The Ford Ranger has been manufactured for decades and holds its own in the compact pickup truck class. It is reliable, has an engine that is turbocharged and can meet your hauling needs. The 2022 model has not changed much.
In 2019, the Ford Ranger reappeared after taking an eight year break. Since then, Ford has introduced two new off-road packages for their compact truck.
First, it comes in two different body styles. The SuperCab seats four, and the SuperCrew seats five. It comes with a slew of safety features, including a rear camera, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and blind spot monitoring.
All Rangers come with a turbo 2.3 liter four-cylinder engine with 270 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque. In addition to carrying trim options, the Ford Ranger also offers five appearance packages.
If you really like the Ford Ranger but are also interested in its top competitors, you might consider Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado, or Nissan Frontier.
1. Toyota Tacoma
The Toyota Tacoma is an excellent alternative to the Ford Ranger because of its wide range of standard features and off-road capabilities.
For 2022, the Tacoma offers an increased suspension lift for the TRD Pro trim. The Toyota Tacoma has six trims levels: SR, SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, Limited, and TRD Pro.
It offers two different style cabs. The Access Cab has seating for four people and the Double Cab with seating for five. The base model engine in SR and SR5 trims is a 2.7 liter four-cylinder with 180 pound-feet of torque and 159 horsepower.
In addition, a 3.5 liter V6 with 265 pound-feet of torque and 278 horsepower is available as an upgrade to the lower two trims. This is the standard engine for the top three trim levels.
It comes with standard safety features such as lane departure and forward collision warnings and adaptive cruise control. In addition, the Tacoma offers four different appearance packages.
You can expect 20 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway with the four-cylinder and 19 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway with the V6 engine. The Tacoma has a starting price at $26,500.
For more information, you can visit Toyota’s official Tacoma website.
2. Chevrolet Colorado
The Chevrolet Colorado is a great alternative to the Ford Ranger. While it does not have many changes for the 2022 model year, there is one. They have added the Trail Boss package this year. In addition, it did receive an upgrade to the exterior in the 2021 model year.
One of the most notable features of the Colorado is its handling. It remains balanced around turns and does not lean. It rides well, and the suspension absorbs the imperfections of the road even with an empty bed.
The Chevrolet Colorado has four trim levels: WT, LT, Z71, and ZR2. The base engine is a 2.5 liter four-cylinder 200 horsepower engine with 191 pound-feet of torque. In addition, there is two engine upgrade available.
They are a 3.6 liter V6 with 308 horsepower with 275 pound-feet of torque and a turbodiesel 2.8 liter four-cylinder 181 horsepower engine with 369 pound-feet of torque. Rear-wheel drive is standard across the Colorado line, but four-wheel drive is available.
The base engine and rear-wheel drive give you 19 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway. The V6 engine is close, with 18 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway. The turbodiesel is more fuel efficient and gives you 20 mpg in the city and 30 on the highway. The Chevy Colorado starts at around $25,000.
For more information, you can visit Chevrolet’s official Colorado website.
3. Nissan Frontier
The Nissan Frontier is a solid alternative to the Ford Ranger because of its smooth and composed handling. However, the Nissan Frontier gets a complete redesign in 2022, giving it a completely different look inside and out.
Nissan also introduced a new trim, the Pro-X, and made more features standard. They include a touch screen, forward collision warning, driver drowsiness monitoring, and automatic emergency braking.
The Nissan Frontier has four trims: S, SV, Pro-X, and Pro-4x. Unfortunately, the Frontier has only one engine option, which is a V6 nine-speed automatic transmission with 310 horsepower. It comes standard with rear-wheel drive, but the four-wheel drive can be added to almost all trim levels.
The rear-wheel-drive version of the Frontier can expect 18 mpg in the city and 24 on the highway. For those with the four-wheel-drive option can expect 17 mpg around the city and 22 mpg on the highway. The starting price of the base model is $27,840.
For more information, you can visit Nissan’s official X website.
4. GMC Canyon
A GMC Canyon is an excellent alternative to the Ford Ranger because of its ability to tow and handle. The 2022 model year did not bring many notable changes to the GMC Canyon.
It has four trim levels: Elevation Standard, Elevation, AT4, and Denali. In addition, you can find it in two body styles, including crew cab and extended versions.
The Canyon has three engines available. The first comes standard in the Elevation and Elevation Standard, and that is the 2.5 liter four-cylinder 200 horsepower engine with 191 pound-feet of torque.
The second is standard in AT4 and Denali and an upgrade for the lower two trims. That is the 3.6 liter V6 engine with 308 horsepower with 275 pound-feet of torque.
The final engine upgrade option is a turbodiesel 2.8 liter four-cylinder 181 horsepower engine with 369 pound-feet of torque.
With the four-cylinder engine, you can expect about 19 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. The base model price starts around $26,800.
For more information, you can visit GMC’s official Canyon website.
5. Honda Ridgeline
The Honda Ridgeline is a great alternative to the Ford Ranger because of its upscale and sophisticated cabin. There are no major changes to the Ridgeline in the 2022 model year.
It did receive a major exterior refresh in 2021. The Ridgeline feels more like an SUV than a truck because of its unibody platform. It is considered to be a well-rounded truck.
The Ridgeline has four trim levels: Sport, RTL, RTL-E, and Black Edition. All trims have standard driver assistance equipment, which includes forward collision warning, road departure mitigation, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and a rearview camera.
Unfortunately, there is only one engine option, which is an all-wheel-drive, 3.5 liter V6 280 horsepower with 262 pound-feet torque.
You can expect to receive 18 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. The starting price of the base model is $36,890.
For more information, you can visit Honda’s official Ridgeline website.
Related: 12 Cars Similar to the Honda Ridgeline
6. Jeep Gladiator
The Jeep Gladiator is a wonderful alternative option to the Ford Ranger. It is a mashup of a Jeep Wrangler and a pickup truck. It has amazing off-road capabilities and a comfortable and roomy interior.
This pickup truck was launched in 2020 and since then has added a turbodiesel engine and additional standard features.
The Jeep Gladiator is a Jeep at heart and has a bit of a rough ride as a result. It has eight trim levels: Sport, Willys Sport, Sport S, Willys, Overland, Rubicon, Mojave, High, and Altitude.
All Gladiators come with four-wheel drive standard. The base engine is a 3.6 liter V6 285 horsepower with 260 pound-feet torque. In addition, there is a 3.0 liter turbodiesel V6 260 horsepower with 442 pound-feet torque as an option.
You can expect to get 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. The base price starts around $35,315.
For more information, you can visit Jeep’s official Gladiator website.
7. Ford Maverick
The Ford Maverick is a great competitor to the Ford Ranger because of its low starting price and efficient hybrid system. This is the first model year for the Ford Maverick.
It has three trim levels: XL, XLT, and Lariat. The standard features across all trims include keyless entry, automatic high beams, pedestrian detection, and forward collision warning.
The Maverick comes with a standard ending that is a 2.5 liter four-cylinder along with an electric motor giving it a combined horsepower of 191 and 155 pound-feet of torque.
A turbocharged 2.0 liter four-cylinder 250 horsepower engine with 277 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel drive is standard, but all-wheel drive is an available upgrade. An EcoBoost engine is available as an option. This is a turbocharged 2.0 liter four-cylinder 250 horsepower.
You can expect 40 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway with the Maverick Hybrid. The EcoBoost provides 23 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. The base price starts at around $19,995.
For more information, you can visit Ford’s official Maverick website.
8. Hyundai Santa Cruz
The Hyundai Santa Cruz is a comparable alternative to the Ford Ranger because of its fuel economy and superior interior. 2022 is the first model year for the Santa Cruz.
It has comfortable seats, standard safety features, and a simple infotainment system. There are four trim levels: SE, SEL, SEL Premium, and Limited.
The Hyundai Santa Cruz has a crew cab body with four doors. There are two engines available, a 2.5 liter four-cylinder 191 horsepower engine and a turbocharged engine with 281 horsepower.
The Santa Cruz base engine provides 21 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. The turbocharged engine gets 19 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. The base price starts at around $23,990.
For more information, you can visit Hyundai’s official Santa Cruz website.
9. Ford F-150
The Ford F-150 is a great alternative to the Ford Ranger because it is one of the best selling pickup trucks. It comes with an aluminum body with a wide range of options.
This pickup truck is capable, competitive, and configurable. It has eight trim levels: XL, Rattler, XLT, Lariat, Tremor, King Ranch, Platinum, and Limited.
The F-150 is a well-loved pickup truck. It comes with many engine options. The engines include a 3.3 liter V-6 with 290 horsepower, a 5.0 liter V8 with 400 horsepower, a twin-turbocharged 2.7 liter V6 with 325 horsepower, and a 3.0 liter diesel V6 with 250 horsepower. There is also a hybrid powertrain with a 3.5 liter twin turbo V6 paired with a 35 kW electric motor.
The turbocharged engine gives you 20 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. The twin-turbo gets you 18 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.
Finally, the hybrid engine gets you 25 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. The starting price of the base model is around $32,000.
For more information, you can visit Ford’s official F-150 website.
10. GMC Sierra 1500
The GMC Sierra 1500 is a great alternative to the Ford Ranger because of its versatility, upgraded styling, and high technology features. The Sierra 1500 has eight trim levels: Pro, SLE, Elevation, SLT, AT4, Denali, AT4X, Denali Ultimate.
The Sierra 1500 has four engines in rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive options. The base engine is a turbocharged 2.7 liter four-cylinder with 310 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque.
Engine upgrades include a 5.3 liter V8 with 355 horsepower and 460 pound-feet torque or a 6.2 liter V8 with 420 horsepower with 460 pound-feet torque.
The 1500 also comes with standard safety features, which include forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. You can expect to get 16 mpg in the city and 20 mpg on the highway. The starting base price is $35,645.
For more information, you can visit GMC’s official Sierra 1500 website.
11. Chevrolet Silverado 1500
The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is a great alternative to the Ford Ranger because of its newly restyled designed exterior and interior.
It has seven trim levels: Work Truck, Custom, LT, Train Boss, RST, LTZ, and High Country. In addition, the Silverado 1500 has a variety of engines, including V8s, a turbocharged four-cylinder, and a diesel 3.0 liter.
The Work Truck trim is a basic, stripped-down version of the line. It has only the essentials needed in the vehicle, such as manual locks, manual windows, manually adjustable front seats, and vinyl seats.
The High Country trim is the exact opposite with its leather upholstery and wood grain trim. You can expect to get 23 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway. The starting price of the basic model is $34,845.
For more information, you can visit Chevrolet’s official Silverado 1500 website.
12. Ford Bronco
The Ford Bronco is an excellent alternative to the Ford Ranger, even though it does not look like a traditional pickup truck. 2022 is the first model year for this Bronco. The Ford Bronco is similar to the Wrangler due to its removable body panels, hard or soft tops, and two or four door options.
It has seven trim levels: Base, Big Bend, Black Diamond, Outer Banks, Badlands, Wildtrak, and Everglades. It has two engine options: the base turbocharged 2.3 liter four-cylinder with 300 horsepower or the upgraded twin-turbo 2.7-liter V-6 with 330 horsepower.
You can expect to get 20 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. The starting price of the base model is $32,395.
For more information, you can visit Ford’s official Bronco website.
