The 2001 Ford Ranger continued its reign as the hottest selling compact pickup truck in the US. An exterior redesign for the '01 model year gave the new Ranger a more intimidating appearance, with a big-shouldered front end and sturdy new side flares. This incarnation of the Ranger looked a lot closer to its roots in farm and ranch, borrowing design cues from the F-150.

Three trims were available for the '01 Ranger: XL, XLT, and the new Edge trimline. The Edge trim, a sporty monochrome styling aimed at younger drivers, featured interior and exterior touches that mirrored some of the ways tuners had customized earlier Rangers. XL, the entry-level trim for the 2001 Ranger, offered plenty of comfort; XLT added some interior touches, as well as incorporating options like power windows and mirrors. Bodystyles available were Flareside and Styleside; cab configurations offered were two-door Regular Cab, and two- and four-door extended cab SuperCab.

Shipped with a 2.3 liter inline-4 engine, the '01 Ford Ranger offered two attractive upgrade options for drivers seeking more muscle under the hood: a 3.0 liter V-6 or a new single overhead cam 4.0 liter V6 delivering 207 horsepower and plenty of torque. Two-wheel and four-wheel drive options were available; Ford's proprietary part-time four-wheel drive system provided the flexibility to meet varying road conditions.