Ford Ranger Named Best In Class Mid-Sized Truck Of The Year by NEMPA For Winter

The Ford Ranger earns high praise from the folks who do winter testing best.

The New England Motor Press Association (NEMPA) has named the Ford Ranger the best midsized pickup truck for winter. The awards for best winter vehicle by class is made by members who have tested a short list of the best vehicles in every category and is based on real-world driving.

This year, the Ford Ranger earned recognition along with the overall winner of the NEMPA winter testing, the Jeep Gladiator. NEMPA president, John Paul, aka "AAA's Car Doctor," commented on the Ranger, saying, "The Ford Ranger is 80 percent of the F-150. It is a truck that can work hard if needed, is comfortable to drive and parks and maneuvers easier than a full-size truck."

It also handles a skidpad quite nicely. Although it was not part of our normal NEMPA winter testing, our group was given exclusive access to the ice-covered skidpad at the Team O'Neil Rally School to test the Ford Ranger. We ran it through every drive mode and found that it is a great truck to tackle the worst winter conditions.

The Ranger is a very capable vehicle in all weather conditions. Tell us what you look for in a truck you plan to use in harsh winter driving.

John Goreham is a life-long car nut and recovering engineer. In addition to being a long-standing NEMPA vehicle tester, John's winter vehicle test credentials include being a graduate of the Team O'Neil Rally School's Winter Safe Driving School. John's work has appeared in print in dozens of American newspapers and he provides reviews to many vehicle shopping sites. You can follow John on Twitter, and view his credentials at Linkedin