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The reports are in, and critics seem to favor the Nissan Frontier over the Ford Ranger. This is quite the comeback, as the Frontier has been trying to climb the rankings for a while. Let’s see why the 2023 Nissan Frontier has a victory to celebrate over the 2023 Ford Ranger. 

2023 Nissan Frontier vs. 2023 Ford Ranger 

A 2023 Nissan Frontier outranks Ford Ranger
2023 Nissan Frontier | Nissan

According to the U.S.News, the 2023 Nissan Frontier is a better truck than the 2023 Ford Ranger. The 2023 Fronter landed in third place on the list of the best options with a score of 7.8 out of 10. 

The 2023 Ranger actually landed in sixth place with a score of 7.3. The 2023 Honda Ridgeline is in the top spot with a score of 8.3, and the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz snagged second place with 8.2 points. 

That’s not surprising, though. Critics love the unibody trucks that ride like SUVs despite having fewer towing and off-roading capabilities. 

Anyways, U.S.News uses reviews by respected automotive journalists found in newspapers, magazines, and online to generate an average score for each vehicle. 

The performance, ride quality, interior, comfort, space, cargo capacity, tech, safety rankings, cost, capabilities, and reliability rankings are taken into consideration. 

Why does the Frontier rank higher than the Ranger? 

The 2023 Nissan Frontier received a high score because it has a pleasing cabin quality, a robust V6 engine, and a balanced ride with responsive handling. It has a smooth ride with extremely comfortable front seats. Plus, it has adequate towing capabilities. 

Potential reasons to avoid the Nissan Frontier include its drab infotainment graphics, tight rear seat, and unimpressive fuel economy. 

The 2023 Ford Ranger ranks highly because of its peppy turbocharged engine, stout towing and hauling capacities, and above-average fuel economy. But the factors that hurt the Ranger consist of its outdated interior, cheap quality, and limited standard features. 

The Frontier has a 3.8-liter V6 engine with the best-in-class 310 hp and 281 lb-ft of torque. When properly equipped, the Frontier can tow up to 6,720 lbs and carry a payload of up to 1,691 lbs. 

With the Ranger, you get a 2.3-liter turbo-four engine with 270 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. The Ranger can tow up to 7,500 lbs and carry a payload of up to 1,905 lbs. 

How much does the 2023 Frontier cost? 

Front angle view of red 2023 Ford Ranger pickup truck
2023 Ford Ranger | Ford

The 2023 Nissan Frontier price starts at $29,190, and the top-spec Frontier X-Pro trim increases the cost to about $35,720. 

You can get started with a 2023 Ford Ranger for around $27,400, while the range-topping Ranger Lariat model is $39,945. 

It seems like the 2023 Frontier outranks the 2023 Ranger because it has more quality. The interior is more comfortable, and it has more value. It provides modern tech and the best-in-class horsepower. 

The Ranger is starting to feel cheap and dated but still is respectable thanks to its turbocharged engine and stout towing capacity. But the 2024 Ford Ranger will be brand-new, so it could shake things up.

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