I'd make it similar but not a direct rip of the Bronco Sport  

Guess we'll have to wait and see.  No point continuing to argue.

But your conveniently forgetting that Fuel Economy is both decided by weight and aerodynamics. I seriously doubt that they can shave say 500lbs off a midsize pickup (that can be used just like a Ranger or Ridgeline) in this hypothetical unibody midsizer your talking about    A Ranger replacement would have to be 2-3 inches wider then the current C1 platform, which would make it really hard to share as a C1 replacement.    The CE1 future is far more important and would be affected by a product like this, which further reinforces that it doubtful, esp if there are major changes to CAFE in the next 6 years or so.    Part of the reason the CE1 will be cheaper are electric motors are far less complex then building an ICE/Hybrid powertrain. 

But Ridgeline isn't a hybrid.  And you're completely ignoring that it would be a new lighter, cheaper platform that would probably replace Maverick as well.     The point here is the same as ce1.  Cheaper to make, cheaper to sell, higher volume and higher margins.

Something like this??

I'll use the Honda Ridgeline as a best case example for Fuel Economy:   The Ranger and Ridgeline are virtually identical in weight and overall size also..they are around 4500 lbs depending on trim.    The Maverick is nearly 1000lbs lighter and 10 inches shorter then both, so I don't think there is going to be any major savings in MPGs with a unibody truck that is the size of a Ranger, unless Ford wants to give up capability with it, not to mention the CE1 is going to virtually the same size given the info so far put out.    IMO it would be just easier to rebody the Maverick to make it look like the Bronco vs going through this exercise to make a slightly larger truck that won't get as good gas mileage nor be as capable 

They dumped Heavy Truck because it "only" made 4% profit....

2 big reasons that make perfect sense.  Price and fuel economy.   Throw $5k rebate on Ranger and sales would probably double.  Price sells.  Applying ce1 cost savings to a unibody ICE pickup could easily yield a $5k price reduction and likely higher margins to boot.  It wouldn't be much bigger than Maverick just more rugged like bronco sport but with more capability than Maverick with more towing and payload and a larger engine option with the 2.3L plus a hybrid.     Ranger hybrid would be lucky to see 26-28mpg.  A lighter unibody would likely be in the 35-38 mpg range using the Maverick powertrain.   So you'd have a bronco sport style pickup capable of towing 5k+ with a 1500 lb payload and a hybrid option getting 38 mpg starting at $32k with higher trims and bigger engines available. Keep Maverick on the low end but move it to the same platform. Keep Ranger too if the factory space isn't needed for Bronco for those who want BOF.     And being unibody this would essentially be c3 for ICE crossovers too.  I just think the potential cost savings of this new platform is the ticket for Ford to increase volume with more affordable vehicles  and increase margins at the same time.  Same thing they're doing with CE1.   May not happen but you can't say it's a bad strategy.

Waiting for the 1971 Challenger Hemi to get sold as "new" from Dodge....

....and?