Overview & Reviews

They say that in the event of Armageddon, the only thing to survive will be cockroaches. Well, there's a good chance you'd see some old Ford Rangers cruising around, too. This compact pickup truck soldiered on with relatively few revisions for nearly three decades. Of course, there were styling and interior overhauls over the decades, but the platform and most mechanicals underneath it all were practically Jurassic. Even those styling and interior updates dated back to the 1990s.

Older Rangers aren't quite as out of date compared to competitors of similar age. And given its wide choice of trim styles and lower pricing than comparable Japanese rivals, a well-maintained late-model Ford Ranger could be a good choice for a used pickup, provided you don't need a lot of passenger capacity or horsepower. But if you're looking for a relatively new used compact or midsize pickup, the Ford Ranger pales in comparison to other trucks with their more powerful engines, roomier crew-cab body styles and greater overall refinement.

Used Ford Ranger Models
The most recent generation of the Ford Ranger was produced from 2001 through 2011 and typically came in four different flavors: XL, XLT, Sport, and the off-road-oriented FX4. Depending on the year, there were also the monochromatic Edge, sporty STX and sound system-centered Tremor. Only standard and extended cab body styles were offered, as there was still no crew cab version.

Engine selection consisted of a 2.3-liter four-cylinder, a 3.0-liter V6 (until 2009) and a 4.0-liter V6. Output of the smaller engines varied slightly depending on year, with the 2.3 making 135-143 horsepower and the 3.0 making 148-154 hp. The 4.0 made 207 hp. Transmission choices included a five-speed manual and a five-speed automatic for all engines, though initially the 4.0-liter V6 came only with the automatic.

Although nimble on- and off-road due to its true compact size, even this latest version of the Ranger was seriously dated in terms of features and available body styles. While its midsize rivals offered roomy crew-cab (four-door) models, more modern features and much more powerful V6 engines, the Ranger made do with standard and extended-cab configurations only, and relatively low-tech power plants.

The second generation of the Ranger ran from 1993 through 2000. Styling was less blocky than the first-gen truck and the cabin was likewise updated with less angular forms. Standard and extended cab body styles were offered, but they were joined by a stylish, flareside bed version dubbed the Splash. Under the hood was the expected choice of a four- or six-cylinder engine. Notable changes throughout this generation are the availability of four-wheel antilock brakes in 1995, a five-speed automatic transmission (versus four-speed) for V6 models in '97 and freshened styling for '98.

Introduced for 1983, the Ford Ranger started life as a standard-cab, four-cylinder compact pickup truck with a choice of two bed lengths. The mid-'80s saw the introduction of the extended-cab body style known as the "SuperCab," which offered jump seats that were best left to kids. The Ranger continued through the early '90s with minor upgrades to the powertrains and small cosmetic changes.

User Reviews:

• 

  Update September 2015 of my 2010 initial review. - 2010 Ford Ranger
  By Billy Rockfish - September 8 - 1:50 pm

  If you can find a good used Ford Ranger of this vintage, buy it. The only non-maintenance item that ever gave me trouble was the fuel pump. It quit at around 38K. Ford replaced it under warranty (Honolulu Ford) no questions no cost. Truck is getting ready to turn 70K. I have the 2.3 Litre DOHC four with the 5-speed automatic (drop down menu does not let me select automatic). Did my 60K servicing at 57K replaced the Continentals with Firestone Discovery tires (better quality) brake job done at 63K (amazing since I drive in the City and County of Honolulu which is well known for having heavy traffic). Replaced the Ford stock shocks with Monroe-Matics. Still a stiff and jounce-bouncey ride, but after all - it IS a truck! A/C still blows ice cold and I am VERY PLEASED with this little truck. I will keep this forever as most people out here keep their Rangers for many miles and many years. Impossible to find a used Ranger on Oahu there are some in lots on Maui. A drunk driver plowed into my Ranger and it was almost totaled, however an expert body shop (approved by my insurer) did a good job on the repair and is very much roadable with no degradation in driveability or safety. This 10 Ford Ranger is one of the best vehicles Ive ever owned and last Sunday (9/6/15), I got the best economy ever with 30.5 mpg. Great truck !!

• 

  CANT GO WRONG - 1995 Ford Ranger
  By Royal Bargo - August 31 - 12:57 pm

  I have had my ranger since i was 15 in 2005, it had roughly 120,000 mls on it and the motor look rough. At first i thought i made a 2,000 dollar mistake. I still have that truck now 2015, with over 500,000 mls on it. There aint a price on my old truck.

• 

  A lot of bang for the small truck buck!!! - 2003 Ford Ranger
  By BillD - July 31 - 3:56 pm

  Ive owned my 2003 4 door super cab tremor edition edge ranger since it was new. The truck rides like a Cadillac on the highway and it aint so bad on a dirt road. Ive owned S10s with the Vortec 4.3 litre V6 and I swear I dont see a lot of difference in my Rangers 3.0 power plant. The truck will pull a heavier load that the S10s ever thought of. The sport side is just plain sexy to look at and the alloy wheels that came on the truck are good enough that Ive never thought about custom wheels for this truck. It hauls what I need it to in the back bed including all my camping gear and 4 Wheeler. Ive pulled heavy loads up hills through crappy roads ect and it does a wonderful job. I just rolled 202,000 on the odometer and the only thing Ive done to this truck is change the oil, plugs and wires and air filters. Its a little beast of a truck and if you take care of it itll take care of you. I live in Georgia and I wouldnt be afraid to fire her up and drive to Vegas because I know she will get me home. The only complaint I have is the jump seats in the back. Forget hauling 4 grown ups in the cab but two adults ride in comfort. I!m 63" and it fits me well. I highly recommend this truck as a definite buy if you find a good used one. They last forever.

• 

  Keep on trucking! - 2011 Ford Ranger
  By crimsoncoasty1 - July 1 - 11:36 pm

  This is my second Ranger and I love it. Im a Ford guy and had a 2007 King Ranch F-150 with all the bells and whistles and it was time to get back to the basics. I owned a 96 Ranger Sport V6 and missed my "little" red truck. The reliability, compact workhorse is all I ever needed. The gas mileage is better compared to the V8 Triton and its nimbleness is perfect to whip it anywhere I want. The 4x4 keeps me out of jambs and the upkeep is easy compared to Abilene Kimg Ranch leather. I love it!

• 

  great all around (157,000 miles lifted 5 inches on 33 inch tires) - 2000 Ford Ranger
  By ross44 - February 2 - 1:07 am

  Love my ranger Ive had it a little over 2 years 4x4 lifted awesome little thing great off roading truck not as much power as f-150 but gets the job done mines pushing just under 200 horse great daily driver also get lots of head turns 2000 ford ranger Dark green ext cab step side 6 1/2 foot bed

• 

  1998 Ranger XLT - 1998 Ford Ranger
  By andrejp - January 11 - 4:18 pm

  This is my 6th vehicle. I owned a Ranger a few years back and had to sell it because i moved to Hawaii. When i moved back i made a dumb mistake and bought a new Hyundai only to crash it less then a year after i purchased it. Soooo i knew its time to go back to the one true truck that i know will last forever. Rangers are built to last and theyre built TOUGH. I bought this one for $3500 with 133k miles on it and i know itll last me for atleast another 160k miles easy. I will never own another vehicle. You cant go wrong with a Ford.

• 

  Totally worth it love this truck - 1996 Ford Ranger
  By dangerranger48 - December 4 - 12:20 pm

  i traded a newer car for this truck have to say it was worth yes its had some problems but nothing serious the biggest problem ive had is iac valve going out 40 dollar part and the tailgate handle broke this truck runs great smooth riding i would have another one

• 

  EXCELLENT TRUCK - 1999 Ford Ranger
  By lutorr6 - November 26 - 9:18 pm

  I bought my 1999 Ford Ranger brand new with 13 miles on it. It was the best purchase I have ever made. My truck is extremely reliable. It has never left me stranded. The parts are cheap. It gets descent gas mileage. I LOVED MY TRUCK. My current mileage is 310,000. If you considering buying a truck, I would highly recommend a Ford Ranger. It was the best purchase I ever made.

• 

  Cant argue with it! - 1994 Ford Ranger
  By smoo4asw - October 30 - 3:46 pm

  We were expecting to pay $275 to get the fuel injectors cleaned out but someone at our local AutoZone showed us a quicker and arguably better way to get it done. We put one can of Sea Foam in the gas tank and another directly into the engine through one of the vacuum lines, and then we went from having 6.75% of the total emissions being CO to only 0.02% after the smoke completely cleared! It hasnt done that good since it was new, and back then we didnt need emissions testing. This truck is such a faithful servant to us that we would rather repair or replace whatever might go wrong than start all over again. Not having a car payment is tops.

• 

  Solid truck- Ranger Extended cab 2006 XL V6 3.0 2WD - 2006 Ford Ranger
  By meatdowntown - August 23 - 9:38 pm

  I considered my 2006 ranger a solid truck. I am not impressed with the mileage, but I think I can live with it. I should have bought a 4x4 if I knew they were going to go out of the market, but oh well. I was ready to trade it in about two months ago and realized that the only competitors (Toyota and Nissan) have the same problems with fuel economy and dated models. They have added fun stuff like USB ports, etc but cruise control is still optional? That is kind of crazy. Pros: It handles well on the highway, low price compared to the Japanese models, cheap repairs. Cons: no cruise control, no steering wheel with positions adjustment, questionable fuel economy, clunky ride, bad brakes.