2020 Ford Ranger 4X2 Lariat Review (w/ video)

The last Ford truck I spent time in was the 2017 Ford Raptor, which if you know anything about it, is such an impressive and fun truck. While the Ranger is definitely not in the same league as the Raptor in terms of power or price, I still felt it was worth a try!

This 4X2 Ranger is equipped with a 2.3L turbocharged Ecoboost engine producing 270 HP and 310 lb-ft of torque mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission.

The 2.3 L ecoboost is responsive under aggressive throttle application. You won’t get thrown back in your seat, but you’ll for sure know it’s an ecoboost. While I wasn’t overly impressed with the truck’s overall performance, it’s definitely not a boring truck. The ecoboost is pretty fun and will do what you ask it to while maintaining decent MPG. I averaged about 21 MPG during my week with it. That includes highway, city and traffic driving.

Probably my favorite performance aspect of the truck is the noise it makes. It’s not super aggressive, but it’s just a good recognizable Ford ecoboost sound and I approve.

Braking power is as expected and overall it was comfortable to drive around in. The noise level inside the tuck was on the low end but the ride did feel a bit bumpy. I just associated this to the fact that it’s a truck but I don’t remember the Honda Ridgeline I tested in 2019 exposing this much road feel.

The exterior of the truck was finished in Race Red paint.

I really like the outside of this truck! It’s an attractive vehicle with no angle disappointing. The Lariat trim definitely has a leg up on the other trim levels plus this truck was equipped with the Sport Appearance Package that adds 17” magnetic painted aluminum wheels. Another nice touch was the optional tonneau hard-folding cover. This allowed for item storage and errand running without worrying about curious passersby. The cover was easy to operate and the folding feature was a nice convenience (see video for this).

Inside the Ranger is a nice interior finished in Stone Leather.

The quality of the Lariat trim is nice and if you’re wanting a truck for more than just hauling the cabin is comfortably equipped. Having CarPlay makes long drives and being stuck in traffic tolerable. My biggest gripe about the interior is the lack of rear passenger room. Yes, I understand this is not a large truck but anyone over 5’ 6” in the front cannot have a full-size adult sit comfortably in the rear.

The Ranger is an overall pretty nice truck. I would just consider a larger truck first if I was anticipating driving friends or family around more than just every once in a while.