OVERVIEW Ranger returns to the smaller-truck market PROS Manageable size, strong engine CONS Limited choices, can get pricey with options VALUE FOR MONEY Good WHAT TO CHANGE? Add dials for temperature control HOW TO SPEC IT? SuperCrew XLT

Finally, smaller is coming back in style. Pickup trucks have taken “full-size” to a whole new level of ridiculous proportions, to the point that it’s tough to get in and out of them, or even squeeze them into parking spots.

Smaller trucks are now sized fairly close to what full-size trucks used to be. That should make them appealing to a lot of buyers who don’t need the extra capability – or the bulk – of a half-ton, but still want something with cargo capacity that isn’t an SUV. The Japanese never left this segment, but the North American automakers are coming back in, with Ford’s new Ranger the latest addition.

Naturally, it’s larger than the old Ranger, which ended its run over here after the 2012 model year. Ford’s small truck remained in production in global markets, and our new one is a version of Australia’s Ranger, but with different suspension tuning, a fully-boxed frame, and different engine and transmission.

That powerplant, the only one currently available, is a 2.3L turbocharged four-cylinder, borrowed from the Mustang EcoBoost and making 270 horsepower and 310 lb.-ft. of torque. It’s mated to a ten-speed automatic lifted from the F-150.

It starts as the SuperCab, with six-foot box, four seats, and small, rear-hinged back doors that require you to first open the front ones. The SuperCrew has a five-foot box, five seats, and four conventionally opening doors. American buyers can opt for two-wheel drive, but all Rangers here in Canada are 4x4.

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

Both come in two trim levels: the SuperCab XL at $30,969 and XLT at $35,539; the SuperCrew starts in XLT trim at $37,399 and my tester was the top-line Lariat at $42,289.

Mine was further topped with numerous options, such as a $3,000 technology package that included a luscious Bang & Olufsen stereo system – trucks ain’t plain workhorses anymore – that brought it to $49,409 before freight and taxes. That’s often a sticking point in these smaller trucks: tick off a few option boxes and you can overlap a full-size, especially since the F-150, in 4×2 Regular Cab, starts at just $830 over the base Ranger. In essence, you’re paying proportionately more for a smaller truck. Think of it as spending to get the size that’s best for you, rather than shelling out more for a smaller mass of metal (which isn’t entirely aluminum as the F-150’s body is; the Ranger’s hood, tailgate, and front fenders are, but the rest is steel).

Payload tops out at 1,650 lbs for the SuperCab, and 1,560 for the SuperCrew. All Ranger models have a maximum towing capacity of 7,500 lbs, which Ford says is best-in-class, but there are a few hairs being split – that’s top-of-the-pops for a gasoline-powered midsize. The Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon can pull up to 7,700 lbs when the pricey 2.8L diesel engine option is slipped under the hood.

Beyond its more manoeuvrable size, the Ranger is a comfortable driver. The steering is light and responsive, with an impressively tight turning circle; and while the ride can be a bit bouncy over bumps, it’s to be expected in an unloaded pickup. The 4×4 system is part-time and meant for loose surfaces only – driving it in four-wheel on dry roads can potentially cause tire and driveline wear. My truck was optioned with an FX4 Off-Road Package, at $1,400, which adds an electronic locking rear differential, all-terrain tires, and skid plates. Terrain Management, operated by a button on the console, optimizes performance in mud, snow, sand, and other conditions.

The Ranger’s cabin design is handsome and uncluttered. It’s not lap-of-luxury as you’d get in, say, an F-150 King Ranch, and in the mid-level that’s fine, although it’s a bit harder to reconcile so much hard plastic with my tester’s near-50-grand sticker. There are big dials for stereo volume and tuning – bonus points for that – but the controls for my truck’s automatic dual-zone climate control are small buttons, set low in the centre stack, with fiddly little toggles to adjust the temperature. The infotainment system is powered by Ford’s SYNC, and while the system is easy to use, the screen can be maddeningly slow to respond when the glass is cold.

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat with FX4 Off-Road Package Jil McIntosh

The Lariat includes such niceties as heated leather seats, auto-dimming mirror, satellite radio, lane-keeping assist, and a blind-spot monitoring system that takes into account the length of a trailer for easier lane changes in traffic. However, a heated steering wheel isn’t available, even as an option. It may sound frivolous but it’s become a common feature on trucks, and it’s a very nice add-on if you’ve been loading your truck or hitching up your trailer in the cold.

The front seats are very supportive and comfortable, and are eight-way power with lumbar support on the Lariat. The SuperCrew is naturally roomier for second-row passengers than the SuperCab. The rear cushion lifts up to uncover some hidden storage space below it.

Last year, Canadians bought just over 38,000 midsize trucks, while Ford alone moved more than 145,000 full-size ones. But it’s a segment that’s poised for growth, and I think the Ranger is going to do well for itself here. Sometimes, less really is more.