by Dale Wickell

Ford first used the Ranger name for a trim level of its F-Series trucks in 1965, but it wasn't until 1982 that the first compact Ranger truck rolled off the assembly line. Like all trucks, they've gone from strictly bare bones basic to trucks with as many options and special packages as you'd see on a car.

The 2007 Ford Ranger is no exception -- there are plenty of configurations to choose from.

Three Ford Ranger Engines

• 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engine producing 143 hp at 5,250 rpm and 154 lb-feet of torque at 3,750 rpm. Rangers with this engine are at the top of the EPA fuel economy pack for small trucks -- rated 29 highway and 24 city. The four-cylinder is standard on the STX 4x2 regular cab, two-door SuperCab, and the XL and XLT two-door SuperCab trucks.

• 3.0-liter overhead-valve V-6 engine producing 148 hp at 4,900 rpm and 180 pound-feet of torque at 3,950 rpm.

• 4.0-liter, single-overhead-cam V-6 producing 207 hp at 5,250 rpm and 238 lb-ft of torque at 3,000 rpm.

A five-speed manual transmission is standard on all Rangers, but a five-speed automatic is available.

Three New Safety Features on all Ranger Trucks

• Personal Safety System (front-passenger sensing system and dual-stage driver and front passenger air bags)

• Tire pressure monitoring system (sensors mounted on each wheel except the spare to monitor air pressure)

• SecuriLock passive anti-theft system

Other Safety Features:

• Four-wheel anti-lock brakes

• Safety belts with front pretensioners for outboard seating positions

• Side-intrusion door beams

• LATCH child safety seat mounts in the front-passenger seat on all trucks

Truck Audio & Interior

• SIRIUS satellite radio available on STX, XLT, SPORT and all FX4 models

• Auxiliary audio input jack is standard on all audio systems except the base AM/FM radio

• MP3 compatibility with single-disc CD audio system

• Sculpted bolsters and seat backs for extra support

• Sport bucket seats and leather-trimmed steering wheel are available

Exterior Changes

• Two new 16-inch wheels available on most Ranger trucks

• New truck colors: Pueblo Gold Clearcoat and Vista Blue Clearcoat Metallic; Screaming Yellow is back

• Special appearance package is available on all XLT 4x2 body styles and powertrain configurations

Ranger Truck Configurations & Trim Levels

Ranger trucks are available in regular-cab and two- and four-door SuperCab configurations. A 7-foot box is available on XL and XLT regular-cab trucks.

• XL trucks are the Ranger starting point -- economical but without a lot of frills. You'll find a 60/40 bench seat on the XL truck.

• STX trucks start to bring in more options, like alloy wheels, body-color bumpers and lower valance, fog-lights in the body-color grille, different gauges and bucket seats.

• The next step up is the XLT truck, with A/C standard and more punch to the audio system. You'll find lots of variations throughout this model. A Sport version brings in even more configurations.

• The FX4 Off-Road truck has:
  • Limited-slip rear axle
  • Tow hooks
  • Heavy-duty, gas-charged shocks
  • Mid and aft skid plates
  • Additional body styling options

• And then there's the FX4 Level II, with the features of the FX4 off-road plus tweaked styling and a standard rear sliding window with privacy glass.

Other Ranger Options & Accessories Include:

• TREMOR Package -- a 510-watt Pioneer AM/FM audio system and six-disc CD changer with MP3 capability

• Class III towing

• Bed extender

• Bed liner

See the 2007 Ford Ranger Photo Gallery for a look at the truck.