Last week, we brought you spy shots of the 2019 Ford Ranger FX4 undergoing testing to take on the “off-road light” versions of the Chevy Colorado Z71 and GMC Canyon All Terrain. This week, courtesy of our sister site Ford Authority, we have shots of the 2019 Ford Ranger in XLT trim – which will be the mid-range model one step above the base XL trim level.
Captured frolicking in the snow undergoing cold weather testing, the model is wearing the production-intent front face. Until this point, we have only seen the Ranger XLT wear its mule front end, which is not destined for production. By comparison, the Ranger FX4 will have its own unique front fascia, just like it does for the F-150 family.
The 2019 Ranger will likely be offered with a range of turbo-charged EcoBoost four- and six-cylinder engines. In addition, international-market models can be optioned with a 3.2L turbo-diesel motor, but is currently unclear whether a Ranger diesel will be available to fight the Chevrolet Colorado Diesel and GMC Canyon Diesel, which are powered by GM’s 2.8L “baby Duramax” four-cylinder turbo-diesel (RPO code LWN), which makes 181 horsepower (135.0 kW) @ 3400 rpm and 369 lb-ft of torque (500 N-m) @ 2000 rpm while mated to a six-speed auto.
But here’s where things get interesting: our spy shooters say that Ford could offer its the direct injected, twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6 as the top-end engine choice in the new Ranger coupled the new ten-speed automatic transmission, co-developed with GM. That combination would be significantly more potent than the naturally-aspirated 3.6L V-6 LGZ engine making 308 horsepower (230.0 kW) @ 6800 rpm and 275 pound-feet of torque (373 N-m) @ 4000 rpm, therefore posing a significant threat to the Colorado and Canyon from a competitive standpoint… and that’s not to mention the incoming Ranger Raptor variant that will take on the Chevy Colorado ZR2.
Ford is late to America’s midsize pickup truck renaissance, with Toyota, GM and Nissan having had the segment all to themselves in the last few years. Even so, the midsize pickup truck space has contracted 2 percent to 379,908 in the first 11 months of 2017, with the Toyota Tacoma leading the segment with 179,419 sales. GM’s Colorado and Canyon twins are catching up, but are still far behind the Taco in cumulative sales volume: the Colorado has 103,370 deliveries to its name, placing it in second place, while the Canyon has 28,639 sales for fourth (and last) place. Combining sales of the Colorado and Canyon results in 132,009 sales – roughly 50,000 units fewer than the Tacoma. Third place is held by the more-than-archaic Nissan Frontier with 68,480 units.
Sales Numbers - Mid-Size Mainstream Pickup Trucks - November 2017 - USA
| MODEL | NOV 17 / NOV 16 | NOVEMBER 17 | NOVEMBER 16 | YTD 17 / YTD 16 | YTD 17 | YTD 16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TACOMA | +4.28% | 16,195 | 15,531 | +3.05% | 179,419 | 174,117 |
| COLORADO | +19.34% | 10,346 | 8,669 | +4.10% | 103,370 | 99,294 |
| FRONTIER | +38.16% | 7,053 | 5,105 | -15.31% | 68,480 | 80,857 |
| CANYON | -26.39% | 2,510 | 3,410 | -14.26% | 28,639 | 33,401 |
| TOTAL | +10.36% | 36,104 | 32,715 | -2.00% | 379,908 | 387,669 |
Ford could reveal the 2019 Ranger in January at the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and sales will likely begin in the second or third quarters of calendar year 2018. Here’s to hoping GM has something with which to punch back.
Comments
Ford could many things just as GM could do several options too.
The key is there is little threat here as most people will be as divided on these trucks as they are over politics.
GM has a great truck and Ford is not going to offer that much more over it. The 308HP in the GM truck is more than enough for most and is now class leading. If needed a Camaro V6 could be added or a future Turbo engine at we will see.
The issue is cost and MPG are also key here. I am getting almost 20 MPG around town and more highway. I have not had any need for more power as it has done anything asked of it.
Also I will not pay more then $40K for this truck just as most others.
The Ford will do well but not as much at the expense of the GM truck. Many people will come from the Ford Full Size and the Escape and other CUV models.
In the demo for these mid size trucks they all are attracting many CUV buyers. I never expected that but it is true.
If the Ranger is truly a better truck, then the threat is quite real… though that doesn’t necessarily matter, as we have seen with the K2 variants vs. the current/aluminum F-150, with brand loyalty playing a big role.
However, Ford is rumored to be planning to stuff its 3.5L EcoBoost into the Ranger… the one that makes 370 hp and 470 lb-ft (in the F-150) mated to the 10-speed auto. GM will have some issues here. Besides the obvious power differences, GM’s clunky and confused 8L 8-speed will hold no candle to the 10-speed auto in the Ranger. I’m not sure if Ford will actually offer this combination yet… but GM would really need to shoehorn the LF3/LF4 to compete on this level. The Camaro V-6 (LGX) you reference is already in the Colorado and Canyon as the LGY… just with a few small modifications. That won’t help.
So long as these mid-size trucks are $10-15k below their full-size cousins, there isn’t a concern for cost. It’s the same as people paying $30,000 for a loaded up Cruze or the same amount for a mid-range Malibu or base Impala.
Agree 100% with you Alex. GM needs to move with the time they have and stay out in front of Ford.
Get that 8spd programmed better and get at minimum the 3.0TT from the CT6 in it.
Freshen up the interior and front end, and stamp the tailgate with CHEVROLET like we’ve now seen on the 2019 Silverado.
They shouldn’t wait to make these changes for the 3rd gen Colorado in 2021/2022
Alex you know better than this as you know how this game works unlike many others.
The case here is Ford, GM and Toyota owners seldom jump ship no matter what the others offer. The mfg leap frog and trump each other in short order.
I have been a S10, Sonoma and now Canyon owner and heavily involved in the GM midsize community.
The Ford could offer a 370 ho. engine but it would only be in a Raptor like truck that accounts for 19% at best of all sales. Reports are they have a milder V6 coming that will be the norm. The Diesel and Turbo 4 would be greater threats.
The bigger issue here is Ford will only offer the crew short bed. No long bed or extended cab that GM does a good number of. Fleet sales and many owners love the long bed. Fits motorcycles much better.
the 8 speed is not an issue in the twins. It is smooth and if you check the Forum people love it. A limited number have had a vibration and there is a TSB that addresses it with a simple flush. Some units were treated to a rust inhibitor that cataminsted the fluid. Mine is as smooth as glass as are most others on the Forum. The 6 speed was the issue.
The engine in mine is a LGZ new for 17. Great engine. If this were a Camaro more power would be nice but 0-60 in low six seconds is all that is really needed in a truck like this. Mpg is a little more important here. Getting 15 mpg would be unacceptable.
The turbo in the ZR2 would be fun. But it would get to or over $50k. Also it is not a simple bolt in. The edition of cooling. Inter coolers and just getting the pluming in would take some work. Also new epa test and possible crash test could be required.
The bottom line is the Ford will be a good truck and they will mostly draw Ford fans just as the other draw their core groups.
To be honest led lights and sun roof would do more to attract buyers than a high dollar limited model.
The people who leave GM for the most will be first time buyers who jump brands often and they are not the norm.
Price will play a major roll here. The upper limit is $40k and sales drop off fast past that. Full size trucks are not $10k to $15k more as incentives on the full size drop prices fast.
I shopped the Sierra extra cab loaded with heated wheel, vented seats, even a sun roof. V8 and 22” wheels. It stickers at $54k and was cut yo $41k just $2k over my Denali. Other full size are incentive to the same price and in the case of the Allstar LT even cheaper than many mid size models. The twins see little to no incentive to this point. Last year deals were tough to find.
I got one of the better deals as I shopped a $45k Densli that was headed to the floor plan and they wanted to move it so it was one of few truck that got the GM discount tag.
We will get a major refresh around the Ranger arrival and a replacement in 22 as a 23.
I do see the Ranger coming will help GM speed up changes much like the Camaro and Mustang do to each other. Compition improved the product and right now the GM truck is best in class and a better Ranger can bring more GM improvements.
The thing with midsize trucks right now is a lot of people are coming from different types of vehicles from different brands. If we were talking full size trucks I would agree that there is enormous brand loyalty dick measuring. But these are the midsize ‘lifestyle’ trucks
Spend the time on the Colorado Canyon forum and really learn where they are coming from.
A few from other brands but most from GM.
Then you have the two groups of buyers on size, some like me buy it because I want a smaller truck. There ar3 others who look but buy the larger because they feel they get
Ting a better deal. That is when they measure.
Members on a forum are a very skewed sample of people.
I don’t think GM/Chevy has made any recent claims, but when the Colorado returned from it’s hiatus Chevy claimed something like 70% were conquest sales, meaning they came from other brands.
GMs entire strategy was to market these trucks to non-truck people. They went with more of a Ridgeline strategy than a full size truck strategy.
Plans do not always go as the expect.
“…stamp the tailgate with CHEVROLET…”
That’s a reason sales will increase? Really?
It’s an easy way to refresh the rear end and bring it’s styling enqueue with it’s big brother. Whereas new tail lights would require DOT certification.
It’s a refresh as whole that maintain relevancy between generations, not just one paraphrashed item.
the ecoboost and 10speed would bring competition back to the segment. Currently the Colorado is hands down the best truck in the segment. Toyota and Nissan dont come close the the truck in quality or performance, but they sell lots as Toyota has a better image amongst less savey car people. Its a shame that it gets overlooked simply because its a chevy. If ford actually brings a racing horse to this segment then GM wont be far behind! in fact I bet they kick into overdrive!
Ford should offer several power trains with the Ranger. As many here wish for the “more HP” variant (as a small “Raptor”), I wish for the hybrid power train (taken from the C-Max/Fusion) for the economy minded buyers, who just want a simple pick-up but better MPG. Ford did offer and sold battery-powered rangers, and many gas engine powered Rangers were converted. So Ford, with its new “electrification” vision, should do both a hybrid and a plug-in (“Lightning”) variant of the new Ranger.