It looks like the new 2019 Ford Ranger will be one of the most fuel efficient midsize pickups when it goes on sale.
According to a leak from Ranger5g, a two-wheel drive Ford Ranger will be rated at 21 mpg in the city, 26 on the highway for a combined 23 mpg when equipped with the only engine option, a 2.3-liter turbocharged four cylinder. Power for this truck comes in at 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, while maximum payload is rated at 1,860 pounds (2WD extended cab) and maximum towing comes in at 7,500 pounds.
No official numbers for 4×4 trucks have surfaced yet, but we’d expect a 1-2 mpg difference once that is tested, based on what other midsize trucks lose with 4×4.
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So how does the two-wheel drive Ranger do against the competition when it comes to burning fuel? The 2018 Chevy Colorado with a 3.6-liter V6 and two-wheel drive is rated at 18 in the city and 25 mpg on the highway for a combined 20 mpg, which means the Ranger is more efficient while also delivering more torque, though the Ford is down a little on the Colorado’s 308 horsepower.
With the Duramax diesel under the hood and two-wheel drive, the Colorado is still more efficient than the Ranger, offering 22 mpg in the city and 30 on the highway for a combined 25 mpg, but considering the Ranger only makes about 60 lb-ft of torque less than the diesel, a two mpg difference in combined fuel economy seems pretty good.
Over at Toyota, a two-wheel drive Tacoma with a 3.5-liter V6 comes in at 19 in the city, 24 on the highway for 21 mpg combined, beating out the gas Colorado but still not quite as good as the new Ranger.
And for those wondering, the two-wheel drive Nissan Frontier with a 4.0-liter V6 gets 16 mpg in the city, 23 on the highway for a combined 19 mpg, the worst of the bunch when it comes to fuel economy in midsize trucks.
- Chevy Colorado 3.6L V6 Gas: 18/25/20 MPG
- Chevy Colorado 2.8L I4 Diesel: 22/30/25 MPG
- Ford Ranger 2.3L I4 Gas: 21/26/23 MPG (unofficial)
- Nissan Frontier 4.0 V6 Gas: 16/23/19 MPG
- Toyota Tacoma 3.5L V6 Gas: 19/24/21 MPG
Looking at its big brother the F-150, the Ranger is only a little better than a 2.7-liter EcoBoost equipped two-wheel drive half-ton from Ford, which is rated at 22 mpg combined.
The 2019 Ford Ranger is promising to be a fuel efficient, powerful midsize pickup truck, but how will it actually do in the real world? We’ll get our first taste of the truck in about three weeks, so stay tuned to TFLTruck for all the real-world details on the Ranger.
For now, watch Nathan climb all over a Ranger and show you all its details.
[Source: Ranger5g]
