Ford Ranger vs Toyota Kluger

What's the difference?

The Ford Ranger is a strong starting point for a plug-in hybrid upgrade. And there are valid pros accompanying the addition of a high-voltage battery. But those benefits aren’t primarily seen on the road.

In fact, given its higher price, the Ranger PHEV loses out when compared to its BYD and GWM rivals, which offer more features and a far higher EV range at lower prices.

The Ranger doesn’t compromise its ‘ute-ness’ as its rivals do in different ways. But its target audience is likely relatively small. One that's willing to fork out for a capable, comfortable ute that can power a campsite or run tools on the job.

If you want an EV that just looks like a ute, this isn’t it. But if you're after a dual cab that can do proper ute things, with a bonus when it comes to efficiency and convenience, you’ll need deep pockets.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

The Toyota Kluger GXL Hybrid has been the ultimate SUV this week, as it fits my gear and family in comfort, the on-road handling is excellent and the fuel usage makes owning this long term actually feasible.

This is a great example of a mid-spec seven-seater that is both functional and comfortable. There’s lots to satisfy here and even though it hasn’t been updated, it may be a case of ‘if it aint broke, don’t fix it’.

The Ford Ranger is still one of the best-looking utes available, with a strong brand identity and a lack of design features that lean into trends - perhaps aside from the ‘C-shaped’ DRL signature.

There are only a few hints that any given Ranger you might be looking at is a plug-in hybrid, with the vehicle’s panels and general design features looking primarily the same.

The most obvious change is fender badging that outs the Ranger as a ‘PHEV’, though its lettering isn’t too ‘shouty’.

But to those more familiar with the Ranger, or anyone able to have a proper look around a PHEV, there are a couple of other giveaways.

For example, the Ranger plug-in has a new set of wheel designs that range from the 17-inch alloys on the XLT to the Stormtrak-specific 18s featuring 'Chill Grey' inserts as trim accents.

The Stormtrak can also be had in Chill Grey, the colour being exclusive to that variant along with the aforementioned unique trim design.

There are also plug outlets in the ute’s tub for access to the Ranger’s battery power. Harder to spot if you’re looking at one of the higher-spec variants that feature a roller cover.

Inside, it’s a similar story with the PHEV’s interior being standard Ranger fare aside from the button that controls its EV modes.

The Kluger epitomes what a large SUV was originally meant to look like. A big body and with enough ground clearance to earn the tag, but the shape is all long lines and gently curving panelling and that makes it look sleek rather than rugged.

Make no mistake, the Kluger is large at 4966mm long, 1930mm wide and 1755mm tall. It's only only 24mm shorter in its length than its big 4WD Toyota Prado cousin. It's size and road presence assures you that it's capable, but it's not trying to convince you it's a 4WD.

Despite not seeing any design updates, the Kluger still feels relevant and more than holds its own when it comes to kerbside handsomeness.

On the inside, the black synthetic leather trims, softly padded touchpoints and interesting dashboard make the cabin both pleasant to look at and spend time in.

The 12.3-inch multimedia display looks lovely with its clear graphics, but it’s still nice to see some traditional elements - like the gear selector, analogue instrument cluster (with a 7.0-inch digital display) and lots of buttons and dials to play with.

Interestingly, there isn’t a traditional transmission tunnel, which means you get a practical flat floor in the middle row and, thus, more legroom for middle seaters. 

It's a forgiving cabin that lots of different drivers will find something to like in.

The Ford Ranger’s interior is impressive for a dual-cab ute when it comes to layout and functionality.

A large 12-inch touchscreen dominates the central space on the dash, but there are still physical controls for the climate settings and the screen has shortcuts to main functions thanks to Ford’s 'Sync' software.

A big 12.4-inch driver display is similarly handy, being clear in its layout and able to be customised to the extent you’d expect from a modern bit of kit.

As mentioned, in the XLT you miss out on a few goodies, but the phone charger found in other variants is placed out of the way, under the screen and behind the gear shift.

Cupholders are similarly out of the way of any buttons or controls, and the gear-shifter itself is mercifully a traditional one rather than a dial or buttons.

With everything in an ergonomically sensible place, it’s similarly comforting that the seats and the steering wheel can be adjusted to find a suitable position.

It’s still a dual-cab ute, so don’t anticipate ‘melt-into-the-seat’ levels of comfort, but the space on offer in the front and rear seats is enough for an adult to feel at ease on even a long trip.

Behind the cabin, there’s space for two euro pallets according to Ford, with a payload as high as 973kg for the XLT. The Stormtrak’s 808kg payload is the lowest of the bunch, with Sport (934kg) and Wildtrak (885kg) slotting in between.

There’s a spare tyre underneath the tub and the ability to tow a 3500kg braked trailer - all combining to make it the most functional workhorse on offer in the plug-in hybrid ute segment. The GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV can tow 3.5-tonne and the BYD Shark 6’s payload is okay, but neither can do it all.

That said, the Ranger falls short in the plug-in game, which we’ll get to shortly.

The Kluger is both practical and comfortable for passengers as each row gets a great amount of head- and legroom – yes, even third-rowers, but the low level of amenities in that row will render it a 'sometimes seat' for adults or older kids.

The 208mm ground clearance, wide door apertures and low-sitting seats makes it a very easy SUV to get in and out of, even for kids. The access to the third row is also good as the 60/40 split middle bench seat can be slid forward.

The electric front seats offer lots of adjustments, including lumbar support on the drivers side, but both seats get heating. They’re also well-padded and quite comfortable on a longer journey.

The outboard seats on the middle row offer the most comfort as they have longer under-thigh support, but the entire row benefits from heavy padding and the seat backs can recline.

The third row offers a curious 60/40 split and is wide enough for two adults to not be squished like sardines.

Although the Kluger is a seven-seater, families will be bummed that there are no child seat anchor points in the third row. But the middle row has two ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top-tether anchor points. It is more than wide enough to accommodate three seats side by side and you’ll have enough room for the front passenger when a rearward facing child seat is installed, too.

Individual storage is above average for the class, but the front row gets the best of it. There are two handy shelves built-into the dash, a glove box, a deep middle console (that swallows my arm) and cubbies in the centre console that include a phone cradle and two cupholders. There's also a sunglasses holder and little cubby beside the driver's knee.

In the middle row, you get two map pockets, two cupholders in a fold down armrest, and a drink holder in each door. While the third row gets a couple of cupholders.

Amenities are well-rounded for the most part, with the three-zone climate control and well-positioned directional air vents in the roof for the back two rows. Middle-rowers also get reading lights and two USB-C ports.

Technology is easy to use and looks great as the 12.3-inch display uses the same multimedia system as Lexus. The built-in satellite navigation is simple to set up and shows clear directions with lots of route customisations available.

There is wired Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay, but you do have to initially connect the CarPlay via a cable.

Rounding out the cabin is the great-size boot that offers 241L with all seats in use, but that can jump up to 552L when the third row is stored.

The level loading space makes it easy to slide larger items in and out of, and there’s a handy underfloor storage compartments for smaller items. You get a full-size spare tyre underneath the car and a powered tailgate in this model.

You have to love a simple three-grade line up with variant names that aren't hard to say! The Kluger starts with the base GX, mid-spec GXL and then the flagship Grande model.

All Kluger models share the same all-wheel-drive hybrid powertrain, and our test model is the mid-spec GXL, which is priced from $70,440 before on-road costs.

Its price positions it in the middle of its seven-seat hybrid rivals; the Hyundai Santa Fe Elite ($65,000 MSRP) and the Kia Sorento GT-Line AWD ($73,330 MSRP), but it should be noted that the Sorento hybrid is only offered in one high-spec grade level and the Kluger can’t always match the Sorento’s plush features.

The GXL is still fairly well-specified and includes eight-way powered front seats with heating, adjustable lumbar support (driver's seat), black synthetic leather upholstery, a powered tailgate, rain-sensing wipers, dusk-sensing LED headlights, keyless entry/start and a full-sized spare tyre.

There is also 12 months of complimentary access to Toyota Connected Services, which allows you remote access, via the myToyota Connect app, to safety and security features, multimedia connect and driving insights.

The other technology is well showcased in the 12.3-inch multimedia display that has touchscreen functionality, in-built satellite navigation, wired Android Auto, wireless Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth and digital radio. You also get a single USB-A port, three USB-C ports, two 12-volt sockets and three-zone climate control.

The Ranger PHEV remains an off-road-capable 4x4 ute, with all four wheels receiving power. But the drivetrain is not your standard Ranger gear.

Ford’s 2.3-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder 'EcoBoost' engine does the heavy lifting, aided by an electric motor mounted between it and the transmission.

The engine isn’t unproven in the ute game. In fact, it’s found in some variants of the current-gen Ranger’s cousin, the Volkswagen Amarok.

In the Ranger PHEV, it makes 138kW and 411Nm which, paired with the 75kW electric motor, contributes to a total 207kW and 697Nm output, transferred to all four wheels via Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission.

Of course, the ute’s 4WD system is able to be set to '2H', '4A', '4H' or '4L' and has a rear diff-lock to assist in traversing tricky terrain.

All Kluger grades are all-wheel-drives with a smooth continuously variable transmission. They share the same 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid powertrain that produces up to 184kW of power. Toyota does not quote a combined torque output.

At first look, these outputs may look underwhelming, but the on-road experience has shown that it’s more than enough to move the Klugers big body around without it feeling underpowered.

The Kluger has a braked towing capacity of up to 2000kg, which means you can hook up most of your weekend adventure toys!

Ford claims the Ranger PHEV sips 2.9L/100km according to NEDC testing, but like many plug-in hybrids that would be difficult to achieve without constantly stopping to charge.

It’s also only able to charge the 11.8kWh lithium-ion battery at a 3.5kW rate under AC power and it takes around four hours to do so. There’s no DC fast charging.

It’s got a 70-litre fuel tank, and requires minimum 91 RON petrol.

During the launch drive, the highest figure reasonable driving produced in terms of a fuel consumption on the trip computer was 9.6L/100km during battery charging.

So, while theoretical range is around 2400km, that closer to real-world number reduces the distance between fills to a still useful 730km.

Ford didn’t offer an expected general consumption figure for ‘low-power’ driving - i.e. while the battery isn’t being actively charged but also isn’t carrying enough juice to fully propel the ute.

The Kluger may be massive but it has an excellent combined fuel cycle usage of just 5.6L/100km because of its hybrid powertrain.

Combined with its large 65L fuel tank, you should see a theoretical driving range of up to 1160km, which is really good for a family SUV and rivals diesel models of the same size.

I’ve been super pleased with the fuel usage of our test model because despite doing quite a few long distance trips, which is where hybrids are usually the most inefficient, I’ve managed a real world usage of only 5.8L/100km! That is a great result.

The Kluger only accepts a minimum 95RON unleaded premium petrol.

During a presentation and Q&A to media before the launch drive program, the Ford Australia team was keen to spruik how handy the PHEV’s battery would be for things like powering worksite equipment or for use during camping trips.

Alternately, focus on how the battery might come into play while on the road was modest. And behind the wheel it became clear why.

On-paper, the 49km electric driving range seems handy, but the NEDC testing which produced that figure is known for being optimistic.

On top of that, the launch program's highway driving wasn’t prime EV territory. In fact, we were encouraged to keep the cars in ‘charge’ mode to leave enough electric power in reserve to experience the Ranger PHEV’s off-road capabilities.

As mentioned, fuel consumption doesn’t exactly skyrocket even while the engine is charging the battery, but to make the most of the Ranger’s EV range you’d want to have a relatively short commute.

In terms of its on-road manners, the Ranger’s status as a benchmark for the category means even with the extra weight of the battery, the PHEV performs well.

Its 75kW EV output means driving under the electric motor’s power alone is reserved for low speed, but it does well to boost the torque provided by the engine. While it’s no sports car, it doesn’t feel sluggish.

The Ranger’s suspension does well to balance relative softness when it comes to bumps and rough surfaces without feeling like it doesn’t have the ute's weight under control.

If you want the best on-road driving experience from a Ranger, a V6-powered variant will provide the balance of comfort and power you seek.

Off-road, the PHEV’s capability is likely more than enough for most weekend warriors.

The electrified ute’s ability to use battery and engine to carefully cover terrain that would likely intimidate any off-road beginner is impressive. But we'll wait until we can get the Ranger PHEV onto home turf for a proper off-highway test before making a definitive judgement.

The engine can sound like it’s under pressure, but that doesn’t translate to underwhelming power delivery. The GXL has enough grunt to make it a comfortable open-roader that’s confident on hills and overtaking.

The steering is light for such a big SUV, but with its 11.4m turning circle, it’s every parents dream when doing the school run or navigating small lanes or parks for after-school activities. It’s almost stupidly easy to drive and feels much smaller than what it is, even in the city.

Visibility is mostly good because of the large windows, but the B-pillar is larger than I’d like and I found myself checking my blind spots carefully. 

The ride comfort is really good and suspension is forgiving on the worst of the bumps without feeling like it floats on the road. Road noise is low, even at higher speeds, but occasionally you get a weird wind whistle through the air vents. 

Even those usually put off by a large SUV, should find this comfortable to get around in. Parking it is the only time you really notice its bulk. While the reversing camera is great quality, a 360-degree view system would have been much better.

The Toyota Kluger has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2021 and scored highly across its individual assessment scores. However, it only features seven airbags, which is a bit low for a car of this size, but the curtain airbags extend to the third row, which is good. 

The Kluger has lots of safety equipment, including daytime running lights, hill-start assist, seatbelt warning (all seats), lane departure alert, lane-keeping aid, traffic sign recognition, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, a reversing camera (with guidelines) and front and rear parking sensors.

The Kluger does miss out on family friendly safety items, like child-presence alert and side exit assist. The adaptive cruise control isn’t as well tuned as I’d like as it doesn't hold it's speed all that well, slows down too soon behind a vehicle, and sometimes can be sluggish to return to a normal speed once a vehicle has left its 'radar'.

The GXL has AEB with car, pedestrian, cyclist and junction turning assist and is operational from 10-80km/h (up to 180km/h for car), but it is usual to see that starting point sit closer to 5.0km/h.

Ford’s five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty applies to the Ranger PHEV, but like all electrified Fords there’s an eight-year or 160,000km warranty on the high-voltage battery.

Ford also has set pricing for the first five years of servicing at a reasonable $399 per service, with the recommended interval set at 12 months or 15,000km.

The Kluger is offered with Toyota’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, but that can be extended to seven years if you service on time and with a Toyota service centre, which makes it competitive against some rivals.

There’s a five-year capped-price servicing program available, with services costing just $285, which is cheap for the class. Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.