2025 Ford Ranger Lariat FX4 2.7L V6 (OEM+ Build)

[Roguescholar]

I recently bought a new 2025 Ford Ranger Lariat FX4 with the 2.7L V6. Previously, I owned a 2019 Ford Ranger XLT FX4 for five years before upgrading to a 2025 Ford Ranger Raptor. I had the Raptor for a bit, but ultimately decided it wasn’t what I wanted in a daily driver, so I replaced it with the 2025 Ford Ranger Lariat FX4 2.7L.

My goal when buying this truck was to use it as a foundation to build a very comfortable daily driver that’s also highly capable off-road and in the snow, something at least on the level of the global 2025 Ford Ranger Tremor.

Below are the upgrades I’ve installed so far. I’m happy to answer any questions about the truck in general or about any of the individual upgrades specifically.

Note: The Ford performance tune hasn't been installed yet, but is going to be in a few days.


• Ford Performance Calibration (2.7L EcoBoost)

• Fox 2.5 High Performance Elite Shocks (front & rear; front leveled 2 inches)

• 265/70R18 Vredestein Pinza AT Tires (Standard Load)

• Lumar Ceramic Tinted Windows (Front to Match Rear)

• Ford Swing-out Toolboxes (Left & Right)

• Spray-in Bedliner

• Ford Performance Mud Flaps (Front & Rear)

• Dynamat & Dynaliner (Inside All Four Doors)

• Eibach 1-inch Rear Lift Blocks

• Focal Inside IS FORD speakers (Front & Rear doors)

• 4D Tech Auto Start-Stop Eliminator

• Llumar Paint Protection Film (Full Front)

• Ford Rubber Trailer Hitch Receiver Cover

• Silicone Frame Tube Hole Plugs

• Red Silicone Front Recovery Hook Covers

• Ford Performance Smart Battery Charger

• Ford 2.7L 3 Inch Round Chrome Exhaust Tip

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[Donnie B]

Hey Peter. Nice clarity in your photographs.

I am not familiar with the Silicone Frame Tube Hole Plugs.....do tell and maybe a photo please?

I see you are a Colorado boy. May I ask where you be at as I too will be headed into my dealership here in Colorado Springs for my ProCal tune. Please keep us inform as to your evaluation of the tune as curious minds like me love been there, done that feedback

 

[josephp732]

Your truck looks great and nice high resolution images. Looks like an awesome build. To make rear differential maintenance easier you might want to swap out the cover to the Ford performance one. It's an easy upgrade. (You can see it In my thumbnail pic).

BTW - how do you like the tool boxes? (I have been thinking about adding those but I have the cargo management rails and I am not sure if they will fit)

 

[Stu x 4]

Love the 2.7L and you will enjoy sport mode coming down hill in the mountains not riding the breaks. Have the 4D and if I can just keep the dog from stepping on the button and turning it off.

 

[Roguescholar]

Hey Peter. Nice clarity in your photographs.

I am not familiar with the Silicone Frame Tube Hole Plugs.....do tell and maybe a photo please?

I see you are a Colorado boy. May I ask where you be at as I too will be headed into my dealership here in Colorado Springs for my ProCal tune. Please keep us inform as to your evaluation of the tune as curious minds like me love been there, done that feedback

It's a small silicone cap for the open frame tube hole in the rear wheel well.

Here’s a link to the part on Amazon. It’s pretty inexpensive and can help keep moisture, debris, and small animals from getting in there:

https://a.co/d/09RdNPEa

I’m also in the Colorado Springs area and we'll probably be heading in Tuesday or Wednesday to get it installed. I’ll be sure to keep you all updated on my impressions of it. I previously used the Ford Performance tune on my 2019 Ford Ranger and was very happy with it, so I’ve been looking forward to getting my 2025 Ranger Lariat tuned as well. The programmer is also handy to have since I'll be able to use it to adjust my tire size in the ECM so my speedometer will no longer be slightly inaccurate.

 

[Roguescholar]

Your truck looks great and nice high resolution images. Looks like an awesome build. To make rear differential maintenance easier you might want to swap out the cover to the Ford performance one. It's an easy upgrade. (You can see it In my thumbnail pic).

BTW - how do you like the tool boxes? (I have been thinking about adding those but I have the cargo management rails and I am not sure if they will fit)

Thank you, I appreciate it.

That’s definitely been an upgrade I’ve been considering, especially since I’m now running a larger tire size and will likely upgrade the stock 3.73 rear gear to a 4.10 to compensate for the effective gearing change. So I might as well swap out the cover while I’m in there.

I’ve only had the toolboxes for a few days now, but so far I like them. Their placement seems like an efficient use of space, and the build quality is pretty decent. Unlike a metal toolbox, I wouldn’t put anything particularly valuable in them since they’re made of plastic, but for keeping random stuff like an extra gallon of gas and some recovery equipment, they've worked well so far well.

 

[Donnie B]

Thank you for the link Peter.....got them on order! If you so feel inclined to share your dealership of choice and your Service Advisor's name, it's always helpful to work with someone who has navigated the waters. I'm assuming you are getting a few recalls done at the same time?

 

[NM Mike]

Nice build.
How do you like the performance elite shocks? I’ve looked at them, but man are they pricey. I may go that route still, but I haven’t sold myself on them yet.

 

[Ranger43931]

That color really pops!

curious your thoughts on switching from Raptor for lariat for daily driver. Seems like the mileage wouldn’t be too far off as you put in AT tires, lifted it, and will tune it. Do you miss 4A at all? Does it ride harsher in rear with leafs?

 

[Roguescholar]

Thank you for the link Peter.....got them on order! If you so feel inclined to share your dealership of choice and your Service Advisor's name, it's always helpful to work with someone who has navigated the waters. I'm assuming you are getting a few recalls done at the same time?

I've been working with Dom, the accessories manager, and his assistant Kassandra at Phil Long Motor City Ford. I haven't really been working directly with a service advisor since, given the amount of work I've been having done, I usually just drop the truck off with them for a few days and they handle coordinating with the service department.

Yeah, I think there's a recall inspection for the front seat bolts and headliner wiring, so I'll probably just have that taken care of while I'm there.

 

[Roguescholar]

Nice build.
How do you like the performance elite shocks? I’ve looked at them, but man are they pricey. I may go that route still, but I haven’t sold myself on them yet.

I just had them installed on Saturday, so I’ve only had a day or two to try them out. So far, though, they’re a noticeable improvement over the stock FX4 shocks.

Coming from a Ranger Raptor, I wanted something with a comparable level of performance, while still giving me the ability to adjust the shocks depending on whether I’m daily driving, driving in the snow, or going off road.

They're definitely pricey, but most shops are probably willing to offer a discount if you already have a quote from another shop. I originally ordered them through the accessories department at the dealership where I bought my truck, but there was a delay in getting them. While I was at Les Schwab getting new tires (the dealership didn’t carry the Vredestein tires I wanted), they told me they could get the shocks quickly, sell them for less than the dealership, and handle the alignment as well.

I ended up going with them, which saved me about $300 on the shocks and another $200 on labor. So if you get a quote and shop it around you can probably save yourself a little bit of money.

Once I’ve had more time to dial them in and take them off road, I’ll likely post a more comprehensive review. I plan to compare them to the stock 2025 FX4 shocks, the 2025 Ranger Raptor's setup, and my old 2019 Ranger FX4, which I upgraded to Ford Performance by Fox 2.0 shocks.

 

[Roguescholar]

That color really pops!

curious your thoughts on switching from Raptor for lariat for daily driver. Seems like the mileage wouldn’t be too far off as you put in AT tires, lifted it, and will tune it. Do you miss 4A at all? Does it ride harsher in rear with leafs?

Thank you! I really like the Velocity Blue Metallic on the 2025, it reminds me of the Lightning Blue Metallic my 2019 Ranger was painted in.

If I’m being honest, fuel economy wasn’t a major consideration for me, although saving gas (and money) is always a plus. The reasons I didn’t enjoy the Ranger Raptor as much as a daily driver are pretty specific to me. For one, I didn’t find the seats as comfortable on my back compared to those in the Lariat. The Raptor was also a bit louder than I prefered at highway speeds or when getting on the throttle.

That's not to say that the Raptor is an aggressively loud truck because it's really not. But due to my time in the Army as an infantry paratrooper, I developed a vestibular disorder where prolonged exposure to certain loud noises, like engine drone, can give me vertigo. Because of that, having a quieter and more comfortable truck simply works better for me. Especially on longer trips. I also prefer the aesthetics of the Lariat’s interior over the Raptor’s, though that's personal preference and was more of a secondary consideration when I was considering switching to the Lariat.

I didn’t use 4A very often, to be honest. The main time I found it useful was when it snowed, especially when having to transition between unplowed and plowed roads. But even then, it was more of a convenience than a necessity, since switching between 2H and 4H manually isn’t difficult.

As for ride quality, it’s probably a little bit harsher with the leaf springs compared to the Raptor’s coil spring rear end, but the difference isn’t dramatic, and it became even less noticeable after upgrading to the Fox 2.5 Elite shocks. On the plus side, the leaf springs provide greater payload and towing capacity, which I do take advantage of from time to time.

For the average person who doesn’t have the specific joint and vestibular issues I do, the Ranger Raptor is a truly fantastic truck, and most anyone interested in one would be very happy owning it I think.

 

[Barely Krawlified]

Thank you! I really like the Velocity Blue Metallic on the 2025, it reminds me of the Lightning Blue Metallic my 2019 Ranger was painted in.

If I’m being honest, fuel economy wasn’t a major consideration for me, although saving gas (and money) is always a plus. The reasons I didn’t enjoy the Ranger Raptor as much as a daily driver are pretty specific to me. For one, I didn’t find the seats as comfortable on my back compared to those in the Lariat. The Raptor was also a bit louder than I prefered at highway speeds or when getting on the throttle.

That's not to say that the Raptor is an aggressively loud truck because it's really not. But due to my time in the Army as an infantry paratrooper, I developed a vestibular disorder where prolonged exposure to certain loud noises, like engine drone, can give me vertigo. Because of that, having a quieter and more comfortable truck simply works better for me. Especially on longer trips. I also prefer the aesthetics of the Lariat’s interior over the Raptor’s, though that's personal preference and was more of a secondary consideration when I was considering switching to the Lariat.

I didn’t use 4A very often, to be honest. The main time I found it useful was when it snowed, especially when having to transition between unplowed and plowed roads. But even then, it was more of a convenience than a necessity, since switching between 2H and 4H manually isn’t difficult.

As for ride quality, it’s probably a little bit harsher with the leaf springs compared to the Raptor’s coil spring rear end, but the difference isn’t dramatic, and it became even less noticeable after upgrading to the Fox 2.5 Elite shocks. On the plus side, the leaf springs provide greater payload and towing capacity, which I do take advantage of from time to time.

For the average person who doesn’t have the specific joint and vestibular issues I do, the Ranger Raptor is a truly fantastic truck, and most anyone interested in one would be very happy owning it I think.

Your Lariat is absolutely stunning. The OEM+ approach is also my preferred method and you have done a fantastic job outfitting your truck with tasteful, purposeful mods that the folks at Ford would be wise to study as it features alot of great Ford and Ford Performance products.

I have a '25 RR and I love the thing of course but the RR is only 10% of Ranger sales -- most actually want something closer to what you have. The fact that you have very specific, personal reasons for going with the 2.7 Lariat setup over your previous RR is well thought out and you make a hell of a case for this sort of setup.

 

[Dr. TJG DVM]

Looks good, nice start to the endless list of things you need to spend money on (I mean things you need)

 

[Roguescholar]

Your Lariat is absolutely stunning. The OEM+ approach is also my preferred method and you have done a fantastic job outfitting your truck with tasteful, purposeful mods that the folks at Ford would be wise to study as it features alot of great Ford and Ford Performance products.

I have a '25 RR and I love the thing of course but the RR is only 10% of Ranger sales -- most actually want something closer to what you have. The fact that you have very specific, personal reasons for going with the 2.7 Lariat setup over your previous RR is well thought out and you make a hell of a case for this sort of setup.

Thank you, I very much appreciate it.

I also agree with you about the Ranger Raptor being a halo performance truck that most people wouldn't necessarily be in the market for, but could be in the market for something one step below that.

Having driven both, I think the gap between a stock Lariat FX4 2.7L and the Ranger Raptor is large enough that it would make sense for Ford to release a North American Ranger Tremor with this level of performance to fill the gap.

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