2020 Ford Ranger vs 2020 Ford F-150

The 2020 Ford F-150’s design was a testament to timelessness and endurance. While rivals like the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 adopted more aggressive, abstract designs, Ford designers showcased restraint, allowing the F-150’s clean lines and blocky grille to exude a confident yet unassuming presence. This approach provided the vehicle with a classic appeal that would still hold its charm for multiple owners in the future.

Inside the F-150, the dashboard had a straightforward, mechanical look that initially seemed cold and uninviting. However, once the dash and infotainment screen powered up, the design choices started to make sense. It was clear that form took precedence over function here. Lower and upper trims still bore the mark of durability with extensive use of hard plastics, whereas higher trims introduced some soft-touch materials and leather, resisting the overly luxurious redesign seen in competitors like the Ram 1500. This interior looked like it could withstand considerable wear and tear.

The F-150 came in several trims: XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, Raptor, and Limited. The basic XL was the quintessential work truck, featuring steel wheels, air conditioning, AM/FM radio, manual locks, and a 2.3-inch display. It included standard forward automatic emergency braking. The XLT enhanced this package with 17-inch painted aluminum wheels, chrome bumpers, cruise control, SYNC 3 infotainment, and a WiFi hotspot.

The Lariat bridged the gap between basic functionality and luxury, adding push-button start, leather-trimmed seats, heated power-folding side mirrors, an 8-inch driver display, dual-zone climate control, and power-heated front seats.

The King Ranch trim brought a unique Western vibe with saddle-leather upholstery and “King Ranch” stitching, along with a premium Bang & Olufsen sound system, heated rear seats, and a remote release tailgate. The Platinum added specific chrome badging, body-color bumpers, LED bed lighting, and Blue ambient lighting.

The Raptor had a distinct personality, featuring a rugged design with larger fenders, a menacing grille, and specialized off-road gear. Meanwhile, the Limited trim set new standards of truck comfort with satin aluminum accents, premium leather upholstery, and a dual-panel moonroof.

In contrast, the 2020 Ford Ranger’s design reflected its international roots, deviating from the typical American truck look. It avoided the “bigger-and-blockier” design trend and instead sported a sporty, assertive appearance. The Ranger's design carried influences from the F-Series, particularly in the grille, but that’s where the similarities ended.

Inside, the Ranger’s cabin was function-first with hard plastic components that stood up well to rough use, a typical attribute in utility vehicles. However, compared to other midsize pickups like the Jeep Gladiator and Honda Ridgeline, the Ranger’s interior felt somewhat budget-conscious.

The Ranger lineup consisted of three trims: XL, XLT, and Lariat. The base XL came with steel wheels, a black grille, black door handles, and a basic AM/FM stereo with four speakers. Moving up to the XLT added 17-inch aluminum wheels, keyless entry, a remote locking tailgate, dual-zone climate control, and cruise control along with the SYNC 3 infotainment system.

The top-tier Lariat trim boasted 18-inch machined aluminum wheels, a chrome-accented grille, LED bed lighting, and power-folding side mirrors. Inside, it featured leather upholstery, push-button start, and ambient lighting.

Additionally, Ford offered appearance packages like STX, XLT Sport, Chrome, and Black Appearance Packages, and off-road packages like FX2 and FX4 for the Ranger. The FX packages included beefed-up tires and reinforced running gear.

The 2020 Ford F-150 had multiple powertrain options to meet a variety of needs. The base XL and XLT trims came with a 3.3-liter V6 engine that produced 290 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. These trims also offered a 2.7-liter turbocharged EcoBoost V6, delivering 325 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. For those desiring more cylinders, a 5.0-liter V8 was available, producing 395 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. Additional engine choices included a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 with 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque, and a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 generating 250 hp and 440 lb-ft of torque.

The XL and XLT trims used a 6-speed automatic transmission, while all other trims had a 10-speed automatic transmission with a Drive Mode selector featuring Normal, Tow/Haul, Snow/Wet, EcoSelect, and Sport modes. Power could be directed to the rear wheels or an optional 4WD system with low-range gearing.

Properly equipped, the F-150 could tow up to 12,300 pounds, making it a leader in light-duty truck towing capacity. This required a specific configuration including the XLT SuperCrew RWD, 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine, 20-inch tires, and Max Trailer Tow Package. The base V6 was adequate for everyday driving but was not intended for heavy work, unlike the V8 and turbo engines designed for hauling and towing. When not towing, these engines provided significant acceleration and could even spin the tires.

Despite being a full-size pickup, the F-150 offered a surprisingly agile driving experience with responsive steering and a manageable turning radius. The ride quality was smooth over a variety of terrains.

The Raptor variant stood out with its lifted suspension, special Fox Racing shocks, and live valve technology for real-time adjustments. It also featured a Terrain Management System with multiple driving modes including Normal, Baja, Rock Crawl, Sport, Mud/Sand, Wet/Snow, and Tow/Haul. The Raptor included enhanced skid plates to protect its vital components.

In contrast, the 2020 Ford Ranger included a single engine option for all trims: a 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. A ten-speed automatic transmission routed power to either the rear wheels or an optional 4WD system with low-range gearing.

The turbocharged engine provided ample power for daily driving and highway maneuvers. The Ranger could tow up to 7,500 pounds when properly equipped, an excellent figure for a midsize truck. It also had a max payload capacity of 1,860 pounds in the SuperCab configuration with a 4x2 drivetrain.

However, the Ranger’s ride quality was a bit stiff compared to the Honda Ridgeline. It exhibited noticeable vibrations over minor road bumps and body roll through corners, sacrificing some comfort for capability.

The FX2 and FX4 Off-Road packages added off-road tires, an electronically locking rear differential, off-road-tuned suspension, and an off-road status page in the instrument cluster. The FX4 went further, adding skid plates and removing the front air dam. The FX4 also included Trail Control, a type of cruise control for off-roading, and a Terrain Management System with modes like Normal, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud/Ruts, and Sand.

The 2020 Ford F-150 offered three cab sizes—Regular Cab, SuperCab, and SuperCrew—and three bed sizes—5.5-foot, 6.5-foot, and 8-foot. The Regular Cab had a traditional single-cab design, while the SuperCab featured rear half-doors that could only be opened when the front doors were opened. This could be inconvenient for families or anyone needing frequent access to the rear seats. The SuperCrew, a full 4-door crew cab, offered expansive backseat legroom and ample overall cabin space, with rear seats that could flip up to provide a large load floor.

The F-150’s cabin was well-appointed with numerous storage compartments, deep in-door pockets, and a sizable center console bin capable of holding a laptop or hand tools. The F-150 also featured a bed step that extended from the tailgate, offering easy access to the bed.

The 2020 Ford Ranger came in SuperCab and SuperCrew configurations. The SuperCab seated four and had a 2+2 layout with tight rear seating, more suitable for children. These rear seats folded up to reveal additional storage space or could be deleted entirely for extra cargo room. The rear-opening clamshell half-doors required the front door to be opened first, making access less convenient.

The SuperCrew seated five with a full rear bench, providing more space and comfort for adults. Both cabin styles featured deep in-door pockets, bottle holders, a deep center console bin, and a coin/key tray atop the dash.

The Ranger paired a six-foot bed with the SuperCab and a five-foot bed with the SuperCrew. It offered features like a remote locking tailgate, LED bed lighting, and a wall-style power outlet but lacked a bed step, a feature found in competitors like the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon.

The 2020 Ford F-150 started with a basic AM/FM radio and auxiliary audio input jack in the XL trim, supporting four speakers in the regular cab and six in the SuperCab and SuperCrew. The SYNC infotainment system was optional on the XL, adding a touchscreen, USB ports, and voice recognition.

The XLT added SYNC 3, housed in an 8-inch touchscreen with features like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, enhanced voice recognition, and pinch-to-zoom for maps. SYNC 3’s user-friendly interface and large fonts made it easy to navigate.

Higher trims also featured FordPass with a 4G WiFi modem, allowing connection of up to 10 devices and support for remote vehicle start, lock/unlock, and status checks. FordPass also enabled scheduling remote starts.

The higher trims came with a premium B&O sound system by Bang & Olufsen, featuring 10 speakers and a subwoofer, delivering crisp and clear sound.

In comparison, the 2020 Ford Ranger kept things simple in the XL trim with an AM/FM stereo, four speakers, Bluetooth connectivity, and a USB port. It also included FordPass Connect with remote start, lock/unlock, and WiFi hotspot capability for up to ten devices.

The XLT trim upgraded to the SYNC 3 infotainment system with an 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and an optional voice-activated navigation system. The Lariat trim included a standard B&O sound system by Bang & Olufsen with ten speakers for enhanced audio quality.

The 2020 Ford F-150 came with a comprehensive set of standard safety features, including front and side airbags, curve control, a tire-pressure monitoring system, and AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control. It also had rain-sensing headlights, an anti-theft system, and the SOS post-crash alert system.

Ford made pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking standard, even on the XL trim. Higher trims and optional packages added Ford Co-Pilot360, which included automatic high beams, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control.

The Pro Trailer Backup Assist feature simplified trailer maneuvers by allowing drivers to control the trailer's direction with a dashboard knob.

The F-150 SuperCrew earned impressive crash test ratings, receiving 5 out of 5 stars from the NHTSA and top marks in IIHS crash tests. The SuperCab and Regular Cab, however, received slightly lower ratings.

The 2020 Ford Ranger came standard with front and side airbags, a child-seat anchoring system, tire-pressure monitoring, automatic headlights, automatic emergency braking, forward collision avoidance, and pedestrian detection.

The XLT trim added Ford CoPilot 360, offering lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and reverse parking sensors. An optional Technology Package included forward parking sensors and adaptive cruise control.

The Ranger achieved top scores in most IIHS crash tests, earning a “Good” rating in driver-side small-overlap, moderate overlap, side, and roof-strength tests. However, it scored “Average” in passenger-side small-overlap tests. The IIHS rated its vehicle-to-vehicle crash prevention as “Superior” and pedestrian-sensing tech as “Advanced.”

The NHTSA awarded the Ranger an overall rating of four stars, with five stars in most crash tests, four stars in front passenger-side tests, and three stars in rollover crash tests. There was one recall for the Ranger involving the ten-speed automatic transmission, similar to an issue seen in the F-150.