5G vs. 6G - what's gained/lost?

[purdyd]

I'm thinking about replacing my 2020 Lariat SuperCab with a 6G, but it's hard to tell just by content descriptions exactly what I'd be gaining or giving up. I know I'd lose a foot of bed length to start, but it looks like that will be workable. There's the difference in transmissions, but mine has shown no problems in its 41K miles.

For those who've replaced (or added to) a 5G with a 6G, what did you gain, and what did you lose?

The options aren't always clear. I know I'd opt for the Lariat, so I'd gain things like:

Memory settings, which apparently only apply to the rearview mirrors (kind of limits the value for me)
Heated steering wheel (top of my list for wanting an upgrade)
Adaptive cruise and lane keeping assist (my highway time is much less than it used to be, but there will always be some)
Larger infotainment screen integrated with Sync (I have a Linkswell now but would prefer the OEM solution)
Integrated box step (also high on my list of wants)

What else is there?

On the losses side, there's the bed length, but what else?

- It sounds like the folding mirrors have gone away, at least on some trim levels.
- The leather seats aren't actually leather anymore

If I go for the 6G, is one model year better than another in terms of content? It looks like there are some low-mileage 2024-2025's out there that would save a good chunk of change versus new.

My 2020 is paid for, so I want to understand as much as possible, what value I'd get for taking on a new car payment.

id say 24 for the 2.7l

25 for the 2.3l which has the newer 2.3 mpc engine

i think the 26 lariat losing the led projector headlights was too much.

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[got3fords]

The 6G doesn’t have folding headrests on the back seat. IIRC the 5G rangers had them.

I took them off and keep them behind the seat if I need them. Better view out the rear.

 

[got3fords]

I feel the forward parking camera and the 360° view camera are a huge upgrade.

 

[Mikein the burg]

The 6G doesn’t have folding headrests on the back seat. IIRC the 5G rangers had them.

I found an old ranger set on ebay for $100 and swapped the leather covers. Took 20 minutes. Look Great

 

[sweeks888]

I could have given a much better answer a year ago when the differences were still fresh in my mind. I went from a 2021 Lariat to a 2024 Lariat with 2.7L engine (US spec). Here's a certainly incomplete list of things that I noticed:

• Memory settings – Button pad with 3 programmable memory settings. Only restores seat position, does NOT restore side-view mirrors.
• I think my 2021 had adaptive cruise control and (maybe?) lane-keeping assist but I can't comment on the lane-keeping part. One surprise was that it reads speed limit signs and displays the current speed limit in the dash display. Nice for when you're not doing turn-by-turn or the maps have the wrong speed limit.
• The larger screen is nice. Built-in wireless CarPlay/Android Auto is great to have for short trips where I can't be bothered to plug the phone in. Have received several over-the-air software updates, which as far as I know the 5G didn't support.
• Beware that the box step is an option and wasn't super common back when I was looking. It also seems to be a pain to retrofit.
• Tons of cameras and way higher image quality: Lariat has 1 up front, 1 rear, two in the mirrors for top-down view or easily navigating to special views like focussing just on the hitch ball or looking straight forward.
• My 2024 supposedly has the better/original "leather" option but I wouldn't describe it as feeling like real leather either so I'm not sure how much of a loss that is.
• I think folding mirrors (and, oddly, keyless start) were always Lariat-only in the 6G, although I don't know if they removed it in later years.
• LOTS of additional lighting: Interior lighting, special lights that turn on when you're making a low-speed turn, big flood lights from the side-view mirrors, flood light from the tailgate (with the towing tech option), LED matrix headlights (can be enabled with Forscan, later removed from Lariat?), excellent built-in LED bed lighting.
• Gauge cluster screen has lots of small features missing from my 5G like real-time gauges for oil, coolant, and transmission temperatures or turbo boost. Also shows upcoming turn information when using turn-by-turn directions (built-in or CarPlay).
• Tons of towing tech whether it be small stuff like keeping track of the milage and average MPG when towing different trailers to the pro backup assist or using the mobile app to start a trailer light check while you're out behind the trailer. Built-in brake controller with the standard squeeze type control (an option, sounds difficult/impossible to add later).
• Electric open/close for the rear window (maybe removed in later years?)
• Rear seat lays slightly flatter when folded down
• Several USB-C outlets in addition to USB-A
• One extra pair of tie-downs in the bed (vs my 2021). My 2024 still has both 12V and 120V outlets in the bed.
• Rear tail-lights downgraded back to incandescent bulb (was LED in my 2021). Front turn signals upgraded to LED (was incandescent in my 2021).
• Built-in helper spring and damper on tailgate (makes lifting it easer, stops it from banging on the way down)
• Spring-loaded pockets in the tailgate to use with clamps for holding things like lumber while sawing.
• Rear shocks moved outboard of leaf springs to improve ride quality. Overall it feels a bit more solid and less boat-like to drive around than the 5G.
• Second "glove box" on the passenger side up top (maybe removed in later years?)
• At some point in the 6G they changed the 2.3L engine to one that I believe doesn't require getting at the oil filter through the wheel well. The 2.7L has the oil filter accessible from the top.
• Bed has empty threaded holes that were used for the install of my 3rd party tonneau cover instead of the much-more-fidgety clamp style like my 5G required.

Really great post...

 

[NevadaBob]

I think @chasc provided a pretty thorough list.
In a nutshell, I went from a 2022 XLT Tremor to a 2024 Lariat FX4 and the difference is night and day. I really liked my Tremor, but then I drove the 24 Lariat with the 2.7 V6. I'd be hard-pressed to find one thing about the '22 that I like more than anything on the '24. Everything is better, though I will note the electronics on the 6G seem a bit overdone. Since everything is electronic, you get the weird gremlins that go along with that. Just this morning while driving on the freeway mine starting going through all the different drive modes before landing on "Sand" at 65 MPH. I switched it right back to "Normal" but WTF?

 

[WpgLariat]

I found one thing I liked about my 2020 better than my 2025 Lariat! The paint chips easier on the 2025!

 

[Muffin1]

Your not going to get the SC version with the 6ft bed in case you weren't aware, for me i would have purchased that but 'settled' for the CC 5ft, and there's only been a couple times i couldn't fit the item in the bed, like coming home from Costco with a 65''TV that i had to leave the tonneau rolled up a bit and the box sticking out on top of the tailgate, lucky it wasn't raining and wasn't making any other stops, so that's my one negative and yea a pretty big one IMO, but overall it's a better truck than the 5G.

 

[Lion77]

And........theres a Raptor variant in the Gen 2s for US market! I mean who doesnt want 455 HP / 536 lb-ft of torque in a mid sized truck that make it faster than a speeding bullet? Who doesnt want Fox 2.5 Live Valve shocks that help it leap over dunes in a single bound? And its got a bed of steel! Might just be super man's truck

But for non super raptor variants, how about it fits a 4x8 sheet of plywood / drywall / pallets between the wheel wells? Sounds trivial, but when you gott haul stuff, its those stupid little things that make you smile!

I believe the Gen 2s are a smidge over 2in wider track width than the Gen 1s, rear struts are now outboard instead of inboard, which helps with ride quality and the Gen 2s use the 10R60 instead of the 10R80 from the F-150.

The 60 is a slightly lighter duty version of the 80, but it had all the design / quality issues they found in the first 4 years of 10R80 production rolled into its design, so its been far less problematic for most people than the 10R80.

The 80s should be pretty well ironed out by now, but I think theres a certainly a percentage of 18 - 23 MY rangers and F-150 with quirky 10 speeds. When I bought my Raptor, the finance guy at the dealer had a 19' Ranger XLT at 60k and he started having transmission issues and was thinking of trading in for a Gen 2 only because of that reason since it was at end of powertrain warranty.

There are plenty of people with early 10 speeds that dont have issues to be clear, but early production years on a brand new design are always going to be buggy.

The outgoing 6R80 was known as bulletproof the end of its run, but it didnt start out that way!

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