The 2023 Ford Ranger is Ford’s midsize pickup truck offering, and it sits between the larger F-150 and the smaller Maverick. It has a starting price tag of about $29,000 MSRP, and overall, it offers a lot of value for that price. Here’s a look at three reasons to buy a 2023 Ford Ranger and three reasons to skip it. 

1. Pro: The 2023 Ford Ranger has a great engine

According to TrueCar, one of the main reasons to buy the Ranger is its engine. Currently, the Detroit-based automaker only has one engine option for the midsize truck, and it’s a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. It gets 270 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, and it’s unique for the segment since most rivals have a V6 instead. 

Despite being a four-cylinder engine, it feels very powerful and allows the Ranger to be fast. It can go from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.8 seconds and does that while having a better fuel economy than some of its peers. With rear-wheel drive, it gets 21 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on highways, for 24 mpg combined.

2. Pro: Drivers can tow a lot

This engine also allows the midsize truck to tow a lot of cargo. When drivers equip it properly for towing, the Ranger has a max towing capacity of 7,500 pounds. That’s a better towing capacity than the Toyota Tacoma, which is currently the best-selling midsize truck. For comparison, a properly equipped Tacoma only tows up to 6,800 pounds, which is 700 pounds short of what the Ranger can tow.

3. Pro: Ford gave the Ranger some nimble handling

Lastly, the Ranger has good handling capabilities for a pickup truck. In general, trucks aren’t going to handle well, so the Ranger’s handling isn’t comparable to sedans or SUVs. However, the midsize Ford truck is fast and fun to drive compared to its segment. 

1. Con: Ford didn’t give the Ranger a good ride quality though

That being said, the Ranger isn’t a perfect truck, and there are three good reasons why car shoppers should avoid buying one. The first one concerns ride comfort, and it’s simply not a comfortable truck to sit around in. It doesn’t have the worst ride quality in the segment, but it’s bad enough to be noticeable, especially on certain pavements.

2. Con: The 2023 Ford Ranger lacks interior space compared to its rivals

On top of that, the Ranger has a max seating capacity of five, but folks aren’t going to enjoy sitting in the seats. That max seating capacity is only possible if shoppers equip the truck with the SuperCrew configuration, as the SuperCab configuration only gives the truck seating for four passengers. No matter which configuration drivers choose, the rear seats will be cramped due to the limited legroom. 

3. Con: Off-road enthusiasts will have to wait

Like many other trucks, the Ranger as it is today can go off-road well. The problem is that Ford has an upcoming option for the midsize truck that off-road enthusiasts will likely love. The Ranger Raptor, as the trim is called, is still a few months away, and it should debut later in 2023. This trim option makes a lot of significant changes to the truck that should improve its performance both on-road and off-road. 

The most significant change is under the hood. Instead of the standard four-cylinder that every Ranger gets, the Detroit-based automaker gave the Ranger Raptor a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 that gets 392 hp. That’s over 120 hp more powerful than the standard engine.