Last Friday Ford announced that the 2010 Ranger will have AdvanceTrac with RSC as standard equipment.
In case you don't know what this is, it's an electronic stability control system that helps prevent skidding and rollovers. It uses a gyroscopic roll sensor that determines both the vehicles's body roll angle and roll rate. If the system detects that the vehicle is about to roll, the system automatically applies additional countermeasures- such as reducing engine power up to 15 percent and/or applying brakes to one or more wheels- to enhance vehicle rollover resistance.
The Ranger also gets new head-and-chest combination side air bags that provide enhanced head and torso protection in certain side impacts.
The press release we read mostly revolved around safety technology and it didn't detail if there were any changes to the interior, exterior or drivetrain of the Ranger. It also didn't mention if the AdvanceTrac and RSC would be driver-cancelable. We'll pass along more Ranger news as it becomes available.
The Ranger has been a consistent seller for Ford, and with the 2.3L I-4 engine it offers an EPA-estimated 26 mpg on the highway.