TOP OF THE PICK-UP PILE

The Ford Ranger is the best-selling pick-up in the UK. My review car arrived in Double Cab Limited trim with four proper doors and seating for five.

Climb into the cabin and slide into the comfortable eight-way electrically-adjustable seats and you’re greeted with a typically lofty driving position that offers a commanding view over the road. Forward visibility is particularly good thanks to thin A-pillars but the small rear windscreen and long load bed means that the view out the back is quite severely restricted.

Rear parking sensors are a dealer-fitted option on basic models and you would be wise to tick that particular box while the Limited trim tested here includes a very welcome rear-view camera. Ford have attempted to create a cabin that straddles the line between working vehicle and family SUV so there’s leather trim on the seats, steering wheel and gear selector. However, there are enough harder plastics to serve as a reminder of the Ranger’s working class origins.

Limited trim and above are fitted with an eight-inch touchscreen running Ford’s Sync 3 software that comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring but only Wildtrak and Raptor models get factory-fitted sat nav as standard.

The Double Cab Ranger tested here can comfortably accommodate four adults – five if the three sharing the rear bench don’t object to a little shoulder-rubbing – thanks to a cabin the offers lots of head and leg room both in the front and back.

It isn’t without compromise, of course, because the more room that’s given over to passengers the less that’s available for the load bay but, even in Double Cab specification the Ranger has room to fit a standard pallet in the back.

Maximum towing capacity for most of the Ranger line-up is 3,500kg, although that falls to 2,500kg for some models, which

is right up there with the very best.

The 170hp diesel supplying power to my review car is a little noisy on start-up but when you’re simply cruising around it fades away to little more than a distant grumble.

It possesses plenty of grunt from low down in the rev range and is comfortable ambling along at motorway speeds.

The 10-speed automatic gearbox isn’t the smoothest or the most intuitive, however.

The ride is pretty much what you would expect from a pick-up. It will bounce around over even the smallest imperfections, becoming more pronounced as the road surface deteriorates. It does make a decent fist of dampening the shock of the bumps, however. The Ranger does possess decent handling for a pick-up, which might not come as a shock given Ford’s reputation.

It’s unlikely that many people will be trying to throw it through a series of flowing but, if you are one of the few, you will be rewarded with a decent level of grip on turn-in, precise, nicely-weighted steering and a body that does a commendable job of resisting body roll.

Most models come with fourwheel drive and the ability to lock the differentials or engage hill descent control if conditions become particularly unforgiving. On the road it’s usually better to stick with two-wheel drive as it not only improves efficiency but also handling.

Living with the Ranger is relatively straightforward. While the engine is a little noisy, it has plenty of grunt and works well in unison with the 10-speed automatic gearbox.

The Double Cab reviewed here in Limited trim is comfortable and spacious and the Sync3 infotainment system is very simple to use.

Where the Ranger really does shine is its ride and handling which, while neither are likely to feature high on buyers’ lists, are impressive for a pick-up but, if that is something that’s important to you, then the Ford may well be the car for you.