That new Ford Ranger… We Sure it isn’t a Rebadged Chevrolet Colorado?
The second-generation Chevrolet Colorado was originally unveiled at the 2011 Bangkok Motor Show. If reading that makes you feel like time has flown since you remember first seeing the new Colorado, you’re correct. And you’re in North America. This is because worldwide production began in 2012, but U.S. production only began in 2014 at GM’s Wentzville, Missouri plant as a 2015 model year.
Similarly, the fourth-generation Ford Ranger, codenamed the T6, made its debut in 2010 at the Australian International Motor Show, but has only began production in the North American market in early 2018 at Ford’s Wayne, Michigan plant.
Which came first: The Colorado or the Ranger?
For those keeping score, the Ranger was released and began production before the Colorado, in foreign markets. But, both came to the U.S. several years later as facelifted models for domestic markets. In the U.S., you could say the Colorado was first to the party, and his class-mate the Ranger showed up wearing the same outfit, just with different socks. So even though the T6 generation of the Ranger came out first, the facelift happened after the Colorado’s, for the domestic market, as a 2019 model… four model years after the facelifted Colorado came to North America.
You see, these same-era competing trucks look so similar, even people who know cars will likely get them confused. Even after writing this article, if you parked the two side-by-side in a police lineup (sans badges), I would have trouble identifying the perp.
The Ranger looks so much like the Colorado, it could be GMC’s Canyon, or a revival of Isuzu’s i-Series, and the only question would be why they don’t look at least slightly different. As a matter of fact, the GMC Canyon looks less like its Chevrolet cousin than Ford’s Ranger does… despite the Chevy and the Ford being trucks of two completely different American Automakers.
So I must wonder, did Ford see the Colorado’s recognitions such as Motor Trend’s 2015 and 2016 Truck of the Year award, and make their mid-size pickup look as similar as possible hoping to sell to unknowing Chevrolet buyers whose GPS took them to the wrong dealership? Or do the designers of the Ranger T6 facelift only look at other Fords when out on the road? Maybe, just maybe, great minds think alike! I really liked the Chevrolet Colorado when it came out, as did many other critics. So of course I look at the Ford Ranger and like what I see. They’re both sharp looking trucks.
What do you think? Comment below or tweet me and let me know.
