Ford’s smallest pickup truck leaked ahead of the 2018 Detroit Auto Show debut. Though, the uncovered vehicle has been caught in Thailand, so the U.S.-specs 2019 Ford Ranger might be a little bit different from the model you see here.
In any case, the 2019 Ranger is definitely getting an extensively refreshed exterior styling. Most of the changes are positioned in the front, where the pickup truck hosts a totally new grille, a pair of redesigned LED headlights and a tweaked bumper with a larger air intake. The two-bar grille looks quite interesting, though we have to say that predecessor’s bumper seems somehow more attractive. The new truck features pretty much the same profile, which is logical because this isn’t going to be a fully-redesigned but just an updated vehicle. As far as we can see, the only new things at sides are chromed door handles. The shiny material embellishes the rear end, too. More precisely, it covers most of the rear bumper.
The U.S.-specs Ford Ranger will use the same body-on-frame platform the Australian version. Still, we expect to some enhancement, because the architecture needs to accommodate a few new options under the hood. Today’s Ranger offers two oil-chugging options, but the North American version will get just one diesel. The mills will be replaced with a new 2.0-liter diesel, which should be able to generate around 205 horsepower. Aside it’s going to deliver more power than the predecessors the new unit will be mated to a new 10-speed auto transmission, which is a reason more to expect better fuel economy numbers as well. According to our insider, the 2019 Ford Ranger will likely keep the current 2.5-liter gas engine with 173 horsepower. Still, the North American buyers will probably want to get hands on the more potent version of the pickup truck. The vanilla model will reportedly use a 2.7-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo, which is able to pump out up to 325 horsepower and 375 lb-ft of torque. The V6 option will be mated to a 10-speed gearbox, of course.
Blue Oval will introduce the returnee in a few days, so stay tuned for the full coverage.
