Ford Ranger vs Volvo Es90

What's the difference?

The Ford Ranger Super Duty is an impressive ute. It has almost everything you could want in a ute straight out of the showroom - seamless driver-assist tech, reliably effective mechanicals, top-level comfort, confidence-inspiring off-road capability and an ability to tow real heavy loads.

Positives, including its equipment and comfort levels, as well as its capability and all-round driveability, far outweigh anything negative about it, which is mainly limited to its hefty price-tag.

If you’re cross-shopping the Super Duty against the 79 Series, its closest rival overall, then the Ford comes out on top in pretty much every way. And you do get a lot more for your money with the Super Duty.

More stylish than ever before, as quiet and refined as you'd expect from a luxury car and yet the stand out feature might once again be safety. Despite seemingly every new car being loaded to the gills with safety features, Volvo has managed to demonstrate industry best-practice and leads the way again.

I would encourage engineers from every other car brand to drive the ES90 to learn how to better integrate the modern suite of active safety features like forward collision warning and lane departure warning.

But beyond that, is the ES90 a car worthy of consideration? Well, pretty much everything it does the EX90 does too, so if you prefer an SUV that’s definitely worth consideration. But if you don’t want an SUV, if you prefer a sedan or just love to be different, the ES90 is a very attractive proposition in more ways than one.

The Super Duty is a regular Ranger but bulked up to the maximum.

At 5470mm long (with a 3270mm wheelbase), 2197mm wide (with mirrors), 1985mm high and a listed kerb weight of 2675kg (that’s without a tray), the Super Duty is a bigger-than-usual ute, if you’re used to seeing mainstream utes, rather than US-style pick-ups on the road and tracks.

It has a sealed Super Duty-branded snorkel, substantial front and rear recovery points (two at each end), a wider-than-regular wheel track at 1710mm (150mm wider than the regular Ranger’s), big side steps, 18-inch eight-stud steel wheels (from bigger ‘F Series’ utes), chunky General Grabber All-Terrain LT (275/70 R18) tyres and an 18-inch steel spare wheel.

This ute has plenty of presence on- and off-road. In fact, it can easily compete with the likes of the 79 Series on looks alone.

Discussing Volvo design will draw different opinions depending on your age. As a millennial, I grew up at a time when Volvos were, to quote a famous movie line from the 1990s, ‘boxy, but good’.

But over the past two decades Volvo has smoothed off those boxy edges and become one of the most style-conscious car companies in the world. It has embraced its now-unique place as a Scandinavian carmaker and uses softer edges and more Nordic design themes (such as light coloured interior woods) to ensure the ES90 is simply a good-looking car.

What it isn’t, at least not technically-speaking, is a sedan. That’s because it has a liftback rear-end design, rather than a traditional ‘three-box’ sedan with a conventional boot. That shouldn’t be a deal-breaker for anyone and it means it’s a far more practical design.

It also sits taller than a conventional ‘sedan’, which is an increasingly common trait for modern European sedans as they try to woo would-be SUV buyers. It’s not a lot, you certainly wouldn’t call it a tall or high-riding car, but it is noticeable.

Ends up as an ‘in-between’ design, neither one thing or the other. The closest thing it reminds me of is the short-lived BMW 5-Series GT, which is damning with faint praise, but it speaks to the challenge of making something that simply isn’t an SUV appealing to the modern SUV-obsessed market.

The very stylish cabin features that previously mentioned light coloured wood (at least in our test car) and that unique Scandinavian look. It’s the closest you’ll get to sitting in a Swedish lounge room on wheels.

If you’ve spent any time in a Ranger cabin recently, you know what to expect. It’s a high achiever in terms of practicality and comfort.

The 12-inch touchscreen multimedia system (with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) is easy to operate while the screen is big enough and on-screen colours crisp enough that even my decrepit eyes could cope with it.

The driver and front passenger are afforded easy access to numerous storage options, including a centre console, cupholders, door pockets, a shelf for all of your pocket stuff and charging points, with a wireless charge pad upfront, as well as USB-A and USB-C sockets.

There’s ample space inside for the driver and the passengers, front and back. The seats – cloth to cope with real life dirt and grime – are supportive and comfortable up front and only slightly less so in the back row. There’s also more-than-adequate room back there. At 172cm I'm a modest amount below average height and sitting behind my driving position have plenty of space.

The driver’s seat is eight-way manually adjustable, while the front passenger seat is four-way manually adjustable.

Second-row passengers have air-con vents and controls, as well as a fold-down centre armrest, door pockets and map pockets.

The tray on the test vehicle measures 1790mm long, 1890mm wide, and 270mm deep. It has a load height (from ground to the tray floor) is 1065mm. It also has metal window-protection and a chequer-plate base. The full-size steel spare is mounted under the tray.

In terms of practicality, the Super Duty bests the likes of Toyota’s 79 Series LandCruiser.

In terms of space the ES90 is very generous, which it should be given it's a five-metre long car. There’s loads of room front and the back so you’ll seat four adults in absolute comfort, and can squeeze in a fifth if needed. Thanks to the relatively flat floor, as well as the panoramic roof that can either be opaque or clear, the cabin feels spacious and bright even in the rear.

As for luggage space, the boot measures 424 litres, and obviously it’s very easy to access via the power liftgate. But it’s still not as big as an SUV. The EX90 offers up 655 litres of space in its five-seat configuration. Which is at least a small part of the explanation why SUVs have become the more popular choice.

But what really stands out in the cabin isn’t the space, it’s the technology. The ES90 Ultra’s multimedia system is centred around a 14.5-inch touchscreen that runs all the car’s key functions; you also get a 9.0-inch driver’s display.

Notably, Volvo has opted to offer Google’s operating systems built-in, which means while you can still run Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, if you have a Google account you can sign-in and have your contacts, address book and other details integrated into the car.

It’s a really fast system, too, supported by the most powerful software Volvo has ever put inside one of its cars. Having a big tablet-style screen is great and feels very modern, but if it runs slowly, with lag between commands, it’s not as useful. This Volvo system, particularly the transitions between menus and even the voice assistant, reacts with lightning-fast speed.

Then there’s the sound system we mentioned earlier. It’s a 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins set-up with 'Dolby Atmos' and an app called Abbey Road Studios. This app has been produced in conjunction with the iconic recording studio made famous by The Beatles. The speakers and the app were all developed together to provide a superior audio experience.

The speakers themselves are incredibly powerful while staying crystal clear, with the Abbey Road app providing the ability to change the sound between 'Modern' and 'Vintage' settings that make you feel like you’re inside a recording studio.

Put simply, it is as impressive a sound system as I’ve ever experienced in a car.

The ES90 range consists of two models at the time of publication both powered by a single, rear-mounted electric motor, with the twin-motor option available on the EX90 SUV currently not offered in Australia (emphasis on the word ‘currently’).

The range begins with the Pure from $88,880, before on-road costs, and is completed by the current range-topping Ultra variant, which we're testing, priced from $107,990, plus on-roads.

That means it’s cheaper than its direct rivals in the luxury electric sedan market. Audi’s e-tron GT starts at more than $200,000, the BMW i5 line-up is priced from $155,900 and the Mercedes-Benz EQE range begins at $134,900. So, even with this more expensive Ultra variant, Volvo has a clear head-start on the competition.

And Volvo hasn't managed that by skimping on standard equipment. The ES90 comes loaded with adaptive air suspension, 22-inch alloy wheels, a comprehensive safety package (as you’d expect from Volvo) as well as an electrochromic panoramic roof, a smart key you can add to your phone and 'Nordico' upholstery - Volvo’s sustainable synthetic leather.

There’s also a 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system, but more on that later…

The Ford Ranger Super Duty has a 3.0L V6 turbo-diesel engine producing 154kW at 3250rpm (30kW less than the regular V6 Ranger) and 600Nm at 1750rpm and has a 10-speed automatic transmission, full-time 4WD as well as front and rear diff locks.

For reference, the 2.8L four-cylinder turbo-diesel 79 Series LandCruiser produces 150kW and 500Nm.

Driver-selectable modes in the Super Duty include 'Normal', 'Eco', 'Tow/Haul', 'Slippery', 'Mud/Ruts', 'Sand' and 'Sport'.

This engine and auto makes a smooth and highly effective combination in all driving circumstances.

The Super Duty’s gutsy powertrain eclipses the 79 Series for general driveability.

As the name suggests, the ES90 Single Motor is powered by a single, rear-mounted electric motor that drives the rear wheels via a single-speed transmission. The motor makes a healthy 245kW and 480Nm, so the 0-100km/h sprint time is 6.6 seconds - sprightly for such a big car.

As alluded to earlier, there is a Twin Motor, all-wheel drive ES90 variant available in overseas markets, with 500kW, but Volvo Australia is yet to confirm when, or even if that will arrive here.

The Super Duty does not have an official fuel consumption figure because it is an N2 light commercial vehicle.

An N2 light commercial vehicle is “A goods vehicle with a ‘Gross Vehicle Mass’ exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not exceeding 12.0 tonnes”. The Super Duty is category NB2 - “over 4.5 tonnes, up to 12 tonnes ‘Gross Vehicle Mass’.”

On this test, I recorded 13.7L/100km. The Super Duty has a 130-litre fuel tank so, going by my on-test fuel consumption figure, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 948km from a full tank of diesel.

Built on Volvo’s 800-volt electrical architecture, the first Volvo to feature the technology, the ES90 is powered by a 92kWh battery that provides up to 554km of driving range on a single charge.

Volvo quotes an NEDC energy consumption of 18.5kWh/100km, with 300kW DC charging able to take the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 22 minutes. A full, empty to 100 per cent charge using a 16A outlet will take 10 hours.

It should be noted that the EX90 SUV will be upgraded to the 800V architecture with the 2026 model year introduction.

The Super Duty is a smooth-driving ute on road; comfortable and composed. At 1710mm this ute’s wheel track is 150mm wider than the regular Ranger’s and is the same as the Ranger Raptor’s, giving it a supremely settled feel over most road- or track-surface imperfections.

The wheelbase is unchanged (at 3270mm), but the Super Duty is substantially heavier than the ‘normal’ Rangers and thankfully its confidence-inspiring driving feel on the blacktop is retained when you drive off sealed surfaces.

It remains settled and even refined on the dirt. It's quite stiff (level some of the blame at its heavy-duty chassis) and the Super Duty’s ride on bush tracks can be jarring if corrugations and potholes are on the wrong side of deep.

Otherwise, it's a very comfortable driving experience. So even though it is heavier and more robust and it has a stiffer chassis than the regular Ranger, the Super Duty is quite comfortable on- and off-road.

Steering has a nice weight to it and visibility to the front through its big windscreen is generally good, although the big bonnet obscures the driver’s forward view on more severe obstacles such as steep hills and rock-climbs. But the Super Duty’s onboard camera system, which is able to present a 360-degree view around the vehicle, negates that somewhat.

Throttle response is good, low-range gearing is reliable and the Super Duty has a front and rear diff lock for when the terrain becomes particularly challenging.

This ute has grippy Light Truck construction all-terrain tyres, which are more robust than standard all-terrain tyres. The Super Duty also has a comprehensive toolbox of driver-assist tech – including hill descent control and a variety of drive modes (Slippery, Mud/Ruts and Sand), all aimed at improving your off-road ability.

It handles steep, tricky technical hill-climbs with ease as long as you drive with consideration. It is a bigger and heavier vehicle than a regular-sized ute and it has a 13.6m turning circle so it requires extra concentration on tight bush tracks.

In terms of physical dimensions the Super Duty is well suited to off-road duties. I have confidence in the listed 300mm ground clearance and 800mm wading depth having driven this ute on some decent rock steps and through various mud holes. The Super Duty also has some substantial underbody protection as standard.

Approach angle is 36.3 degrees, departure is 29.3 degrees and breakover is 26.9 degrees. For reference, the 79 Series offers off-road-relevant angles of 35 degrees (approach), 25 degrees (departure) and 23 degrees (rampover) with 235mm of ground clearance and a 700mm wading depth.

What’s more, the Super Duty fills a niche between regular-sized utes and US pick-ups by offering much more flexibility for towing and touring than a regular Ranger and most other mid-sized utes.

In double-cab chassis guise, the Super Duty has a listed payload (at minimum kerb weight, which excludes the tray) of 1825kg, as well as the aforementioned 4.5 tonne gross vehicle mass (GVM), 4.5 tonne towing capacity and 8.0-tonne gross combined mass (GCM), which are all impressive figures for a ute that’s not as big as US pick-ups.

For reference, the dual-cab 79 Series LandCruiser has a listed payload of 1310kg, can legally tow 3500kg (braked trailer) and has a listed GCM of 7010kg. So the Super Duty wins out in all of those comparisons.

As you’d expect from a luxury, electric car the ES90 is a quiet and refined vehicle to drive. Being a Volvo, the company has used its experience where it matters, and there is excellent insulation from the outside world. Unlike some EVs that lose the engine and hope that just makes things quieter, the ES90 gives you a genuine feeling of insulation from the exterior hustle and bustle. 

Performance is adequate from the single motor but it’s by no means a sports sedan with only 250kW/480Nm and such a big vehicle. But it has the instant response that is an EV trademark so it has all the performance this type of car and the drivers it will attract would likely need. If buyers start banging on the door for more power, Volvo can oblige, but for now it does the job you expect of a luxury four-door.

While it has the sedan silhouette, the taller body and raised ride height on the air suspension are noticeable. You will find yourself looking up at SUV drivers, but not all of them. It’s roughly the same seat height as you’ll find in a modern small SUV, so a slight elevation rather than a big boost.

The ride is what you expect from this type of car. You can adjust the suspension and steering between ‘soft’ and ‘firm’ settings, but even with the latter selected there is a lot of compliance and the ride remains comfortable.

The steering is fine most of the time, but when you have to do parking maneuvers you certainly notice the ES90's steer-by-wire technology. The steering literally feels like an old computer game steering wheel set-up, with very little resistance as the wheel lightly spins from lock-to-lock. It’s not a bad feeling, but it is a bit odd and takes some getting used to.

The ultimate take-away from the driving experience is just how relaxed it is - quiet and effortless are the two words that probably best sum it up.

This is obviously the area that Volvo is famous for, but with seemingly every other brand forced to raise their own safety features over the years, does the Swedish brand still do anything special on this front?

Absolutely.

Put simply the Volvo suite of active safety systems is better developed and better integrated. Every rival car to the ES90 will have a similar list of features, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, lane departure assist, road sign information and more. But Volvo has made it work so well that unlike rival models, you never even think of turning them off, they don’t beep and bong ad nauseum, they only work if you need them in an emergency - which should be the standard.

One thing to note is the ‘bump’ on the roof (you may see in the images) to house a Lidar system. However, Volvo split with its supplier and has decided to abandon this technology for the ES90. That means the 2026 model year examples will not have the roof bump, but still come loaded with five radars, seven cameras and 12 ultrasonic sensors for the excellent coverage of the surrounding environment.

The only thing that stops the ES90 being worthy of a 10/10 safety score is the lane keeping assist could do with some fine-tuning, as it has a tendency to move in the lane slightly too much.

There is no current ANCAP score for the ES90, but the EX90 SUV does, and given the organisation's previous sharing of scores between different models based on the same core underpinnings, there is no reason to believe the ‘sedan’ wouldn’t be just as safe.

The Ford Ranger Super Duty is covered by a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty which is now the average offering in the mainstream market.

Roadside assistance is included free for the first 12 months and continues for seven years if you have your vehicle serviced by Ford.

Service intervals are recommended for 12 months or 15,000km and capped price servicing is available. If you pre-pay that’ll cost you a total of $2100 for five years. It's $2345 if you don’t, which equates to $469 per service.

For comparison, Toyota recommends the 79 Series LandCruiser is serviced every six months or 10,000km, with each of the first 10 workshop visits costing $545 (for a five-year total of $5450).

Ford Australia has about 200 dealers across the country with a decent spread across metro, rural and regional areas. Ford dealers are also service centres.

The ES90 is covered by Volvo’s five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, which is competitive for the luxury market even if it’s shorter than the cover some mainstream brands offer.

Servicing costs are currently unclear, at the time of publication. Volvo Australia typically offers five-year servicing plans for its models but is yet to finalise the cost for its electric vehicles.

Despite its long history in Australia, Volvo still has a relatively small footprint in this country with only 28 dealers/service centres spread across the country. However, more are planned to expand that coverage in the coming years.