Introduction:
There have been questions concerning what years make up which generation of Ford Rangers. I think the problem came from the re-release of the Ford Ranger. A number of people have seized the opportunity to write about anything they can on the Ford Ranger.
For some reason there has been a different breakdown of the Ford Ranger Generations than what has been widely accepting for many years.
I could add to the confusion and say that there has only been two prior Generations and lump the 1983-1992 Ranger into Generation-I and the 1993-2011 Ranger into Generation-II because they share different cab designs. I could also lump the 1993-1997 Ranger into Generation-I and the 1998-2011 Ranger into Generation-II based on the drivetrain / suspension design.
However, that is not the way it has been done. Over the years, the Ford Ranger community has based the Ford Ranger Generations on styling.
These Generations share different fenders, hood, grill, and headlight designs from the other generations, and these parts do not interchange.
Generation-I (1983-1988)
Generation-II (1989-1992)
Generation-III (1993-1997)
Generation-IV (1998-2003)
Generation-V (2004-2011)
As you can see, there was clearly a design change between the 1998-2003 and 2004-2011 Ford Ranger. The front fenders, hood, headlights, and grill do not interchange. For this reason, it has been considered the 5th Generation.
The Ford Ranger was not offered in North America from 2012-2018.
Generation VI (2019-2023)
Ford brough the Ranger back to North America for 2019. But this wasn’t an entirely new truck. This was the Ranger T6 designed by Ford Australia and in production there since 2011. It received some changes for the North American markets.
Generation VII 2024+
The Australia designed Ford Ranger T6 was due for a design change, so Ford got on track with the rest of the world by bringing that design to North America replacing the 6th Generation Ford Ranger sold from 2019-2023.
History of The Ford Ranger
This is not intended to be a post about the history of the Ford Ranger.
Related Articles
Last Updated:
About The Author
Jim Oaks is the founder of The Ranger Station, one of the longest-running Ford Ranger enthusiast communities on the web. He has spent over three decades owning, modifying, repairing, and driving Ford Rangers on the street, trail, and cross-country routes.
Since launching TheRangerStation.com in 1999, Jim has documented thousands of real-world Ranger builds, technical repairs, drivetrain swaps, suspension modifications, and off-road tests contributed by owners worldwide. His work has been referenced by enthusiasts, mechanics, and off-road builders looking for practical, experience-based information rather than theoretical advice.
Jim’s hands-on experience includes long-distance overland travel, trail use, drivetrain and axle upgrades, suspension tuning, and platform comparisons across multiple Ranger generations. The content published on The Ranger Station is grounded in first-hand experience and community-verified data, not marketing claims or generic specifications.