My first vehicle was a brand new 2000 extended cab 2wd 3.0 manual. Once I figured out it liked to rev (power band is like 2,800-4,800 or something like that) and would shift to keep it producing the most power, it was reasonably peppy. I’ve heard the autos are dogs because they shift too early. I want to say it ended up being $10,500 to me after discounts, negotiations, and being the end of the model year and end of body style (sort of). Up until the ethanol gas, I was getting 22/23 around town and 28-31 highway with 3.73 gears. After ethanol gas I was getting 18 around town and 22 highway. 235/75-15 tires
I have two 2.3s but haven’t really run either. One is in a parts truck and the other is in my boat.
My 00 4x4 Ranger (green Ranger), 4.0 auto 4.10 gears with 31” tires was getting 13/14 around town and 15/16 highway. Dad has the exact same truck in a 99 with nearly 100k more miles that gets 16/17 around town and has more pep. Not entirely sure why. I’m in the process of a 5.0/auto/AWD swap plus suspension and 3.73 gears and tire change and all on my green Ranger, so we’ll see what that gets us. Dad’s 00 Ranger was a 4.0/auto/4x4 with 4.10 gears that we did the 5.0/auto/AWD swap to and if you could keep your foot out of it, it would do 17 around town and if you put your foot in, it was a fun 15 mpg.
My 92 was a bit of a dog until I swapped in the 4.0 out of my green Ranger (the 92 slagged a piston on me with the original 4.0 that was in it) and did a shift kit and some other stuff to the auto transmission, then it was actually kinda impressive. 15mpg around town. It was 13 mpg until I did the work. 3.73 gears and 30” tires, 4x4.
Owned a few Bronco II’s with the 2.9, technically one was a 2wd but I never drove it as a 2wd, only drove it after converting to 4x4. That one is also a manual with 4.10 gears and had 31, 33 and now 35” tires. The 2.9 did decent up until the 35” tires, then it would pull hard first through third and fall flat on its face in 4th. A 4.0 cured that problem. Not sure what mileage ended up being, I’m on my third 4.0 and it needs replaced. The other 2.9 B2s were not particularly impressive, but all auto, 4x4, 3.73 gears. Knowing what I do now about the autos, a shift kit and some transmission work should make the one I still have in that configuration much more enjoyable. Fun fact, the OHV 4.0 is essentially a bored and stroked 2.9.