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2006 Ford Ranger Pickup
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What's New?
The Ranger pickup gets revised styling front and rear, with a new grille that recalls the larger Super Duty pickups, and it also receives three new exterior colors. The Ranger Edge is now called the Ranger Sport.
Overview
In the 26 years since the Ranger made its debut, Ford's mid-size pickup has always seemed to stay some distance from its big F-series brothers. That changed a bit for 2006 with a revamp of Ranger’s exterior styling. The most prominent change is the nose, with a new grille that clearly marks the Ranger as the F-Series Super Duty's little brother.
Like the larger F-series, the Ranger offers a wide variety of configurations. Regular cab models are available with a 6-foot or 7-foot pickup bed; extended cabs have a 6-foot bed only, but offer a choice of two or four doors. The Ranger is available in no fewer than seven trim levels: XL, STX, XLT, Sport, FX4 Off-Road, FX4 Level I, and FX4 Level II. Anti-lock brakes are standard across the board.
Powertrain options consist of a 2.3L 4-cylinder (143 hp, 154 lb.-ft. of torque); a 3.0L V-6 (148 hp, 180 lb.-ft.); and a 4.0L SOHC V-6 (207 hp, 238 lb.-ft.). All three engines come standard with a five-speed manual transmission. A five-speed automatic is optional, and the Ranger is available with rear- or four-wheel drive. The 4x2 models employ front coil springs, while the 4x4 and Sport 4x2 have a torsion bar front suspension. FX4 Level II models include a limited-slip rear differential, beefed up suspension, 31-inch all-terrain tires, and underbody skid plates. The Ranger has a payload capacity of 1,260 lbs. A class III towing package is optional, and properly-configured Rangers can tow up to 9,500 lbs.
J.D. Power and Associates Research
What do owners think about the quality of Ford Ranger as it comes off the assembly line?
Ranger ranks highest in initial quality in the midsize pickup segment in the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Initial Quality Study.SM Ranger performs well in the audio/entertainment/navigation system, HVAC, and seats categories. Ranger performs better than segment average in the audio/entertainment/navigation system, engine/transmission, exterior, and the driving experience categories.
The Competition
The Ranger competes in the Midsize Pickup segment. According to the J.D. Power and Associates Sales Report,SM the top-selling pickup in the segment during calendar-year 2005 was the Toyota Tacoma (168,831 units), followed by the Chevrolet Colorado (128,359) and Ford Ranger (120,958). Other competitors include the Dodge Dakota, Nissan Frontier, Honda Ridgeline, GMC Canyon, Subaru Baja, Mazda B-Series, Mitsubishi Raider, and Isuzu I-series.
The Ranger pickup gets revised styling front and rear, with a new grille that recalls the larger Super Duty pickups, and it also receives three new exterior colors. The Ranger Edge is now called the Ranger Sport.
Overview
In the 26 years since the Ranger made its debut, Ford's mid-size pickup has always seemed to stay some distance from its big F-series brothers. That changed a bit for 2006 with a revamp of Ranger’s exterior styling. The most prominent change is the nose, with a new grille that clearly marks the Ranger as the F-Series Super Duty's little brother.
Like the larger F-series, the Ranger offers a wide variety of configurations. Regular cab models are available with a 6-foot or 7-foot pickup bed; extended cabs have a 6-foot bed only, but offer a choice of two or four doors. The Ranger is available in no fewer than seven trim levels: XL, STX, XLT, Sport, FX4 Off-Road, FX4 Level I, and FX4 Level II. Anti-lock brakes are standard across the board.
Powertrain options consist of a 2.3L 4-cylinder (143 hp, 154 lb.-ft. of torque); a 3.0L V-6 (148 hp, 180 lb.-ft.); and a 4.0L SOHC V-6 (207 hp, 238 lb.-ft.). All three engines come standard with a five-speed manual transmission. A five-speed automatic is optional, and the Ranger is available with rear- or four-wheel drive. The 4x2 models employ front coil springs, while the 4x4 and Sport 4x2 have a torsion bar front suspension. FX4 Level II models include a limited-slip rear differential, beefed up suspension, 31-inch all-terrain tires, and underbody skid plates. The Ranger has a payload capacity of 1,260 lbs. A class III towing package is optional, and properly-configured Rangers can tow up to 9,500 lbs.
J.D. Power and Associates Research
What do owners think about the quality of Ford Ranger as it comes off the assembly line?
Ranger ranks highest in initial quality in the midsize pickup segment in the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Initial Quality Study.SM Ranger performs well in the audio/entertainment/navigation system, HVAC, and seats categories. Ranger performs better than segment average in the audio/entertainment/navigation system, engine/transmission, exterior, and the driving experience categories.
The Competition
The Ranger competes in the Midsize Pickup segment. According to the J.D. Power and Associates Sales Report,SM the top-selling pickup in the segment during calendar-year 2005 was the Toyota Tacoma (168,831 units), followed by the Chevrolet Colorado (128,359) and Ford Ranger (120,958). Other competitors include the Dodge Dakota, Nissan Frontier, Honda Ridgeline, GMC Canyon, Subaru Baja, Mazda B-Series, Mitsubishi Raider, and Isuzu I-series.
