If the 2021 Ford Ranger was built with the idea that every buyer could have the power they need. What does that mean? Well, the Ford Ranger towing capacity is the same, regardless of whether you buy the least expensive model or one of the higher trims.
How does Ford do that? Offer the best towing capacity at the lowest price? Here’s the story.
Midsize Truck Towing Capability
The Ford Ranger towing capacity is 7,500 pounds. You can look at each trim level and see the same figure. It is true for the XL, XLT, and Lariat. It’s true whether you choose the SuperCrew or SuperCab. It’s even true if you stick with front-wheel rather than four-wheel drive.
Next let’s take the Nissan Frontier. This truck comes with a four-cylinder engine that can pull up to 3,500 pounds. You can step up to the V6, paying more, and pull up to 6,720 pounds. Interestingly enough, the 2022 Frontier, an updated model, is said to have the same tow ratings as the current model.
Next up is the Toyota Tacoma. Its towing capacity is 3,500 pounds. Again you can step up to a V6, paying more to boost the tow ratings to 6,800 pounds. The Honda Ridgeline only has a V6, but its towing capacity is either 3,500 (FWD) or 5,000 pounds (AWD).
Now compare that to the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon. These two midsize relatives offer 3,500-pound towing capacity at the base level. That climbs to 7,000 pounds when you spend more and buy the available V6. If you spend even more, you can get the turbodiesel. At that point, you can edge past the Ranger and tow a maximum of 7,700 pounds.
Lastly, the Jeep Gladiator has a number of engine/transmission choices. The tow ratings are 4,000 pounds, 4,500 pounds, 6,000 pounds or 7,650 pounds. Once again, you will be paying more to be able to tow slightly more than the entry level Ranger.
How does Ford achieve such high tow ratings?
By now you may be asking how does Ford achieve such high tow ratings without demanding a ridiculously high entry level price? It’s simple. The manufacturer used engineering to outsmart the competition. Every Ranger comes with a turbo four engine that is capable of 270 horsepower. That turbo power adds a torque boost, allowing the truck to generate up to 310 pound-feet.
The other four-cylinder trucks don’t come close. The Tacoma and Frontier don’t break 200 horsepower. The Colorado and Canyon claim 200 horsepower, but they can’t compete with the Ranger. To get the towing capacity that most truck buyers want, you’ll pay more for the V6 of these different models. Then the horsepower rises to a competitive level. Still, the Ranger remains ahead of all of these rivals in terms of torque.
Gladiators have a number of configurations as stated earlier. You can get more torque than the Ranger, but only if you purchase the Ecodiesel. Interestingly, this drops the towing capacity of the Gladiator to below the Ranger’s top level.
So, in conclusion, if you want the best midsize towing capacity, there’s really only one smart choice. The Ford Ranger runs circles around the competition when it comes to the best ratio of power to cost.
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