The EPA mileage stats for trucks and SUVs are wildly inaccurate because the tests are conducted on a dynamometer and don’t make the proper allowance for drag. You’d have a hard time finding a crew-cab truck that got mileage anywhere near your ’95 Ranger.
I’d suggest a 2005-2006 Dodge or Chrysler minivan. Plenty of them available real cheap. Expect 20+ MPG in the real world. The engine and transmission date back to the Iacocca years so they’ve had plenty of time to work out the bugs. Just use genuine Mopar ATF+4 instead of Dexron and it should last quite a while.
