The 2019 Ford Ranger announced at NAIAS in Detroit earlier this year is set to enter production soon, with the all-new midsize pickup truck marking a return of the Ranger name to the North American market. Ford has now released specifications for the truck and they're impressive, given the truck's size and its small engine.
The Ranger will be powered by a small 2.3-liter turbocharged engine that offers power on par or better than most standard V6 powerplants, especially in torque delivery, with Ford claiming the engine will bring best-in-class towing and better-than-average fuel economy. The 2019 Ford Ranger's 2.3L engine generates 270 hp (201 kW) and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm) of torque, with power delivered via a 10-speed automatic transmission, similar to that on the Ford Raptor.
With Rick Bolt, Ford Ranger chief engineer, likening the vehicle to "the biggest and most capable backpack for your gear," the 2019 Ranger will have a 7,500-lb (3,402 kg) maximum towing capability and 1,860 lb (844 kg) of payload capacity – for reference, the current best-in-class tower, the Chevrolet Colorado with a diesel engine, has a towing capacity of 7,700 lb (3,493 kg). Ford is yet to release MPG numbers for the truck.
It will be rear-wheel drive as standard with four-wheel drive as an option, and offer a turning radius of about 42 ft (12.8 m) at best, though that will change slightly with larger wheel options. The wheelbase for all Ranger models will be 126.8 inches (3,221 mm), regardless of cab size, which will come in Supercrew (four-door, seats five) with a 5-ft (1.5-m) bed, and Supercab (three-door, seats four) with a 6-ft (1.8-m) bed.
The overall length of the Ranger will remain 210.8 in (5,354 mm) with those cabs as well. Width is 85.8 in (2,179mm), but height will vary by roughly an inch (25 mm), depending on cab, wheel, and drivetrain choice. The Ranger Supercab 4x2 measures 70.9 in (1,801 mm) high, while the Ranger Supercrew 4x4 measures 71.8 in (1,824 mm) high.
The 2019 Ranger will be offered in 10 different trims and sub-trim levels, starting with the base level XL and working through to the Lariat options and the off-road-centric FX4. Most of Ford's suite of driver assist and safety technologies will be offered as standard or available features on the Ranger, including crash mitigation, adaptive cruise control, and infotainment through Ford's SYNC system.
Pricing for the 2019 Ford Ranger begins at US$24,300.
Source: Ford
As for that engine it looks like it's the same one used in the Mazda CX7. Sure they make an impressive amount of power for a 2.3L engine but our CX7's turbo blew at 60,000 Kms (you can calculate it in miles if you wish) and it cost $6,000 to replace. These turbos run at 1 bar boost (15 psi) and that's a lot!
When I researched it after the blow up I found blown turbos are common in these engines but it seems Ford has never been too concerned about how good their engines are.