FORD RANGER Wildtrak

FORD’S clearly done something right with the Ranger. The sales figures reinforce that. What was once an also-ran is now a serious competitor to the Hilux, even outselling it on the 4x4 front in 2017. On the trip north of Adelaide we’re seeing a stream of Rangers, from basically-equipped workhorses to Wildtraks that have spent more than a few days in the workshop being kitted out with all manner of accessories.

Of course, styling helps. The Ranger looks tough, something that’s important out here. It fits into a rugged landscape, our optional Pride Orange finish blending nicely with the red dirt that’s slowly accumulating in door crevices and wheel arches.

Inside, too, there’s a thoughtful mix of functionality and style, from the eight-inch touchscreen to the orange stitching. The seat trim is also an elegant and rugged mix of leather and technical cloth that suits the nature of the machine; so far it’s been a welcome change to the leather (and faux hide) common once you’re spending this sort of dough.

On the long 110km/h drive through the South Australian outback the Ranger’s easy-going nature shines. Comfortable front seats support in the right areas, and even those in the rear get a spacious, well-proportioned cabin; of this quartet it’s the best for backseat comfort, with decent legroom and enough headroom for taller folk. Much of that comes courtesy of the extra millimetres; the Ranger is longer and taller than its rivals, its front and rear wheels also spaced farther apart (only on width is it outdone by all bar the Hilux).

Major controls are also well-positioned and the dials employed for major audio and ventilation functions are a refreshing change from the push buttons (unnecessarily) infiltrating interiors. It’s a shame there’s no reach adjustment for the steering; although, somehow the seating position worked well enough on long expanses.

At $61,790 the Wildtrak is decent buying, especially considering the five-year warranty recently added to the Ford arsenal – it provides an extra two years’ coverage over its three outback rivals. For that you get a towbar (the braking controls to utilise the 3500kg capacity cost extra) as well as Apple Carplay and Android Auto. The Ranger is

THE FARTHER YOU DRIVE THE WILDTRACK THE MORE IMPRESSIVE IT BECOMES

also unique in the class in getting adaptive cruise control. While it’s not as intuitive as a focused human for predicting traffic flow, it’s an easy way to lock onto other traffic for a relaxed ride. Less impressive is the lane departure warning; like every system we’ve tried it’s over-eager to warn of typical movements within a lane, prompting us to switch it off.

However, the farther you drive the Wildtrak the more impressive it becomes, whatever the surface. The standard roller shutter over the tray came in handy early, keeping swags a tad less dusty while allowing for larger loads without the removal of a tonneau. Those seriously loading up will likely remove it, but at least there are choices. The 12V outlet in the lined tub is a win for camping gear, too.

Of course, there’s an updated Ranger coming, one which adds active safety kit (including AEB) and the option of a new 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel that outpunches the current engine, while also upping the number of ratios in the auto to 10.

That’s important, because with this model the main thing that breaks the ambience is engine noise. The familiar 3.2-litre fivecylinder is a grunty performer, but it lets you know it’s working, chugging away on even mild throttle inputs. After a few hundred kilometres it gets draining.

With 147kw and the most torque here – 470Nm – it’s not lacking for punch, helped by the quick response to throttle inputs. Overtaking with the speedo wound into triple figures is also easy, the five-pot ever willing. That grunt comes at a price, though. Claimed fuel consumption of 8.9L/100km is higher than rivals; our mix of off-roading and cruising yielded figures of 12.2L/100km, which wasn’t bad. And, indeed, the Ranger’s real world fuel use was closest to its claim, suggesting the 80-litre fuel tank will comfortably get you close to 600km between outback fills.

Once the roads get rougher the Wildtrak reasserts itself as a terrific all-rounder. Developed and tuned in Australia, the suspension deals admirably with sharp creek crossings or washouts, quickly settling the body but allowing a degree of suppleness.

Predictable, nicely weighted steering also adds assurance. The 18-inch rubber is a sensible choice, too, allowing the big wheel style that helps set off the exterior but with a respectable 60-profile sidewall for some semblance of protection when off-roading. And with low range teaming up with a locking rear diff, as well as good articulation, the Ranger steadfastly resists attempts to cock a rear wheel. However, it’s the all-round nature of the Ranger that made it the car we were happy to slip back behind the wheel of, whatever the surface and whatever the challenge.