Ford’s Ranger 4X4 XLT – WIDE RANGING

Ford’s Ranger 4X4 XLT

WIDE RANGING

I don’t love trucks, but I sure like trucks. During Covid, when my wife and I didn’t want to fly, we bought a small trailer and Ford’s F-150 to tow it. Not too long after that, we bought a larger trailer, and traded the F-150 for a heavy-duty Ram. We had absolutely nothing against the comparable F-250…but we liked the Ram’s availability and interior trim. In hindsight, our bump in trailer size should have been moderated, and we’d have been able to keep the ½ ton F-150.

I’m not sure if towing a trailer is in our future, but if it is, keeping that trailer under 4,000 pounds – the R-Pod R192 is just one example – and towing it with a midsize pickup would seem, at least for us, to be the ticket. And with the absolute profusion of midsize pickups, there’s never been more choices, designed to meet any – and every! – potential need. Our test truck, a 2024 Ranger XLT fitted with the available Advanced Tow package and its attendant Tech package ($2305), hits the sweet spot between utility and affordability. With so many trucks boasting – if that’s the word – $80K window stickers, for a comfortably equipped pickup with all-wheel drive to come in at just under $46,000 seems like a huge win. It ain’t a moon landing, but if you’re sensitive to the higher costs of just about everything, you have to like Ford’s pricing posture on its mid-level XLT.

Redesigned for 2024, there’s a lot that looks familiar when compared to its immediate predecessor, introduced in 2019. The greenhouse is more expansive, but the sheetmetal continues the quiet tone of its predecessor, and doesn’t follow GM and Toyota with their more expressive flares and almost menacing front fascias. If you hold onto a truck for a decade, the Ranger may not excite;at least visually, however, it should prove easy to live with. 

Inside, the XLT brings with it a conventional key, separate controls for HVAC and audio on/off, and a vertically arranged infotainment that’s about what we’ve come to expect from that tech in 2025. It’s not immediately intuitive, but then, doesn’t really confound.

What’s most impressive is the expansive view behind the wheel, along with what feels like – to me – a perfect footprint for going down the road and then (inevitably) parking at your destination. Despite some harshness from the XLT’s 4X4, offroad-esque suspension, this isn’t uncomfortable – and you can traverse our pothole-infested infrastructure with abandon. If there’s a negative to the XLT’s offroad chops, it’s the relatively high step-in for this 29-inch inseam. Like the Tacoma reviewed here a couple of months ago, there’s no hand hold on the driver’s side A-pillar, and that makes ingress harder in dry weather…and potentially hazardous in wet weather. 

Another aspect of the Ranger interior I couldn’t connect with was its Sandstone Premium cloth seating. Why-the-hell you equip anything called ‘truck’ with beige cloth is beyond me. Thankfully, aftermarket vendors such as Katzkin leather are available, and you’ll find installation in most metro areas. It’d be worth it.

And with the 2024 redesign the Ford Ranger is only available in 4-door, SuperCrew configuration; that’s fine for those of you with families, less so for those of you with a dirt bike. The additional doors shorten the bed, and while a bed is still more versatile than that Bronco Sport, an extended cab with a longer bed works better with your stuff. I’m not on the product team – and never will be – but I don’t understand why those that are can often forget what trucks are supposed to do.

Under the Ranger hood was Ford’s excellent 2.3 liter EcoBoost four connected to a 10-speed automatic. Off-the-line response is good, as it should be with 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. But where the drivetrain truly comes into its comfort zone is north of 20 miles per hour, where the Ranger’s 4,000+ pounds just kinda’ hums along. The new Ranger, even in this mid-level XLT trim, is completely roadworthy. And, at an observed 20 miles per gallon, won’t bankrupt you.

In 2025 you’ll be hard-pressed to find a bad choice among the various midsize offerings. If you’re a Ford loyalist you won’t be disappointed. But if you’re on the fence over which truck to choose, you need to take a close look at all the offerings. I like what the Ranger has to offer…but skip the beige cloth. Forgawdsake.