A ute by any other name

When does a ute stop being a ute and become a luxurious SUV with a separate wellside? That’s the question John Oxley asks after driving the latest Ford Ranger Wildtrak.

With the ute market reaching explosive levels, it’s no surprise that the manufacturers are busting their guts to acquire as many customers as they can. Comfort spec, styling spec – and now, with the latest Ford Ranger, high tech. spec. In fact, so far have the Ford engineers taken the Ranger in their quest for ute utopia that they have included several features that would not be out of place on a top-end SUV. On the Ranger Wildtrak, the top model in the Ranger line-up, this goes so far as to include Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, and a driver impairment monitor. And these are the cherries on top of electric power steering (EPAS) to give it car-like driving characteristics, as well as improvements to the suspension and NVH (noise, vibration and harshness), again making it ride more like a top-end SUV than a working utility. The EPAS gives much better flexibility of calibration than the hydraulic version fitted before, and allows such life-saving features as Lane Keep Assist, which applies a degree of torque to the steering wheel to “guide” the driver back into his lane if he wanders. The Ranger is the first ute to get this feature. The steering is light and manageable for low-speed manoeuvring, such as parking, and more precise at higher speeds, with assistance varying as necessary based on speed, steering wheel angle, cornering forces and acceleration or deceleration. Other features available on the top Ranger model include adaptive cruise control, Sync2 connectivity, a tyre pressure monitoring system, and trailer sway control, and Ford has also gone upmarket with the addition of a cooled centre console, dual zone climate control, and heated front seats, and, of course, Bluetooth connectivity with voice control. Naturally it gets all the off-road technology that’s becoming more or less de rigueur at the top of the 4WD market, such as hill launch assist, hill descent control, trailer sway mitigation, adaptive load control, which adjusts the dynamic stability control system based on vehicle load; and emergency brake assistance. There’s also a redesigned torque converter which gives better pull away. On top of that the engine control software has been remapped to improve low-end flexibility, and the adaptive sixspeed automatic transmission has been changed to it recognises and adapts to the driver’s idioms. At the same time the car has a feature that recognises when the vehicle is being driven erratically, and flashes a warning. And finally, there are new hydraulic engine mounts to improve NVH and cut interior noise, and a more robust differential system incorporating a mechanically-locking e-locker diff. lock – which can be engaged on the fly up to about 50 km/h. Phew, that’s an awful lot for a vehicle which has only been on the market for a few years, but it certainly takes the Ranger to new levels. And that extends inside the vehicle, where there’s a high-resolution touchscreen with satnav, as well as adaptive cruise control and an adjustable speed limiter, reversing camera, rear parking sensors, and a dual colour 4.2 inch instrumentation screen. I told you it was wild, and that extends to the styling and colour schemes, especially the cloth and leather-clad interior and the way-out exterior styling. On the road the Wildtrak retains the superb ride quality that has made the Ranger top seller, as well as the sort of handling you expect from a much smaller, sportier vehicle. And as for that 3.2-litre engine; it’s just got torque and power all through the rev range, and really does confirm that there’s no substitute for horses when compared with some of the more recent ute offerings. It’s a comfortable and roomy vehicle for five adults, and it’s got lots of comfort features that just make life easier, including a cooler box centre console, and electrically-operated driver’s seat with lumbar support. There’s tilt adjustable steering. We liked the good-looking (and secure) “roller blind” load cover, the rear “sports bar”, and even the roof rails. A heavy duty tow bar is standard.