The new Ford Ranger has been upgraded with a wider body and redesigned interior to become a great option for those looking for a midsized pick-up truck. It will be available in two flavors, XLT and the off-road-oriented Wildtrak.
The wheelbase has been extended by 50 millimeters (nearly two inches) which was achieved my moving the front wheels a bit forward. This resulted to more space inside to accommodate more legroom for the three passengers sitting in the back. It also gives the Ford Ranger a better approach angle for those off-roading situations. The change also freed up more space under the hood to fit a larger V6 turbodiesel engine which we will get to in a minute.
The wider body theme extends to back. The rear has been widened by 50mm (same 2 inches) which enables a wider, more spacious loading area. According to Ranger Vehicle Engineering Manager Anthony Hall, the load area is big enough to accommodate a sheet of building plywood or a fullsize pallet.
To ease in loading, the Ford Ranger comes with built-in side steps. Additional cargo tie-down points have been mounted on steel tube rails to easily secure the items. The pick – up has a smart tailgate that doubles as a mobile workbench with a built-in ruler. There’s a a lot of other exterior design improvements all over the Ford Ranger including C-shaped LED headlights and 360 degree camera system.
Inside the newly designed cabin, you will find Ford’s SYNC4 infotainment system with either a 10.1- or 12-inch touchscreen and a digital instrument cluster. There’s also a redesigned drive mode selector. Leather interior and better suspension dampers will make you forget your are in a pickup and more like a regular car according to Ford.
To do the heavy lifting, a V6 turbodiesel with a 3.0-liter displacement will be the most powerful option, unfortunately, output numbers have not been provided. It is expected to produce 250 horsepower and 440 pound-feet (597 Newton-meters) of torque just like the F-150. There are a pair of smaller four-cylinder engines with 2.0-liter diesels with a single- and twin-turbo setup which are expected to give around 210 hp and 369 torque like the outgoing Ranger Raptor.
