Ford Ranger Reviews

The automotive equivalent of multi-tasking - which could be why most cars are assigned the female gender - has invaded the light-commercial market. The phenomenon of dual-cab utes serving as a tradie truck Monday to Friday and as family truckster - towing toys and carting kids - on the weekend is upon us, and Ford's

Different manufacturers call their four-door utes different names double-cab, crew-cab or dual-cab.

When the Toyota HiLux first appeared on the monthly top-10 sales list a while back it was dismissed as an aberration rather than a meaningful shift in the market.  A year or two on the Toyota ute is not only still there it's well entrenched in the top three or four selling models.The stunning success of the HiLux has caused other manufacturers of similar utes, like Ford, to take another look at their own models with a view to cashing in on this new popularity.  When they did look they found the reason for this new success didn't lie in the traditional working class segment, but in the growth in the use of these vehicles for recreation.For its part Ford, and its Mazda partner, went back to the drawing board and came up with a new and expanded range of utes to cover all bases in the changed market.MODEL WATCHIn a reflection of the changing demand from ute buyers Ford changed the name of its offering, from the rather working class Courier to the rather more adventurous Ranger.  It's the demand from people who want to use them for more than their work needs, for their recreational, or lifestyle, purposes as well that is driving the development of today's one-tonne utes.  The Ranger is in reality a Mazda BT-50 with a different set of sheetmetal clothes.Ford followed its "trough truck" theme when it restyled front of the Mazda to create the good-looking Ranger with a clear link to his F150 big brother.  The restyle brought a new grille and blue oval badge to the Mazda's muscular lines, which gave it a bold, purposeful look, but the rest was all Mazda BT-50.Ford's model line-up included three body styles, with the single cab, extended Supercab, and the Crewcab.  Each was available as a cab-chassis and a ute with a box bed, and in 4x2, 4x2 Hi-rider and 4x4 models.Two equipment levels were offered; XL on 4x2 models, and XL and XLT on 4x4 models, with the XLT 4x4 being the hero model aimed at those using their Ranger for a bit of weekend fun.Inside, the Ranger was the same as the Mazda, apart from the steering wheel. It had the same neat car-like dash, a standard MP3-compatible CD player, a decent array of dials, dual airbags, and most models had standard air-conditioning.Underneath, the Ranger had a beefed-up ladder chassis, torsion bar front suspension and longer rear leaf springs with heftier shocks to improve the ride without sacrificing its load carrying capacity. The steering was also retuned to be more responsive.Braking was by front ventilated discs and rear drums, with ABS antilock and EBD electronic brakeforce distribution systems standard on the XLT, but optional on the rest of the range.Like Mazda Ford dropped the petrol engine option in the Ranger and only offered diesel engines.  There were two of them, both with common-rail injection and variable geometry turbocharging for smooth and steady power delivery across a broad rev range.The 4x2 models had a 2.5-litre version that produced 105 kW at 3500 revs and 330 Nm at 1800 revs, while the 4x2 Hi-rider and all 4x4 models had the extra zip of a 3.0-litre version that produced 115 kW at 3200 revs and 380 Nm at 1800 revs.There were two transmissions on offer, a five-speed manual, which was standard across the range, and a five-speed auto, which was optional with the larger engine.Manual four-wheel drive models had a dual-range transfer case with remote locking front hubs and a limited-slip rear diff; the autos had an electronic shift-on-the-fly mechanism for easier 4x4 operation.  All models had a full one-tonne payload, while the 3.0-litre manual would tow three tones.IN THE SHOPThe Ranger is generally a tough and reliable ute, whether working or touring the land on a journey of discovery.  There have been some issues with the cruise control where fitted and Ford is in the process of changing to a new supplier to fix the problems. If you are looking to buy a model with a factory-fitted cruise check the operation to make sure it is working correctly.There have also been one or two reports of auto transmission troubles, specifically reports of gears slipping, so check the auto transmission carefully.  Look for the telltale signs of hard work, either on the work site or in the bush; in particular look for battered bodywork and underbody.IN A CRASHUtes have generally trailed passenger cars in the level of safety they have offered, but the latest models are closer than ever to their sedan cousins.With ABS antilock brakes and EBD brakeforce distribution the Ranger has a reasonable level of active safety, while dual front airbags give it the basic level of passive safety.  ANCAP rated the Ranger 4x4 at three stars out of a possible five.AT THE PUMPWith a diesel only option the Ranger manages to dodge the fuel consumption bullet that hits most of its rivals offering a petrol engine option.  The base model with the 2.5-litre engine boasts a claimed consumption of 8.3 L/100 km, while those models with the 3.0-litre engine are claimed to deliver 9.2 L/100 km.OWNER SAYSDavid Trevaskis has had his 2007 Ford Ranger diesel auto for 18 months now and is really happy with it. It's tough, good on wet or dry forest tracks as well as ordinary roads, rides comfortably, has good fuel efficiency, and an excellent towing capacity.LOOK FOR. Tough Ford looks. Diesel economy. Good build quality. Comfortable ride. Three-tonne towing ability. One-tonne payloadTHE BOTTOM LINEWell built ute that drives smoothly and delivers diesel economy.

A new Ford Ranger Wildtrak hero model has hit the showrooms.The 4x4 Wildtrak Crew Cab three-litre diesel leads a re-styled Ranger PK line-up that includes seven extra models, more standard equipment and price rises up to $2500.There are no mechanical changes to the Thai-made PK series.The three new 4x4 models are the manual and auto Wildtrak and an XL 3.0-litre TDCi Crew Cab auto.The four new 4x2 models are a 2.5-litre TDCi XL Cre Cab pick-up auto and a Crew cab chassis auto, and the XLT crew cab pick-up in manual and auto.Ford product marketing manager Christine Wagner said the new XLT and Wildtrak were introduced because of the growth in the sector of the market since its launch in early 2007.“Most growth has been in the high-end vehicles because these are dual-purpose vehicles people can use in their trade and their leisure,” she said.“The XLT model has been our best performer.”The PK Ranger, which replaces the PJ model gets a restyled front end, new seat trim and extra features.The front end features a bolder three-bar chrome grille from the F150 truck, a power bulge on the bonnet, reshaped headlights, restyled front bumper, indicators integrated into the body, new XLT alloys and flared rear fenders.Cruise control and side airbags are now standard on the XLT and Wildtrak and optional on the XL.An auxiliary connector for iPod or other MP3 players are standard across the range.Wagner claims there is $3000 worth of extras in the XLT for the extra $1000.The XL price rises $2500 for the 4x2 2.5-litre single cab chassis, $1500 on the pick-up and $400 on the crew cab pick-up.Wagner said the price rise on these base models was due to exchange rate fluctuations and keeping pace with other manufacturers’ pricing.“However, the net affect is less on the cab chassis because the factory option tray was $1540, but it’s now $1000,” she said.The Wildtrak adds 18-inch alloys, a sports bar, box rails, roof rails, aluminium side steps, mirrors with integrated LED indicators and Wildtrak decals.Inside there are alcantara leather seats, steering wheel and gearshift, a premium lighting system and a multi-meter that shows inside and outside temperature, tilt level and compass bearing.Despite the updates, the Ranger cabin appears much the same and Ford has persisted with the ungainly umbrella-stick handbrake while the steering is still only adjustable for height, not reach.Ranger has a jittery ride with no load in the back; more so than the Nissan Navara and less than the Toyota HiLux.On the corrugated unsurfaced roads of the NSW central coast hinterlands, the back end sidestepped and clawed for traction.Slipping the all-wheel-drive model into 4H (high-range four-wheel drive) on the move suddenly tamed the rear end and sharpened turn-in.The Wildtrak model rides better on its 18-inch wheels with more grip and even more responsive turn-in.Engine noise is quite intrusive until you are purring along the highway at low revs, while the lack of double insulation in the doors does not seem to allow any dust to permeate the cabin.    

Where they were once simply workhorses seen on the job site and nowhere else they are now seen more and more in an urban setting hauling things like dirt bikes, jet skis or mountain bikes for their owners' leisure time pursuits.The Ranger has won a following on the basis of its rugged chassis, flexible, fuel-efficient diesel engines and its off-road capability, but that's no longer enough for buyers wanting to use them for personal transport.A ute, or pickup as the rest of the world calls them, has to be tough enough to cut it on the job, but it also has to look good round town.Ford's answer is `Tough Style’, which gives its once `Tough Truck’ a more stylish face in order to appeal to this new and growing generation of ute buyers.In effect it's a facelift of the Ranger released in 2007, with new front and rear styling, and a new highly optioned Wildtrak sports model that's perched atop the range.A bold new laid-back three-bar grille, flanked by air intake nostrils and new wraparound headlamps, and topped by a bulging new bonnet, with a large lower grille opening to feed plenty of air to the turbo intercooler, make for a stylish new face. Down the sides there are new vents on the front guards and mirrors incorporating turn signal repeater lamps, and new clear tail lamp clusters brighten the Ranger's rear.New in the face-lifted Ranger, and to one-tonne utes, are 18-inch alloy wheels and 255/60 R18 rubber that are a signature feature on the Wildtrak.Apart from new trim, an MP3 connector, and cruise on the XLT and Wildtrak the interior is little changed.Safety is enhanced with side airbags now standard across the range in addition to dual front airbags.Mechanically there are also few changes to the Ranger.There are two engines on offer, both flexible and easy driving Duratorq common rail turbo diesels. The smaller 2.5-litre engine boasts peaks of 105 kW at 3500 revs and 330 Nm at 1800 revs, the larger 3.0-litre engine peaks with 115 kW at 3200 revs and 380 Nm at 1800 revs.Both engines are available with a choice of five-speed manual and five-speed auto transmissions, and the 3.0-litre engine is offered in both 4x2 and 4x4 configurations.Four-wheel drive engagement on Rangers with the manual gearbox is manual, but electronic when the auto transmission is fitted. Four-wheel drive high can be selected on the move up to 100 km/h on both manuals and autos.Suspension is a combination of front torsion bars and rear leaf springs across all models, with a blend of front discs and rear drums for retardation.The safety of anti-lock ABS braking, and electronic brakeforce distribution for optimum braking effect are available on the XL base model, but standard on all other models.There's also the choice of 4x2, high riding 4x2 and 4x4 models, with single cab, extended super cab or dual cab body styles, in either cab-chassis or ute configurations.The range opens with the XL base model and includes XLT and the new Wildtrak sports ute.All have a payload of at least 1000 kg and will tow up to 3-tonne (4WD).While the changes are mostly cosmetic the main thrust of the update is the new Wildtrak sports model that seeks to break new ground for Ranger.The Wildtrak is only available as a Dual-cab 4x4 ute, but comes with a raft of features that make it stand out from the crowd.Most notably the Wildtrak rides on 18x7.5-inch alloy wheels with 255/60 R18 tyres, which is a first for Ranger as well as the Japanese-designed ute class.But there's much more to it than big wheels. It starts with the chrome three-bar grille embossed with the Ranger name, and continues down the sides with body-coloured side cladding, aluminium side steps and vibrant Wildtrak graphics, to the climax at the rear with a tailgate also featuring body-coloured cladding.On top there are roof rails, a sportsbar is mounted behind the cab, rails run along the top of the cargo box, and there is a chromed rear step bumper. The package is completed with a lockable roller shutter tonneau providing security and protection.Inside the Wildtrak features Alcantara leather trim, leather steering wheel and gearshift knob, and extra dials atop the dash in a central cluster.On the road recently in Thailand, the updated Ranger showed it had lost none of the smoothness and refinement for which the old model was noted.It rode comfortably and quietly over all sorts of road surfaces, capably handled a testing four-wheel drive course, and both engines showed they had lost none of their impressive easy driving flexibility.