After a seven-year absence, the Ford Ranger pickup truck is returning to the United States. Dealer order books are now open for the 2019 Ranger, and an online configurator for the midsize truck is now live. That means we finally know how much the new Ranger will cost.
The 2019 Ford Ranger starts at $25,395, including a $1,095 destination and delivery charge. That buys a base XL model with rear-wheel drive, SuperCab, and six-foot pickup bed. Ford doesn’t offer much else at that price: the XL comes with steel wheels, cloth seats, 3.5-inch display screen, and a four-speaker audio system (autonomous emergency braking is standard, though). But that’s the right approach for a truck, which is supposed to be about work first and toys second.
Starting at $33,305, the XLT trim level adds more niceties, including alloy wheels, six-speaker audio system, 4.2-inch display screen, fog lights, and a built-in Wi-Fi hot spot. It also gets Ford’s new CoPilot360 suite of driver aids, which bundles automatic high beams, blind spot monitoring, and lane-keep assist.
The top Ranger trim level is the Lariat, which starts at $33,305. It adds LED headlights, leather front seats, and Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system, including an 8.0-inch touchscreen, among other features.
In addition to the standard SuperCab, Ford offers a SuperCrew cab option with four full-size doors. That option costs $2,220 on the XL and $2,175 on the XLT and Lariat, and requires a shorter, five-foot bed. Four-wheel drive is a $4,000 option. While the base price seems reasonable, a fully loaded four-wheel drive Lariat with every option box ticked costs over $45,000.
All trim levels use the same 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and 10-speed automatic transmission. The engine’s 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque compare favorably to V6 powertrains offered by General Motors, Honda, Nissan, and Toyota. GM also offers a fuel-sipping four-cylinder turbodiesel.
Ford dealers are now taking orders for the 2019 Ranger, with deliveries expected to begin later this year. Still unclear is whether Ford will stop with the standard Ranger, or whether the Blue Oval will answer enthusiasts’ calls and import the Ranger Raptor performance model. It features off-road hardware borrowed from the larger F-150 Raptor, which is currently sold here.
Updated on October 5, 2018: Added horsepower and torque figures.
