Ford Ranger Regular Cab Truck Review
Truck Reviewer
Want a rugged, compact pickup that won’t break the bank but won’t get broken doing a hard day’s work? The Ford Ranger Regular Cab might be just what you are looking for. This is the fuss-free end of the small truck scale. Basic, but not in a bad way. What you have here is something that hasn’t changed much in the last ten years because frankly, if it does what it does well, while delivering reasonable economy, at a reasonable price, there will always be a market for it. No, it doesn’t have the glamor of an SUV, or trim levels of some of its imported rivals, but then all shiny things eventually dull – some quicker than others – and if what you actually want is a tough little workhorse, why spend extra on things you don’t need? The Ford Ranger Regular Cab drives and handles well enough, and has notable fuel economy. It’s got a good size load bed at six-feet, which you can throw a lot of stuff in there without worrying about ruining carpets or interiors. When it comes to towing you’ve got a maximum, depending on options, of 5,800 lbs – which is pretty good trailering for its type.
Getting you on the move is 2 or 4-wheel drive and a choice of 2.3 liter inline-four for the base model XL and the XLT, or 4.6 liter V6, which is an option on the mid-range XLT and standard on the range topping Sport. Output from the V6 is 207 horsepower and 238 lb-ft of torque, which is what allows it to pull so capably. There are five-speed manual transmissions, with an available automatic (but not for the XT). Keeping you and your vehicle safe are air bags, ABS all round, stability control and tire pressure monitoring. The three trim specifications start out at a budget AM/FM radio with CD as an option. The XLT makes that standard and adds satellite radio but even the Sport doesn’t give modern connectivity, which is a little disappointing. In fact if you are looking for luxury features and gadgets, cloth bucket seats are about as far as the Ford Ranger Regular Cab goes!
When you look at what some of the competition provides, the Ford Ranger Regular Cab can look dated. In all honesty it is probably overdue a bit of an upgrade. However, when you look at what you get for the money it’s no surprise that it still sells and it still has its fans. “Built Ford Tough” is the slogan they frequently use, and with it’s sturdy double-walled box and rigid ladder frame underpinnings, even the most compact of Ford pickups is constructed for a lifetime of hard duty. There are a good deal of similar vehicles out there vying for your dollars and cents, but few will allow you the flexibility of the Ford Ranger Regular Cab and how many of them do you suppose will still be performing the same after a few years of working for a living?
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