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2019 Ford Ranger Driving Impressions: Video
If there's been a new vehicle introduction with more expectations focused on it than the 2019 Ford Ranger, we don't know what it is. No doubt, Ford has been watching the competition for quite a while, and there's always opportunity (and precedent) for a manufacturer to screw things up, but after driving this new mid-size pickup truck, we predict the 2019 Ford Ranger will be the class leader in just about every category.
Related: We Sneak a Quick Drive in a 2019 Ford Ranger
Beyond the Ranger's small (yet powerful) turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine with the factory 10-speed transmission, the standout feature is its suspension. The front end keeps most bad road inputs smooth and calm, while the rear axle barely shakes or stutters when running on high- or low-speed choppy roads. The way the monotube shocks work with the arched leaf springs (basically just one with a short overload spring underneath) is a wonder to experience, especially fully loaded or towing.
The off-road system, as we noted in the our First Drive story, is also well-done, integrating a multiterrain management system with four distinct settings — Normal, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud/Ruts and Sand — along with a low-range gear and Trail Control. Trail Control is a slow-go cruise-control system that works in both high- and low-range and allows the computer to take over throttle and braking while the driver simply steers. It's not a perfect system (we'll have more to say about that in our next report), but it does compete pretty well with Toyota's older Crawl Control setup.
For now, the video below showcases some of the features and details we thought deserved to be called out after we did some on- and off-road exploring near San Diego in the 2019 Ford Ranger.
