The 2024 Ford Ranger Finally Debuts in May. Here’s What to Expect
The mid-size pickup has been on sale globally for more than a year. Now, it’s almost time to see the North American version.
There's a good chance you've already seen the next-gen Ford Ranger because it's currently for sale everywhere else in the world. We know what the design will look like, then, but all the nitty-gritty details about the North American truck remain unclear. Thankfully, there's only a little while longer left to wait as our version of the Blue Oval pickup is being revealed in May, as Ford Authority reports.
The global-market Ranger gives us some significant clues about what to expect once the truck reaches our roads. We know it's still based on Ford's T6 platform, which also underpins the Bronco. This new pickup promises a list of improvements, though we don't know exactly what we're getting here—this is where the North American spec could differ from those you'll find in, say, Australia.
Their powertrain options will differentiate them as well. While international Rangers can be spec'd with diesel engines, ours is almost guaranteed to be gas-only. That means the 2.3-liter EcoBoost should continue to be the base power plant while upgrading to the Ranger Raptor will likely get you a twin-turbo, 3.0-liter V6. It's unclear how much power we should anticipate from the latter lump as it makes 392 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque in the Australian Ranger Raptor; meanwhile, it makes 418 hp and 440 lb-ft in the American-market Bronco Raptor.
No matter which engines it gets, expect them to be paired exclusively to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Customers in the United States don't buy enough stick-shift pickups for most manufacturers to offer 'em here. We did this to ourselves. Same goes for a single-cab variant.
We also know the interior will be a lot nicer than what we get in the Ranger now—that is if you're okay with bigger screens. Higher trims in other markets feature a vertical infotainment display similar to what we see in other Ford models like the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning. Lower trims retain a horizontal screen that's similar to the old Ranger's. There's also a digital gauge cluster with a crispy resolution if you spend enough money.
The 2024 Ranger will meet stiff competition from other new mid-size pickups like the Chevy Colorado and Toyota Tacoma. It's an exciting time if you're shopping the segment as the fleet of outdated rigs is finally being made new again. Brand loyalty will surely play a role in some drivers' decisions, but when everybody is coming out with something fresh, it's worth taking a solid look at each one.
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