Ford Ranger

The Ford Ranger name is used on two distinct and unrelated pick-up truck lines by the Ford Motor Company:

• The North American Ford-designed compact pickup truck (documented here)
• The Mazda-designed compact pickup (documented at Mazda B-Series (International)) sold in more than 130 countries

North American Ranger

In North America, the Ranger is usually Ford's entry-level pick-up truck. In the 1960s and 1970s, it was used on versions of the F-100. The current line of Rangers was introduced in 1982 for the 1983 model year. It replaced the Ford Courier, an Americanized version of the Mazda B-Series. The compact Ranger was styled after the full-size Ford pickups, and also offered a four wheel drive system. Prior to the 1983 model year, "Ranger" was a trim package available on the full-size Ford pickups. The car uses code R1 (for 2-door) and R4 (for 4-door) in the 5th and 6th positions of the VIN. The Mazda – Ford – Mazda truck saga came full circle in 1993 when the Mazda B-Series truck became a rebadged Ford Ranger in North America.