EXPERT RATING
9.0

Likes

Styling
Drivebility
Refinement

Dislikes

No manual option
Deserves Wildtrak's 12" touchscreen
Not cheap
Byron Mathioudakis

Contributing Journalist

3 min read

Beginning from $63,690 before on-road costs and based on the XLT grade, the Sport is only available with the Double Cab pick-up body for now, and adds contrasting blacked-out themes inside and out, as well as two front tow hooks, 18-inch alloys, wireless charging, an Off-Road screen showing 4WD activation and other related settings, a skid plate, LED front fog lamps and all-season tyres.

Luxuries include leather upholstery, a powered driver’s seat with eight-way adjustment, wireless charging and two front mats.

These all come on top of the XLT's 10.1-inch touchscreen with Ford’s Sync4 multimedia system, digital instrument cluster, USB-A and -C ports, cloth seats, power windows, keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control, sat-nav, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather-sheathed steering wheel and gear knob, intelligent adaptive cruise control with full stop/go functionality and traffic-sign recognition and lane-centring tech.

Naturally, like all Rangers, the Sport buyer also secures nine airbags, AEB autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert and lane keep assist and rear parking sensors, as well as blind spot warning and cross-traffic alert tech.

The Sport is available only as a 4x4.

The rear cargo area comes with a black sports bar, rear box illumination, a bedliner with a 12-volt socket, securing points at the front of the load box, box capping with integrated fixing points for added sheetmetal protection, a rear load box step for easy side access and a lighter tailgate, thanks to Ford's 'easy lift assist' system.

A built-in trailer wiring set-up is also included, as well as the tow bar itself for Ranger Sport.

Mirroring the XLT and Wildtrak, the Sport offers a pair of engine choices.

The previous 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbo-diesel has been dumped for a revised version of the 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel (dubbed BiTurbo in Ford-speak). Mated to a completely overhauled 10-speed automatic, it delivers 3kW less power at 154kW at 3750rpm, but the 500Nm torque maximum (between just 1750-2000rpm) remains. The transmission includes up to six driving modes.

The 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel that's distantly related to that found in Australia's Ford Territory is the Sport's other engine option.

It delivers a healthy 184kW at 3250rpm and 600Nm at 1750-2250rpm.

The V6 sends drive through to a new electronic on-demand four-wheel-drive system, with full-time 4WD that varies drive to the front or rear wheels as required. It includes six driving modes: Normal, Eco, Tow/Haul and Slippery for on-road driving, and Mud/Ruts and Sand for use off-road. Each alter engine throttle, transmission, braking, traction and stability controls.

There’s also an electronic rear differential lock which can be activated via the SYNC 4A multimedia screen, for improved off-road traction.

Note that Ranger 4x4s with either 2.0-litre engine stick with the standard part-time 4x4 set-up that offers 4x2 (rear-drive), 4x4 Low range and 4x4 High range.

Read the full 2023 Ford Ranger review

Ford Ranger 2023: Sport 2.0 (4X4)

Engine Type Diesel Twin Turbo 4, 2.0L
Fuel Type Diesel
Fuel Efficiency 7.6L/100km (combined)
Seating 5
Price From $44,220 - $51,370
Safety Rating

Pricing Guides

$58,087
Based on 1139 cars listed for sale in the last 6 months.
LOWEST PRICE
$28,999
HIGHEST PRICE
$97,990
Byron Mathioudakis

Contributing Journalist

Byron Mathioudakis connected with cars right from the start. His earliest memory is a dream of him driving an Austin A30. Soon after, Byron fell in love with movies watching Duel (1971) where a Valiant sedan takes on a murderous Peterbilt truck. Meanwhile, at Tottenham Primary, teacher Mr Chitty prised opened his world with Wheels magazines, later leading him to perform a one-person musical about the then-new Ford XD Falcon. Everyone thought he was strange. Eager to keep his car passion separate from work, he graduated from Advertising at RMIT, but wasn’t happy in that industry, so did the ‘90s Gen X thing of back-packing, with stints in hospitality, exploring his love of music working in a record store, tending bar, acting, dancing, modelling and even being a singing telegram, thankfully in faraway Canada. His eventual YouTube debut happened as an extra in a Violetine video of that era, You Know. Anyway, by 28, Byron realised he wanted to write about cars and nothing else, and on the eve of his 30th, landed a job at John Mellor’s Australian Automotive Business, a predecessor to GoAuto, where he still feels he belongs after four decades, breaking through with an unsolicited road test of his mother’s Peugeot 306. Going freelance in 1999, he worked at the long-defunct eauto.com.au (it’s still on Wayback Machine), then picked up a gig at Wheels magazine, citing 11 years of Car of the Year judging as a life-changing employment experience. Among scores of amazing people, it was there he became great friends with Peter Robinson, the editor of that first car magazine he devoured back in ’77. Do meet your heroes. In 2020, Byron started at CarsGuide, where he is a Contributing Journalist to this day. Other regular media outlets he writes for include the RAC WA and Australian Plumbing Industry Magazine. Note: though Byron has many old cars he loves, he has never owned an Austin A30, Valiant, XD Falcon or Peugeot 306. To paraphrase Bjork, to do so may break the charm. You can find Byron on LinkedIn. Education Associate Diploma in Advertising, RMIT | 1987-1990 Awards 2024 Newspress Australia Road Tester of the Year Featured Publications GoAuto | 1997-2022 Wheels | 2009-2021 CarsGuide | 2020-present RAC WA Australian Plumbing Industry Magazine
About Author
Disclaimer: The pricing information shown in the editorial content (Review Prices) is to be used as a guide only and is based on information provided to Carsguide Autotrader Media Solutions Pty Ltd (Carsguide) both by third party sources and the car manufacturer at the time of publication. The Review Prices were correct at the time of publication. Carsguide does not warrant or represent that the information is accurate, reliable, complete, current or suitable for any particular purpose. You should not use or rely upon this information without conducting an independent assessment and valuation of the vehicle.
Pricing Guide
$28,999
Lowest price, based on CarsGuide listings over the last 6 months.
For more information on
2023 Ford Ranger
See Pricing & Specs

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