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The Ford F-150 full-size pickup truck is the best selling vehicle in the United States, but when it comes to smaller midsize trucks, Ford is behind the curve.

When Ford withdrew its Ranger from the U.S. in 2011, the midsize truck segment was more or less dead. It was stocked with aging vehicles buyers didn’t seem to care about. But over the past few years, new versions of the Chevrolet Colorado (and its GMC Canyon twin), Honda Ridgeline, and Toyota Tacoma have reinvigorated the segment. The ancient Nissan Frontier continues to stubbornly hang around as well, and Jeep will launch its highly anticipated Gladiator in calendar year 2019.

So, for the 2019 model year, the Ford Ranger is back. Buyers have a choice of two body configurations – SuperCab with a 6.0-foot bed, and SuperCrew with a 5.0-foot bed – and three trim levels: XL, XLT, and Lariat. A base rear-wheel drive XL SuperCab starts at $25,395, while a fully loaded four-wheel drive Lariat SuperCrew tops $45,000. Dealers are taking orders now, but deliveries don’t begin until January.

Plain wrapper

Even after Ford stopped selling the Ranger in the U.S., it continued using the name for trucks sold internationally. The 2019 Ranger is based on the current global-market version, but Ford says it was heavily reengineered for North America.

“This [truck] is based off the global Ranger platform, however it is uniquely designed for the North American market,” Brian Bell, Ranger marketing manager, said. Major changes include a new frame and suspension setup, and a powertrain specific to the North American market. Exterior styling has also changed somewhat.

Ford and other automakers are making bold styling choices with their larger pickup trucks, but that doesn’t seem to be trickling down to the midsize models. The Ranger has a fairly conservative look, but then again so do most of the other trucks it competes against.

At least the Ranger’s design is functional. Unlike the Toyota Tacoma, the hood slopes down and the front overhang is very short, providing good outward visibility whether off-roading or just navigating a parking lot. In contrast to the Chevrolet Colorado, the front fascia also doesn’t hang down far, making it less likely that bodywork will be caught on obstacles.

The interior looks as plain as the exterior, and isn’t exactly the last word in sophistication. Even the top-of-the-line Lariat version looks low rent, despite its leather upholstery. But this is a truck, after all. If you want luxury, buy a sedan.

The Ranger is available with a four-door SuperCrew cab or a SuperCab, with rear half doors and cramped rear seats that are only suitable for short journeys. As with many other trucks, the four-door cab is only available with a shorter pickup box, so buyers have to choose between cab space and bed space. Ford also won’t offer a traditional two-door cab sans rear seats. Interior space is about average among current midsize trucks, although the Honda Ridgeline offers substantially more passenger volume. That’s because the Ridgeline is essentially a Honda Pilot crossover with a pickup bed.

Stephen Edelstein/Digital Trends

The 5.0-foot and 6.0-foot boxes will fit 43.3 cubic feet and 51.8 cubic feet of stuff, respectively, according to Ford. Both boxes are 44.8 inches wide at the wheelhouses, with a maximum width of 61.4 inches. Those numbers are comparable to the Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado, and Nissan Frontier, and well ahead of the Honda Ridgeline.

Tough tech

The 2019 Ranger gets Ford’s familiar Sync 3 infotainment system, with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot, and a single USB port. Higher-level models can be equipped with an 8.0-inch touchscreen, additional USB ports, and a B&O Play audio system.

Sync 3 has proven to be a reliable and intuitive infotainment system, even if it doesn’t have too many bells and whistles. The plain graphics may be out of place in a Lincoln Navigator, but they fit the no-nonsense ethos of the Ranger just fine. They are also easy to read regardless of the vehicle. We also appreciate the array of analog controls in the Ranger for vital functions like temperature. The B&O Play audio system provides decent sound quality, but it’s not a must-have feature.

The Ranger is available with a host of driver aids, including autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and blind spot monitoring. As on Ford’s larger trucks, the blind-spot monitoring system can cover an attached trailer as well as the truck itself.

In addition to tech for on-road driving, the Ranger has a couple of features designed to make off-roading easier. The FX4 package includes a version of the Terrain Management System from the F-150 Raptor performance truck, and a system called Trail Control.

Terrain Management System adjusts various vehicle parameters for different surfaces. It includes four modes: normal; grass, gravel, and snow; mud and ruts; and sand. On an off-road course set up by Ford, the Ranger was able to transition from driving on loose dirt to plunging through a mud bog with the push of a button. Trail Control acts like off-road cruise control, handling acceleration and deceleration while the driver steers. It was able to guide the Ranger up and down a steep hill with no problem. 

Fun to drive on road and off road

While most trucks offer a variety of powertrain options, the Ranger is only available with one. A 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine produces 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, which is sent to the rear wheels or all four through a 10-speed automatic transmission shared with the larger F-150 truck.

Making a four-cylinder engine the only option seems like a risky move, considering that competitor trucks offer larger V6 engines. But it’s in keeping with Ford’s strategy of using smaller turbocharged engines to achieve better fuel economy without sacrificing power. It’s also part of the reason why Ford chose a twin-turbocharged V6 for its GT supercar, instead of a more exotic engine. But how did that plan work out in the Ranger?

Pretty well, actually. The Ranger’s engine has less horsepower than the V6 engines offered in the Toyota Tacoma (278 hp) and Chevrolet Colorado (308 hp), but the Ford offer more torque. The Tacoma and Colorado only produce 265 lb-ft and 275 lb-ft, respectively. However, Chevy also offers a four-cylinder diesel version of the Colorado with less power (186 hp) but substantially more torque (369 lb-ft) than the Ford (the same specifications apply to the Chevy’s GMC Canyon twin).