy-hitters, the Ranger provides plenty of space and versatility for homeowners and small businesses alike. Few will outgrow its adaptable mid-size footprint.

With its small-displacement turbo mill, the Ranger will never match a V8’s mountain-moving muscle or diesely thrift. But this 2.3L EcoBoost strikes an impressive compromise between accessible tow ratings and reasonable efficiency at a fair base price.

New techs like adaptive cruise, blind spot assist, rear automatic braking, and other driver aids join standard rear cameras and sensors to help avoid collisions. The Ranger thus emerges as a genuinely safe everyday performer not just a dirty weekend warrior.

Though packing the dexterity and strength of a full-fledged truck, the Ranger wears its rugged strengths discreetly beneath flowing sheet metal. Its streamlined look belies a go-anywhere durable workhorse waiting within.

Whether zipping between job sites in the city or bouncing over rocks on the trail far from civilization, the Ranger takes highway or byway in stride with a composure that belies its truck DNA. It does so with a comfort usually reserved for cars.

For budget buyers, ambitious young families, or small businesses, the capable yet civilized 2024 Ford Ranger stands out as an excellent do-it-all choice. It works hard and plays hard, aiming to please buyers with strength, versatility, and surprisingly luxurious transport wherever their adventures may lead.

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