Drew Dowdell

Since its return in 2019, the Ford Ranger has been one of the jewels in the Ford lineup, proving to be one of the Blue Oval’s most popular models. But as time passed, new designs from General Motors, Toyota, and Nissan threatened to march on Ford’s crown. For 2024, the Ranger gets a significant redesign. Sitting on an extensively redesigned version of the T6 platform its predecessor uses, the Ranger is effectively all-new, with only the door openings and chassis hardpoints carrying over. The design of the Ranger was released in other markets last year, but Ford saved some of the most exciting updates for the U.S. debut, including performance increases for the Raptor Ranger not available in other markets. (read more about the 2024 Ranger Raptor) Starting with an improved fully-boxed steel frame, the chassis has been upgraded with a 2-inch wider track and 2-inch longer wheelbase. The rear suspension has been moved outboard to improve ride and control, improve stability off-road, and increase bed space. All models of Ranger gain improved ground clearance and better approach and departure angles. Towing capacity remains at 7,500 lbs., but maximum payload capacity drops by at least 100 lbs. or more depending on the configuration. Also carrying over is the 2.3-liter Ecoboost 4-cylinder turbo that makes an impressive 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque on regular gas. This engine in the 2023 model is capable of returning 20 city / 26 highway in 4x2 configuration. For those who wanted more power, the Ranger now shares the 2.7-liter V6 from its big brothers, the F-150 and Bronco. This engine produces 315 horsepower and 400 lb.-ft of torque and is not available in other markets. Whichever engine is selected, the transmission will remain the 10-speed automatic with an available electronic shift-on-the-fly 4x4 system. With an all-new interior, Ford found plenty of room for… room. There is a larger center console bin, big door pockets, an available second, upper glove box, improved under-seat storage in the second row, and new fold-flat rear seatbacks with room for tools or equipment behind them while in the upright position. The bed gets more room too. With the wider track and suspension, the width between the wheel wells is now up to 4 feet, which means you can load a standard-size pallet back there if you want. There is an integrated box side step large enough for both feet, and an available 400-watt bed-mounted power inverter for running tools or accessories. Ford even redesigned the tailgate to act as a workbench with c-clamp pockets and a ruler. The Ranger is loaded with technology as well. The standard gauge cluster is an 8-inch display or customers can upgrade to a full-screen 12.4-inch display. Infotainment is supplied by Ford’s Sync 4A system with either 10.1-inch or best-in-class 12.4-inch displays. Ford wisely kept physical buttons along the bottom of the display for common functionality like climate control and radio volume. With a standard built-in 4G LTE model for FordPass Connect, drivers can control some vehicle functions like lighting, start/stop, and monitoring of maintenance items. The Ranger will even download updates over the air to get better over time. The Ranger has the most standard or available driver assistance technologies in the class. These include Blind-Spot monitoring with trailer coverage, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, active park assist that automates both parallel and perpendicular parking, Pro Trailer Backup Assist, and Trailer Reverse Guidance. The 2024 Ranger will be available in XL, XLT, and Lariat models built at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne Michigan. We can expect some special editions, such as a Ranger Tremor, in the future. Orders start later this month, with late fall 2023 availability for the 2.7-liter V6-equipped versions. View full article

Thanks guys, the support really helps and means something to me personally, too. You'll see a big difference in the level of posting here starting around May 22.

@Robert Hall - You can still edit posts, but there is a time limit. Your premium membership expired a little while back, but the system didn't drop you back to the standard membership level as it was supposed to. I manually bumped you back about two weeks ago. You probably also saw the advertising return when that happened. The different membership levels are here. https://www.cheersandgears.com/subscriptions/

Sherwin Williams, when bought from an actual SW store and not a Big Box, is supposed to be some of the best quality paint around. The price reflects that.

Damn… Robert has Sherwin-Williams money…

Well, we’ve definitely hijacked @Robert Hall’s post with way more mower information than he needs. Robert, have any inside pics yet?

I shoulda bought the Honda. I think that feature for feature, the Craftsman (which from memory, was Toro built) was the same. One key thing I need is an OHV engine because they have more powerful oil pumps. I have steep hills, and the old-style flat-head motors would eat themselves because their little oil pumps would starve if they were on the slope for too long. Way back when I bought the Craftsman (actually from Sears, so that gives you an idea of the age), OHV pushmowers were relatively rare. Only high-end models and most of the Hondas had them. The thing about the Honda was that it was a push mower that weighed damn near as much as an Accord. I was mowing the lawns at my rentals at the time, and lifting it into the CR-V or CTS would have been a bitch. I still got the craftsman base on price, though.

That's by the book time.... as gas mowers age, they tend to get crankier. Maybe it is different for other brands, but the maintenance parts for my Tecumseh-powered Craftsman were always stupidly expensive. $20 for an air filter, plus shipping, $8 for a spark plug, plus shipping. $45 for a wheel that split. control cables snapping. Nothing was ever local, and I'd need to wait 7-10 days to get it. Same for my gas snow blower. The gas power tool experience has poisoned my One thing not obvious about the EGO is just how light and compact it is. It folds up and has two handles that you can carry it with while folded if you need to load it into a car. It goes into the Toronado trunk no problem. When I store it for the winter, I can stand it upright and slide it behind the furnace.

It depends on how much of your own maintenance you do and how much you're willing to pay for someone else to maintain it if not. In my case, time being such a big issue, I don't want to have to mess around with a cranky gas mower or have to load it on a trailer once or twice a year to pay $150-$200 for the lawn equipment company to maintain it. I'd rather spend my afternoons doing things I enjoy. Dropping in a few batteries saves me time. I bill my side-hustle clients at $120 an hour. That makes it easy math.

I think, like vehicles, Americans tend to overbuy on lawn equipment. I went from a big, single blade, walk behind... big torque, rear drive, bagger/mulcher, and it was such a headache towards the end of its life. For a couple seasons I used my father-in-laws ooooooold Black-n-Decker corded electric. It was a basic as could be. I could only do my front yard and my upper rear yard, but it did it without fuss every year. Parts were non-existant. I hit a stone and couldn't buy a new blade, but it still ran, just a little buzzy. The worst was that about once per season, I'd eat an extension cord. Eventually, it melted the control handle, but for a mower that was probably 25+ years old and free, I wasn't mad for the extra few seasons I got out it. I knew after that, I'd never go back to gas, so I got the EGO. That can do my lower back yard too, which is mostly wooded. It does fine. The only thing I'd change about it would be the wheels, which don't have a lot of grip.

I have the EGO also and I really like it. The extra cost over a gas equivalent is worth it just from the lack of having to do all the gas engine maintenance. Every spring was a fight with my gas mower plus $40 - $70 in parts for whatever broke.

I’m a different life, yeah. Right now, time is my enemy.

For a driveway that long is hire a snow service. Heck even for mowing the lawn I’d hire a service

You're within riding range of me! I'll bring the hot dogs!

Well, yeah. But one of the talking points of the F.U.D. anti-EV crowd is that they take too long to charge and some people live in apartment buildings. The charging speed aspect attacks that talking point. If you don't need those speeds, that's fine, and it's probably better for your vehicle anyway. Those speeds are meant for people who are on long road trips or who don't have access to charging at home.

Tesla started that already, but not at the percentages you mentioned. I'm not good at keeping track of Tesla battery model numbers, but one of the more recent versions allowed Tesla to cut a significant chunk of weight from the Model 3's battery. Tesla could have stuffed more battery in the Model 3, but they decided to keep the range but lighten the battery instead. Good move in my opinion. That said, your overall point is correct and there is still further to go.

We're looking at the Digital Green with white/green interior. Limited AWD trim.

Albert has been liking the Ioniq 6.

It's been a while. I tried it out in a Polestar 2... and it was absolutely not done cooking. Alert windows would pop up behind primary windows and would be unclickable. But the other issue is that I avoid Google products because they invade privacy. When you use Google, you aren't using their products, you are the product, because they will sell every scrap of information they collect on you that they can. Go to the ice cream shop with your kids every Friday at 7? Google will sell that information to Baskin Robins and ColdStone so you get coupons. Now, I know other companies do the same, but Google is by-far the most nefarious. Unfortunately, due to my line of work, I can't avoid Google entirely... but I don't want it installed in my car.

I like the Celesiq and everything from the Ioniq 6 down. The front face of the i7 is its downfall, but the side profile is handsome. The ID.7 I'm not sold on yet from the side. It looks like they were trying to design a wagon and then a manager came in and said, "Actung! This is going to be sold in Amerika! Du kannst nicht!"

The height above the ground matters, not fakery visuals like that blackout panel. The overall height of the vehicle doesn't look that tall either.