2022 Ford Ranger FX4 transportation test | Biden News

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Is the little ranger up to the task of big tasks?

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This is a 2022 Ford Ranger vehicle review where we will focus on how it transports and handles a bed full of heavy cargo. For a deeper dive into the Ford Ranger, check out the full Ranger road test or comparison test to see how it stacks up against the competition. You can also watch the video review below.

Ask most people why they own a half-ton pickup, and the inevitable answer you’ll get is that they need to haul something every now and then, and a smaller vehicle just won’t cut it. Our own Jill McIntosh often describes today’s half-ton trucks as TFB or Too Friggin’ Big, and I share an affinity for the powerful group of quarter-ton trucks like the Ranger, Toyota Tacoma, and Nissan Frontier.

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Announcement 2

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Our test truck is a 2022 Ford Ranger with the $1,400 FX4 off-road package and a very fancy set of side stripes. Those stripes are part of the $1,700 Splash Appearance Package, which also includes black-painted bumpers, custom wheels, orange grille accents, orange contrast stitching inside, and a few other aesthetic changes.

In Canada, the Ranger is available in Super Cab with a six-foot body or Super Crew with a five-foot body, like our tester. Mechanically, all Rangers sold in Canada have the option of low-range all-wheel drive. The only engine offered is a turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-four with 270 hp. and 310 lb-ft of torque. That’s plenty for a smaller truck, and the Ranger looks very peppy without it. And unlike other turbocharged offerings, these power figures are achieved on regular 87 octane fuel.

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Unlike the lightweight Ford Maverick, the Ranger has a body on frame, which means it can carry more weight in the bed. The Ranger is rated at 1,860 pounds (845 kg) and, when equipped with the $600 towing package, can tow an impressive 7,500 pounds (3,410 kg). For reference, the AWD EcoBoost Maverick has a 1,500 lb (680 kg) payload capacity and 4,000 lb (1,818 kg) towing capacity when equipped with the Towing Package. Another difference compared to the Maverick for loading cargo in the bed is that the Maverick has a noticeably lower bed and trunk floor height than the Ranger; especially when the Ranger has the FX4 off-road package, like our tester.

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A 1965 Volvo P1800 engine, transmission, and driveshaft are lifted onto this tall truck. The engine is about 345 pounds, the transmission is 90 pounds, and I would estimate the whole assembly to be around 450 pounds. I also carried the hood and a box of brake parts including the drums. When the truck was lowered from the lift onto the body, it dropped about three inches onto the rear leaf springs.

2022 Ford Ranger FX4
2022 Ford Ranger FX4

I would like more cargo anchors in the bed. Ranger has only four of them, one in each corner. This is sufficient for most jobs, but the Maverick has a handrail system that allows you to move the anchors to the position most convenient for the task at hand. These anchors are plastic, so maybe not as strong as the metal ones on the Ranger, but more flexibility is always nice.

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When the load was securely tied, it was time to set off. With a capacity of 270 hp. and with 310 lb-ft of torque, the Ranger doesn’t even notice the extra 500 pounds in the bed. And that makes sense, since even that bulky load is only 24 percent of the Ranger’s rated maximum payload. If anything, the extra weight in the bed makes the truck ride a little smoother without noticeable impact on fuel economy, handling, or power. For light to medium loads like this, the Ranger is more than up to the task.

2022 Ford Ranger FX4
2022 Ford Ranger FX4

I also used the Ranger to transport a six-piece set. The weight of the kit was negligible, but I was able to fit the whole kit in the bed, albeit with the tailgate down. For those light, irregularly shaped items, I really wish they had a rail system to tie everything to.

Overall, the Ranger is a powerful truck for those who don’t want the weight and fuel consumption of a full-size truck. The Ranger easily handles the needs of most pickup truck owners. We wish it offered more flexible mounting locations, but otherwise it was a very solid package.

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