After a long drive to a remote ranch, we spent some time off-pavement in an FX4. The dirt course was engineered not to challenge the Ranger too much, but did show off the truck's electronic locking rear differential, off-road tuned suspension, and electronic helpers: Terrain Management Control and Trail Control. The Hankook Dynapro AT-M tires clawed up sandy slopes and sprayed our videographer with watery mud. It all looked great on camera, but it was more photo op than true test – we can't wait for an unchaperoned go on tougher terrain. No, there won't be a Ranger Raptor coming , either. The FX4 is the gnarliest Ranger for now.We're also eager to test the Ranger's payload and towing capabilities – both better than the Tacoma, Colorado, or Frontier – out at a later date. As for what years of towing will do to the newfangled transmission, or how the little turbo motor will manage heat at close to its rated capacity on a long incline isn't clear, and we won't prognosticate.We can predict that the starting price of the Ranger might offset some of the skepticism. Despite expensive turbocharged engine, the cheapest Ranger starts at $25,395 – undercutting the competition's similarly-powerful trucks, the Colorado WT V6 4x2 ($27,130), the Tacoma SR V6 4x2 ($29,425), and even the Frontier SV V6 4x2 ($26,665). The flipside is that there's no lower-tier engine to drop the entry level price of the Ranger even further. You can get into a bare-bones Frontier S for $20,035, or a Colorado Base for $21,495. If a rock-bottom price is more appealing than class-leading economy and capabilities, then that's the answer.But the market tells us that, right now, buyers don't want rock-bottom trucks. And that's why Ford is smart to re-introduce the Ranger as a mid-tier truck right out of the box, with a powertrain that's powerful, efficient, and slightly novel – all housed in a body that's crisper inside and out than its arch-competitors, the Tacoma and Colorado. Its aggressive entry price, dimensions, and fuel economy help put enough distance between it and the F-150 that few buyers are going to feel torn.Right size, right spec, right looks. It's the perfect homecoming for the Ranger.