When Ford re-introduced its Ranger as a midsize truck in 2019 the concept made sense to Chris Skelton. “I don’t think a full-size truck is entirely necessary unless you’re a contractor,” the Airdrie-based driver suggests. “It’s certainly not an option I’d ever consider, they’re just too big.”
While Skelton is not currently shopping for a midsize truck, he does say he could be looking for one in the not-too-distant future. He recently spent some time behind the wheel of a 2022 Ford Ranger XLT SuperCrew and shared his thoughts regarding the experience.
Ford’s Ranger comes in SuperCab (6-foot bed) and SuperCrew (5-foot bed) configurations. Trims include the SuperCab-only base XL, next level SuperCab or SuperCrew cab XLT and well-equipped crew cab only Lariat. All are powered by the same 2.3-litre EcoBoost turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine and 10-speed automatic transmission. Four-wheel drive is also a standard feature across all models. Skelton’s Ranger XLT, in Oxford White, included the Splash package. For an extra $1,700, this added numerous black accents such as a mesh grille, fender vents, bumpers and mirror caps. Also included is an exterior graphic, 18-inch matte black wheels and orange contrast stitching on the grey cloth-covered seats and steering wheel. The test truck was also equipped with Ford’s off-road inspired FX4 package. This gives the Ranger a tuned-suspension system, electronic locking rear differential and off-road tires. All in, including the optional spray in bedliner and trailer tow package, his test truck would have cost just a bit more than $50,000 before taxes to drive off the lot.
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“I thought it was a handsome vehicle,” Skelton says of the exterior design, and adds that he appreciated the four generously sized doors to access the cab. “I liked the stamped ‘Ranger’ name on the tailgate but felt it would have looked even better had it been finished in a contrast colour.”
Born and raised in Nottingham, England, Skelton’s first car was a 1977 Ford Escort Mk2 equipped with a 1.1-litre engine and five-speed manual transmission. He went on to serve in the RAF from 1991 to 2001, but in 2010 he and his wife, Jacqui, moved to Airdrie. They commute to Calgary for work, and his current daily driver is a 2020 Volkswagen Jetta GLI while Jacqui recently graduated from a 2019 Ford Edge to a ’22 Edge.
“Inside, the Ranger offered a comforting similarity to our ’19 Edge,” Skelton says. “It did differ though, with a proper handbrake lever and a gearshift lever rather than a button for the brake and a dial for the gear control. It didn’t take me long (Skelton is 5-feet 11-inches tall) to get comfortable in the power adjustable driver’s seat, and I spent quite a bit of time just pushing buttons and working through the various menus to discover all of the functions. Everything was easy to see and all controls were within reach.”
Overall fit and finish, inside and out, is “very nice,” Skelton says, and he adds, “There were no squeaks or rattles or loose panels. The steering wheel was nice and chunky.”
In everyday driving situations Skelton figures the 270 horsepower and 310 lbs.-ft of torque the engine produces is adequate. He drove it in the ‘normal’ drive mode for the most part but did experiment with the ‘sport’ setting, saying “(T)he throttle response is faster, the gearbox holds the gear longer, and it felt like everything tightened up – it changed the character of the truck considerably, and it was a lot of fun, but that does affect the fuel economy.” (see Skelton’s Driver’s Journal below for more on fuel efficiency). “The transmission works quietly in the background doing its job and I couldn’t feel its shift points – it’s very smooth.”
To give the suspension and steering a workout, Skelton drove the Ranger west from Calgary to Canmore over the twists and turns of Highway 1A. “The steering was precise with plenty of feedback through the nicely weighted steering wheel,” he says. “Road noise intruding into the cabin was minimal and the ride was considerably smoother than I initially thought it would be with the chunky off-road tires fitted to the vehicle.”
Skelton did not attempt to haul any large pieces of cargo but did lay his mountain bike down flat in the bed without any drama. More than one bike, though, would require them to stand up and hang out the back over the tailgate.
“I think the Ranger would suit a young family, two parents and two kids,” Skelton says. “It would easily haul hockey gear, and you could tow a small trailer (7,498 lbs. towing capacity when properly equipped).”
Overall, Skelton was most impressed with the Ranger’s ease of use. “It’s just a sensible size. It was easy to park at home on the driveway or squeezing into a tight space at the supermarket. The cameras and sensors are there and were helpful, but I didn’t use a lot of the technology in the truck out of personal preference.”
He concludes, “(The Ranger) is a compelling package of build quality, towing capacity, equipment level, options available and most importantly, value for money.”
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DRIVER’S JOURNAL
DAY 1
This particular truck comes fitted with the FX4 Off Road package and the Splash package. Personally, I would have also fitted the vehicle with some running boards because, as my wife pointed out, it is quite a climb up into, and quite the drop out of, especially if you’re not the tallest person. Mirrors are suitably sized for the vehicle.
DAY 2
Stretched its legs on a trip out to Canmore on Highway 1A. On the return journey, I took the Trans Canada to test out the adaptive cruise control. Controls on the left side of the steering wheel were easy to use, and I set the speed and distance to the vehicle in front (there are three settings for this) and took my foot off the accelerator. Overall, the system worked excellently, although I did notice a slight delay in the power engaging to maintain the speed when going uphill, and going downhill, the system allowed a 5km/h difference before it reacted. At those highway speeds, the vehicle cruised along quite happily at approx. 1,700rpm and the indicated fuel economy was showing 9L/100kms.
DAY 3
Just a quick trip to the supermarket to pick up provisions. It was bright and sunny and eye protection was required. The digital display I’m happy to say is still clear and easily readable even when wearing polarised sunglasses.
DAY 4
Still dark when I left for work this morning, and that gave me an opportunity to test another feature on this vehicle – the auto dimming rear-view mirror. It is quick and effective, but this got me thinking about something I’ve often wondered about, why is it that vehicle manufacturers do not automatically install auto dimming exterior mirrors to their vehicles? Parked the vehicle in our staff parking lot, and it drew some attention from my colleagues who asked me about my experience so far and were eager to look inside.
DAY 5
After getting to work, I checked the consumption figures on the trip computer, and I’m averaging 9.2L/100km. In Normal Drive mode, the power and acceleration are sufficient for everyday real-world driving but I did try Sport over a longer distance. Upon parking on the driveway, I checked the trip computer to see how it affected the average consumption, and it showed that it had increased slightly to 9.4L/100km.
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DAY 6
After a day parked at work in the blazing hot sun, it was time to really crank up the A/C to see how well it copes with cooling down the cabin. And, the answer is, very well indeed. My commute has a long stretch of Northbound driving, and in the late afternoon at this time of year, the sun is just low enough to come in behind my sunglasses, however, the large sun visors made short work of that, and they slide over to well beyond the door frame, which is ideal. With the A/C working hard, and the stop-go traffic of an afternoon commute, the average fuel consumption still showed 9.4L/100km.
DAY 7
My last full day with the Ranger. Had the tunes on the drive home a little louder on the stereo, and even though it is the standard and not the upgraded Bang & Olufsen system, I cannot complain about the quality of the sound. You can also sync your phone with the vehicle system, although I did not do this. However, from the ease of use of all the other systems, I would guess it would be a simple process.
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