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The Ford Ranger is over $5,000 more expensive than the 2022 Ford Maverick. The Ranger has many perks and has been around for decades but will the new compact Ford pickup eclipse it. Why would anyone buy a Ford Ranger instead of the highly anticipated Ford Maverick?

The Ford Ranger makes more horses at every trim level

A blue Ford Maverick is parked in nature carrying kayaks.
The Ford Maverick | Ford

The 2021 Ford Ranger makes more horsepower than every Ford Maverick trim option. The 2022 Ford Maverick brings many new things to the table. Horsepower isn’t one of them. The Ford Maverick comes as a standard hybrid that makes a measly 191 horsepower.

The highest level 2022 Ford Maverick trim, the Lariat, has the option to come standard with a turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost engine. Even the Maverick Lariat is only capable of making 250 horsepower.

The Ford Ranger comes standard with a 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 270 horsepower. An additional 20 horsepower doesn’t sound like a huge difference but you’ll feel those horses galloping when you put your foot down in a Ford Ranger. Consumers will buy a Ford Ranger instead of a Maverick because of its peppy powertrain.

Buy a Ford Ranger for work

A gray Ford Ranger truck is parked in a rocky area.
The Ford Ranger | Ford

The 2021 Ford Ranger is a much better work truck than the Ford Maverick. The Ranger has a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 pounds. The 2022 Ford Maverick has a maximum towing capacity of just 2,000 pounds.

The 2021 Ford Ranger can carry a payload of up to 2,128 pounds. The Ford Maverick has a maximum payload capacity of 1,500 pounds. The Maverick is still a capable Ford work truck but the Ranger is the better buy when it comes to hard labor. Buy a Ford Ranger if you’re looking for a great small work truck.

Buy a Ford Ranger because it’s the more experienced truck

A gray Ford Ranger which is connected to FordLive is displayed during the Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC on September 02, 2021 in Birmingham, England.
The Ford Ranger | John Keeble via Getty Images

The Ford Ranger is the cool older cousin of the Ford Maverick. It’s been around the block a few times. Ford has had decades to perfect the Ranger. The Maverick, on the other hand, may have some kinks that need working out.

The Ford Ranger is familiar. The 2022 Ford Maverick is the first standard hybrid Ford truck, and that may scare people. While hybrid powertrains are great for the environment, consumers are still skeptical and hesitant to buy alternatively-powered engines.

The Ford Ranger has become a small truck staple. The 2022 Ford Maverick is exciting but it will need to earn its stripes among consumers and critics. Some consumers like to be the first to own a new vehicle. Other consumers like to learn from the experience of owners before making a decision.With the Ford Ranger, we know what to expect for better or worse. The Ford Maverick is like a box of chocolates…you never know what you’re gonna get.

Plenty of consumers will purchase the Ford Ranger over the Ford Maverick because there’s more data and reviews out about Ranger models. According to Car and Driver, the 2021 Ford Ranger has an excellent powertrain and provides great value for its price, despite being a little boring. Buy a Ford Ranger if you’re looking for classsic Ford toughness and reliability.

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