After years of waiting, hundreds of spy photos, and rumors galore, the 2019 Ford Ranger is finally here.

Customer demand for trucks has never been higher, so the time is right for Ford to rejoin the midsize pickup fray. After years of watching the Colorado/Canyon twins, the Tacoma, and the Frontier eat its mid-size lunch, Ford wades back into the game with a familiar nameplate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bYNf3pH8FA

The old Ranger was essentially a phone booth with headlights, having soldiered on essentially unchanged for the last decade of its production. The new truck rights that wrong, deploying a raft of off-road technology on a high-strength steel frame backbone.

Let’s talk about the fun stuff first: yes, there will be an off-road focused Ranger FX4. More than simply a graphics and skidplate package, the FX4 features an innovative Terrain Management System similar to what’s found on the F-150 Raptor. There are four distinct drive modes: normal, gravel and snow, mud and ruts, and sand. The system is able to shift on the fly to automatically change throttle responsiveness, transmission gearing, and vehicle controls. This will tailor traction, driveability, and performance to any given terrain or weather condition. Sounds like a win to us.

The off-road toys don’t stop there on the FX4, as it also introduces Ford’s new Trail Control technology. Like cruise control for the highway but designed for low-speed, rugged terrain, Trail Control takes over acceleration and braking by sending power and braking to each individual wheel. This allows drivers to focus on steering along the course and can be set anywhere between 1mph and 20mph. Power is distributed through Dana Trac-Lok diffs with an available electronic-locking rear differential (standard on the FX4).

Where does that power come from, you ask? None other than Ford’s 16-valve 2.3-liter four-cylinder turbo EcoBoost engine, appropriately beefed up for truck duty. With direct fuel injection, a twin-scroll turbocharger, and chain-driven dual overhead cams, Ford says it has a torque target on par with competing V6 engines. It’ll be paired with a 10-speed automatic. Other versions of this engine make around 300 horsepower when plugged into other machines in Ford’s stable.

There will be no shortage of choice when shopping for a new Ranger. It will be available in base XL trim, a mid-level XLT, and fancy-pants Lariat. Chrome, Sport Appearance, and FX Off-Road packages will be available. There will be two cab configurations – SuperCab or SuperCrew.

The Ranger looks every bit a mid-size truck, with a power dome hood and raked grille showing off an athletic silhouette. Approach and departure angles aren’t mentioned yet but Ford promises short hangs which bode well for those measurements. The Ranger name is hammered into the tailgate and a frame mounted steel bumper allows for a trick integrated trailer hitch receiver. That tailgate, and the hood, will be aluminum, by the way.

Inside, there will be room for the driver and four friends. A center stack includes an eight-inch touch screen for the available SYNC 3 system, while the instrument cluster features dual LCD productivity screens for real-time vehicle, navigation, and audio information. That’s a long way from the poverty-spec Rangers of old. A full suite of on-road driver aids will be available, including lane keeping and automatic emergency braking. USB and AC outlets will pepper the interior on certain trims, while Apple CarPlay and Android Auto keep everyone connected.

American sales in this segment are up 83 percent in the last three years as a new generation of midsize truck buyers seek more maneuverable, fuel-efficient pickups. The relentless march of full-size truck prices surely drives the demand for smaller trucks, too.

Production begins late this year at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant. Expect to see the new Ranger on dealer lots about the same time Santa Claus is placing presents under the tree this year.