When you ask people to name the Ford Motor Company’s most iconic pickup truck, most of them may respond with the F-150. But, honestly, this has more to do with the F-150’s long history as an American fleet vehicle. Thousands upon thousands of companies and private contractors have been using the F-150 for all kinds of work.

Nevertheless, the Ford Ranger has long earned its spot in the hearts of light pickup truck owners for generations. The Ford Ranger first hit the United State’s market in 1958, almost a decade after the F-150. In 1965, the Ford Ranger was offered as an F-Series trim package. Then in 1972 through 1981, it was used as a mid to top-trim package for the Ford Bronco.

The Ranger has always been of good quality, receiving hundreds of awards over the decades. For this reason, the 2020 Ford Ranger just might be the best boring truck you shouldn’t ignore.

The 2020 Ford Ranger: cheap price tag but not cheaply built

For those who are fans of smaller pickup trucks, you may recall how the Nissan Frontier led its competitors in affordability and durability. However, the 2020 Ford Ranger has succeeded in getting people’s attention. It’s the fourth cheapest compact pickup truck out there, with the 2020 Nissan Frontier coming in fifth place.

At the time of this being written, the 2020 Ford Ranger cost around $25,500 starting; the 2020 Nissan Frontier is roughly $27,800 starting; the 2020 Ford F-150 starts at approximately $30,500. According to U.S. News, the 2020 Ford Ranger was awarded Best Cars for the Money, Best Cars for Families, and Best Vehicle Brands. Furthermore, when it comes to a compact pickup truck, U.S. News says it just about offers everything you would want: a great looking exterior, powerful engine, decent towing and hauling capabilities, and lots of available features.

Depending on the trim, it offers drivers four to five seats, rear-wheel or four-wheel drive, and a 270 horsepower turbocharged engine. As for fuel economy, drivers can expect 19 to 21 miles (33.8 km) per gallon in the city and 18 to 26 miles (41.84 km) on the highway. The only two cons provided by U.S. News are its “low-rent cabin materials” and its “stiff ride.” Other than that, the 2020 Ford Ranger received a fairly great review, ranking number two in the compact pickup truck category.

The 2020 Ford Ranger is a lot of fun

Ford Motor Company built a Raptor-Powered 2020 Ford Ranger specifically for cross-country racing. Returning to the United States market in 2019, Ford recognized many younger consumers might not know it’s not a new model pickup after its eight-year hiatus. Currently, the 2019 model year—the fourth-generation—has served numerous markets globally, not only for daily drivers but for dedicated off-road racers as well. The Raptor edition of the 2020 Ford Ranger is meant to show younger consumers how cool it can be—in the right hands.

The 2020 Ford Ranger Raptor is scheduled to compete in the South African Cross Country Series, running in the top Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) class for the series. However, it’s still unknown if the technology in that specific 2020 Ford Ranger Raptor model will make it to the United States. The 2020 Ford Ranger Raptor isn’t supposed to be officially released until mid to late this year, so we’ll have to wait till then to know.

The 2020 Ford Ranger Raptor only offers a little more

For those interested in purchasing this off-road, four-wheel beast, the lower trim model will set you back around $50,000. However, don’t expect extra power—the 2020 Ford Ranger Raptor is still 270 horsepower. The biggest difference engine-wise is that the Ranger Raptor features 2.0 liter twin-turbo diesel with 369 pounds (0.17 ton)-feet of torque (only 210 horsepower).

Then there is the 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost engine with only 310 pounds (0.14 ton)-feet of torque. Rumors have it that the United States model will offer one additional trim: a V6 high-output EcoBoost engine that comes with the Ford F-150 Raptor.