Ford Ranger
The Ranger has won the best truck title at our last three New Car Awards, but has it finally met its match with the D-Max?
MODEL TESTED: Ford Ranger 2.0 EcoBlue 170 Ltd auto
PRICE: £32,441 (ex. VAT) ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 168bhp
THE Ford Ranger is our current favourite pick-up truck, having won the class in our New Car Awards for three years in a row. The truck in our pictures is the now-discontinued Ranger Thunder, which has a more powerful 210bhp twin-turbodiesel, but we’re testing the mid-range Limited model, with a 168bhp EcoBlue diesel and 10-speed auto gearbox.
Design & engineering
THE current Ranger’s basic body-on-frame platform has been around for a decade now, but constant revision means that the Ford is still a strong contender in the pick-up truck class. The most recent update in 2019 introduced new suspension, with special attention focusing on making the model more comfortable when unladen.
This update also introduced the more efficient 2.0 EcoBlue diesel from the Transit van, which replaced the Ranger’s 2. 2 and 3. 2-litre TDCi diesels. The engine comes in 168bhp or 210bhp twinturbodiesel guises, so even the less-powerful Ranger still manages to outgun the D-Max. A six-speed manual is standard, while the lower-powered diesel can also be had with a 10-speed auto derived from the transmission found in the Mustang. The auto is standard with the 210bhp diesel motor.
As with the D-Max, the Ranger has switchable four-wheel drive, which is operated via a rotary controller on the centre console. Rear-wheel drive improves efficiency, while 4WD and a low-range setting are there to help in slippery conditions. A diff lock is available as a £300 option on Limited specification (it’s standard on the D-Max).
Limited trim sees the Ranger kitted out with a chrome grille, door handles and mirror surrounds, plus a polished rear bumper, running boards and roll bar in the load bed. Compared with the D-Max in V-Cross spec, the Ford has a bit of an old-school truck vibe. If that’s not for you, then there are plenty of other options in the Ranger line-up.
Cabin quality is decent, although not quite up to the same standard as Ford’s latest passenger cars. Standard kit includes the firm’s SYNC 3 infotainment, keyless operation, leather seats with electric adjustment for the driver, front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. However, while the auto-equipped D-Max has adaptive cruise control as standard, it’s part of an option pack on the Ranger.
Driving
FIRE up the Ranger’s four-cylinder EcoBlue diesel, and it’s clearly more refined than the Isuzu’s motor. It can be loud when it’s cold, but it soon settles once it’s warmed up. The 10-speed auto also makes the most of the engine’s torque, and with 420Nm on offer, there’s plenty of it. Smooth shifts, especially in kickdown, mean that power delivery is slick.
A pick-up truck is never going to be as sprightly as a hatchback in corners, but the Ranger is just about the best-handling truck in the class. The body does roll, but it doesn’t feel like the Ranger is going to topple over in corners, while the steering is quick, too.
Ford’s update in 2019 introduced recalibrated springs and dampers. The aim was to deliver a