Midsize truck fans can now start their dance of joy. At the Detroit Auto Show Ford revealed today that they will be bringing the Ford Ranger back.

The Ranger hasn’t been seen on the market in the US since 2011 when it was removed due to declining sales. Now, however, with Midsize Truck sales increasing steadily since 2014, Ford feels it is the right time to bring the Ranger back.

Back in Q1 2019

After a long eight years away, the Ranger will be available for sale during the first quarter of 2019. Targeted at the outdoor enthusiast, this new midsize truck displays an athletic look, perfect for off-roading, camping, and cycling.

The new Ranger will come with both SuperCab and SuperCrew Cab options, offering both a two and four-door configuration. The available XT, XLT, Lariat trim packages, and an FX4 off-road package will combine to give a lot of choices.

The FX4 trim will feature all-terrain tires, shocks tuned for off-road, frame mounted skid plates, a heavy-duty frame mounted steel front bash plate, and the FX4 badge. A terrain management system, similar to that found on the F-150 Raptor, will also be available.

Currently, the truck will come with the 2.3 L Eco-Boost engine with a 10-speed automatic transmission. Ford engineers are expecting to achieve best-in-class torque. While only a 4-cylinder engine, it is said to produce power comparable to its 6-cylinder competitors.

The Ranger, unlike its big brother the F-series, will be a combination of aluminum and steel construction. With an aluminum hood and tailgate, a steel frame, and steel bumpers, the truck should provide a good combination of strength with light weight for better fuel economy.

At this time no fuel economy projections have been released by Ford, but with the combination aluminum and steel construction, the numbers should prove to be positive.

Standard accessories with the new 2019 Ranger will include adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, automatic high-beams, parking aid, lane-keep assist, and Lane departure warning. Other driver-assist features will also be available.

As with all new Fords, the Sync3 will be available, and FordPass with Wi-Fi hotspot, allowing users to connect up to 10 devices within a 50 feet radius of the vehicle.

It will be controlled within a 3.8, four, or 8-inch touch-screen system, depending upon trim package chosen.

Made In Michigan

Ford's Michigan Assembly Plant will have the honor of producing the new truck. The Ranger will replace the Focus and C-Max which are currently in production there. While the Focus production will be moved to China, the C-Max will discontinue production once the Machine Assembly Plant has been retooled for the Ranger.

More information and a view of the Ranger's new athletic look are currently available online at the official Ford website.
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