Compared: 2024 Ford Maverick vs. 2024 Ford Ranger
Ford's two smallest pickups square off over price, features, and fuel economy.
Ford
Ford introduced its new Maverick pickup as a 2022 model, helping revive a long-dormant segment in the United States: the compact pickup. Before the Maverick, Ford's smallest truck was the Ranger, which competes in the midsize segment. How do Ford's two smallish pickups compare?
Ford
The Maverick Costs Less Than the Ranger
The 2024 Ford Maverick has three trims. A base XL starts at about $25,000 and comes standard with automatic emergency braking, cruise control, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, and more.
The Maverick XLT costs around $28,000 and gains convenience items such as upgraded interior appointments, LED bed lighting, a 400-watt in-bed power outlet, and 17-inch alloy wheels.
At the top of the Maverick lineup is the Lariat, which comes with an eight-way power adjustable driver's seat, more active safety features, dual-zone automatic climate control, upgraded LED headlights, and 18-inch wheels, all at a price just north of $36,000.
All three Maverick trims come with a turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine or an available four-cylinder hybrid. The gas-only engine can be optioned with all-wheel drive (AWD) for an additional $2,200; the hybrid is front-wheel drive (FWD) only.
Ford
The 2024 Ford Ranger offers four trims. The first three mirror the Maverick. A Ford Ranger XL with 4x2 starts at just over $34,000 and comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, and a 10.0-inch center infotainment screen.
The $38,000 XLT adds LED bed lighting, a 400-watt in-bed power outlet, power-folding sideview mirrors, wireless charging, and more active safety features.
The Lariat introduces premium features such as LED projector headlights, power heated leather front seats, a 12.0-inch center infotainment screen and 12.0-inch digital gauge cluster, and a power sliding rear window for about $45,000. Adding 4x4 to any XL, XLT, or Lariat model adds about $3,600.
The Ranger's three main trims come standard with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, though an optional twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 will be available later in the model year.
The Ranger's top trim, Raptor, upgrades to a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine with full time 4x4, Fox-branded electronically controlled off-road-tuned shock absorbers, a widened track front and rear, and numerous drive modes for just over $57,000.
Ford
The Ranger Can Tow and Haul More Than the Maverick
The 2024 Ford Maverick and Ranger come exclusively in crew-cab designs with room for up to five passengers. The Ranger's bed is 5 feet long, while the Maverick's is 4.
While both the Maverick and Ranger are pickups, they're different vehicles underneath the surface. The Maverick uses unibody construction shared with Ford's compact crossovers, the Escape and Bronco Sport, delivering fuel efficiency and carlike driving dynamics. The Ranger uses body-on-frame construction, which results in higher towing capacity and superior off-road capability when equipped with 4x4.
Maverick XLT and Lariat models can be optioned with a moonroof; the Ranger doesn't offer one.
Ford
The Ranger has a maximum payload capacity of 1,805 pounds and can tow up to 7,500 pounds in all trim levels — except the Raptor, which has a 5,510-pound limit. While the Maverick's maximum payload capacity is 1,500 pounds, its towing capacity is limited to 4,000 pounds and only on non-hybrid AWD models optioned with a towing package. Other models are limited to 2,000 pounds.
Ford
The Maverick Is More Fuel Efficient Than the Ranger
Base 2024 Ford Maverick models come with an EcoBoost turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 250 horsepower. With this engine, FWD Maverick models return up to 23/30/26 mpg city/highway/combined, while AWD models get 22/29/25 mpg. The Tremor package option lowers this estimate to 20/24/21 mpg.
The Maverick's optional engine is a 191-hp hybrid 2.5-liter four-cylinder. Hybrid models come exclusively with FWD and are rated to deliver 42/33/37 mpg.
Ford
The 2024 Ford Ranger has three engine choices. The base is a 270-hp EcoBoost turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder. With this engine, 4x2 models return 21/25/22 mpg, while 4x4 models are rated at 20/24/22 mpg. A 315-hp EcoBoost turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder will be available later in the model year.
The Ranger Raptor uses a 405-hp EcoBoost turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 rated at 16/18/17 mpg.
All vehicle pricing includes MSRP plus destination charges (set at the time of publication) and will be rounded to the nearest thousand.
Written by humans.
Edited by humans.
Chris O'NeillI am an auto-industry veteran and a current MBA candidate at the University of Utah. After moving to Utah in October 2015 and being fascinated by the unique car culture of the region, I started an Instagram project highlighting the rare and distinctive vehicles I see in the Mountain West region. I enjoy sharing with others my unique perspective and passion for all things automotive. In my free time, when I’m not thinking and writing about cars, I enjoy photography, toying with my 2011 Volkswagen GTI and 1999 Toyota Land Cruiser, and exploring Utah with my girlfriend and two dogs.
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