What to expect from the updated 2026 Ford Ranger: Australia's favourite vehicle likely to get a minor freshen up to target the Toyota HiLux, Mitsubishi Triton and Isuzu D-Max

The Ford Ranger we know today is likely to be the last Blue Oval product primarily developed in Australia. 

Launched locally in July 2022, the T6.2 Ranger ute is a heavy upgrade of the vehicle that came before, using a revised version of the previous bi-turbo engine and ladder frame chassis. 

It is expected to live a shorter life than its predecessor as a result, with its first facelift likely for 2026 — four years after release. The changes are likely to be minor, according to insiders, as Ford spent big on developing the current Ranger and its Everest sibling. 

The render images you see commissioned for CarsGuide by Thanos Pappas are purely speculative, illustrating how Ford may lean on existing in-house design influences to subtly upgrade Australia’s best-selling vehicle. 

Here, it is the monocoque Ford Maverick that has given its front end to neaten up the Ranger. Gone is the current grille with a pair of horizontal lines running through, replaced by a simpler and larger mesh item. 

The daytime running lights now turn 90 degrees and straight down rather than the existing car’s wraparound items. We’ve imagined the vehicle in high-spec off-road Tremor guise with beefier all-terrain tyres, metal sports bar and blacked-out exterior trim. 

It is likely Ford will upgrade the interior, too, with fresh materials and updated software. The Ranger — along with its Volkswagen Amarok relation — comes with a 10- or 12-inch touchscreens and crisp digital driver's display.

With excellent practicality and sharp tech, the Ranger remains a long way clear of the Toyota HiLux and Nissan Navara in terms of cabin smarts, with down-to-earth solutions keeping it clear of newer rivals such as the Mitsubishi Triton and GWM Cannon Alpha.

New versions of HiLux and Navara are drawing closer by the day and might topple Ford's plans yet.

When it comes to engines, the Ranger and Everest will be heavily influenced by impending regulatory changes in Australia. That means the V6 and twin-turbo diesel’s days are numbered, as CarsGuide reported in June. 

Diesel will stick around, but in revised single-turbo guise, according to a company source. The existing ‘Panther’ series engine will be developed in single turbo guise. It’s currently found in the base Ranger XL producing 125kW and 405Nm, and the fifth-gen Transit Custom (125kW/390Nm). 

Replacing the two higher outputs models will be down to Ford’s plug-in hybrid Ranger that was announced back in 2023 ahead of an eventual 2025 launch. It uses a 2.3-litre turbo-petrol and electric motor to produce around 650Nm. There is no word on if the Raptor’s powertrain will change just yet. 

The current Ranger isn’t expected to live as long as its predecessor, with production rumoured to run around eight years, or up to 2030 and a year longer in the United States. 

Ford announced it is developing a new ‘mid-size’ electric ute in the United States, with that launch set for 2027. That vehicle may eventually replace the Ranger and US-market Maverick with a single product that Ford promises will be low cost and capable. 

For now, this is a speculative story. CarsGuide has contacted Ford Australia for comment on the facelifted Ranger and is awaiting a reply.

That said, it’s likely that the Ranger is about two years from a significant product enhancement and all signs point to the ute going single-turbo diesel at the same time.