A workhorse – and a weekender
The Ford Ranger Wildtrak Supercab delivers practicality and comfort
The super cab, extra cab, extended cab or, as it’s known by some, the caband-a-half, is a niche sort of segment within the local bakkie market. More cab than a single cab, less than a double cab. The opposite is true from a load-bin perspective — more than a double, less than a single.
So, are the cab-and-a-bit options, such as the Ford Ranger Wildtrak Supercab, best suited to those who can’t decide what they want in a bakkie? Well, yes, but there’s so much more to it than that.
In my opinion — this will irk those outspoken double-cab-bakkie-ornaught web troll types no end — but the cabin-and-a-bit embodies the best qualities of this kettle of vehicles — a workhorse that can double as a weekender.
Why have five seats that get very little use, while the load space is smaller?
Sure, it’s nice to have for that “maybe in the future” scenario but considering that most double cabs are double-parked at shopping malls, with no one apart from a couple using them, it’s a shame.
Then there’s the “it’s more practical than an SUV” justification.
However, at the end of the day, most buyers feel too sorry for their prized double cabs to ever subject them to anything more challenging than carting the month’s groceries.
But the Supercab is rudimentary and doesn’t offer the same creature comforts that roll out as standard with most upper-spec double cabs…
Wrong. At least as far as this test subject is concerned. The Wildtrak nomenclature plastered on it isn’t just for enticing interesting braaiside conversation — it’s full-fat Ranger Wildtrak specification in a cab-and-a-half package.
That means the full-sized 12-inch, tablet-style infotainment screen, with seamless smartphone connectivity and crisp graphics (the touchscreen buttons are still a tad too small, though), the full TFT digital driver display and two leather seats, the rear bench with integrated cubbies for storing anything from tools to binoculars.
And, of course, it has the signature orange Wildtrak stitching on the steering wheel, seats, door trimmings, drive selector and centre console storage bin.
And the drive? Well, the Ranger Wildtrak Supercab doesn’t roll out with Ford’s new 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel, with only the 2.0-litre bi-turbo mated to the 10-speed automatic gearbox on offer.
Truthfully, at no point did it feel lacking on the power front, with 154kw and 500Nm delivered through one of the creamiest smallcapacity diesel engines on offer.
While Ford hasn’t published official numbers on the engine performance in this application, what I can tell you is it claims an average fuel consumption of 7.5l/100km.
That’s a bit ambitious, with a registered figure of 9.2l/100km on the TFT during my week-long stint with the Ranger during a mix of highway and city driving.
This figure may well climb significantly for the average bakkie owner who feels they have a point to prove — you know, the types who race full tilt from the mall’s exit to the stop sign that’s 50m away.
Then there’s the ride quality. For the most part, it’s excellent in bakkie terms, with just a slight judder emanating from the empty load bin end.
On worse-for-wear highways, such as the R21, which links Pretoria with the East Rand, the hard-sprung character of this weekender workhorse becomes apparent at 120km/h.
It’s more comfortable than many of its mainstream arch-rivals but less so than the well-sorted damping of, say, Nissan’s Navara.
In terms of usability, the Ranger Wildtrak Supercab is rated for a payload of 995kg or, in real-world terms, the easy fitment of two vintage-style bathtubs side by side. It was the only thing we keyboard pushers could realistically pick up for testing purposes.
In layman’s terms, the load bin is enormous, and since this is a 4x4, it could also play the part of a converted overland rig. Just saying …
The Ranger Wildtrak Supercab is priced at an eye-watering R813 000 and included in the price is a fouryear/120 000km warranty, four-year unlimited roadside assistance and a five-year corrosion warranty.
As is, the service plan isn’t included as standard, with Ford specifying the optional availability of service and maintenance plans of up to eight years, or 165000km, as part of the right-to-repair policy that’s in effect.
It renders the service plan an option as opposed to the standard and obligatory item it once was.
It’s pretty clear Ford has, for the most part, closed that gap between utility and comfort, making the Wildtrak Supercab a compelling choice for those who need both something to fulfill their practical needs while having all the luxuries of a range-topping cabin space.
Sure, the lack of a standard service plan at this price does give some pause, especially considering many livelihoods will hinge on this bakkie’s functional side, but it doesn’t detract from the fact that this package as a whole is mighty impressive since it doesn’t compromise on features or function, making it a somewhat niche, but smart, buy.