The 2019 Ford Ranger will out-tow, out-haul, and provide more torque than any other gasoline-powered mid-size pickup on the market. On Friday, Ford announced its reborn mid-size truck's towing, payload, and power figures ahead of production later this year.
The standard 2.3-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine will produce 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. While the horsepower doesn't match the 308 ponies the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon extract from their 3.6-liter V-6, the Ford's torque figure bests the GM trucks' 275 lb-ft. The Toyota Tacoma manages 278 hp and 265 lb-ft of torque, for further comparison.
The loftier torque number teamed with a high-strength steel frame, a solid rear axle, and a Hotchkiss suspension lead the 2019 Ranger to a payload rating of 1,860 pounds, which again outdoes the truck's main rivals. The Colorado, specifically, will haul 1,574 pounds. And when it comes to towing, those components will enable Ford's mid-size pickup truck to handle up to 7,500 pounds before it cries uncle. That's 500 pounds more than the Chevy.
2019 Ford Ranger
As noted, these figures beat any gasoline-powered mid-size truck. Chevy currently offers a 2.8-liter Duramax inline-4 turbodiesel that makes a whopping 369 lb-ft of torque and can tow up to 7,700 pounds when asked. But, the Colorado's diesel engine also pushes the truck's MSRP over $40,000. The Ranger will offer similar payload and towing performance for thousands less.
The final portion of the equation is fuel economy. The EPA hasn't rated the Ranger's version of the 2.3-liter turbo-4 just yet, though its 10-speed automatic transmission should help squeeze out added efficiency.
Following the regular Ranger, we're likely in for a Ranger Raptor. Ford hasn't confirmed the truck for the U.S. market yet, but it seems like one of the company's worst-kept secrets. It's about as much of a secret as the mid-engine C8 Corvette that Chevrolet hasn't acknowledged yet. When the Ranger Raptor does get official approval for the U.S., a 2.7-liter twin-turbo V-6 may power it. The engine is rated at 335 hp and 380 lb-ft in the 2019 Ford Edge ST.