Ford Ranger

For those of you who have been living in a biodome since February of this year, completely isolated from the rest of the world, prepare yourself for a shock.

Those of you who are up with the play however, will finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief as rumours of Ford New Zealand’s worst kept secret are not only proven true, the vehicles themselves will be on sale this month. We are talking, of course, about the Ford Ranger for 2019 and yes, alright, calm down – the Ford Ranger Raptor, which will also be in showrooms at about the same time. Ranger Raptor has been the truck getting more than its fair share of ink in the motoring publications of New Zealand and in fairness, that’s probably well deserved. We’ll come back to look at it in this article – if only to cross the eyes and dot the tees – but before we go off into the wild open deserts the Ranger Raptor calls home, we’d like to reign it in a bit and bring you up to speed with the everyday Ranger, which is seeing some significant changes. Light Commercial marketing manager for Ford, Jeremy Nash says ute buyers are looking for the best value for money with genuine real-world capability. “The 2019 Ranger adds new levels of innovation and performance,” says Nash “that our customers, no matter what their lifestyles require of the Ranger, will appreciate and value.” And while Ford is gradually transforming urban driveways car by car, the Blue Oval is also going to be focusing on what its commercial buyers are looking for, as Rangers are most assuredly expected to earn their keep Monday to Friday during the nine to five. It has to be said that the entry level XL is not the first choice of the private buyer, but as far as fleet vehicles go, the XL is certainly the pick of the pack, being not too over specified and well-priced as a result. Even so, Ford has opted to make it better. Available in single, super and double cab body styles with either a 2WD or 4WD drivetrain, XL Rangers offer a choice of either a 2.2 turbo diesel injected engine with 118kw and 385Nm power and torque outputs or the 3.2 TDCI with 147kw and 470Nm. And the improvements to the XL? It starts at the back, where Ford has reduced the weight of the tailgate significantly to reduce the effort required to lift or lower it. The suspension has seen an upgrade too, this to reduce and better control body roll. It doesn’t stop there. The XL adds rear parking sensors, to supplement the full colour rear view camera while inside, the cabin has seen a restyling treatment with new decorative finishes. As to the rest, it is the same high level of specification seen in the 2018 model which includes SYNC 1 audio with a 4.2-inch colour multifunction display, adjustable speed limiter, cruise control and the Ranger’s comprehensive Dynamic Stability Control System (DSC) incl. Trailer Sway Control (TSC), Hill Start Assist (HSA), Hill Descent Control (HDC) on 4x4 XL, Load Adaptive Control (LAC) and Roll Over Mitigation (ROM). Improvements are a little more dramatic in the 2019 XLT series which is, after all, the most popular model of the Ranger line-up. Externally, the XLT Ranger gains high intensity discharge headlight with LED daytime running lights. This effectively gives the XLT a new ‘face’ for 2019.

Cabin access is now via Smart keyless entry which features push button start for convenience. Like the XL, the XLT Rangers have received the ebony cabin treatment to emphasise the XLT’S quality appointment and specification, which includes an upgrade to SYNC 3 with an 8-inch colour touchscreen in-built satellite navigation, Apple Carplay and Android Auto smartphone capability. Front and rear parking sensors, along with the full colour reversing camera, are standard on the XLT, as is a tyre pressure monitoring system. Running on 17-inch alloys, the popular people’s Ranger is powered by the 3.2-litre turbo diesel with 147kw power output and 470Nm of torque transferred through a 6-speed automatic transmission. Of all the regular Rangers for 2019, the Wildtrak is the one which has seen the most in terms of upgrades. Taking onboard everything of the XLT including a lockable hard tonneau cover, it is the Wildtrak which gains the highest level of technical wizardry. As standard, the Wildtrak is equipped with a city smart Autonomous Emergency braking system capable of vehicle and pedestrian detection. The cruise control is adaptive and can effectively work with forward collision alert with which it is partnered. Wildtrak gains Active Park Assist – a selfparking system requiring driver input on the throttle and brake to enable the Wildtrak to self-park. The Active Park Assist is sophisticated enough to compensate for any load that may be onboard. Wildtrak also gains Traffic sign recognition, a power locking tailgate, restyled front grille and a unique Wildtrak bumper assembly integrating LED front foglamps. The above is all new to Wildtrak, which is already heavily specified with Driver Impairment Monitor, Lane Keep Assist / Lane Departure Warning, Auto High Beam and Tyre pressure monitoring system. For creature comfort, Wildtrak gains a partial leather front seat treatment complete with electric heating and an 8-way adjustable driver’s seat. Cosmetically, the Wildtrak takes on side steps with brushed inserts, a Wildtrak sports bar and a rear step bumper with colour accent along with 18-inch alloys. Under the bonnet is the option of two powertrains: the standard 3.2-litre turbo diesel with 6-speed auto as found in the XLT or, as a cost option the 2-litre bi-turbo with 10 speed transmission. Yes, it’s a smaller displacement engine, but that should not surprise NZ Company Vehicle readers who would recognise the technological advancements which allow smaller displacement engines to produce greater power and torque. The bi-turbo is one such engine, developing 157kw power output and an impressive 500Nm of torque. This combination plus the chassis strength inherent in the Ranger, allows a 3,500kg towing ability and 961kg payload. Ranger pricing for 2019 starts at $37,990 for the 4x2 XL single cab chassis, up to $43,490 for the super cab wellside and $46,990 for the double cab wellside. The XLT in in a double cab wellside tops the 4x2 range at $51,490. The 4x4 line starts at $49,990 and tops out with the Bi-turbo Wildtrak at $71,990. And this brings us to a light skim over the hero of the Ranger line, the Ranger Raptor. Ranger Raptor is not a limited-edition model. It is a permanent element of Ford New Zealand’s price list engineered and proven in the US home market and in New Zealand. A very close cousin to the top end Wildtrak, the Ranger Raptor uses the twolitre bi-turbo engine in conjunction with the 10-speed automatic. After this, the resemblance stops. Ranger Raptor has an extremely sophisticated terrain management system which adjusts to compensate for six different terrain types and or conditions. The most dramatic of these is Baja mode, which dials down the traction output, improves the vehicle’s overall responsiveness and gearing to enable high speed desert performance. But the dial up management system is only part of the picture. For the rest, you need to know the Ranger Raptor is running quite possibly the most sophisticated shock absorbers seen on a factory fitted ute – Fox Racing shox which allow for 30% improvement in wheel travel to ensure superb handling, excellent compliance and outstanding on-road characteristics. The last part of the puzzle is the tyres. Ford has partnered with BF Goodrich, which has produced a 33-inch all terrain tyre which promotes longer tread life as well as stiffened sidewalls. The cabin interior is something special too. Unique Raptor headrests bolsters and suede inserts adorn the Raptor’s sports seats, while the hard-wearing plastic dash of the Ranger is replaced with soft touch leather and Ranger Raptor stitching. Ranger Raptor shares the cabin specification of the Wildtrak with the inclusion of the Terrain management dial up system. Pricing for the double cab well-side Ranger Raptor has been announced at $84,990.