Text by Tom Appel
2026 Ford Ranger XLT Sport 4X4
Class: Midsize Pickup Truck
Country of manufacture: United States
Seating capacity: 5
Color: Colonial White
| CG Report Card | |
|---|---|
| Room and Comfort | B |
| Power and Performance | B+ |
| Fit and Finish | B- |
| Fuel Economy | B+ |
| Value | B |
| Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide's impressions of the entire model lineup. | |
| Big & Tall Comfort | |
| Big Guy | B |
| Tall Guy | A |
| Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. "Big" rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, "Tall" rating based on 6'6"-tall male tester. | |
| Drivetrain | |
| Engine Specs | 315-horsepower, 2.7-liter |
| Engine Type | Turbocharged V6 |
| Transmission | 10-speed automatic |
| Drive Wheels | 4WD |
Miles Driven: 121
Observed fuel economy: 20.5
Driving mix: 65% city, 35% highway
EPA-estimated fuel economy: 18/23/20 (mpg city/highway/combined)
Fuel type: Regular gas
Base price: $39,375 (not including $1895 (destination charge)
Options on test vehicle: Equipment Group 301A ($1250), 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine ($2295), 3.73 locking rear axle ($420), Advanced Tow Package ($1845), all-weather mats ($160), running boards ($750), side step ($215), Pro Power Onboard 110-volt power supply ($570), satellite radio subscription plan ($300), spray-in bedliner ($525)
Price as tested: $49,600
Audio-System Brand
N/A
Audio-System Quality
Poor Fair Good Very-Good Excellent
Pros and Cons
The great: Great ride and handling, plenty of power, comfortable on the road
The good: Optional V6 runs fine on regular-grade gasoline, tidy foot prints means easier maneuverability
The not so good: Low-rent fit and finish, pricey options
Review
It may not be a coincidence that Ford sells two of the country’s three smallest pickup trucks. The Johnny-come-lately compact Maverick has proven to be a crowd pleaser, sporting easy-to-park, urban-friendly dimensions as well as accessible pricing and available hybrid power.
Midsize Pickups by Size
But it’s the midsize Ford Ranger pickup that surprises with its tidy dimensions. Only slightly larger in over all footprint than Nissan’s Frontier, the Ranger is—for those who care—one of the smallest midsize trucks on the market.
Note that Consumer Guide named the Frontier a 2026 Best Buy pick in the midsize truck category, this largely because of its trim figure and low starting price. You can read our take on the 2026 Frontier here.
Here’s a list of 2026 small and midsize pickup trucks, present in size from smallest to largest. We determine each truck’s “footprint” by multiplying its length by its width. Check it out:
Ford Maverick
Length (inches): 200-201
Bed length (feet): 4.5
Wheelbase (Inches): 121
Width (inches): 73
Size/foot print: (square feet): 102
Nissan Frontier
Length (inches): 210
Bed length (feet): 5.0-6.0
Wheelbase (Inches): 126
Width (inches): 73
Size/foot print: (square feet): 106
Ford Ranger
Length (inches): 211
Bed length (feet): 5.0
Wheelbase (Inches): 129
Width (inches): 73
Size/foot print: (square feet): 107
Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon
Length (inches): 213
Bed length (feet): 5.1
Wheelbase (Inches): 131
Width (inches): 75
Size/foot print: (square feet): 111
Jeep Gladiator
Length (inches): 218
Bed length (feet): 5.0
Wheelbase (Inches): 137
Width (inches): 74
Size/foot print: (square feet): 112
Toyota Tacoma
Length (inches): 213-226
Bed length (feet): 5.0-6.0
Wheelbase (Inches): 132-145
Width (inches): 77
Size/foot print: (square feet): 114-121
Honda Ridgeline
Length (inches): 210
Bed length (feet): 5.3
Wheelbase (Inches): 125
Width (inches): 79
Size/foot print: (square feet): 115
Growing in Size
Question: When dd the Toyota Tacoma become one of the largest vehicles in its class?
You may recall when trucks like the Ranger and Tacoma were considered “compact” but that is no longer the case. Not only have the trucks gown in size—and weight, and cost—they are now nearly the size of full-size pickup trucks from only a few generations ago.
Perhaps this explains the popularity of the Maverick, which accounted for 155,000 sales in 2025. Not only is Ford’s smallest pickups arguably adorbs, it’s also easy on the gas and can be maneuvered into tight parking garages.
And while the Maverick may meet the needs of many pickup buyers, there are consumers looking for—at least occasionally—the payload, towing capacity, and legit off-road ability that the Ranger provides and the smaller truck does not.
But, in the case of the Ranger, that capability comes in one of the trimmest midsize pickup packages, making driving in the city, parking in a tight garage, and dodging through traffic just a little easier than it might be with another pickup.
For 2026, the Ranger is offered with a 4-door crew-cab body with a 5.0-foot bed. Power comes from either the standard 270-horsepower 2.3-liter “EcoBoost” turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, or the available 315-horse 2.7-liter turbocharged V6. A 10-speed automatic is the only transmission offered.
Prices and Trim Levels
Three trim levels are offered this year:
- XL ($35,445)
- XLT ($37,370)
- Lariat ($45,850)
- Raptor ($59,165)
Rear-wheel drive is standard on XL, XLT, and Lariat models, with part-time 4WD drive offered as a $3500 option.
Ranger Raptor
The Raptor, a specially designed off-road oriented Ranger variant comes with a 405-horsepower turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 and standard full-time 4WD.
Test Car
Consumer Guide recently spent a week behind the wheel of a 2026 Ford Ranger XLT in Colonial White featuring the Sport Appearance Package and 2.7-liter V6. All told, including options and destination charge, our test car came to $47,705.
Not Cheap
Last updated for the 2024 model year, the current Ranger doesn’t feel quite as upscale nor as modern as a contemporary new truck ought. For close to $50,000, we’d like to see premium seat fabric—or leather—and fewer hard-plastic trim details in the cabin.
Cabin
That said, the Ranger interior is tidy and well laid out, with primary controls falling easily to hand. The infotainment system worked seamlessly, though we were put off somewhat by all the white-and-black space on the touchscreen. The net effect of the colorless screen zones is to render the things a little dull. And, as long as we’re complaining, the standard Ranger 6-speaker audio system trails the competition in sound quality.
Room and comfort
In-cabin space is borderline generous, with ample rear-seat space for grown adults. Unfortunately, This large, tallish editor (6 foot, 1 inch) found he needed to duck to make it through the front door openings—a minor inconvenience. Once situated I found the driving environment quite pleasant.
Power and Performance
While we’ve sampled Rangers with the standard 2.3-liter engine and found it wholly satisfying, we found the optional 2.7-liter mill, as found under the hood of our test truck, a transformational piece of equipment, and well worth considering if you looking to seriously sport up your Ranger.
Throttle response is immediate, and delivery is smooth and constant. You as a new Ranger owners may find yourself looking for excuses to charge up and down on-ramps, or just pass traffic that isn’t hustling along quickly enough. The V6 sounds good when pushed, and the alert, smooth-shifting, 10-speed automatic seems to always be in the right gear.
Fuel Economy
Given the power, and the fun on tap when exploiting that power, we were surprised to break the 20 mpg barrier in routine testing. More good news? The optional V6 engine—like every Ranger powerplant—runs just fine or lower-cost regular-grade gasoline.
Ride and Handling
And, maybe this is in part a function of its size, but the Ranger is also a sporty handler, with firm, direct-feeling steering, strong brakes, and surprising control in corners. Sadly, the Sport Appearance Package, as seen here, is purely cosmetic, and brings nothing that impacts truck performance in any way.
Ride quality is excellent for a pickup truck, as is cabin quietness. Folks considering a Ranger for long relaxing drives will not be disappointed.
Value
While we’re a little startled by the price of our “small” pickup truck, it’s worth noting that it was equipped with a number of pricey options which may not be of value to all shoppers. The Advance Tow Package and running boards along add roughly $2500 to the bottom line. And, if you’re not power hungry, you skip the V6 options and pocket another $2300.
Ranger isn’t the cutting-edge near-luxury pickup some shoppers may be looking for, but it is a solid, functional, fun-to-drive small rig that may prove to be just the right size for shoppers looking for something both capable and garagable.
If Ranger is on your radar, be sure to also test-drive the Nissan Frontier, which boasts a nicer cabin, and lower bast prices. That said, Ranger is a fine truck that is also fun to drive.
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