Ford is out testing the 2019 Ranger in Las Vegas against the truck’s main competition.
In the photos we see a host of new Rangers, all of which are wearing different bumpers and grille combinations. Most of the badges visible in the photos tell us that these Rangers are either XLT or Lariat trim.
Among the onslaught of new Ford midsize pickups, a lone Chevy Colorado and Toyota Tacoma can be seen, no doubt there to provide the engineers with a competitive set of data. The Colorado appears to be a standard model and not the off-road focused ZR2 variant, though the Tacoma looks to be a TRD Off-Road model.
So far, Ford has only announced a single engine option for the 2019 Ranger, so it makes sense that the brand would be out testing a new second choice. At launch, the Ranger will be exclusively available with a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, hooked to a ten-speed automatic.
The midsize trucks from Chevy and Toyota use either naturally aspirated four- or six-cylinder engines, so it’s possible that Ford is testing something without a turbocharger for the Ranger. A diesel option could also be in the cards for the Ranger to better compete with the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon, but of course, Ford has been tight lipped on other what, if any, other engine choices will become available.
Just the simple fact that Ford is out testing is a good sign that the hardware on the 2019 Ranger is in for an upgrade.
What we’re truly hoping is that Ford is out testing parts for its new Ranger Raptor off-road truck that we’re hoping to see soon. Recently, a left-hand drive version of the truck was spotted testing in North America, further pointing to Ford bringing a midsize Raptor to fruition.
We’ll have to wait and see.
What would you like to see on the 2019 Ranger? Let us know in the comments below.
Thanks to Ivan Mezquita for the photos.
