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2025 Buick Enclave vs Honda PilotNew vs Used: Ford Ranger
The 2022 Ford Ranger gets a retro-inspired appearance package but is it enough to make it a better value than a used Ranger?
Is It Better to Buy a New or Used Ford Ranger?
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Despite the fact that an all-new Ford Ranger is just around the corner, many buyers can’t wait for another model year before they purchase a truck. At the same time, parts shortages and a number of other factors have slowed production and caused some dealers to charge more for new cars and trucks. With that in mind, we’re digging deep into the details to figure out if it’s better to spring for a new 2022 Ranger or to find a lightly used Ranger pickup truck.
The current Ford Ranger has actually been available around the global automotive market for a long while. Despite that, we only got it here in the states starting in 2019. We’ll compare that year model against a new 2022 year model. We’ll compare specs, driving characteristics, interior features, and what trims are available. Then, we’ll pick a winner.
Specs
These two trucks are in all of their most important ways identical. Each one uses a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a 10-speed automatic transmission, and either rear or four-wheel drive. Both make 270-horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. Since each truck is sitting on the same platform and has the same power it probably won’t be surprising to you that they get similar fuel economy.
The EPA estimates that both will get between 18 and 23 mpg combined depending on how the truck is configured. Buyers can select from either a SuperCab with a six-foot bed or a SuperCrew with a five-foot bed. In addition to these factors, each truck is available in three different trim levels. We’ll get into those in more depth later on but the point is the same, these trucks look nearly identical on paper.
Pricing is perhaps the most interesting factor. It’s hard to find a used 2019 Ranger with less than 20,000 miles for less than $30,000. In fact, that price is a bit on the low side. On the other hand, the new Ranger can be had all over the place for around $35,000. Depending on mileage, options, and trim, the total net cost can be over $45,000 for new and used Ford Rangers. So let’s find out if there are other factors that will make the used pickup truck look more attractive to your wallet.
Driving Characteristics
The 2.3-liter turbocharged motor under the hood of the Ford Ranger is a really great powerplant. Pair it with the brand’s silky-smooth 10-speed automatic and you get a real winner. In fact, when implanted in the XL trim, this pickup truck is kinda fast. Even when you add weighty options through the other trims, it’s still punchy enough that nobody will describe it as slow. In addition, it’s fairly easy to hustle around corners and it doesn’t complain much when it needs to change direction quickly. That’s a real feather in the Ranger’s cap that the marginally larger F-150 can’t claim.
Pedal and steering feedback could be improved though. Both feel a bit numb and less communicative than we’d prefer. On the highway, the transmission shift logic takes more throttle input to downshift than we expect. We also found that in situations where multiple sharp inputs were required that it was easy to lose a sense of exactly what the front wheels were doing until the truck was settled back in its lane. At the same time, those rare occasions shouldn’t dissuade the average driver since the Ranger is a competent driver otherwise. No notable upgrades to the on-road driving experience were made between 2019 and 2022. The off-road side of the Ranger did see small updates though.
Each year it seems that Ford changes the off-road package to a different name and includes a couple of different parts. In 2019, it was simply called the Off-Road Package and came with a number of features including all-terrain tires, upgraded shocks, a skid plate, a locking rear axle, and front tow hooks. In 2022, Ford calls it the Tremor Off-Road Package and many of the features are identical. Two key differences are the addition of Fox Shocks and a .8-inch lift over the standard Ranger.
Interior Comfort
In that same vein, Ford hasn’t really added much on the inside either. The cabin contains lots of hard plastics that are easy to clean and hard to break. Visibility is excellent in every direction and the front seats are adjustable enough that just about anyone can get comfortable. The rear seats are very cramped in the SuperCab and those who don’t need them can remove them altogether. The SuperCrew is a much nicer four-passenger vehicle. The XL and XLT will feature cloth upholstery but leather can be had on the top trim level.
The base-level truck gets a tiny infotainment screen that is objectively outdated by most standards but again, the upper trims see that improve. On the downside, there aren’t physical buttons for many often-used infotainment features so you’ll need to poke and prod at the touchscreen more often than we’d like.
Audiophiles in the market can look for a Ranger with the optional 10-speaker Bang and Olufsen sound system. It provides a rich audio experience with good depth, bass, and clarity. Again, all of these features are available on both the new and used Ranger. One small place where they deviate is that the 2022 Ranger XL can be equipped with the Sync3 infotainment system while the used Ranger cannot.
Trims & Features
Both trucks start out with the XL trim and a number of identical features like 16-inch steel wheels, a manually locking tailgate, power windows, cloth upholstery, air conditioning, and a four-speaker infotainment system. The 2022 Ranger adds a Wi-Fi hotspot. Both feature forward collision mitigation.
The XLT trim is next and for 2019 it offers 17-inch alloy wheels, parking sensors, fog lights, cruise control, keyless entry, a household-style 110-volt power outlet, a remote tailgate locking, as well as a 4.2-inch infotainment system with Sync. Ford also includes CoPilot360 with blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-keep assist.
The 2022 Ranger XLT sees one major upgrade on those standard features which is an 8-inch infotainment system. Sadly, it doesn’t come with the 110-volt power outlet or the rear parking sensors. Both are features you’ll have to add as options.
At the top of the line is the Lariat trim. In 2019, it came with 18-inch wheels, LED headlights, LED tail lights, power-adjustable heated front seats, leather upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, an 8-inch infotainment system, and an LED cargo lamp.
For 2022, the Ranger added remote ignition. Both trucks have a number of additional options that come in different packages. For example, adaptive cruise control, automatic wipers, a universal garage door opener, and special graphics are all available. The Splash appearance package is a good example of that but is only available for 2022. A trailer-tow package can be had on all three trims in either model year and the aforementioned off-road packages are worthy of note as well.
The Verdict
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There’s really nothing we can see to justify paying nearly as much for an older used Ranger as one would spend on a brand new model. Used 2019 Rangers are just holding their value too well at this point to make them a good value compared to a new truck. They’re also falling out of warranty coverage at this point too. The caveat is rare instances where a killer deal pops up in the used marketplace. For our money, we’d find any one of the trustworthy dealers in our network and pick up a brand new 2022 Ford Ranger with a full factory warranty and never look back.
