Ford is killing the Ranger and it's Mazda twin after the 2009 model year and will close down the plant they're made at.

Production WILL NOT move to Mexico or any other North American plant according to current plans.

The Explorer Sport Trac looks like it will continue for awhile, however it's future is also in flux.

Ford is wrapping up development on a Global" Ranger replacement that's expected to be made in Thailand and South America. However, unless it's made in Mexico or the US changes it's high tarriffs on imported pickup trucks (currently, only Mexico, Canada, and Australia are exempt) it's not going to be made available in North America, effectively ending Ford's presence in the small pickup market in North America.

As of October 31st, Ford sold 62,209 Rangers this year, a 21% drop from last year. However, Ranger is still among the best selling small pickup, only recently losing it's long time 1st place position.

In relation to other small trucks, Dodge Dakota has sold 44,572 units while Chevrolet has sold 64,878 Colorados. GMC has sold a mere 17,975 Canyons.

Chrysler's contract with Mitsubishi to provide the basis for the Raider keeps the Dakota safe for now. GM, meanwhile has no current plans to replace the Colorado-Canyon.

However, this doesn't mean that the US will be completely void of new small pickup trucks.

The Indian (as in India) company, Mahindra plans to begin exporting vehicles to the US in the spring of 2009. The line will include both a 2 and 4 door pickup, and an SUV. All 3 are expected to be diesel powered and have high fuel economy ratings. City mileage is expected to be around 30 mpg (under the new stricter EPA guidelines) and 37 on the highway.

Although the Mahindra SUV will be imported from India complete, the pickups will be assembled here from components made in India at a new plant expected to be announced soon in the Southwestern US.

Sales for the 1st year are expected to be a very low 18,000 vehicles, growing to a still modest 45,000 the next. Advertizing budget is a mere $20 million (Toyota spends nearly $225 million) and over 260 dealers to date are signed up. The low keyed, go-slow approach is expected to prevent the quality pitfalls that both Hyundai and Kia had when they first launched in the US.

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

STUPID STUPID FORD. Rangers are cool trucks. They were the only true "small" truck left. Idiots.

 

It needed to be redesigned, but killing it was the next best option. Keeping it in production as is was a disgrace to the Ford truck line. That thing was so out of date it was making the Lincoln Town Car look fairly modern.

 

Leaving the small truck market completely is NOT a good idea. Especially with fuel as high as it is, and only destined to go up.

Tacoma sales just went up 50K for next year

 

With that kind of mileage and that low of production it doesn't matter how ugly it is, that truck will sell out.

Ford is stupid for basically handing Toyota the #1 spot in small/midsize trucks over the last few years. But I agree with Threxx, sometimes no product is better than a poor product (relative to the competition).

 

I can understand a lot of the reasons why "small" pickups don't make much sense anymore.....I mean, for the same price as a Ranger these days you can simply upgrade to a V6 F150....you get more truck and you probably don't lose much, if anything, as far as gas mileage in the process.

Still, Rangers and Colorados would still serve a good purpose if they were only a good product from the start. I have to believe there is still a healthy market for those who want something small with a bed that can haul boxes and small pieces of furniture and doesn't make you feel like you're driving a tank in the process.

I really hope Ford reconsiders in the future. Tacoma and Dakota seem to benefit greatly.

 

The problem I see is that most of today's smaller trucks cost almost as much as their full-size counterparts. When you throw in less room, less power, and quite often poor fuel efficiency, there really isn't the attraction there used to be.

Now if someone can build a small-sized light truck that gets decent mileage for around $15-18k... I'm sure they'd sell boatloads.

 

What I don't understand is why Ford didn't at least take the current explorer platform, dash, console, powertrain, and front seats and make a new ranger. I mean the Explorer and ranger used to be twins, so why can't they still be twins?

I mean GM is no longer doing the S10/Blazer twin combo but if Ford had to chose between making a Ranger twin of the current Explorer or not doing a Ranger at all I'd have to imagine the Ranger would at least hold their market share in place even if it didn't make them any real money to speak of.

 

So basically a regular cab Sport Trac.

 

My son drives a 94 Ranger, and my daily beater is a 97 B2300. Both are 4 cyl 5 speed, regular cab, 2WD trucks - and I love em. My 97 gets 24-26 mpg going back and forth to work, carries what I need it to, and doesn't give me one lick of trouble.

I'll be sad to see em go.

 

Is the bed volume of the sport trac anything like the ranger?

I see the Explorer Sport track kinda like the Avalanche is to the Silverado.

 

Just to play devil's advocate (and get the design side of my mind spooled up), what is the advantage of a BOF compact truck apart from the lifters and boggers?

Would a space frame design like the Ridgeline but along the size of an Equinox be more advantageous? Seems to me you could still get an acceptable amount of ground clearance, a true part time transfer case, and put real locking diffs in it.

I'm tempted by a Colorado and Tacoma for the mountain adventures, but don't need to really haul anything more than a bike or camping equipment.

Just thinkin' out loud.

 

bull****, I want the Thai ranger.

 

A buddy of mine from college bought a 97 B4000 used in mid 1997 with under 8k on it. Over the last decade, he put over 300,000 miles on it. He had to put in a tranny for a couple grand in the mid 200k range, but he more than got his money's worth out of it. He's driving a 328i now. BMW wouldn't offer him any trade in, but did offer to "dispose of it" for him, LOL! He decided to keep it for a crap weather driver. While way long in the tooth, those are certainly good trucks.

I think jg95z28 has it. What's the real advantage to a small truck now when full sizers don't get much worse mileage or cost much more?

 

I can't believe Ford would leave the small truck market...