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HISTORY

The Ranger had been in Ford’s stable since it replaced the Mazda-based Courier pickup back in the late 1970s. Both the Ranger and the full-sized F-150 provided a healthy revenue stream for Ford. Following a 2001 redesign for the Ranger, the 2003 model received new powertrains and continued to be offered in regular-cab and extended-length SuperCab models and in rear- and four-wheel-drive. The Ranger came with a base four-cylinder engine or a choice of two V-6s. All were connected to five-speed manual transmissions or optional five-speed automatics. The Ranger’s smaller V-6 was dropped for 2010. The Ford’s production ended after 2011.

THE GOOD STUFF

The Ranger’s longevity can be attributed to its just-right-size for light-duty hauling, its wide range of features and options, and its attractive price that substantially undercut that of the larger F-150. Lower fuel consumption, particularly for the four-cylinder pickups, was a bonus. The shift-on-the-fly four-wheel drive setup (V-6 only) used an instrument-panel-mounted, three-position switch instead of the more traditional floor-mounted dual-range shifter. Four-cylinder SuperCabs came with a rear access door, and V6-equipped models came with four doors. Build quality and finish was adequate for the day.

HEADS UP!

You got what you paid for, and the Ranger obviously wasn’t as capable as the F-150. Also limited was the amount of passenger space behind the SuperCab’s front seats, which owed to the narrow side-facing fold-up cushions. The ride comfort wasn’t the greatest; there were plenty of shakes and shimmies over uneven roads. V-6 models were great all-around workhorses that provided a good mix of power and fuel efficiency.

OVERALL

If you’re not stuck on a full-size F-150 or a similarly sized piece of hardware, check out the can-do Ranger. The little truck could easily haul anything from dirt to dirt bikes and just about any other load you could think of (that weighed no more than about 500 pounds).