New Ford Ranger

[RV Doctor]

I’ve had lots of Diesels. Duramax pickup, GMC Savanna van, Ram pickup and I love Diesels. I don’t like the service cost and intervals. The new Ford Lion Diesel coming out any day in the F-150 is going to be a killer engine and 10 speed combo for Ford.
Ford has really put their eggs in the F-150 basket. Engines, trim levels, options etc speak to their confidence in the truck.
If you think about it, the Diesel F-150 will have close to what 2500s and 3500s used to offer for towing and payload. Pretty impressive if you ask me.
I think GM and FC need to be a little nervous.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by floyd

Now that you mention it what ever happened to the Isuzu brand?

Isuzu never got traction selling cars in the USA and their dealer network couldn't survive just on two niche SUV models and a small truck... they are still selling medium commercial trucks here, and they made a bunch of GM import stuff (going back to the Chevy Luv truck, that was an isuzu). I believe they are building some engines used by the big-3 and others, and they are in a joint venture with Mazda to build a new pickup for Mazda.

[Raz]

First let me say I really like the midsize pick up variant. It suits my needs perfectly, especially the crew cab version. But I think the new Ranger is too big and too late. If Ford wanted to compete in the mid size market they should have done it years ago with an F100.

I think Ford would have been much better reintroducing the Ranger closer to the original. There are a lot of people who really prefer the small truck. Instead of competing with Toyota, Nissan, Chevy, Honda, and their own F150, they would have the small pickup market all to themselves. A small fuel efficient pick up in the $20k-$30k range would be very appealing to alot of folks, especially those who miss their old Ranger or Tacoma.

Almost 900,000 F150 trucks were sold in 2017. It will be interesting to see the 2019 numbers.

[Mike Magee]

My son has been driving his stick-shift PT Cruiser for years, even though he has to plow thousands each year into maintenance. A month ago he finally announced that he'd ordered a 2018 Mustang. He is excited about the dual injection system on the revised 5.0L, and he mentioned that Ford will be offering a supercharger kit, aftermarket. I am now wondering if they will have this updated 5.0L in the F150 also. A supercharged pickup with 700+ HP.... hmmmm! It could tow a whole carton of eggs!

[k0wtz]

ford is building a limited edition mustang 163nph on the clock.

amazing!!!

bob

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by k0wtz

ford is building a limited edition mustang 163nph on the clock.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io6n2sGvs7M

[thrifty bill]

I guess I am alone in wanting a small truck to be ...... a small truck. I had a 1981 Toyota. That was a small pickup truck. And not a towing machine. But as an everyday driver, good fuel economy, comfortable, easy to park, etc., it was great. Year after year the small trucks got bigger and bigger. Now Toyota's "small" pickup is about the size of what a full sized half ton truck used to be. And a half ton truck is more like what a 3/4 ton truck used to be. And so on.

It seems like Ford doesn't want to cannibalize F150 sales. As the F150 is the top selling vehicle in the USA, this seems smart to me. Instead, target the Ranger for the urban/suburban driver, capable to pick up garden supplies, furniture, whatever. Want to tow? Plenty of F150 choices out there. Really, the current "small" pickups are almost the same dimensions of my F150.

Lightest 2018 Toyota Tacoma: 3,980 pounds. Lightest F150: 4,069 pounds. Tundra, which used to be a mid sized pickup truck (smaller than full sized) is now 1,000 pounds HEAVIER than an F150.

[k0wtz]

I wonder what the sticker price is?


bob

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by thrifty bill

I guess I am alone in wanting a small truck to be ...... a small truck. I had a 1981 Toyota. That was a small pickup truck. And not a towing machine. But as an everyday driver, good fuel economy, comfortable, easy to park, etc., it was great. Year after year the small trucks got bigger and bigger. Now Toyota's "small" pickup is about the size of what a full sized half ton truck used to be. And a half ton truck is more like what a 3/4 ton truck used to be. And so on.

It seems like Ford doesn't want to cannibalize F150 sales. As the F150 is the top selling vehicle in the USA, this seems smart to me. Instead, target the Ranger for the urban/suburban driver, capable to pick up garden supplies, furniture, whatever. Want to tow? Plenty of F150 choices out there. Really, the current "small" pickups are almost the same dimensions of my F150.

Lightest 2018 Toyota Tacoma: 3,980 pounds. Lightest F150: 4,069 pounds. Tundra, which used to be a mid sized pickup truck (smaller than full sized) is now 1,000 pounds HEAVIER http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrJ7...dVVebCq7YTfdM- an F150.

I agree that the current small pickups are not that small
BUT they are smaller in areas that we find objectionable.
We looked at both the Chevy Colorado and the Chevy Silverado.
All though they are similar in size , you can definitely sense , feel that there is a difference the moment you sit in the vehicle

Until Ford publishes the towing specs for the Ranger it is hard to pass judgement . If the Ranger's payload is down in the Tacoma
range or has a towing capacity of only 3500 lbs it will be competing with small SUVS and not with pickup trucks .
My neighbor has a small vehicle which she constantly complains about. Her reason for buying it. " It's so Cute Looking "

[Radar1]

We were shopping last year for a pickup to replace our 14 year old Dodge Dakota. I like the Dakota Quad Cab, it has good passenger room, decent cargo and towing capacity, and is small enough to park in normal parking spots.

The full sized trucks were just too big and tall for me as a daily driver, so we chose a Dodge Durango instead. It is also fairly large, but the combination of V-6 and 8 speed transmission make it a smoother hauler than our V-8 Dakota. The Ranger will have a turbo plus a 10 speed transmission which should work well.

Technology is making small engines better! We decided to hang on to the Dakota as well, hoping the new Ford Ranger will be a good replacement in the future. Nice review by Automobile magazine on the new Ranger.

[k0wtz]

I don't know who makes santa fe is that a hynudai it has only a 2.0 in it at least the one I saw. it is quite a big larger than my ford edge which packs a 2.3 ecoboost.

the santafe looked quite a bit larger than my edge which I wasn't driving so I don't know how much larger.

bob

[Radar1]

Originally Posted by k0wtz

I don't know who makes santa fe is that a hynudai it has only a 2.0 in it at least the one I saw. it is quite a big larger than my ford edge which packs a 2.3 ecoboost.

the santafe looked quite a bit larger than my edge which I wasn't driving so I don't know how much larger.

bob

Yes, Hyundai makes the Santa Fe. We got to visit the factory in AL 2 years ago and saw that turbo engine. Surprisingly, even though the turbo four produces more torque than the V-6, the V-6 is the one rated to tow 5,000 lbs, while the turbo 4 is limited to 3500 lbs. Not sure you can get the turbo in the full size Santa Fe, it may only be available in the smaller "Sport" version now, although it is available in the Kia Sorentos.

[k0wtz]

i don't drive our ford much next time i see a santa fe and i have it i am going to look and compare.

the 2.3 four in our car has plenty of power we pull a rather steep hill at our trouting place and it doesn't back off at all we don't try to go up it fast.

that santa fe just looked larger with a smaller motor

bob

[Sunrisetrucker]

Originally Posted by Radar1

Yes, Hyundai makes the Santa Fe. We got to visit the factory in AL 2 years ago and saw that turbo engine. Surprisingly, even though the turbo four produces more torque than the V-6, the V-6 is the one rated to tow 5,000 lbs, while the turbo 4 is limited to 3500 lbs. Not sure you can get the turbo in the full size Santa Fe, it may only be available in the smaller "Sport" version now, although it is available in the Kia Sorentos.

The Santa Fe Sport is limited to 3500 lbs because of the frame not the motor. We took the full size Santa Fe for a test drive a while back. Man that thing took off like a bat out of you know where. They should put that engine in a mid size pickup it would blow the doors off the competition.

[k0wtz]

if I can figure out how to get rid of this car suv whatever I think I will be looking at one of these. did that have the 2.0 in it?


bob

[k0wtz]

according to my mechanic a hyduaii is a kia! is this correct?
bob

[Steve Carlson]

Hyundai owns a majority share of Kia.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Steve Carlson

Hyundai owns a majority share of Kia.

Kia has built a few pretty good cars for the U.S. market...
But K.I.A.... really?

[Radar1]

Originally Posted by Sunrisetrucker

The Santa Fe Sport is limited to 3500 lbs because of the frame not the motor. We took the full size Santa Fe for a test drive a while back. Man that thing took off like a bat out of you know where. They should put that engine in a mid size pickup it would blow the doors off the competition.

Yes, they are different "frames" but the Kia Sorento offers both engines in the same vehicle, yet the turbo is still limited to towing 3500 while the V6 can tow up to 5000. I don't really understand that, because on paper, it appears the turbo would be better, having more torque than the V-6, and it peaks at a low 1450 RPM. 260/1450 RPM for turbo vs 252/5300 RPM for the V-6.
Also notable is that to get that 5000 lb rating you must get the AWD.

[k0wtz]

in my sales carreer some salesmen bought kia s they didn't hole up worth a lick. but the I know many who are happy with their hynduai


bob