If you’re in the market for a used pickup truck, you may be considering the Ford Ranger. It’s a Ford compact truck that’s been beloved for years. The tricky thing about the Ford Ranger is that it was discontinued between the years of 2012 and 2018. We’ll just look at the Consumer Reports ratings for the 2010, 2011, 2019, and 2020. 

The good thing about looking at these four particular years is that you likely have an idea (or a budget) that helps you narrow down the range that you’re interested in. Still, a stellar year with exceptional safety ratings and reliability can outweigh the comforts and style of a newer vehicle. 

What is the most reliable Ford Ranger?

The 2019 Ford Ranger is unquestionably the least reliable of the four Rangers we’re looking at. Consumer Reports measures reliability by looking at how previous Ford Rangers have held up and uses this to predict how each particular model will do in the future.

Consumer Reports gave the 2019 only a 1 out of 5. On the other hand, all other three models get a 4 out of 5 for their reliability. One of the most common trouble spots in the 2019 Ford Ranger is the power equipment, which only gets a 1 out of 5. The transmission is another problem area in the 2019, getting only a 2 out of 5. 

Owner satisfaction is all over the place, but the 2020 Ford Ranger is the clear winner

The owner satisfaction is measured by surveys that Consumer Reports sends out. The surveys ask owners how happy they are with the vehicle they purchased in relation to the amount of money that they paid. 

The lowest owner satisfaction scores goes to the 2011 Ford Ranger, which got only a 1. The 2010 has the next lowest score, at a 2. The 2019 has a decent owner satisfaction score, receiving a 3. 

The 2020 Ford Ranger gets a 4 for its owner satisfaction, meaning most people who purchased a 2020 Ford Ranger are pretty happy with it. That could change as time goes by and problems arise, but for now, the 2020 has a pretty decent owner satisfaction rating. 

The 2019 and 2020 Ford Ranger’s safety features smoke those on the 2010 and 2011 

Let’s begin with the included safety features in all four models. The 2010 and 2011 don’t come with most of the advanced safety systems that the 2019 and 2020 models do. This makes sense, as many of these safety systems, like forward collision warning, are fairly new. 

Still, that’s not an insignificant difference. Front crash prevention cuts down on the likelihood of a rear end accident by 27%, and the chances of a rear end accident with injuries by 20%. Automatic emergency braking, which both the 2019 and 2020 Ford Rangers come with, but the 2010 and 2011 don’t, cuts down on the likelihood of a rear end crash by 50% and the likelihood of a rear end crash involving injuries by 56%.

Overall, 2020 is the best year for a Ford Ranger. It has the highest combination of owner satisfaction, reliability, and also safety features. If you’re in the market for a used Ford Ranger, the 2020 is your best option.