The perfect Storm

Ford Ranger’s both practical and fun

You won’t catch me saying I like crossovers and SUVS. Sure, the new Land Rover Defender is a wonderful machine and looks great, and the Mercedes-benz G-wagon is very cool, but I don’t want to own one.

Even the Suzuki Jimny, which is even cooler and a giggle off-road, will never appear outside my house.

However, what I can’t explain is why I like pick-up trucks. I’ve owned several over the years – one a Toyota that I bought for £15 from a mate who had to leave the country in a hurry, and the other a Chevrolet with a huge V8 engine.

Global warming is probably my fault thanks to that Chevy.

And after only a couple of minutes behind the wheel of this Ford Ranger Stormtrak, I had the urge to dig out a chequered shirt and pull on a wide-brimmed hat.

The Stormtrak is a special edition that’s based on the Ranger Wildtrak which itself has a suitably windswept and interesting name.

The Stormtrak is joined by another limited edition that goes by the name Wolftrak. Even better. While the Stormtrak is festooned with extra kit, the Wolfie is more off-road focused and a bit easier on the wallet. It’s also fitted with a less powerful engine.

One reason that I’m a pick-up fan is that they look so cool and when they’re pimped-up like the Stormtrak

I like them even better.

Power comes from the same 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel engine that’s used in the Wildtrak.

It produces 210bhp and drives through a 10-speed automatic gearbox. There’s no manual version.

While they’re never going to become as common on our roads as they are in the US, sales of pick-up trucks have been on the rise over the last few years.

And I don’t see their popularity waning in the near future for one very good reason – they’re brilliant for towing.

The Stormtrak can haul a 3,500kg braked trailer and a 750kg one if it’s unbraked.

And while you can tow something heavy like a big caravan or a boat with an electric vehicle, your potential range will simply disappear off a cliff.

The Stormtrak is available in Frozen White and Blue Lightning but, best of all, in the unique Rapid Red that our truck is painted in. With it comes a red grille, LED lamps and underbody protection.

There are Stormtrak logos strategically placed around the vehicle, including on the bonnet, and the name is embroidered into the seatbacks in red thread.

You can’t expect a pick-up truck to be as sophisticated on the road as a saloon car or even an SUV but the Stormtrak makes a good fist of it.

The engine is refined and that 10-speed gearbox super smooth. You can feel the axles bounce over bumps but the ride is quite good.

My wife hated my Chevrolet pick-up and that, combined with the 12mpg fuel consumption, was why it was eventually moved on.

But ironically, although she’s a professed pick-up hater, she came up with a list of domestic chores for the Stormtrak and its driver within minutes of seeing it.