1998-2005 Ford Ranger
Ford had a good thing going with the previous-generation (1993-1997) Ranger, despite its telephone-booth appearance and agrarian demeanor. With stiffer competition coming from Japan and a new Dakota from Dodge, Ford preemptively upped the ante.
The 1998 Ranger received a host of improvements, including a larger standard cab (three inches longer), larger base engine (2.5 liters instead of 2.3), new four-wheel-drive system, new front suspension (replacing the twin I-beams), and carefully massaged sheetmetal that was less cube-like, but nonetheless recognizable as a Ranger. Perhaps one of the Ranger’s true strengths–one not shared with the mechanically identical Mazda B-Series–is the number of configurations.
There are two cab sizes, standard cab and SuperCab, the latter also available with an extra set of rear-hinged doors for improved access. Two- and four-wheel drive are available for any configuration. There are myriad option and trim-level packages, two bed lengths (6- and 7-foot) for standard-cab models, and three engine options for every year. It’s the engine choice that’ll most define the Ranger experience.
Owners describe the base 117-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder as barely adequate, but it gets decent mileage. Up to 2001, the middle engine was a 145-horse, 3.0-liter V-6 that was a flexible-fuel design. It came standard on 4×4 models. The top pick is a 4.0-liter OHV V-6 initially rated at 158 horsepower. Transmission choices include five-speed manuals and four-speed automatics across the board except for the 4.0-liter, which received a class-first five-speed automatic.