Nothing has gone wrong yet.
Gas mileage is worse then I expected.
We bought a second car, didn't really need a mini van anymore as a family vehicle as I work from home now, and I wanted a truck so traded my 05 Pontiac Montana for an 08 Mazda B4000, aka Ford Ranger.
I was actually able to get a better deal locally on the Mazda which is why I got it. I wish the Ford dealer would have come down as I wanted Vinyl interior, but alas I'm in the "plush" Mazda.
I love my truck. I'm a big guy and I find it comfortable. It has lots of pep. I can put my full sized Yamaha Grizzly Quad in there without issue. It tows well too.
I haven't had it on the highway yet. I live in a rural area, I just use it running around in town and picking up the kids at the bus stop. every now and then I have to use it to move the family and it is not ideal like a mini van, but that's OK. In a couple years I'm going to get small sport ute for family car.
My only complaint in my brief ownership is the terrible gas mileage. For a truck that is rarely under load really as it is barely turning over 2000 rpm at the speed limit, why does it drink so much gas. I'm averaging 14.8 mpg after 10 tanks. The one long trip I did take kind of on the highway, I had the quad aboard, I got over 17 mpg. I wish it was that good all the time.
All in all I a glad I made the purchase. I got out of my minivan at the right time as locally you can't give them away and the dealer is still stuck with mine and has it priced basically what they gave me for it. I was upside down so my payments on this truck are higher then they should be, but the pain will be over in 4 years and this is going to be a long term vehicle for me, at least 6-7 years if it doesn't give me trouble.
I don't tow a lot and 90% of my driving is trips under 50 km so I do't need a full sized truck. The gas mileage would be no worse, but the payments would.
I think your fuel mileage relates to the 'automatic'. While not happy with my fuel mileage on my 2007 B4000, it is because I went from a Mazda 323 that got 47 miles/ga all it's life. The truck is averaging about 20 with 25 on the highway. It's rarely under load, but funny enough, it seems to do better for fuel when it is and when I travel. Travel here means mountains - constant pulling up and constant curves. Up to speed, time to slow.