It’s rare to see anyone recommend any pickup truck over a Ford F-150. It’s doubly rare for the recommended pickup truck to be a different Ford. Well, Consumer Reports has added the 2022 Ford Ranger to its recommended list, while the 2022 Ford F-150 still didn’t make the cut. 

Will there be a 2022 Ford F-150? 

There already is, and Consumer Reports didn’t love it. For all the many possibilities that the 2022 Ford-F-150 line offers, Consumer Reports still didn’t give it the little checkmark. In fact, the 2022 F-150 only managed a 58/100 on Consumer Reports.

With most cars or trucks that Consumer Reports fails, the number one contributing factor is normally a low predicted reliability score. This is true for many cars and trucks, including the new Ford F-150. According to Consumer Reports, the 2022 F-150 struggles with body integrity and in-car electronics, in particular. If you recall, brand new F-150s had rust underneath just earlier this year. Issues like this hold the 2022 F-150 back on Consumer Reports. 

Is the 2022 F-150 a good pickup truck? 

Like the 2022 Ford Ranger, the new F-150 also suffers clumsy and unwieldy handling. Although it has gotten a touch better than the previous model, Ford has still yet to give the F-150 the ability to take a corner with any real grace. This unrefined driving characteristic, along with the poor reliability rating, landed the 2022 F-150 a 58/100 on Consumer Reports, just shy of the recommended threshold of 60/100. 

According to CR, the steering is light and requires a lot of motion to coax the truck through a corner. However, body roll is said to be kept to a minimum. This is a shame because the 2022 F-150 line has some of the most useful truck features we have ever seen. 

Between the seemingly endless number of powertrain options (nine engines, one transmission), a lovely cabin, and the Hybrid’s built-in generator, there is still plenty to love about the new F-150. However, with the 2022 Ford Ranger nipping at its heels, the F-150 has some work to do in CR’s eyes. 

How much can the 2022 Ford F-150 tow? 

2022 F-150s hooked up with the 2.7-liter turbo V6 can tow an impressive 10,100 pounds when properly equipped. The CR tested XLT with that engine was rated to tow 7,700 pounds. The 2022 F-150 hybrid can tow up to 12,400 pounds when equipped with the Max Trailer Tow Package. That is serious weight for a regular pickup, much less for one that can also power your house with the built-in generator. It even has an optional bed and towing scales that allow you to see in real-time how close your load is to the truck’s limit.

Is there a 2022 Ford Ranger? 

The new Ford Ranger has made its splash in the market with its triumphant return as Ford’s small pickup. The small pickup truck market is coming back with other little shorties like the Hyundai Santa Cruz and the Ford Maverick. Unlike these other little trucks, the Ford Ranger is stepping back into the car market after a near 10-year break. 

After testing, CR gave the 2022 Ford Ranger a somewhat surprising 62/100. Honestly, overall, it doesn’t seem like the better truck. It is smaller, has only one engine and transmission option, and is still unwieldy in the corners. However, it landed a four out of five on CR’s predicted reliability rating, and reliability makes all the difference. 

The 2022 Ford Ranger has a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine making a beefy 270 hp paired with the same 10-speed automatic that the F-150 got. Even though there is only one engine option, the little turbo-four provides smooth and direct power. The 2022 Ford Ranger can bust a 0-60 mph sprint in only 7.4 seconds. 

Ford didn’t fix any of the ride comfort or handling issues from the F-150, and the Ranger has inherited them all. Even with its smaller size, the ride is stiff and choppy, and the corners require a great deal of active steering to manage.

Which Ford pickup truck should you buy? 

The Ranger technically scored higher and, as a result, landed on the recommended list. That doesn’t change the fact that the Ranger is still a small, rough-riding pickup truck that has the driving profile of the big boys. 

On the other hand, the 2022 Ford F-150 shares many of the same issues but is also one of the most practical pickup trucks ever made. This is a hard fact to deny between the hybrid generator and the built-in towing and payload scales. Now, if Ford can just figure out how to keep its new trucks from rusting, we’d be getting somewhere.