2021 Ford Ranger MPG and Fuel Cost

The 2021 Ford Ranger is rated 19 to 23 mpg combined across 3 EPA-tested gas versions; the best is the 2.3L turbo 4-cyl · RWD · 10-speed automatic.

EPA fuel economy

2021 Ford Ranger · 3 EPA-tested versions

Best EPA rating

23MPG combined

21 city 26 highway

$2,800 a year to fuel

Fuel economy score5/10

2.3L turbo 4-cyl · RWD · 10-speed automatic

Best version costs $2,500 more in fuel over 5 years vs the average new vehicle (EPA)

Fuel cost: 15,000 miles a year at EPA's $4.32 a gallon (regular gas).

Data: US EPA, fueleconomy.govUpdated Sep 27, 2026

At EPA's price assumptions, fuel costs $2,800 to $3,400 a year. Ratings for the best versions are unchanged from 2020.

Every 2021 Ranger version

EPA's ratings for each version it tested. Fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current prices.

Version	Combined	City / Hwy	Fuel / year
2.3L turbo 4-cyl · RWD · 10-speed automatic Best EPA listing: Ranger 2WD	23 mpg	21 / 26	$2,800
2.3L turbo 4-cyl · Part-time 4WD · 10-speed automatic EPA listing: Ranger 4WD	22 mpg	20 / 24	$2,950
2.3L turbo 4-cyl · Part-time 4WD · 10-speed automatic · Tremor EPA listing: Ranger Tremor 4WD	19 mpg	19 / 19	$3,400

Fuel cost at your prices

EPA's annual cost uses 15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving and its current prices: $4.32 a gallon for regular gas. Change the numbers to match your driving.

Version	Per year	Per month	5 years
2.3L turbo 4-cyl · RWD · 10-speed automatic	$2,817	$235	$14,087
2.3L turbo 4-cyl · Part-time 4WD · 10-speed automatic	$2,945	$245	$14,727
2.3L turbo 4-cyl · Part-time 4WD · 10-speed automatic · Tremor	$3,411	$284	$17,053

At the default settings the results match EPA's annual cost before EPA rounds it to the nearest $50.

Ford Ranger MPG by model year

The best-rated version in each model year; the highlighted year is this page. Gas: 22 to 23 mpg (every year from 2019 to 2026); highest in 2019.

2021: gas 23 mpg

Show as a table

Ford Ranger best combined mpg by model year
Model year	Best gas version
2019	23
2020	23
2021	23
2022	23
2023	23
2024	22
2025	23
2026	23

How the 2021 Ranger compares

2021 midsize pickups covered on this site, ranked by their best combined rating. Fuel cost is for each model's cheapest version to run, at EPA's prices.

2021 model	Best combined	Best gas	Fuel / year
Jeep Gladiator Best: diesel	24 mpg	19 mpg	$3,400
Chevrolet Colorado Best: diesel	23 mpg	22 mpg	$2,950
Ford Ranger This page Best: gas	23 mpg	23 mpg	$2,800
Toyota Tacoma Best: gas	21 mpg	21 mpg	$3,100
Honda Ridgeline Best: gas	21 mpg	21 mpg	$3,100
Nissan Frontier Best: gas	20 mpg	20 mpg	$3,250

Ford Ranger vs Toyota TacomaMPG, fuel cost, recalls and crash tests side by side

2021 Ranger recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls and 114 owner complaints for the 2021 Ranger.What they cover, and crash test ratings

Questions

Does 4WD lower the 2021 Ford Ranger's gas mileage?

Yes. On versions that differ only in drive, 4WD lowers the combined rating by 1 mpg: the 2.3L turbo 4-cyl gets 23 mpg combined with two-wheel drive and 22 with 4WD.

Does the 2021 Ford Ranger need premium gas?

No. EPA lists every 2021 Ford Ranger version on regular gasoline.

How does the 2021 Ranger's MPG compare with the 2020?

For 2021, the best gas version is rated 23 mpg, the same as the year before.

Sources and method

US EPA and Department of Energy fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Sep 18, 2026.
EPA fuel price assumptions: regular $4.32, midgrade $4.93, premium $5.32, diesel $6.29 a gallon; electricity $0.15 per kWh.
Recall and complaint counts: NHTSA recall file dated Sep 27, 2026 and complaint file dated Sep 26, 2026.

Ratings are EPA estimates. Real-world mileage depends on how, where and in what weather you drive. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.