2024 Ford Ranger SuperCrew 4X4 XLT First Test: New Ranger, Same Old Ford

The Ford Ranger is the slightly awkward middle child of the Blue Oval’s truck family, sitting above the Maverick and below the F-150. When it went on sale in the U.S. in 2019, it wasn’t exactly “new” and didn’t stack up to its competitors in the midsize truck segment. For 2024, we finally have a revised Ranger; it’s still not quite all-new, but looking past that, the question remains: Is it capable enough to keep pace with its competitors?

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What It Is

Redesigned for 2024 (though still sitting on the same platform as the 2023 version, with some minor changes), the Ranger gets marginal gains of 2.0 inches in both wheelbase and track width, as well as an optional 315-hp 2.7-liter twin-turbo V-6, which joins the core 2.3-liter turbocharged I-4 – the same one that powered the previous Ranger. There's also the small matter of the V6-powered 405-horsepower Ranger Raptor, however for this First Test we took delivery of a Velocity Blue Metallic 2024 Ford Ranger 4x4 in XLT trim with the four-cylinder.

The EcoBoost engine produces a middle-of-the-road 270 hp, as well as an even more middling 310 lb-ft of torque, significantly less of both than the equivalent MotorTrend Truck of the Year–winning Chevrolet Colorado, which makes an impressive 310 hp and 430 lb-ft. Still, we’ve previously commended the EcoBoost for its overall performance; if you’re looking for more power, the 2.7-liter V-6 offers 315 hp and 400 lb-ft.

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The Test Numbers

The 2024 Ford Ranger XLT we tested left us with more questions than answers. The pickup truck galloped to 60 mph in 6.9 seconds and hustled its 4,453-pound mass through the quarter mile in a blink-and-you-won’t-miss-it 15.4 seconds at a trap speed of 90.2 mph.

However, when it came time to slow down the Ranger, our head scratching began. The brake pedal itself is spongy and has a terrific amount of travel, though nothing prepares you for the nosedive the Ranger makes when you really step on it. As well as the lurching, curiously the Ranger skips along the road as it’s coming to a stop, which it did in 140 feet from 60 mph. The 255/70 17-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory AT tires do little to help, with a fair amount of scrubbing from their wide tread block. The experience doesn’t exactly inspire a ton of confidence.

The problem persisted in our figure-eight testing, where we noted that the tires offer little in the way of grip at the limit. The lack of shift paddles combined with the 10-speed transmission’s reticence to downshift made hard acceleration somewhat of a waiting game. The steering, too, is perplexing—in Sport mode it became overwhelmingly heavy, for no good reason. However, it’s worth reiterating our testing often pushes vehicles to—and beyond—their normal operating limits. We’re pleased to say it’s a different story on the road in the case of the Ranger.

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On the Road

In daily service, the 2024 Ford Ranger XLT does everything you want it to and nearly nothing you don’t. The 10-speed does an admirable job of corralling the I-4’s horses and deploying them how and when you want them. The EcoBoost isn’t the most exciting engine on sale today, but time and again Ford has proven a master of creating an economy powerplant that looks underwhelming on paper but manages to perform fantastically well in reality.

On the road, the suspension—prone to longitudinal lurching under braking—does a good job of disguising most typical surface imperfections and bumps. The independent front and live-axle/leaf-spring rear work in harmony (with the truck unladen) and offer a pleasant everyday experience. Indeed, we found the Ranger can be pushed harder in curves than its big rival, the new Tacoma, and to better effect, though the front end tends to be rather vague—likely a cocktail combination of sidewall flex and the medium-soft suspension.

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Inside the Ranger

On the inside, the 2024 Ford Ranger's SuperCrew cab is light and airy, with plush and comfortable front seats boasting good overall support. Behind those, the second row’s folding bench seats are surprisingly comfortable, though they sit rigidly upright. The rear seats have cargo space built in beneath them, and there’s more storage in the form of a cubby under the giant and instinctive-to-use central touchscreen, as well as on the dash itself. We also noted the lack of button blanks, which is the kind of measured design we enjoy in non-top-tier-trim vehicles. One mark against the Ranger XLT is that the rear doesn’t have its own climate zone, which is a shame because otherwise, the interior checks all the right boxes.

On the technology front, the revised Ranger is decently appointed with Ford’s Co-Pilot360 standard on trims XLT and higher. The lane keep assist performed admirably and was not often flummoxed, and the pre-collision assist was reassuringly alert and agile. An 8.0-inch digital gauge cluster is complemented by the 10.0-inch central screen, which boasts an intuitive infotainment system. The cluster of physical HVAC buttons and knobs below the screen are the only area where some of us think Ford could have tried a little harder, as the plastic feels cheap and some of the buttons’ movements seem uneven when compared with one another.

Curiously, our test Ranger came with keyless entry but still had a conventional key-in-and-twist starting procedure. The XLT is the middle of three trim levels for the 2024 Ranger, and to get a push-button start you must cough up an extra $7,520 for the Ranger Lariat.

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Overall Functionality

With ample cabin space for people and their cargo, as well as a truck bed we found to be functional and well-considered with multiple smart tie-down points and even 120V power output (ours also had the $495 optional spray-in liner), the Ranger XLT is trucky in all the right places. Our test vehicle was also tow-ready, with the $825 Advanced Towing package adding a trailer brake controller and Ford’s Pro Trailer Backup Assist, which adds controls to let you steer a trailer via a single knob while reversing.

Good Job Overall

The 2024 Ford Ranger is a great truck for everyday use. While Ford hasn’t revolutionized the Ranger for this new generation, the company fixed a lot of the gripes people had with it, upping both its form and function while keeping the price in check. Is this the Ranger we should’ve gotten in 2019? Yes, probably—but that somewhat false start doesn’t mean this new Ranger is any less likely to sell by the truckload, strengthening Ford’s share in another segment of the broader truck market it already dominates.