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The Ford Ranger was last redesigned for 2001, when it received its bulging hood and aggressive fender flares. The designers borrowed elements from Ford's bigger F-150 trucks and used them to both strengthen and streamline the Ranger's visual stance. Ranger's exterior appearance has changed little since then and it sounds like it will be awhile before it changes again.We find the door handles a bit hard to hang onto; they snapped away from our fingers when we were in a hurry. Full-width Styleside beds sweep a continuous line from tip to tail, while sporty Flaresides carve a recessed step into each side panel immediately behind the cab. The notch accentuates a rounded rear fender. Indentations in the bed support partitions to segment cargo. The Edge focuses on a monochromatic treatment, with a power-dome hood that hints at a powerhouse beneath. The Edge also features protective bed rails and four tie-down hooks. We didn't care for the Edge trim, and the running boards/stump guards looked tacked on. An optional bed extender ($195) flips out and rests on the tailgate, like a U-shaped cage of tubular stainless steel. It won't keep dirt in, but it will sure stop your kayak from sliding out. An optional hard tonneau lid ($895) unfolds in separate front and rear sections, divided by a central vertical partition, with a lock added on the forward bin for security.
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