- pickup 105,078
- 296 below average
- 2,995 good
- Bloomington, IL
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- autoshopper.com
- 296 below average pickup 105,078 gasoline green
1997 ford ranger review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. It is also sold in clone form as the mazda b-series. walkaroundranger's competition includes the chevy/gmc s-trucks (s-10 and sonoma), the dodge dakota, toyota tacoma and nissan pickup trucks. what started out as a ford response to the very successful japanese import compact pickups has sailed away from all of them in sales and popularity, offering a wider variety of powertrains, real american truck strength and commercial-grade durability. for 1997, the ranger lineup adds a significant product advantage in this segment, a new five-speed automatic transmission called the 5r55e that improves performance. a new single-disc player has been added to the audio option list, in addition to the six-disc changer that's already there. Power windows and locks have been added to the low-line xlt models as options. Flareside rear fenders can now be ordered on ranger models other than the splash. The ranger is unique in the industry in that it has a dashboard switch, operated by the ignition key, that can switch the right-side airbag off when the seat is empty or when it is occupied by a small child in a special seat. The system is automatically reset to 'on' every time the truck is started. interiorthe ranger shares its instrument panel with the explorer sport-utility, an outstanding piece of design. This is how a modern truck instrument panel should look; integrated, properly spaced, with a minimum of color and surface variations. The dials and indicators are just about perfect. There is a visible, palpable richness to the quality of the plastic and fabrics, making it an altogether pleasant place to be. (it wasn't always this way. Remember that this is the end of a 14-year evolution.) vinyl bucket seats are standard, with 60/40 split bench seats the prime option and sport buckets a second option, including a floor console with cupholders. In both the five-window and standard-cab models, the ranger and all of the other trucks in this class yield the roominess title to the new 1997 dodge dakota, which is slightly bigger in all dimensions. Ranger's standard-cab cabin is not the most hospitable place for taller drivers, with short legroom and restricted seatback rake, but the supercab version allows plenty of backrest rake, more legroom and plenty of floor space for cargo, or for the kids to use the side-facing jump seats. the splash bucket seats are very comfortable, roomy and supportive for long treks. We confess we didn't try out the jump seats, but we did use the rear cargo floor frequently and found it very convenient. It's a 25-year-old design, and its age is definitely beginning to show. The drive system in the 4x4 ranger is a straightforward part-time setup with automatic locking hubs and a simple three-way dashboard switch with lighted indicator that will swap between 2- and 4wd instantly, or into 4wd low for slogging. on the road, the ranger behaves much more like a tall car than a truck. That's not to say that the ranger handles like a sports car, because it doesn't. This one was loaded with big-ticket items like air conditioning at $805, abs at $610, a cd changer for $445, the power window and lock group at $395, a tilt wheel with cruise control for $395, sport bucket seats at $360, and an anti-theft/keyless remote entry system for $275. The passenger airbag, which is optional, costs $400, but we view that as a must-have. with an all-new 1998 ranger on the way, this is an excellent time to wheel and deal on the outgoing model. assembled inedison, nj; louisville, ky; minneapolis, mn. options as tested4-wheel abs, air conditioning, power windows, power locks, premium am/fm/cd audio, cruise control, passenger airbag, keyless remote entry, anti-theft system, tilt steering, cargo cover. model testedsupercab splash. Bucket Seats✔ Power Locks✔ Power Windows✔ AM/FM✔ Cruise Control✔ Passenger Airbag✔ CD Changer✔ Air Conditioning
2,995 Bloomington, ILBloomington, IL at autoshopper.com