Which Trim Level of the 2025 Ford Ranger Should You Buy?

Ford redesigned the Ranger for the 2024 model year, stretching and widening the mid-size pickup truck, making the turbocharged 2.7-liter V-6 engine from the F-150 available and adding a desert-scorching Raptor variant to the lineup. The automaker also massively updated the Ranger’s tech, adding new features for connectivity, towing and safety. As opposed to the F-series — as well as some mid-size competitors — the Ranger is only available in a single configuration: a crew cab with a 5-foot bed. But with rear- or four-wheel drive, 270 to 405 horsepower, and base prices ranging from $34,675 to $57,415  (all prices include the $1,595 destination fee), there’s still plenty of, um, range in the Ranger lineup. So, which 2025 Ranger is right for you?

Related: 2024 Ford Ranger Review: Substance Lacking Style

What Does the XL Trim Include?

The base Ranger XL opens at $34,675 and is only available with a 270-hp, turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder that makes 310 pounds-feet of torque; it is teamed with a 10-speed automatic transmission. RWD is standard on every Ranger except the Raptor; 4WD is a $3,645 option on the XL.

With cloth upholstery, manually adjustable front seats and air conditioning, the Ranger XL is a fairly basic pickup, but it does include niceties such as 17-inch aluminum wheels, LED headlights, front tow hooks (with 4WD only) and keyless entry. The entry-level Ranger’s cabin tech consists of an 8-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10-inch touchscreen and six speakers.

The entry-level Ranger only includes the active-safety basics: forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane departure steering assist and automatic high beams.

What Does the XLT Trim Include?

The XLT starts at $37,705 with the turbocharged four-cylinder. Here, 4WD costs $3,485, or buyers can get an optional twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V-6 making 315 hp and 400 pounds-feet for $5,680, which includes 4WD. Ford Co-Pilot 360 is standard on the XLT, adding blind spot monitors with trailer coverage, rear cross-traffic alert, a driver attention monitor and rear parking sensors with automatic braking. Other features included in the XLT are LED foglamps, LED taillights, remote start, a sliding rear window, wireless phone charging and a digital rearview mirror. The XLT’s infotainment system is upgraded with navigation and satellite radio.

What Does the Lariat Trim Include?

At $45,475, the Lariat is the luxury Ranger, with leather upholstery, heated and power-adjustable front seats, a heated steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power sliding rear window and a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system. It rides on 18-inch wheels and gets upgraded LED headlights, body-color door handles and mirror housings (instead of the black pieces on the XL and XLT), and rain-sensing windshield wipers. The Lariat’s tech suite is enhanced with a 12-inch digital gauge cluster, adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree parking camera and front parking sensors.

What Does the Raptor Trim Include?

The Ranger Raptor sits at the top of the lineup, but it’s not merely a step up from the Lariat. For $57,415, it is reengineered from the ground up as the ultimate off-road pickup. Powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6, the Raptor boasts 405 hp and 430 pounds-feet of torque, which it sends through the 10-speed automatic to standard 4WD with locking front and rear differentials. It rides on unique suspension with Fox Racing shocks and 17-inch wheels wrapped in 33-inch all-terrain tires; it also boasts unique flared front and rear fenders, a steel skid plate to protect the engine and rear tow hooks.

The Ranger Raptor also includes the Trailer Tow and Advanced Towing Packages, which add a Class IV hitch receiver, 4- and 7-pin wiring connectors, an integrated trailer-brake controller and Pro Trailer Backup Assist, which allows drivers to reverse with a trailer attached by steering the trailer with a knob on the dashboard instead of sawing at the steering wheel. The Raptor is also ready for aftermarket customization, with six prewired auxiliary switches in the center console.

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