New Ranger Won't Eat Into F-150 Sales

Does Ford see the upcoming Ranger as a threat to the sales of the F-150? Joe Hinrichs, Ford's president of global operations says no.

"There always will be some substitution, but this is more of a lifestyle vehicle for people who want to use it for different purposes. The F-150's gotten bigger over time and more expensive. We believe there's room now to slot the Ranger in very nicely in the showroom," he told Automotive yesterday at an event kicking off production of the Ranger.

The new Ranger is quite expensive with the base XL SuperCab 2WD setting you back $25,395 with destination - higher than the Nissan Frontier ($19,965), Chevrolet Colorado ($21,495), and Toyota Tacoma ($24,480). But the biggest competitor to the Ranger might be the F-150. Despite a higher price ($29,650 for the XL Regular Cab 2WD), Ford is offering a number of incentives that can bring down the price of F-150 into Ranger territory. 

But there is some good news for the Ranger, as interest in midsize trucks is rising. Automotive News reports that interest was increased 18 percent so far this year, a massive increase compared to the less than 1 percent in 2017.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)