Ranger

Make
Ford
Segment
Sports Car

It's amazing how things can change in just a few short years. Ford's attitude towards smaller pickup trucks is a prime example. The Blue Oval believed it made the right call back in 2012 to discontinue its long-running Ranger mid-size pickup truck. Americans would be more than happy to upgrade to the larger and more expensive Ford F-150, right? Not exactly. The Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon twins helped prove otherwise and Ford had no choice but to respond. This gave us today's reborn Ford Ranger but the automaker has apparently learned its lesson: small trucks still matter.

According to Automotive News, a rumor dating back to late 2018 regarding Ford's desire to launch a smaller pickup truck not only appears to be true but that the final product was recently shown to about 100 of its best-performing dealerships at an event in Tucson, Arizona.

Going by the codename 758, this sub-Ranger truck is said to go on sale by the end of next year with a starting price below $20,000 - roughly $5,000 cheaper than the base Ranger. Ford's goal is to sell at least 100,000 units annually and production is slated to take place in Mexico. In general, dealerships in attendance at the event were happy with what they saw. At the moment, the Ford EcoSport is the least expensive model in the lineup with a starting price just under $20k.

Previously, the Ford Fiesta held this honor with its $16,000 base price. Ford correctly understands the importance of offering a vehicle costing several thousand below $20k and given the continuing popularity of trucks in America, a sub-Ranger makes complete sense.

However, those hoping for a body-on-frame design are likely going to be disappointed. In all likelihood, this new truck will ride on a slightly modified version of the overseas-only Focus's platform, meaning it'll be FWD though we expect AWD to be offered. Power is expected to come from Ford's 1.5-liter turbo and/or the 2.0-liter turbo. An eight-speed automatic is also expected but no word yet whether a manual will be available.

Expect a US market launch to happen in late 2021 or early 2022.