The 2024 Ford Ranger is here! We mean it; it really is this time. It’s been 18 months since the model was originally announced back in November 2021, and the rest of the world has been able to buy it for over a year, but now you can finally get behind the wheel of Ford’s all-new midsize pickup truck. The only question is, is it worth the wait? Looking at the specs, we’d have to say it is. With two new engine options in addition to the proven 2.3L EcoBoost, a high-performance Raptor version, and a ton of new tech features, the 2024 Ranger has successfully overshadowed the recently redesigned Colorado and Canyon twins from GM.
Three Engine Options.
While the full-size F-150 is known for having a laundry list of engine options, Ranger fans have been stuck with the (admittedly quite good) 2.3L EcoBoost I-4. While the 2.3L has returned as the base engine for the 2024 Ranger, Ford has seen the light and is now offering this midsize pickup with two additional engine options. The first is a 2.7L EcoBoost V6 borrowed from the Ford Bronco. This six-cylinder option generates an impressive 315 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque, but the new Ranger Raptor goes a step further with the 3.0L EcoBoost V6 that is available in the Bronco Raptor and Explorer ST. With 405 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque, this is the most powerful engine available in any midsize truck on the market.
Unfortunately, the added power of the 2024 Ford Ranger doesn’t translate into added towing and hauling capability. The max trailering capacity of the new truck is the same 7,500 lbs as the 2023 model, putting it 200 lbs behind the Colorado, Canyon, and Gladiator. You won’t exactly be limited by that figure, but it is somewhat disappointing Ford couldn’t offer best-in-class trailering to match the Ranger’s best-in-class power. The max payload capacity of 1,805 lbs is best-in-class, exceeding the closest competitors by around 100 lbs, but it’s actually 100 lbs lower than the 2023 Ranger offered. Still, this is a little misleading as the 2024 Ranger offers 1,805 lbs of payload with its standard CrewCab while the 2023 Ranger needed its SuperCab to hit that max figure. Comparing apples to apples, there is virtually no difference.
The Ranger Enters the Modern Age
If there is anything to dislike about the outgoing 2023 Ranger, it is the truck’s lack of features. Despite being released in 2019 for the American market, the last-gen Ranger actually launched in 2011 internationally, and it is showing its age. The new 2024 Ranger is an entirely different story.
The truck now comes standard with an eight-inch digital instrument cluster and 10.1-inch center touchscreen, and you can upgrade to a 12.4-inch cluster and 12-inch touchscreen if you want larger displays. Everything runs on the latest SYNC 4A software. Among the many cutting-edge tech features, you will find 360-degree camera views, Active Park Assist 2.0, Pro Trailer Backup Assist, and Trailer Reverse Guidance. Many midsize truck buyers are new to towing or only tow occasionally, so these features will help make you feel much more confident when pulling a trailer.
While we had to wait a long time for the 2024 Ranger, and it will be a bit longer before it starts showing up at Ford dealers across the country, we would have to say the new truck is worth it. Although it doesn’t offer significantly more work capability than the outgoing Ranger, it is set to make your time behind the wheel far more comfortable and enjoyable. All that remains to be seen is how it will stack up to the soon-to-be-revealed 2024 Toyota Tacoma, because right now, the 2024 Ford Ranger might just be the best truck in its class.
