Ford Ranger (T6)

The previous Ford Ranger was the last of the American-made midsize pickup trucks ever made and because of customer shifts, the Ranger was axed from the lineup while the rest of the world have the current generation model, similar to what Japanese carmakers do when cars sold worldwide are not available in their home country. Thanks to you-know-who and as America shifts to more utlilitarian vehicles and with the rise of the Chevrolet Colorado, Ford decided to bring back the Ranger after eight years and it's about time Ford brought back the truck after its global success.

2019 Ford Ranger

The return of the Ford Ranger on American soil is good news for cowboys in the red states because having been around the world for eight years now, the fourth-generation Ford Ranger has landed Stateside so Americans can find out what are they missing since its eight-year disappearance.

2019 Ford Ranger interior

2019 Ford Ranger interior

So, what the Americans missing out from this Ranger after eight years? First and foremost, as today's midsize pickup trucks become more modern and macho, the Ranger keeps in tune with the times by delivering a muscular and modern design fit for a truck of that size. On the interior, it's surprisingly high-tech and comfortable for four or five people, which is great if you are trying to take your whole family to a Texas state fair or a road trip to the Grand Canyon with your mates.

When opted to a rear-wheel drive SuperCab, which is the base model of the new Ranger, it promises a maximum payload of just 1860lbs. The rear-wheel drive SuperCrew can do 1770lbs but whichever Ranger you'll choose, they're more than the payload limit set on the reborn Toyota Hilux, of course, therefore the Ranger wins.

2019 Ford Ranger

The Ranger's sole engine is a 2.3L EcoBoost four-cylinder engine mated to a 10-speed automatic gearbox. This engine produces 270hp of power, 310lb-ft of torque, 7500lbs of towing capacity, and combined fuel consumption of 23MPG for rear-wheel drive and 22MPG combined for four-wheel drive. That makes the Ranger more competitive than its chief rival, the Chevrolet Colorado.

When opted with the FX4 Off-Road Package, it features off-road monotube shocks, off-terrain tires too much to bear for the LTO, electronic-locking rear differential, and other exclusive features as well as Terrain Management System and Trail Control, the Ranger really stays true to the Built Ford Tough promise, meaning it has the guts to take on any challenge it come across, even in times when southern states are experiencing extreme weather that can flood a street in an instant.

Unlike the competition, the Ford Ranger offers a wide range of driver-assist technologies under the Ford Co-Pilot 360 banner such as BLIS with Cross-Traffic Alert, Lane-Keeping System, Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking, Auto High-Beam Headlamps, and Rear View Camera. They're all standard so you won't worry a thing when the next time you are setting off to a faraway neighborhood delivering stuff to potential customers and come back home to take kids to the mall or the playground.

The Ford Ranger starts at 24,300 US Dollars for the SuperCab while the four-door SuperCrew starts at 26,520 US Dollars, which is surprisingly as affordable as a now defunct Ford sedan. Now this is reasonably priced for a good-looking American pickup truck that made a comeback on American soil after almost a decade now. So, there we are, after almost a decade of disappearance, the return of the Ford Ranger really means business for this midsize pickup truck as it tries to pick up where the old Ranger left off and as more and more Americans are making the shift to more utlilitarian vehicles in the case of crossovers and trucks, the Ranger's fully prepared to cater the needs of the American public once again. Now that is the long-awaited comeback the Americans begged for.

Photo: Ford Motor Company