What does 2022 hold in store?

Amid the ongoing difficulties surrounding the pandemic, especially in the motor manufacturing industry, there’s much excitement in the 4x4 vehicle industry to look forward to this year, says Mic van Zyl.

Last year saw the launch of the much-anticipated Toyota Land Cruiser 300 series. Sadly, all that excitement has been dampened by the chronic shortage of vehicles due to global challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Component shortages are playing havoc with vehicle production, and car dealers are beyond frustrated. We’re all hoping for the situation to improve sooner rather than later.

With bakkies – especially double cabs – being the most popular class of 4x4 vehicle in most markets, we’re set to be treated to, not one, but two new series launches in 2022. Top of the list is the much-anticipated new Ford Ranger, and the other is the new Isuzu D-Max.

The hype around the new Ford Ranger is arguably bigger, as it’s the more popular vehicle of these two when you consider sales figures. However, the new Isuzu D-Max has been voted the best dual-cab bakkie in Australia by no less than three independent motoring publications. This is quickly becoming a great spectator sport.

The new Ranger replaces the current T6 vehicle that was launched way back in 2011. The T6 elevated the Ford bakkie to the top shelf, often outperforming the venerable Hilux for the top sales spot both here in SA and in other markets.

During the last decade, the series has been facelifted and upgraded twice, with Ford continuing to improve the product. During this time, the Ranger has outclassed the competition on many occasions, with leading automotive publications bestowing top honours to the Ranger above its competitors.

The new 2022 Ranger promises more of the same with an evolutionary approach to replacing the current truck. Dubbed the T6.2, the platform sees much of the underpinnings of the current bakkie carried over to the new model, albeit with much development and refinement. From what I can gather from the press kit, it will be even better than the outgoing model. Big news is South African production, as well as a range-topping 3.0 V6 turbodiesel engine from the F-150. Developed by Ford Australia again, it’s sure to be a winner.

Having owned a late-model 3.2 WildTrak for a spell, it would, in my opinion, be the best offering in the bakkie segment, were it not for questionable reliability. I loved my Ranger, but it constantly broke. The Ranger simply doesn’t measure up to the Hilux when it comes to long-term ownership reliability.

In our company fleet of over 60 bakkies, we’ve had major failures on more than half the Rangers we’ve used, mainly related to the drivetrain. While this may be a question of bad luck in our case, online forums tell a similar story. A short week-long stint with a press vehicle for an article simply cannot investigate the long-term reliability of a vehicle.

The dark horse in this story must be the new Isuzu D-Max. Already launched in 2019 in Thailand and subsequently in Australia, the new D-Max has had several accolades bestowed upon it in major bakkie shoot-outs. This has brought the Isuzu brand right back into contention in the hotly contested bakkie segment in these markets, and I think this may well be the case here in SA too.

Isuzu have a solid history here in SA since the very early days of the double-cab bakkie. To my mind, the Isuzu bakkie was never ahead of the pack but also never put a foot wrong. This new D-Max promises to rectify this and will get right into the faces of the current frontrunners.

I’m not aware of any fixed launch dates, and these may well be affected by the vehicle production challenges I mention upfront. What is certain, though, is that this new injection of healthy competition will fire up the local bakkie market and make for much interesting debate around the campfire.