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Presenting The All-New 2023 Ford Ranger: Bigger And Better
Nov 24, 2021
by Jay Traugott Reveal / 11 Comments
The midsize truck war rages on.
We knew it was coming soon and now it's finally arrived. Meet the new 2023 Ford Ranger. Revealed in right-hand-drive configuration, the latest midsize Ranger is a global pickup truck. Aside from possibly a few minor styling differences inside and out, this is the truck America will get.
Ford says it sought guidance from customers across the globe during the design and engineering stages. Over 5,000 interviews and dozens of customer workshops were held. They came away with three key focus areas: work, family, and play.
Development was led by the Blue Oval's Product Development Center in Australia, a country that knows a thing or two about off-roading. The new exterior has a bold look, featuring a new grille, C-clamp headlights, and enhanced wheel arches. For the first time, matrix LED headlights will be available. Fingers crossed this will be the case for the US, too. The taillights sport a similar styling theme to the headlights..
Three trims are included in the reveal: XLT, Sport, and Wildtrak. Again, these are overseas configurations so US trims will differ to varying degrees. Ford describes the cabin as "car-like" that comes packed with soft-touch materials and a portrait-style 10.1 or optional 12-inch touchscreen running the Sync4 infotainment system.
Underneath the tough-looking body lies an upgraded version of the T6 chassis though the wheelbase and track have both been stretched by nearly two inches (50 mm). This allows for a larger bed with an optional cargo management system.
The front-end structure is hydro-formed in order to create additional space in the engine bay for a new V6. Ford says that it "helps to future-proof the Ranger for other propulsion technologies." Read: a future all-electric model. That extra space serves another purpose by opening up the truck's front to allow more airflow to the radiator.
At launch, three turbo diesel engines will be offered (in Australia): a 3.0-liter turbo diesel V6, and single- and twin-turbo 2.0-liter inline four-cylinders. Specific output figures weren't given though the single turbo will have two levels of power and performance to suit the needs of small businesses and fleet buyers. The engine America is bound to get is the familiar 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder.
An updated 10-speed automatic will likely be America's transmission choice, though Australia is getting both a six-speed manual and automatic. Two four-wheel-drive systems, an electronic shift-on-the-fly system, or a full-time 4x4 system are on offer.
Nearly 600 factory-backed accessories will be available, depending on the market. Production for the new Ranger will begin next year in Thailand and South Africa for overseas markets. Details of America's new Ranger will come later and we expect it'll continue to be built at the Michigan Assembly Plant near Detroit.
