Should You Buy A Used Ford Ranger in 2021?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

From 2011 to 2019, you couldn’t buy a brand new Ford Ranger. The truck was in production since 1983 and completely went away. Now it’s back and better than ever. The new versions of the Ranger are getting yearly updates as vehicles do. The new Ford teaser video even shows that we’ll get a more offroad capable truck in 2023. Though new vehicles can be great, they can also be quite expensive. If you’re more interested in purchasing a lightly used Ford Ranger, you might wonder which is the better option. Between the 2019 and 2020 model years, the Ford Ranger received very few notable updates. In fact, even the newest 2021 model year Ranger only changed in one major way.

From 2019 to 2020, what changed?

The 2019 Ford Ranger | Jewel SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images

Though purchasing a used Ranger might be difficult since it’s only been back for a few years, it is possible. There isn’t much to talk about as far as changes from one year to the next. Though, the 2020 version did get the available FX2 Offroad Package. As you might figure out from the name, the package is focused on offroad capability. If that doesn’t pertain to your needs, it might not be important enough to make a difference.

The FX2 Offroad Package for the 2020 Ford Ranger adds all-terrain tires, a retuned suspension, skid protection, and a locking differential, only for the rear-wheel-drive version. The FX2 Offroad Package tightens the gap between two and four-wheel drive, giving buyers another way to get offroad. If offroading isn’t something that interests a buyer, it might not be for them. The 2020 Ranger didn’t add other significant changes, so you’d be hard-pressed to find a reason not to buy the cheapest one available.

2021, what’s new?

Red 2021 Ford Ranger parked in the dirt
2021 Ford Ranger | Ford

Just like from the 2019 model year to 2020, there is only one more significant change with the 2021 Ranger. Ford added one more available package, the Tremor off-road package. Only available in the crew cab version, the Tremor package includes all-terrain tires, an upgraded suspension, an electronically locking rear differential, skid plates, metal side steps, Tremor graphics, and six auxiliary power switches. Some of those features sound familiar since half are included in the FX2 package. Ford took the FX2 package, improved it and made it more valuable, and launched the Tremor package.

Once again, being geared toward offroad driving, these are extra features in which only some will be interested. If that’s not your style, you won’t find much else different in the 2021 model year Ranger. The cheapest option still seems like the best move if you’re buying to own.

Comparing all three model years

A red 2021 Ford Ranger off-roading, the Ranger is one of five midsize trucks with the best gas mileage in 2021
2021 Ford Ranger | Ford

When comparing the three model years of Ford Ranger in the used vehicle market, we used the XL 2WD SuperCab with a 6’ box version of each. According to the U.S. News & World Report, there isn’t much of a difference between average selling prices for any of the Rangers just yet. Obviously, there aren’t many of these vehicles being sold in the used market. The relaunch of the Ranger is still fairly new, so that makes it harder to gather data.

The 2019 Ranger actually has the highest safety rating from U.S. News, at 9.7/10 compared to the 9.0 and 8.0 the 2020 and 2021 scored, respectively. The 2021 Ranger beat the other two in just about every other category, including reliability. Now for the most important thing, the price. The 2019 Ford Ranger has actually sold as a used vehicle for more money than the other two model years.

The current used vehicle market

This is for two reasons, the first being that there are much more available. The 2019 Ranger has simply been around longer than the other two model years and has more vehicles to sell. The used trucks are already back into the market, while the 2020 and 2021 are still with their first owners. There likely will not be many in the used vehicle market for another year or more. With the state of the current used car market, the 2019 Ford Ranger is actually selling above its MSRP of $24,300. The 2019 XL 2WD SuperCab 6’ Box version of the Ranger’s average sale price is $28,762.

There isn’t enough market data to support the average sale price of the 2020 and 2021 model years. Though we expect the ones that have been sold are going for a pretty penny. The used vehicle market is tough right now, but 2019 is your best bet for a used Ford Ranger. With very few improvements over the last two model years, 2019 has almost everything the newer versions have but will cost less.

RELATED: The All-New 2023 Ford Ranger Looks Tougher Than Ever

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The 2022 Honda Civic Finally has a Sound System Worth Listening To

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The 2022 Honda Civic made its debut earlier this year and with it came a new look inside and out in addition to a bevy of new features. One of those new features happens to be a Bose premium audio system, which might not sound like news to you, but it’s monumental when it comes to Honda’s vehicles. Fortunately, I have the 2022 Civic Touring for a week and I can attest that its upgraded sound is definitely worth a listen.

Only the 2022 Honda Civic Touring benefits from the Bose sound

2022 Honda Civic Touring | Honda

If you find yourself in the market for a new Honda Civic and would like the benefit of an upgraded sound system, then you’ll have to opt for the top-trim Touring model. Aside from the Bose system, you’ll also get features like wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto, a leather interior, and a wireless phone charging dock. In case you have been shopping for cars in the past couple of years, you’ll know that those features can usually be found on up-market luxury cars as opposed to more plebian commuters like the Civic.

Opulence aside, the Bose sound system ups the Civic’s auditory ante by offering a high-performance 12-speaker setup with Centerpoint and SurroundStage technologies. According to Bose, the SurroundStage technology “puts every listener in the center of the music, no matter where they are sitting” as every speaker ensures a “rich and immersive audio experience.” Of course, that’s technical speak for “the system sounds really good in every seat,” and I can surely attest to that.

Bose tuned out the road noise

2022 Honda Civic Touring
2022 Honda Civic Touring | Honda

After spending some time with the Civic Touring and playing around with the audio system, I can tell you that it’s worth the upgrade. So far, every song I’ve played on it — whether it be through Bluetooth or Apple Carplay – all sound very clear. I can finally make out of the highs and lows in every tune and if you’re familiar with Bose, then you know that there’s plenty of bass to go with it.

Of course, it’s easy to say that the Civic Touring’s Bose sound system sounds excellent, but it’s more important to understand why. Along with those 12 premium speakers, Bose utilized its QuietComfort Road Noise Control technology, which reduces the road noise caused by rough driving surfaces, wind noise, and tire tread. It does this by sending an opposing signal to cancel out the incoming noise. This technology is not unlike the active noise canceling technology that you can find in many Acura vehicles, however, it’s ground-breaking for the new Civic.

Up until now, Honda mainly installed its own audio systems into its vehicles, which typically consists of four or eight speakers and a 160- or 180-watt sound system. In case you’re not an audiophile, that’s a pretty low rating. And if you ever listened to a sound system in almost any Honda product over the past few years, then you know how bad they can sound. Fortunately, this new Bose system will breathe new life into an area where the Honda Civic was lacking.

The new Bose system could make the Civic more competitive

2022 Honda Civic Touring
2022 Honda Civic Touring | Honda

Honda partnering with Bose on the Civic Touring’s new audio system is beneficial to car buyers, but it’s also beneficial for the automaker as well. Nissan partnered with Bose for the upgraded sound system on the Sentra and Toyota partnered with JBL for the Corolla. Now, Honda has some extra skin in the game as the 2022 Civic is a far better competitor than its predecessors.

RELATED: It’s Impossible to Depreciate a Used Honda Civic Type R

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Everything You Need to Know About the Mercedes-Benz EQS

by Gabrielle DeSantis

A lot of automakers have started the transition into EVs, including Mercedes-Benz. Mercedes has a comprehensive plan to transition itself into making only EVs in certain markets by 2030. One of the EVs Mercedes-Benz is making to start this transition is the Mercedes EQS, and here’s a look at everything you need to know.

An EV world is not that far away

Mercedes-Benz EQS | Daimler AG.

EVs grew in popularity in the last decade due to their merits. However, automakers and governments are taking harder stances to fight climate change. That’s exactly why so many automakers have set 2030 for when all cars will be EVs. In many places, conventional gas-powered cars will still be available. However, those automakers will only be making brand-new EVs from then on.

Mercedes isn’t that aggressive with its transition, but it does have plans to make many EVs by 2030. Like many other automakers, this will be a process. Mercedes is at the start of that process. One of the cars Mercedes is building to start this process is the EQS. The EQS will debut in the 2022 model year, and it’s an impressive car.

The specs of the Mercedes EQS 

Range is one of the most important aspects of an EV, and the EQS should have an impressive range. The EQS will come with a 108-kWh battery pack, which should provide about 430 miles of range. The EQS’s range hasn’t been measured yet by the EPA. However, its EPA-estimated range will be available when it’s closer to release.

Another thing that’s impressive about the Mercedes-Benz EQS is it’s capable of some pretty fast charging. With DC fast charging, it can recharge 80% of its capacity in about half an hour. Plus, the EQS is very quick on the road. The standard EQS has an electric motor that generates 329 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. A more powerful trim, the 580 4Matic, gets 516 hp and 611 lb-ft of torque. 

Either version should be able to hit 120 mph, though the 580 4Matic will obviously be quicker. The EQS probably won’t be cheap. Pricing details haven’t been released yet, but the EQS will cost more than $100,000 to start.

The Mercedes EQS will have a lot more to offer, though

Since the EQS will be a six-figure Mercedes, it’s no surprise that it has many luxury features. According to Electrek, the EQS may be the “poshest electric car ever.” This is because the EQS’s interior has no true competitor in the EV segment. 

In addition to a great interior and ride quality, the EQS has tech that will probably not be available on cheaper cars anytime soon. In terms of the touch screen size arms race, the EQS may have won for now. Notably, it has an optional 56-inch Hyperscreen, which is actually three touch screens working together. While that’s the big, eye-catching feature, it’s not the only high-tech feature the EQS has.

The EQS also has an optional augmented reality head-up display and an eye-tracking system to ensure that the driver is awake. There is, of course, also a semi-autonomous self-driving feature and plenty of other high-tech safety features—these features and more cement the EQS as perhaps the poshest EV. While Mercedes hasn’t set a release date yet, the EQS should be available by 2022. 

RELATED: Renew Your Subscription: Rear-Wheel Drive to Be Locked Behind an Annual Paywall for the Mercedes-Benz EQS

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A Hurst Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Is a Junkyard Diamond in the Rough

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Oldsmobile might be best remembered for comfortable American luxury, but the GM brand had a hidden performance side. Hidden at least for those who didn’t live through muscle cars’ original era. But even after the Oldsmobile 442’s heyday, the brand kept a spark of speed around. Though as one 1975 Cutlass Supreme Hurst/Olds W25 shows, that spark isn’t always enough to keep cars from the junkyard.

The 442 wasn’t the only Oldsmobile to get the Hurst treatment

1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass Hurst/Olds Convertible Indianapolis 500 Pace Car | GM Heritage Center

While the 442 may be a collector favorite, it’s merely one of several luxury hot rods Oldsmobile offered back in the day. And the 442 isn’t even the hottest version of the Cutlass or the range-topping Cutlass Supreme. That honor belongs to the Oldsmobile Cutlass Hurst/Olds, aka the Hurst/Olds.

Hurst shifters became an increasingly common factory option as the muscle car era evolved, including on the 442. But Oldsmobile and Hurst thought that the 442 could handle even more performance. So, in 1968 the two companies gave the coupe a 7.5-liter V8 rated at 390 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque, Autoweek reports. That was enough ‘go’ to let the Hurst/Olds H/O 455, as it was called, run the ¼-mile in roughly 13 seconds. And it’s still impressive today.

The following year, the Hurst/Olds 455’s horsepower dropped slightly to 380 hp. However, it gained some functional hood scoops, a rear spoiler, and a new paint job. Plus, a Hurst dual-gate automatic shifter. In 1970, though, the nameplate was dropped after GM rule changes allowed the ‘regular’ Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 442 to get the Hurst/Olds’ V8.

But in 1972, the Hurst/Olds returned, though it wasn’t quite the same. For one, the changeover to SAE ‘net’ from ‘gross’ horsepower ratings meant the 7.5-liter V8 only made 270 hp. Even with the W30 package, the V8 topped out at 300 net hp. And secondly, this was the start of the Malaise Era, a veritable Dark Age for muscle cars.

A 1975 Cutlass Supreme Hurst/Olds “was about as good as it got” in the Malaise Era, Hagerty says

A white-and-gold 1975 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Hurst/Olds W-30 in a parking lot
1975 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Hurst/Olds W-30 | Theodore W. Pieper courtesy of RM Auctions

RELATED: Want To Own a Factory-Tuned Oldsmobile Silhouette Concept?

However, while it was hamstrung by emissions controls, the Hurst/Olds kept going. That’s partially because, in 1975, the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme was one of the best-selling cars in the US, Autoweek says. And while the luxury hot rod was somewhat lukewarm by now, people still wanted V8-powered luxury coupes.

So, while the 1973-1977 Cutlass Supreme Hurst/Olds can’t quite match its predecessors’ speed, it was one of the better muscle coupes of the period, Hagerty notes. Cars with the W25 Package got a 5.7-liter V8 rated at 170 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque. And you could still get the 7.5-liter V8 with the W30 Package, though it ‘only’ made 190 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. But the Hurst/Olds still rocked a Hurst shifter.

And by this point, the Cutlass Supreme had gotten even more luxurious. Naturally, so did the Hurst/Olds, Motorious says. The coupe had a T-top roof with acoustical glass, reinforced chassis, and swiveling leather bucket seats. Like the standard Cutlass, the Supreme trim had power-assist front disc brakes. But the Hurst/Olds version also offered air shocks, a digital tachometer, and an alarm system. Plus, as before, these cars offered a white-and-gold paint job.

Many were junked, but a few 1970s Hurst/Olds Oldsmobile Cutlass Supremes are still burning rubber

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A best-selling status and snazzy paint job, though, often wasn’t enough to keep the ‘70s Cutlass Supreme Hurst/Olds from the junkyard, Autoweek notes. As with many other muscle cars, the Malaise Era models are less collectible than their ‘60s counterparts. For example, a pristine 1975 W30 example estimated to sell for $25,000-$30,000 at a 2018 RM Sotheby’s auction failed to sell.

However, that also means the remaining ‘70s Cutlass Supreme Hurst/Olds models are significantly more affordable. A good-to-excellent example typically runs from $17K-$25K, Hagerty says. Considering the Hurst/Olds’ rarity, that’s fairly reasonable. Even at its peak in 1985, Oldsmobile only sold 3500 Hurst/Olds Cutlass Supremes. In 1975, it only sold about 2500.

Hopefully, all this helps keep the ones that remain out of the junkyard.

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RELATED: This Oldsmobile Cutlass Could Hang With the Honda Civic Si

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