The Ford Ranger
The Ford Ranger is the truck for people who need a truck to do truck things without committing to a full-size footprint. It tows 7,500 lbs, holds 43.5 cubic feet in the bed, seats five, and still fits in a normal garage. At Dennis Sneed Ford in Gower, MO, we sell them to Kansas City metro buyers and northwest Missouri families who looked hard at an F-150 first and decided they did not need one.
Why buy a Ford Ranger?
The Ford Ranger is a mid-size pickup that tows up to 7,500 lbs and carries up to 1,767 lbs of payload while staying considerably easier to park and drive than a full-size truck. Every model is a SuperCrew, seats five, and offers four-wheel drive.
Most people who buy a mid-size truck are not compromising. They are right-sizing. A Ranger handles a loaded utility trailer, a bed full of landscaping material, gravel roads, and hunting season, and then fits down a residential street and into a garage without the daily awkwardness a full-size brings.
What it is not is a replacement for an F-150 if you tow heavy or haul weight for a living. If that is you, we will tell you so. But a large share of the truck buyers who walk in convinced they need full-size end up happier in a Ranger, and the ones who genuinely need the bigger truck know it within about two questions.
Shopping the 2026 Ford Ranger?
The 2026 Ranger adds Avalanche to the color palette, makes a power moonroof available on XLT and Lariat, and opens the FX4 Off-Road Package up to the XL for the first time. Our complete 2026 buyer's guide covers all four models, all three engines, EPA ratings by drivetrain, and why the Raptor tows almost 2,000 lbs less than a base XL.
What models does the Ford Ranger come in?
The Ranger lineup runs XL, XLT, Lariat, and Raptor. XL is the work truck, XLT is the volume model, Lariat adds comfort and technology, and Raptor is the off-road performance flagship. All four are SuperCrew and seat five.
Ranger XL
A 2.3L EcoBoost rated at 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft, a 10-speed automatic, and the full 7,500 lb tow rating when equipped with the Trailer Tow Package. Nothing about the XL's capability is compromised; what you give up is comfort equipment.
Ranger XLT
The volume model. Adds appearance and convenience equipment over the XL and opens up the available 2.7L EcoBoost V6, which brings 315 horsepower and 400 lb-ft. A power moonroof is newly available here.
Ranger Lariat
Leather-trimmed and heated front seats with power adjustment and lumbar support, a flow-through console with floor shift, and the same 2.7L V6 availability as the XLT. Tows the same 7,500 lbs when properly equipped.
Ranger Raptor
A 3.0L EcoBoost V6 rated at 405 horsepower and 430 lb-ft, standard four-wheel drive, and a standard Trailer Tow Package. Built for speed over rough ground rather than for pulling, which is why its tow rating is 5,510 lbs rather than 7,500. It also asks for 91-octane fuel.
Is the drive to Gower worth it for a Kansas City buyer?
For most Ranger shoppers, yes. Dennis Sneed Ford is about 45 minutes north of Kansas City on US-169, and the Ranger is configuration-heavy — engine, drivetrain, and the Trailer Tow Package all change what the truck can do. We factory-order, and our small-town overhead is why so many metro buyers make the drive.
Roughly 60% of our business comes from the Kansas City metro — Liberty, Smithville, Kearney, Overland Park, Lees Summit, and the surrounding suburbs — along with St. Joseph, Maryville, and Savannah to the north. We also sell the F-150 and the Maverick, which means we can give you an honest comparison across all three rather than talking you into whichever one is on the lot.
30 years. Family-owned. Ford Credit Partners in Quality.
Dennis Sneed Ford has been a family-owned Ford dealership in Gower, MO for 30 years, and the recognition behind the name is real:
- Top 5 Ford remarketing dealer in the country — we purchase 1,100+ late-model Ford and Lincoln vehicles directly from Ford each year.
- Ford Credit Partners in Quality — one of roughly 111 dealers nationally recognized for the highest customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- We sell the whole truck lineup — Maverick, Ranger, F-150, and Super Duty, so the size conversation is an honest one.
Should you buy a new or used Ford Ranger?
Both are worth looking at. The current Ranger generation changed substantially from the one before it, so what you are buying depends heavily on model year. Our remarketing program means late-model used Rangers turn up here more regularly than at most stores our size.
Shopping a new Ranger?
Browse new Ranger inventory across XL, XLT, Lariat, and Raptor. We can also factory-order one built to your exact spec — model, engine, drivetrain, packages, and color.
Shopping a used Ranger?
As a Top 5 Ford remarketing dealer we purchase over 1,100 late-model Ford and Lincoln vehicles directly from Ford each year, which is why used Rangers rotate through here regularly. Call and we will tell you honestly whether new or used makes more sense for what you are after.
The complete Ford Ranger research library
Every Ranger research piece we have published, organized by what you are trying to decide.
Current Model Year Guide
- 2026 Ford Ranger buyer's guide — the complete year-specific pillar with every model, engine, and capability figure
Configuration & Decision Guides
- 2026 Ranger colors — all nine colors with swatches and paint codes, including the new Avalanche
- Ranger trims explained — XL through Raptor, and the packages worth knowing about
Use-Case & Buyer Guides
- Ranger towing and payload — what 7,500 lbs actually covers, and why the Raptor tows less
- Used Ford Ranger buying guide — what to check before you buy, and how our remarketing program stocks them
Comparison & Cross-Shopping
- Ranger vs F-150 — mid-size or full-size, and which one actually fits how you drive
More Ford Research
Research guides for the rest of the Ford lineup.
Where can I see the Ford Ranger near Kansas City?
At Dennis Sneed Ford in Gower, MO — 1046 S.W. Highway 169, about 45 minutes north of the Kansas City metro and roughly 30 minutes south of St. Joseph via US-169.
Ranger configurations vary by engine, drivetrain, and package, so call 816-409-1975 before you drive up to confirm what is on the lot that day. You can browse inventory online, get a no-obligation trade value before the drive, or get pre-qualified so the in-person visit is quick.
Ford Ranger questions, answered
How much can the Ford Ranger tow?
The Ranger XL, XLT, and Lariat are each rated at a maximum 7,500 lbs when equipped with the available Trailer Tow Package. The Ranger Raptor is rated at 5,510 lbs, with the Trailer Tow Package standard. The Trailer Tow Package is required to reach the 7,500 lb figure.
Is the Ford Ranger a full-size or mid-size truck?
Mid-size. The Ranger sits between the compact Maverick and the full-size F-150 in Ford's truck lineup. It rides on a 128.7-inch wheelbase, seats five in a SuperCrew cab, and offers a 43.5 cubic foot bed, which makes it considerably easier to park and garage than a full-size pickup while still towing up to 7,500 lbs.
Does the Ford Ranger come with four-wheel drive?
Four-wheel drive is available on every Ranger model and comes standard on the Ranger Raptor. Two-wheel drive is standard on the XL, XLT, and Lariat, with four-wheel drive offered as an option across all three.
How big is the Ford Ranger's bed?
The bed measures 59.6 inches long, 20.6 inches deep, and holds 43.5 cubic feet. It spans 62.4 inches at its outer width and 48.2 inches between the wheel wells, which is the measurement that matters when loading wide flat material.
What is the difference between the Ford Ranger and the Maverick?
The Ranger is a mid-size body-on-frame pickup that tows up to 7,500 lbs. The Maverick is a smaller unibody pickup with a standard hybrid powertrain that tows up to 4,000 lbs and returns considerably better fuel economy. If you tow near the limit or want serious off-road capability, look at the Ranger; if fuel economy and easy parking matter most, look at the Maverick.
Where is Dennis Sneed Ford located?
Dennis Sneed Ford is at 1046 S.W. Highway 169, Gower, MO 64454 — about 45 minutes north of downtown Kansas City and roughly 30 minutes south of St. Joseph via US-169. Call 816-409-1975 for hours and directions.
Although every reasonable effort has been made to ensure accuracy, absolute accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Specifications verified against Ford's published Ranger specifications and window stickers on our own inventory. Towing and payload figures require proper equipment and vary based on cargo, configuration, accessories, and number of passengers. Feature, model, and package availability changes through the model year. Confirm the exact equipment on any specific vehicle via its window sticker.