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Today we’re celebrating a comeback for the Ford Ranger. It reclaimed its crown from the Ford Maverick. When the Ford Maverick debuted, the old Ranger got pushed to the back burner. But now the 2024 Ford Ranger spices things up to become the hot main course again.

The 2024 Ford Ranger is the best compact truck 

On Road and Track‘s list of the best midsize and compact trucks for 2023, the 2024 Ford Ranger takes the cake. It’s in the number one spot and finally reclaimed some fame from the 2023 Ford Maverick. 

Ever since the Maverick dropped, it’s been the main truck to talk about. It sold out in minutes last summer and has been stealing all of the awards. But to be fair, it’s still in second place, which is an excellent position against the competition. 

At first, the aging Ford Ranger couldn’t compete with aging tech, a lack of modern features, a subpar interior design, and a subpar ride quality. But the 2024 Ranger was totally redesigned to address each of its problems. 

The Ranger ranks highly for being a powerful and capable truck that even has a Raptor variant. It’s more refined than before, with enhanced power and a stout towing capacity. It’s practical without being too big. 

The Ford Maverick is popular for riding more like an SUV than a truck. It’s referred to as the perfect city option and has an available hybrid powertrain that’s extremely efficient. It doesn’t have the aggressive stature like other trucks, but it offers plenty of practicality. 

Is the Ranger bigger than the Maverick? 

Size matters and the 2024 Ford Ranger is bigger than the 2024 Ford Maverick. The Ranger is 210.9 inches long and 79 inches wide. The Maverick is 199.7 inches long and 72.6 inches wide. 

So, the Ranger is roughly 11 inches longer and 7.0 inches wider. It’s also about 4.5 inches taller, depending on the trim level. 

The 2024 Ranger has a crew cab and a five-foot bed. It offers 43.5 cubic feet of cargo capacity in the bed. When properly equipped, the Ranger can tow up to 7,700 lbs and can carry a payload of up to 1,805 lbs. 

With the Maverick, you get a 4.5-foot bed and 33.3 cubic feet of cargo space. The gas-powered Maverick can tow up to 4,000 lbs and can carry a payload of up to 1,500 lbs. 

The Ranger and Maverick aren’t built on the same platform. The Ford Maverick uses the Ford Escape’s platform and features a unibody frame. The Ford Ranger uses the global T6 platform with a traditional body-on-frame setup. 

Ford Ranger vs. Ford Maverick 

The 2023 Ford Maverick parked in the city
2023 Ford Maverick | Ford

The 2024 Ford Ranger starts at $32,565, and the 2024 Ford Maverick comes in at $23,400. That’s an enticing $9,165 difference.

 But the Ranger has a standard 2.3-liter EcoBoost inline-four engine with 270 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. With the Maverick, the standard 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 250 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. 

Both entry-level XL trims start with the basics. But the Ranger has a larger infotainment screen, an 8.0-inch digital guage cluster, remote keyless entry, remote keyless tailgate lock, auto high beams, power mirrors, and more safety features. 

While the Ford Maverick is an affordable, entry-level truck, the hybrid model can’t be paired with AWD. The interior is a bit tight and could be more refined. 

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The Ford Ranger is seen as a more capable work truck and folks prefer it for off-roading. It has modern tech, a lavish interior, and more space. Stay tuned because the rumored Ford Maverick ST could change the rankings.