2023 Ford F-150 versus 2023 Ford Ranger: How do they compare?

Ram and Chevrolet will have a new competitor in the full-size truck space, with Ford Australia confirming we will receive the 14th-generation F-150 XLT and Lariat variants in Crew Cab trim by mid-2023.

The vehicles will be flown in and remanufactured from left-hand to right-hand drive by engineering specialist RMA Automotive. The remanufacturing facility will be based in Mickelham, Victoria, close to Ford's head office in Campbellfield, and Ford Australia says three quarters of parts will be remanufactured for local ADR and safety standards.

It's a big move by the Blue Oval, considering its all-new, highly anticipated Ford Ranger is set to launch later in 2022. By bringing both vehicles to Australia, Ford will be the first OEM to bring mid-size and full-size utes to the Aussie market - but is there room in the segment for both?

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President and CEO for Ford Australia and New Zealand, Andrew Birkic, believes there is.

"We’re pretty confident both vehicles complement each other. We’re confident with Ranger we’ve got a broad customer base with fleet and government and small business, we’re confident in our aspirations and volumes.

"F-150 buyers could well be more private, but could be fleet applications. There’s a lot of recreational usage in this space."

The appetite for full-size trucks in Australia is clear, with Birkic adding that sales of the big utes have tripled in recent years.

"We just knew we had to find a way to bring it back to Australia," he said.

“With the introduction of F-150, alongside our Ranger line-up, Ford’s comprehensive pick-up truck range will offer a vehicle for every situation.”

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Natalie Manariti, Ford Australia’s Global Trucks Enterprise Product Line Manager, added that research indicates there is a customer base for both.

"That customer looking for the full-sized truck is really looking for the ultimate recreational tool, they’ve got big toys they want to tow. Today it will be the 20ft trailer, tomorrow it will be the cabin cruiser with the quad bikes, they’re looking for that unrestricted capability on any day they choose," she said.

Engines

Aussie-delivered F-150s are to be powered exclusively by the 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6, an engine from the same family as the 3.0-litre EcoBoost that powers the incoming Ranger Raptor. The EcoBoost V6 delivers 298kW and 678Nm and is paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission.

“When we began looking at F-150 for an Australian return, there was one engine that stood out for us – the 3.5L EcoBoost – which gives F-150 immense power and torque, more than many of its V8 competitors,” said Natalie Manariti.

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Four engines will be available with the 2023 Ford Ranger line-up, with the aforementioned 292kW/583Nm 3.0-litre EcoBoost petrol V6 exclusive to the Raptor.

The remaining engines to power the Ranger include Ford's 2.0-litre single-turbo four-cylinder diesel (125kW/405Nm), which will power the entry-level XL; a bi-turbo diesel 2.0-litre (154kW/500Nm) variant, also available for XL models; and a new 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel (184kW/600Nm) for XLT, Sport and Wildtrak variants.

F-150 buyers in the US can choose from a 2.7-litre turbo-petrol V6, a 3.5-litre turbo-petrol V6 and a 5.0-litre petrol V8. Will we see these here in the future?

"We’re absolutely open to other opportunities. We’ve gone for the most popular engine as our first rodeo. Let’s get it into the country and kick things off from there," said Manariti.

Towing

The EcoBoost V6 allows the F-150 to tow up to 4500 kilograms (maximum braked towing capacity when using the Genuine Ford tow pack).

The towing capacity of the 2023 Ford Ranger is capped at 3500kg – so if yachts and extravagant motorhomes need transporting, then the F-150 is the answer. The only exception is the Raptor variant, which can only tow 2500kg braked.

Measurements and payload

The 2023 Ford Ranger has a 50 millimetre longer wheelbase and 50mm wider track than the outgoing model, with the 1233-litre tub capable of swallowing a Euro pallet (1200x800mm) – the US-spec F-150 has a 1285mm tub space between the wheel arches.

Payload for 4x4 Rangers varies, with the XL 2.0L bi-turbo single cab-chassis leading the pack with a payload capacity of 1327kg. Of the V6-powered models, the top-spec Wildtrak has the greatest payload capacity of 997kg. The Ranger Raptor is limited to just 753kg.

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GCM is 6350kg across the entire Ranger 4x4 range, but drops to 5370kg for the Raptor.

Exact specs for Australian-delivered F-150 models are yet to be confirmed, but if we look at US-spec LHD vehicles, the F-150 has a payload capacity of up to 1508kg and the Lariat SuperCrew measures at 6185mm (length), 2029mm (width; without mirrors) and 1971mm (height).

For comparison's sake, the 2021 Ranger measures 5446mm (length), 1977mm (width) and 1852mm (height). Stay tuned for further details when they're announced.

Further variants

How well the F-150 performs on the Australian sales charts will be an important factor in dictating whether other F-150 variants – the zero-emissions Lightning as well as the performance-focused Raptor – are brought here.

"Success will be popular when determining if going ahead with Lightning or Raptor. Priority is to get a new Ranger and Everest out mid-year," said Andrew Birkic.

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"Let’s get F-150 here, let’s get it down the line, let’s spend the time on the remanufacture, get it to our customers. Then we can look at the next step, there’s no hard and fast timing."

Australian pricing for the F-150 is yet to be confirmed, but Ford Australia says it will be "priced favourably."