1999 Ford Ranger XLT review from North America
"A great truck with a weak motor"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Wipers turned on by themselves. Switch replaced under warranty.
Drive shaft flange made pinging noise when going into reverse. New drive shaft put in under warranty.
General comments?
Seats are cheap. Just barely consider them comfortable. Material is thin and looks cheap.
Dash and controls are good. No squeaks, good control layout. Looks good, but plain.
Motor is weak. It has decent torque to get moving, and hauls and tows OK. But anything over 60mph, this motor is gasping. Trying to pass a tractor-trailer up a hill at 70mph is pretty much out of the question. I understand the 2000 and up Rangers have more power. I will say that the highway driving was the only time the motor let me down. In town it was perfectly fine.
Transmission is firm and seems bulletproof. Loved the 5-speed automatic. Just needs a real motor to go with it.
Suspension was truck like, but not too harsh. This was my daily driver for 3 years and after getting used to a truck's ride, I never gave it a second thought. I was really impressed once I put some weight in the bed, like 400 pounds. It took it fine and rode a little more car like. The truck didn't even seem to notice minor road imperfections.
Road noise. Man these things are loud. I know it's not a Lexus, but wow. Wind noise was the worst, the tires were pretty quiet. Doors are thin, let in a lot of noise.
Recommended reviews
| Well suited truck that is just as at home as a light duty work horse or a fun daily drive |
| Does it all, but not like a full size truck will. |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1999 |
| First year of ownership | 1999 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 4.0L Automatic |
| Performance marks | 4 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 10 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 0 miles |
| Most recent distance | 14000 miles |
| Previous car | Mercury Cougar |
| Date of Entry | 2nd October, 2003 |