Small pickups all seem to be alike - Dakota, Colorado, Frontier, GMC Canyon, Raider, Tacoma. In that regard the 2009 Ford Ranger 4WD is certainly part of the crowd. But in other ways, it stands apart. Most impressively, the Ford Ranger has claimed the title of best selling small pickup in America for 18 consecutive years.

The Ranger, which did not change its looks in any appreciable manner this year, is a part of the impressive Ford truck marketing effort that has kept these vehicles at the top of the heap across the board. And, it must be noted, the very survival of Ford, along with other American automakers, is currently threatened. Still, it's an impressive record - and that alone makes the Ranger worth a look.

The power of the Ranger 4WD comes from a 4.0 liter, 207 horsepower V6 engine mated with either a standard five-speed manual or available five-speed automatic transmission, both with overdrive. Fuel efficiency numbers with the manual transmission are 15 miles per gallon in town and 19 miles per gallon on the highway. With the automatic transmission the numbers are both 1 mile per gallon lower.

Payload for the Ranger 4WD is 1520 pounds, more than a hundred pounds above the average for small pickups. On the other hand, horsepower is a little light and the Ranger suffers in terms of roominess. In all fairness it must be pointed out that some of the pickups in the small class, such as the Dodge Dakota, are actually midsize vehicles. This skews the average against the true small pickups like the Ranger 4WD.

NHTSA crash test ratings for the Ranger are 5-star for side and driver front, 4-star for passenger front and 3-star for rollover. Not horrible, but lower than average for the class. Antilock brakes, tire pressure monitor and all around airbags are standard. Remote ignition and limited slip differential are optional. That leaves out several common safety features, and leaves the Ranger 4WD more than a little light in the safety department.

The Ranger has seven 4-wheel drive trims: XL SuperCab, XLT SuperCab, Sport SuperCab, XLT SuperCab 4-door, Sport SuperCab 4-door, FX4 Off-Road SuperCab and FX4 Off-Road SuperCab 4-Door. On the top end they come with such niceties as leather everywhere and a premium sound system. But you can't get such things as adjustable foot pedals, navigation system or a hands free cell phone system.

Still, at a base price of $21,250, the 2009 Ford Ranger 4WD is among the least expensive vehicles in its class - more than $2,000 below average. You just might want to remind yourself that you get what you pay for.