Ford Confirms Return of Ranger and Bronco
Aside from the unveiling of the 2018 Ford F-150 at the Detroit Auto Show, which will receive a styling refresh and a new diesel engine, the American automaker also announced the official comeback of the Ranger pickup and the Bronco SUV.
The new generation of the Ranger will midsized, so bigger than the model that left the U.S. and Canadian markets in 2012. It will likely be based on the model sold elsewhere in the world, which is currently offered with regular, extended and crew cab configurations, the latter allowing a capacity of five passengers. It will obviously rival the Chevrolet Colorado, the GMC Canyon, the Honda Ridgeline, the Nissan Frontier and the Toyota Tacoma on our market.
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The Bronco will be a midsized vehicle as well, since it will share its architecture with the Ranger. In other markets such as in Australia, the SUV is called the Ford Everest. Unlike the full-size Bronco and compact Bronco II models that used to be sold on our market, which were two-door SUVs, the new Bronco will boast four doors and a proper tailgate.
While the Ranger’s mission will be clear, where the Bronco will position itself in the brand’s current truck lineup in the United States and in Canada remains to be seen. A lineup that currently consists of the Escape, the Edge, the Explorer, the Flex and the Expedition, and let’s not forget the 2018 Ford EcoSport that will be introduced into the subcompact SUV segment.
Ford hasn’t yet announced which powertrains will be found under the hoods of the Ranger and the Bronco. Elsewhere in the world, the manufacturer offers a gasoline 2.5-litre four, a turbo-diesel 2.2-litre four as well as a 3.2-litre turbo-diesel five-cylinder engine. The latter could be available, since it’s already offered in the Transit cargo van, producing 185 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque, while the new 3.3-litre V6 that has just been confirmed for the 2018 Ford F-150 could be an option as well.
The Ford Ranger will arrive in 2019, while the Bronco will follow a year later in 2020. Both vehicles will be assembled at Ford’s plant in Wayne, Michigan.