Ford Ranger Pick-Up Range Car Review

Facts At A Glance PICK-UP: Ford Ranger pick-up ENGINES: 2.5/3.0-litre TDCi diesels 143/156PS TOWING CAPACITY: [Braked] 3,000kg MAX PAYLOAD: up to 1235kg
Safety: Driver and passenger airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, ABS.

CLEAR AND PRESENT RANGER

Our Rating: 6.6 / 10

Has the latest Ford Ranger got the wherewithal to challenge for top honours in a competitive Pick-Up sector? Jonathan Crouch finds out…

A tough pick-up truck that’s been steadily improved to bring it closer to the class leaders, Ford’s Ranger has much to offer. Has it got the wherewithal to challenge for top honours in the competitive UK Pick-Up sector? Let’s find out….

Pick-ups have come a long way in the last few years. Until the turn of the century, they were basic, utilitarian things but by 2005, the standard had risen so dramatically that many buyers could consider doublecab versions of offerings like Nissan’s Navara, Mitsubishi’s L200 and Toyota’s HiLux as almost realistic alternatives to a family estate. They weren’t quite as refined to drive but for those with hard dayjobs also wanting the same vehicle for weekend use, they were just the ticket. Ford’s Ranger was improved at the same time too but it took until the launch of the third generation version we’re looking at here for the Blue Oval to really get on terms with its competitors.

You climb up high to perch behind the wheel of any pick-up and this Ranger is no exception. Your impressions with regard to its handling will probably depend upon how realistic your expectations are. If you’re wanting something to rival a family 4x4, you’ll be disappointed. But come to it having experienced an older generation of pick-up and the on road experience will likely be a revelation. The ladder chassis and live, leaf-spruing rear axle is designed to accommodate heavy loads rather than provide for a cossetting ride, but it’s really not that far off the clunkier passenger 4x4s on the market. The 12.6m turning circle isn’t too bad for this type of vehicle either.

Off road, you’ll forgive it everything. Four-wheel drive is on offer in both high and low ratios and good ground clearance (up to 207mm) with front and rear overhangs that don’t catch too readily in tight gullies make it well suited to anything but an off piste situation you really shouldn’t have been in in the first place. If conditions turn really bad, a torque-sensing limited slip differential at the rear should help you through. A wading depth of up to 750mm should also help you through the worst of the Winter storms.

Power for entry-level Ranger models is supplied by much the same 2.5-litre common-rail injection diesel engine, developing 143PS and doing so at a usefully low 2,000rpm. If you need more grunt, there’s a 156PS 3.0-litre TDCi engine option available with the higher spec-derivatives and this unit is available with an automatic gearbox. On paper, it doesn’t look much faster (sixty is 11.3s rather than 12.5s away from rest) but the important figure is the extra pulling power on offer (380Nm of torque rather than 330Nm). That’s enough to cope with a payload of up to 1235kg, depending on the version you choose, and to pull along up to 750kg unbraked and up to 3,000kgs braked. And talking of anchors, there’s a hydraulic braking system with ABS on all four wheels

Today’s Ranger is more distinctive than its predecessor, thanks to the same kinetic design that has served Ford’s passenger cars so well. As before, business users have a choice of the ‘Regular Cab’ two-seater (with a Tipper option) and the ‘Super Cab’ model with its occasional rear seats. Most however, will want the Double Cab version we tried, a design also intended to appeal to the leisure-orientated private buyer market for the kind of customer who enjoys active outside pursuits and wants something a bit tougher and more versatile than an ordinary SUV.

Inside, it’s pretty family-orientated, with plenty of cubbies, boxes and bins for ample cabin storage. At the wheel, there’s that great driving position, compromised only by the lack of reach-adjustment on the steering wheel and the rather utilitarian ‘umbrella handle’-style hand brake. The silver detailing is nice, the three-ringed instrument cluster is easy to read and on this top Wildtrak model, there are extra dash-mounted gauges that display pitch and roll, internal and external temperature and a compass. Space for rear passengers is slightly less comfortable than that provided for those at the front, thanks to rather upright seating, though legroom is bet