The second iteration of the T6 platform-based Ford Ranger debuted worldwide in November 2021, but it took more than a year and a half to reach the United States of America. Luckily, it also has the mighty Ranger Raptor to ride along with!
Frankly, I have a hunch that, if not for the incessant teasing by Toyota North America of its upcoming fourth iteration of the all-star mid-size pickup truck best-seller – the 2024 Tacoma, the Blue Oval Company might have waited a while longer before unleashing the 2024 Ford Ranger XL STX, XLT, Lariat, plus the feisty Ranger Raptor. But since the all-new 2024 Tacoma is also ready to snag the spotlight on May 19, a good nine days of uninterrupted hype were more than necessary for the Ranger – which does not fare nearly as well in terms of sales as its smaller unibody compact Maverick and larger full-size F-150 or Super Duty siblings.
Alas, at long last, the second iteration (aka T6.2) of the current platform and the fourth Ranger worldwide has morphed into the fifth generation of the nameplate for North America. Availability for ordering kicks off later this month, and the first units will reach their intended customers late this summer – both the 2024 Ranger and Ranger Raptor are produced locally at the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Michigan. As for the looks, there is not much to be said about any of them, given that they do not seem to be all that different from their global counterparts. However, the powertrain options are a different matter.
The standard 2024 Ranger uses the well-known 2.3-liter EcoBoost as the base option, with 270 horsepower and 310 lb.-ft. (420 Nm) of torque. Meanwhile, the optional 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 from the F-150 and Bronco appears here, too, with 315 hp and 400 lb.-ft. (542 Nm) alongside a standard ten-speed automatic SelectShift transmission (note that Toyota teased their 2024 Tacoma with the good old stick shift) plus an optional "electronic shift-on-the-fly 4x4 system built for on-demand off-road and low traction capability." Because it is a workhorse, after all, the mid-size pickup truck flaunts a max payload capacity of 1,805 lbs. (819 kg) and a towing capacity of 7,500 pounds (3,402 kg).
Moving to the flagship 2024 Ranger Raptor, it has next-generation FOX 2.5-inch Live Valve Internal Bypass shocks (coilovers front, piggyback reservoirs at the rear) instead of the 2024 Tacoma TRD Pro's QS3 adjustable shocks, if anyone wondered. Meanwhile, under the hood, a bespoke Ranger Raptor 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 is packing a "best-in-class" (at least for now – TRD Pro i-Force Max might bring 437 electrified ponies!) stable of 405 horsepower and 430 lb.-ft. (583 Nm) alongside a techy four-wheel drive system, plus "a new electronically controlled on-demand two-speed transfer case," along with front and rear locking differentials.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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