The Ford Ranger Faces a Surprisingly Low Resale Value
We continue to be surprised by the Ford Ranger. Not all surprises are good, and to be honest, we expected things to be a little better regarding value because this truck is durable. However, the 2023 Ford Ranger has one of the worst resale values out of every single truck.
Does the Ford Ranger have a bad resale value?
You would expect the Ford Ranger to have a pretty good resale value, but it must be stuck in the shadow of the Ford F-150. While the Ford F-150 is the best-selling truck, the Ranger doesn’t hold a candle to Toyota Tacoma sales.
On that note, the Tacoma also has a much higher resale value. But we know that the Tacoma does well due to having a durable build quality and an excellent reputation for reliability.
But why is the Ranger struggling? According to MotorTrend, the Ford Ranger is expected to retain about 59.2% of its value after five years of ownership. It landed on the list of the 10 trucks with the worst resale value in 2022.
Things that may impact its resale value include its age, performance, reliability, quality, and how it stacks up to rivals.
The 2023 Ford Ranger is old
The 2023 Ford Ranger isn’t exactly the most modern option in the market. The current generation debuted in 2011 in other countries and was finally reintroduced in 2018 as a 2019 model.
Other trucks like the Chevy Colorado, Nissan Frontier, and Honda Ridgeline have received fresh makeovers since then with new, updated tech and features. The new 2024 Ranger and Tacoma are finally catching up.
But the standard model features a 3.5-inch display screen, which sounds prehistoric. But you can upgrade to the larger 8.0-inch touchscreen. It’s powered by Ford Sync Software, which isn’t bad. Ford Sync 4 is quite impressive, though.
Apple CarPlay and Android are standard on higher trim levels, but it doesn’t have wireless connectivity. You’ll have to connect your phone via Bluetooth, the old-fashioned way. Plus, the buttons are small and hard to see.
Through one of the various technology and convenience packages, you can add a manual sliding rear window. That’s wild because even the aging Toyota Tacoma has a rear power window.
The digital gauge cluster provides a modern touch, and the parking sensors are helpful. But where is the 360-degree surround view camera? It might be worth passing on older Ranger models and waiting for the updated 2024 Ranger to arrive at dealerships.
How reliable is the Ranger?
The 2023 Ford Ranger is actually a pretty reliable truck. J.D.Power gave it a score of 86 out of 100, which is above average. Scores between 70 – 80 are average, while rankings in the 81 to 90 range are good, and anything between 91 to 100 is best.
You can expect the average Ranger model to last between 250,000 to 300,000 miles. It’s not uncommon for Ranger models to keep on going after passing 300,000 miles, so it’s a solid investment.
That leads us back to the Ranger’s quality. It has a rough ride compared to its rivals, braking can cause it to nose dive, and the transmission is clumsy. It’s fast, though, and accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in about 6.8 seconds.
The rear seat is pretty tight and not the best for those who get carsick. Plus, interior storage is limited. But the Ranger can tow up to 7,500 lbs. It tows more than that pesky Tacoma that we keep comparing it to.
So, while the Ford Ranger stands out as a reliable and capable work truck, it’s not the most comfortable option, and it clearly shows its age.
