This drivetrain in my 2005 Ranger runs like a dream. It's economical, yet the power is there when you need it for passing or getting onto an interstate. The advanced 4-cylinder engine is made of aluminum, so it's lightweight, which gives the Ranger good handling with no load in the bed. It has 4 valves per cylinder, enabling it to "breathe" well at high rpm and generate its rated 143 horsepower. The 5-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly and always "knows" which gear ratio to use. If Ford transplanted this drivetrain to a future version of the Explorer, I would consider buying it. Until then, my Ranger is my economical SUV.

 

4 cyclinder is ok ,but never will you see it in an explorer.it just isnt strong enough but i agree it is economical and if your not hauling stuff all the time why go bigger

 

Deleted. See next post.

 

The Ford Escape compact SUV is available with the 2.3 liter, 16-valve engine, but the auto trans is a 4 speed. The price is about $10,000 more than a Ranger.