Ford’s response to the huge popularity of Japanese compact pickup trucks in the 1970s, the Ranger, first debuted in 1982. Though nobody knew it then, that first Ranger’s basic design would last a very long time. Although it had two really big updates that form some of the generations on this list, the original Ford Ranger models only ceased production in 2011. As demand for small pickups waned, Ford opted not to replace the Ranger with a new global-market design created by its Australian division—at least not immediately.
General Motors followed suit, allowing the Chevrolet Colorado to expire in 2012, even though it had designed a new global market version. GM ultimately had a change of heart, and launched the redesigned Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon in the U.S. for the 2014 model year, prompting Ford to re-evaluate its own plans. In late 2018, the Ranger returned to U.S. showrooms and, despite being an Asia-Pacific design, also returned to an American factory, and it’s been duking it out with the Colorado, Nissan Frontier, and Toyota Tacoma ever since.
A redesigned Ranger arrived in 2024 which, in the tradition of its 1980s ancestor, was really a very heavily updated version of its predecessor. For the first time, the U.S. also got the Ranger Raptor, a high-performance off-road version similar to the F-150 Raptor.
Though there are distinct eras within both trucks, there are essentially two Rangers—the old one and the new one. The old Ranger is a simple workhorse, and more than a decade after it ceased production, it’s an omnipresent staple of American roads. It’s a cheap and reliable truck, that’s easy to fix and for which parts can be found anywhere. It’s very basic, and there’s no crew cab model, but it’s a good deal next to its Japanese rivals—even more so when you consider the cost of full-size pickups.
Late-model Rangers are also tough trucks, and very good work vehicles, but they use more modern and more sophisticated powertrains. That’s good, because the new Ranger’s turbo Ecoboost engines have lots of power, and the 10-speed automatic transmission puts it to good use, but they're also more expensive to buy and repair. Here, we’ve broken down all of the generations since the truck’s 1982 debut.
Ford Ranger: Cost, Reliability, and the Best Years to Buy
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Ford Ranger Pros and Cons
- Ford Ranger Generations
- Fifth Generation (2024-present)
- Fourth Generation (2019-2023)
- Third Generation (1998-2012)
- Second Generation (1993-1997)
- First Generation (1983-1992)
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Ford Ranger years are the best?
Among the pre-2012 Rangers, only a handful of years draw major complaints, so shopping for the newest, cleanest, and the best-equipped example you can find is more important than a specific date—although 1999 stands out as a troublesome model year. Generally speaking, the old Rangers are tough as nails, but post-2019 Rangers can be a mixed bag. They’re reliable, but when they do break, they’re expensive to fix, and 2021 and newer models tend to have better records than the first two model years.
What are the worst Ford Ranger years?
Among the older models, 1999, 2002 and 1997 stand out as years with more than the average amount of complaints. Current crowd-sourced sites, such as CarComplaints, rate 1999 as a particularly trouble-prone year. With modern Rangers, the first full year of availability—2019—has the worst reliability record, but it isn’t awful.
Is a used Ford Ranger a good deal?
Yes. Pre-2012 Rangers tend to cost less than their Japanese rivals, in part because the truck was quite dated by the time production ended. The 1990s versions, which also compete with the old-timey Chevy S-10 pickup, are priced about the same as their domestic rivals. Newer Rangers tend to be cheaper than the popular Toyota Tacoma or the larger Jeep Gladiator, but they cost about the same as similar a Chevy Colorado or a GMC Canyon. Both the old and the new models are good value, but the newer equivalents are much more competitive with modern trucks.
Ford Ranger Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Generally rugged
- Reliable powertrains
- Thriving aftermarket
Cons:
- Rust in older generations
- Used examples are expensive
- Third-gen V6 can be troublesome
Ford Ranger Generations
Fifth Generation (2024-present)
The current Ranger pickup is known within Ford as the P703 or the T6 Ranger. Confusingly, it’s sometimes described as the second generation of the reconstituted Ranger here in the United States. That’s because it’s a very extensive update of the original T6 Ranger that debuted here in 2018 but elsewhere in the world in 2011. Originally, the updated Ranger was supposed to be a 2023 model, but global supply chain issues pushed its introduction to 2024.
The old 2.3-liter, 270-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine remained on the base model, but most fifth-generation Rangers used a larger 2.7-liter turbocharged V6 with 315 horsepower. There was also Ranger Raptor, with a 3.0-liter V6 with 405 horsepower, the highest output in the midsize truck segment.
The fifth-generation Ranger had a longer wheelbase than its predecessor (although interior space remained similar) with a wider tread width than the earlier trucks for better stability. The suspension was redesigned for better spring articulation and wheel travel, which made for a smoother driving experience on the road and boosted its off-road ability. The updated Ranger looked a lot more like a baby F-150 and only came as a four-door crew cab.
Belying the basic simplicity of the first few generations, the fifth-generation Ford Ranger was a technologically advanced truck, fitted with the kinds of adaptive safety equipment that has become relatively ubiquitous over the last half-decade. Ford Co-Pilot 360—a suite of safety equipment including automatic high beams, blind spot monitoring, cross-traffic alert, trailer tow monitoring, lane-keeping assist, and others—was available even on the base XL trim and standard with XLT and higher models, which could also be had with adaptive cruise control.
The cabin was redesigned and fitted with a vastly more modern infotainment system. A 10.1-inch touchscreen running Ford’s latest Sync4 system was standard, while a 12-4-inch portrait-style screen was optional, again with shades of the F-150. These screens are much smarter and the software more functional than the very dated system in the fourth-generation Ranger.
Fourth Generation (2019-2023)
After a seven-year hiatus, the fourth-generation Ranger debuted at the January 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. In the intervening years, sales of midsize trucks had soared, and Ford finally tapped the Australian-designed T6 Ranger it had been selling in other countries for U.S. duty. It also revived domestic production, building the new-for-2019 Ranger in Wayne, Michigan.
Though reinforcement of its body structure and frame was required for U.S. regulations, the T6 Ranger proved to be very capable of meeting American buyers’ needs. It offered the highest payload capacity of any midsize truck at the time, and a very competitive 7,500-pound maximum towing capacity when properly equipped (to the Chevy Colorado diesel’s 7,700-pound rating). It also proved an adept off-roader, particularly after Ford launched the Tremor package in 2021, though the Ranger Raptor version wasn’t sold here.
Unlike the global Rangers, U.S. models only came in two body configurations: a SuperCab with reverse-opening rear access panels and a full four-door SuperCrew, the latter of which was the more popular by far. There was just one engine, a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder making 270 horsepower, mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission, offering fuel efficiency of up to 23 mpg combined, which was good compared to gas-powered alternatives. As with other full-frame pickups, these Rangers were rear-wheel drive (RWD) and four-wheel drive (4WD).
For the first time in the Ranger’s history, active-safety features were available, including Ford’s Co-Pilot 360 system and adaptive cruise control, but none were standard as were equivalents on the Toyota Tacoma. A very basic infotainment system comprised an eight-inch screen running Ford’s older Sync3 system, but even this was optional. Base trucks got a 4.2-inch LCD screen, and the entire cabin looked like it was designed in the late 2000s—which it was.
It looked plain inside and out, but the revived Ranger was adept, especially as a work truck. The base-trim XL came with few modern conveniences, but offered the full mechanical setup of the other Rangers, unlike base-model Tacomas and Colorados, which used much weaker four-cylinder engines and still returned worse fuel economy. Of this generation, the only model year that stands out for reliability issues is the 2019 debut, with the lion’s share of gripes relating to transmission, electrical, and paint quality problems.
This generation is still pretty expensive used, though, as nearly-new trucks have really held their value following the production shortages during the height of the pandemic. Even a cheap XL model in good shape can cost at least $17,000, but it’s possible to find worn ones for less. XLT models run the gamut from about $23,000 and up, and many 2021 or newer models cost $30,000 or more. That’s still less than a comparable Toyota Tacoma or Jeep Gladiator, though.
Third Generation (1998-2012)
The longest-running version of the classic Ranger, the third-generation model, appeared in 1998. Though still related to the 1982 design, this version got major engineering upgrades and modestly updated front end and interior styling. A new suspension system and rack and pinion steering replaced the 1960s-era “Twin I-Beam” design and recirculating ball setups, which made this Ranger handle better than the first two. A longer wheelbase also created a little more room, but the cabin was almost unchanged visually.
This Ranger continued with the regular and extended cab designs, but added a four-door extended cab. A proper crew cab was built overseas, but not sold here. As before, third-generation Rangers were rear-wheel drive by default, but available with four-wheel drive. Buyers could choose from a Mazda-sourced five-speed manual or a Ford four-speed automatic transmission, which gave way to a five-speed auto in 2000. Since it was in production for so long, several engines were offered at different times during this generation’s production run.
From 1998 to 2001, the base engine was the old 2.5-liter Pinto four-cylinder with 117 or 119 horsepower, while two overhead-valve V6s were optional, the 3.0-liter Vulcan (146 to 148 horsepower) and the 4.0-liter Cologne (160 horsepower). In mid-2001, the Pinto gave way to the more modern 2.3-liter Duratec (135 to 148 horsepower), while the overhead-valve Cologne was dropped in favor of the overhead-cam (OHC) 4.0-liter Cologne V6 (207 horsepower). The Vulcan V6 continued into 2008, while the Duratec and the newer Cologne V6 remained until 2012.
The overhead-cam Cologne was one of the few weak points of these trucks, in that its timing chain tensioners wore quickly, leading to premature failure and major repairs. Eventually, Ford corrected the issue, and most of these engines will have been fitted with replacement tensioners by now, but it is a known weakness. The other engines are generally very reliable and easy to repair. Parts, both original and aftermarket improvement items, are also plentiful.
Though seemingly evergreen, Ford made some changes behind the engines during this truck’s long production run. There were periodic grille updates, the discontinuation of the FlareSide bed, and many special graphics and off-road packages, including the original FX4 and Tremor, packages that have since been revived on the modern Ranger. But these trucks were simple and basic, and often favored as work vehicles.
They feel even more bare-bones by today’s standards, with an interior full of gray plastic and few luxuries, but aside from the overhead-cam V6, they’re hard-wearing and relatively cheap. Later models, and those that are particularly clean or well kept, may cost up to $17,000, but serviceable examples with less than 100,000 miles can be found for less than $8,000 with some searching. Older, more worn examples can be had for as little as $3,000.
Like the generations before it, the third-generation Ranger was the basis for the contemporaneous Mazda B-Series, which is harder to find but a little cheaper to buy. The 1999 models have an unusually poor repair record, perhaps in part due to all of the then-new components in what was a heavily modernized design.
Second Generation (1993-1997)
The second-generation Ranger only lasted five model years, but it was a big seller. Under the skin, these trucks were essentially a carryover from the late first generation, with a more aerodynamic body in keeping with the design of the then-upcoming Ford F-150. Underneath, the first generation’s old-timey Twin I-Beam front suspension remained (it was a 30-year-old design at the time) as did the circa-1982 frame design.
The trucks were available in both six-foot and seven-foot beds for the regular cab, along with a stylish FlareSide short bed beginning in 1992, typically sold in the popular Splash trim level. The body was by far the biggest change, with flush-mounted glass, a lower hood, the elimination of the rain gutters, and a three-inch-wider cab that made the truck feel much larger inside.
Some of the first-generation’s 1989 interior initially remained, but in late 1994, the cabin got a more contemporary makeover to match the interior of the 1995 Ford Explorer. The smooth, gray or beige plastic that defined this update feels low rent today, but seemed very contemporary then.
Engines included the 2.3-liter OHV Pinto four-cylinder, the 3.0-liter Vulcan V6, and the overhead valve 4.0-liter Cologne V6, all of which would continue into the early third-generation years. Transmissions included a Mazda five-speed manual and an optional four-speed automatic, while later trucks offered a five-speed auto.
Safety equipment was limited, but typical of small pickup trucks at the time. A steering wheel-mounted airbag was standard beginning in 1995 and, in 1996, an optional passenger airbag was added, making the Ranger the first compact pickup to be offered with dual airbags. This was long before modern infotainment, but most rangers came with at least AM/FM radios with two speakers at the base level and increasing to multiple speakers. Cassette players, CD players, and finally CD changers by the end of the run.
Though they don’t ride or handle as well as the later 1998 to 2012 Rangers, these mid-1990s versions look very much like them and are very durable. They’re getting rarer nowadays thanks to age and a tendency to rust, that latter point being one of this truck’s few weaknesses, but they’re cheap. A good quality second-generation Ranger shouldn’t cost more than $8,000, which, as in other generations, is less than a similar Toyota truck. Rival Chevy S-10 and GMC Sonoma pickups are broadly similar in terms of price, but generally rarer.
In a sign of how the auto industry was changing in the 1990s, Mazda replaced its own B-Series truck design with a rebadged Ford Ranger for 1994.
First Generation (1983-1992)
With Toyota and Nissan (then Datsun) selling as many compact pickups in America as they could ship, Ford sourced a Japanese compact truck of its own from Mazda in the early 1970s. A rebadged Mazda B-Series built in Hiroshima, the Ford Courier debuted in 1972 and quickly became a hot seller. But Ford eventually wanted a more profitable domestically-designed and built small truck, one free from punitive import tariffs. It began work on Project Yuma in 1976, and the Ford Ranger was the result, replacing the Courier for 1983.
This first Ranger was designed in the era of two successive fuel crises, and was intended to meet lofty MPG targets for the mid-1980s, but also better suit American consumers than the Courier. It achieved both goals, with a big roomy cabin and up to 24 mpg combined from its gas engines (there were also diesels, but few were sold). Though still small, the Ranger had a 1,200-pound payload capacity, which was more than most of its Japanese competition. The truck was an immediate hit, and soon common on American roads.
In 1986, Ford added 17 inches behind the rear door and developed its first-ever Ranger SuperCab, which would be the most popular configuration for the rest of the life of the classic Rangers. Center-facing jump seats came to the interior for the 1989 model year, when the truck underwent a major facelift that changed its appearance to mimic that of the “Bricknose” era of the F-Series. This front end was also used on two Ranger spin-off SUVs—the Bronco II and the original Explorer.
Engines included a 2.0-liter four-cylinder from 1983 to 1988, a 2.3-liter four-cylinder that would eventually get electronic fuel injection in 1985, three Cologne V6 engines (a 2.8-liter, a 2.9-liter and a 4.0-liter), and the two-year-only 3.0-liter Vulcan V6. The rarely-ordered diesel fours (capable of 27 mpg combined, but very slow) were sourced from other companies: Perkins and Mitsubishi.
A four-speed manual transmission was standard in 1983 and 1984, with a five-speed as an option. The standard gearbox increased to five cogs in 1985 and stayed there throughout the generation. In the first two model years, the automatic option was a three-speeder, and in 1985, that increased to a four-speed automatic with an overdrive. All of these components are generally very durable, and repairing an early Ranger is easy, unless the problem is rust. They’re slow, but easy to live with.
These early Rangers came in many colors and trim combinations, and there were also commercial chassis cab versions. Though popular when new, they rusted pretty badly, and clean, low-mileage survivors are now rare. The early Ranger hasn’t gotten much attention from collectors, but it’s a cool period vehicle that can still be used every day. Good examples generally sell for less than $10,000, and though there hasn’t been much interest from collectors, a few have sold for more than that at auctions.
