For comparison purposes, Ford brought a few 2018 Toyota Tacomas along on the first drive event. After 2011, the Tacoma became the de facto small truck in the US market, newer and nicer than any used Ranger you could put hands on.
But times change. The Tacoma, last redesigned in 2015, is showing its age. It's a little too cramped in the footwells, with a windshield that's a little too short. The V6 sounds nice, but you've really got to kick it—and wait for a dramatic downshift from the six-speed auto—to get it moving. Road noise and pavement blemishes come rumbling through.
The old Ranger used to feel like that. In a way, it was charming. But it wasn't a truck for the 21st century. The new Ranger is bigger, more powerful, and more capable than any of its predecessors could have hoped to be. And that's reflected in the price—at $25,395 for a short-cab 4x2, rising to nearly $40,000 for a four-door 4x4 Lariat with no options, this certainly isn't the Ranger you remember.
