Ford's twin-turbo 2.7-liter V-6 has been around almost as long ... The V-6 is icing on the cake for the new Ranger, which is significantly improved over the one before it. The ride is smooth and without the jostle and bounce of most pickup trucks.

We've already driven the 2.3-liter inline-four and the 3.0-liter V-6 Raptor, but now Ford has added a 2.7-liter turbocharged V-6 to broaden the range further. We drove the new engine in a well-optioned Lariat—is this the sweet spot of the Ranger family?

We jump behind the wheel of the new Ford Ranger XLT to see if the new, more powerful 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine option is worth the drawbacks.

The mid-size Ranger pickup's optional 315-hp twin-turbo V-6 makes it nearly as quick to 60 mph as the 405-hp Raptor.