Volkswagen Crafter vs Ford Ranger

What's the difference?

If you need space and size, but don’t want a van, then the VW Crafter cab-chassis could be a terrific option for your business. With so many variants and derivatives to choose from, there’s one for just about every user case. 

It is missing a few technology items for safety spec, but as a work vehicle there really is no other offering out there that offers the personalisation and customisation the VW Crafter cab-chassis range does.

The Ford Ranger XL 4x2 Double Cab combines strong performance with a one-tonne-plus payload rating, 3500kg towing ability, spacious cabin and excellent ride/handling.

However, it could be even better without the penny-pinching evident in the lack of rear passenger air-vents/USB etc found in some 4x2 rivals. Even so, for workhorse buyers, there’s plenty to like here.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the design of the VW Crafter cab-chassis range is that there are so many options available.

You can have it as a single cab in three different lengths - Medium Wheelbase (MWB) spanning 5996mm total, Long Wheelbase (LWB) spanning 6846mm, and Long Wheelbase with Overhang (LWBO) stretching 7211mm.

Plus there are two double cab models available, the MWB and LWB, and both have seating for seven occupants - three up front, four in the rear.

And then there’s the fact you can have the Crafter in FWD, 4Motion all-wheel drive, or rear-wheel drive like our test vehicle. Both the FWD and AWD models have transverse mounted engines, while the RWD model has a north-south longitudinal engine. 

The design of the vehicle varies based on that, with the FWD and AWD models offering better load-in height as they manage to package all the mechanical hardware down lower in the chassis. The RWD is more a heavy-duty option, and indeed is available in up to 5.5-tonne GVM configuration, meaning you need a truck licence to drive it. That’s not the case with our 4.49t GVM version, which is legal to be driven on a regular car licence. 

It’s this availability of options that gives customers with very specific needs more choice to configure the vehicle they really want - and that is certainly an excellent design trait. 

But one thing to consider is that all Crafter cab-chassis variants come with an Alloy Tray standard, and it’s fitted at the factory, rather than at the dealership. 

The tray features a flat load-in space at the side, meaning you don’t need to contend with a rim or lip when forklifting items in, plus there are 10 recessed lashing eyes for tying down, and there’s an integrated rear step on the tailboard. The tray itself features a wooden floor (multi-layered birch plywood) which varies between vehicle types - you get the 15mm thickness for single rear tyre models, while dual-rear tyre versions get 21mm thickness.

The surface is designed to be non-slip via VW’s ‘screen-printed’ development, and on test we noted a little bit of slippage, so beware that items need to be well secured. 

The tray’s sides are light and offer about 400mm of depth for storage, and there’s a side underride guard to stop other vehicles from pitching under the tray - and that also doubles as a handy step if the sides are up, but is not usable if the sides are dropped.

While the plastic latches are easy to operate I fear the forgetful apprentice may one day leave one unlocked, which could easily lead to it being smashed off in narrow confines. We also had some issues tying down to the front lashing eye with a ratchet strap because the ladder rack got in the way, and the recessed tie-downs collect leaf litter and worksite debris very easily. 

And if you want the figures: the load area is 8.8 square metres, measuring 4300mm long, 2040mm wide and 400mm deep, with a load sill height of 1035mm. 

The exterior cabin styling is Teutonic and fuss free, and it’s easy to determine this is a Crafter at a glance. One thing I wasn’t so taken by was the body-paint-coloured chassis rails, which had a number of rather messy looking welds that - if I was buying one for my business - I would prefer were black.

And if customising your vehicle to suit exactly your needs is important to you, here are some of the things you could add to your Crafter, if you want it: black steel wheels instead of silver; heated seats; a heated steering wheel with leather trim; a suspension seat for the driver and/or passenger (replacing the three-seat bench with a two-seat layout); a second battery setup; second alternator setup; sat nav media; tyre pressure monitoring; mechanical differential lock and hill descent control (4Motion models); active lane keeping assist; adaptive cruise control and more. More on the safety specs in the safety section below.

As you can probably tell from the interior images, there’s a bit to cover off for cabin practicality and design in the next section.

All Ranger XL 4x2s are called ‘Hi-Riders’ as they share the same ride height as their 4x4 siblings. As a result, they also benefit from the same ground clearance/approach/departure angles, which can be handy if there's some rugged terrain in your line of work.

Braking is a front disc/rear drum combination but you’d struggle to feel the difference between this and the four-wheel discs of higher-grade models, given how well Ford has refined the set-up over the years.

The Ranger XL is a chrome-free zone as you'd expect, with the interior featuring many shades of grey and a conspicuous number of plastic caps in places where buttons/switches are found in more luxurious variants.

Even so, the cabin is neat and functional for this role. Rear seat space is excellent, even for tall people like me (186cm). There’s also ample headroom, which contributes to the spacious feel.

Our only gripes are the absence of air-vents and a USB port in the rear of the centre console, which come standard in rivals like Isuzu’s D-Max SX.

Very. If you use your vehicle as a mobile office, the Crafter’s cabin could be a very handy space for you.

There are storage caddies above the driver and passenger head areas, as well as a trio of folder holders on top of the dashboard, and multi-level door pockets with the lowest, largest ones offering bottle storage. There are also two cup holders each for the outboard passengers, the larger of which can fit a 600mL fizzy. 

There are other storage sections, including spaces under the bench seat (individually openable by pulling the tab at the back of the seat base), as well as a glovebox and a shelf above it for smaller items. 

One interesting thing to note is the placement of the USB port, which is up on top of the dash - clever if you plan to fit a phone older accessory as you could just leave the cable in at all times. There are also two 12-volt sockets for additional charging.

In terms of media there is an 8.0-inch touchscreen system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but no sat nav. It has USB/auxiliary/SD card inputs, and is teamed to a sound system with four speakers and also has Bluetooth phone and audio streaming. It’s a really simple and quick system to use, making living with it super easy. There are audio controls on the steering wheel, too, so you need not lean over and reach for the buttons or knobs.

All the controls are simple, in fact. There are easily learnable positions for all the main functional components, including the manual air conditioning dials and - in our test vehicle - a switchable reversing alarm, which is great if you start work early and don’t want to annoy the neighbours.

Oddly, though, the vehicle we had didn’t include a reversing camera, though it is possible to have one fitted (ours missed out due to COVID-19 delays). It’s hard to see out directly behind you; I had to rely on a bystander when reverse-parking in a spot and it was a game of inches. 

Those who want a comfier drive experience may wish to option the ErgoActive Suspension Seat, and I would probably do so if I was buying this vehicle for myself, as the ride can be tedious on country roads - more on that below. As standard, the driver’s seat is a Comfort Seat Plus, and it comprises height and slide adjust, four-way electric lumbar adjustment, and it has two adjustable armrests as well. 

Thanks to its relatively light 2093kg kerb weight, our test vehicle’s 3250kg GVM allows for an impressive 1157kg payload rating.

It’s also rated to tow up to the category-benchmark 3500kg of braked trailer and given its big 6200kg GCM (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) that would still leave a generous payload capacity of more than 600kg.

These are strong numbers well suited to a variety of heavy-hauling tasks.

The load tub’s floor is 1547mm long and 1584mm wide with 1224mm between the wheel housings, allowing it to carry an 1165mm-square Aussie pallet which can be secured using a choice of six load-anchorage points (three each side).

A steel-framed bulkhead doubles as robust protection for the cabin’s rear window and a handy place on which to lean and secure items that are too long to fit in the tub.

Its flush-fitting load retainers can pivot and lock into a vertical position on each side, to effectively ‘book-end’ loads when securing them.

The tub has internal lighting thanks to small but bright LEDs embedded in the sidewalls. These are welcome not only when accessing the tub at night or in poorly-lit internal spaces, but also if it's fitted with a hard tonneau cover.

There are concave side-steps behind the rear wheels, which make accessing the load tub easier and safer than standing on top of the tyres as owners often do, because if they're wet or muddy it’s easy to slip off.

Six plastic caps (three each side) along the top edges of the sidewalls can be removed to provide access to internal mounting points for numerous structures, like ladder racks.

The top edge of the tailgate incorporates a 1.3-metre ruler and a pair of spring-loaded ‘trapdoors’ which provide access to the tailgate’s internal cavity.

This allows for the use of G-clamps, which can be inserted into these holes when using the open tailgate as a workbench to clamp materials in place when cutting, drilling, sanding, etc.

Front-of-cabin storage includes dual bottle holders and a bin in each door, plus an overhead glasses holder and, on the passenger’s side, an open shelf with glove box below.

The centre console has open storage up front, a pair of small-bottle/cupholders in the centre and a lidded-box at the back which doubles as a driver’s elbow rest.

Rear seat passengers get a bottle holder and bin in each door, another bin in the rear of the centre console and a pocket on the front passenger seat’s backrest, but with no fold-down centre armrest there are no dedicated cupholders.

The one-piece seat base can also swing up and be stored vertically if more internal luggage space is required, or to access two large underfloor storage compartments.

Our test vehicle is the 4x2 XL Hi-Rider dual cab ute, available only with a 2.0-litre single-turbo diesel engine and six-speed automatic transmission for a list price of $43,280.

Ours is also fitted with Ford’s optional 'Towing Pack', comprising a 3500kg tow-bar and integrated electronic trailer-brake controller, which adds $1700.

Beyond its 16-inch steel wheels with 255/70R16 tyres and full-size spare, there’s halogen daytime running lights (no fancy 'C-clamp' LEDs here folks), power-adjustable and folding door mirrors, a rear bumper step, load tub illumination, top-of-tub protective capping with access caps (see Practicality) plus a lift-assisted tailgate.

The no-frills cabin, with fabric seats and vinyl floor, offers the driver a height/reach-adjustable steering wheel, eight-way manually-adjustable seat (including lumbar support) and 8.0-inch colour digital instrument cluster with configurable display.

There are also three USB ports, two 12-volt outlets and a four-speaker multimedia system, with large 10-inch touchscreen and multiple connectivity including 'FordPass Connect' and Apple/Android devices.

Buyers also have access to numerous options, including the ‘XL 4x2 Off-Road Pack’ comprising a differential lock, steel underbody protection and larger 17-inch steel wheels with all-terrain tyres for those operating in the rough stuff.

As is the case with pretty much all the elements of the Crafter, there’s plenty of choice when it comes to engine and transmission choices.

I pointed out in the design section that you can have front-, all- or rear-wheel drive, depending on your circumstances, and all three versions are also available with the choice of a six-speed manual gearbox or an eight-speed automatic transmission.

As for engines, there’s two tunes to choose from: the entry-level 2.0-litre TDI340 turbo, which has 103kW of power (at 3500rpm) and 340Nm of torque (at 2000rpm); or the motor tested in this vehicle, the TDI410 which runs a 2.0-litre bi-turbo producing 130kW (at 3600rpm) and 410Nm (at 2000rpm). 

There is no petrol model, no petrol-electric hybrid, no plug-in hybrid, no electric and no LPG version. So maybe there isn’t that much choice, really - well, not in Australia. There is an e-Crafter in Europe, though. Maybe we’ll see it here one day, too.

Towing capacity for the Crafter cab-chassis models is pegged at 750kg for an unbraked trailer and 3500kg for a braked trailer, but only if you buy the “50/55” RWD model - and take note, the download for the towball is not great, at 150kg. Crafter “35” FWD and AWD versions can tow 750kg/2500kg, again with a 150kg downball limit.

The gross vehicle mass for cab-chassis Crafter models depends on the drivetrain, too. The 35 models have GVM ratings of 3550kg, while the 50 and 55 models are rated at 4490kg and 5500kg respectively.

Gross combination mass (GCM) isn’t quite as straightforward - it depends on the model and configuration. But for the model tested here, the GCM was 7077kg, with an unladen weight of 2539kg and a maximum payload of 1951kg (hence the 4490kg GVM). 

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel with single turbocharger produces a healthy 125kW at 3500rpm and 405Nm of torque between 1750-2500rpm, which exceeds the outputs of 2.4-litre HiLux and 1.9-litre D-Max diesel rivals.

This engine is paired with a six-speed torque converter automatic, which offers the choice of sequential manual-shifting using a small thumb-operated toggle on the side of the shift-lever.

This can be handy when carrying and/or towing heavy loads, particularly in hilly terrain to minimise gear-hunting.

Because of the class of vehicle, it doesn’t have a claimed fuel consumption rating. And while I have been impressed with the fuel consumption in prior Crafter FWD high-roof van loans (10.9L/100km), the RWD cab-chassis was considerably more thirsty on test.

I covered more than 1200km in the vehicle, some of those kays with a pallet load on board and then with light-but-not-aerodynamic outdoor furniture set stacked up, while other driving was done as highway stints unladen. Over the entirety of that drive, I saw an at-the-pump return of 12.5L/100km. 

One thing I noted was that the fuel tank capacity of 75 litres is quite small for a vehicle of this size and intent - and there’s no long range fuel tank option, either.

Plus buyers need to be aware that the Crafter runs Adblue after treatment tech, which is another consumable cost to keep in mind.

Ford claims official average combined cycle consumption of 7.8L/100km.

When we stopped to refuel at the end of our 493km test, which included a mix of suburban and highway driving of which about one fifth was carrying a heavy payload, the dash display was claiming 8.5L/100km.

This was very close to our own figure of 9.3, calculated from fuel bowser and trip meter readings, which confirmed thrifty single-digit economy in real-world driving conditions.

So, based on our own figures, the test vehicle should achieve an impressive driving range of around 860km from its big 80-litre tank.

This big unit isn’t the sort of vehicle I’d aim for as a ‘wish list driveway occupant’, and not only because I don't have a large enough driveway.

It is eminently practical, hugely helpful and surprisingly easy to drive, though.

I mean, something that’s 7004mm long and runs a 4490mm wheelbase is always going to suffer some compromise in terms of the turning circle, and at 16.2m you’re going to have to do more five- and seven-point turns than three-point rotations.

But the steering wheel is compact and easy to manipulate, and the steering action is direct and accurate, easy to judge for a vehicle of this magnitude. 

The heavy duty suspension is tiresome on country roads without weight, but if the surface is smooth, so is the sailing. Over B- and C-roads in the NSW central west and southern tablelands, the front and rear suspension jostled and jittered considerably - in fact, it was the front suspension that felt most uneasy (possibly because the cabin is soooooo far from the rear axle!).

The engine is smooth and builds pace well - in fact, it's quite rapid from a standing start, with the bi-turbo motor ensuring strong response through the rev range. The traction control is overly sensitive at lower speeds when taking off, or when negotiating tight corners. That’s probably a good thing, to be honest.

Over my 1200km of driving about 600km was unladen, and the thrust of the engine was good enough when empty. It’s hardly speedy, and it’s not quiet about doing its thing, either - but the transmission harnesses the available torque well, and shifts cleverly to maintain pace.

However, if you encounter a long-distance hill ascent, you will notice the transmission and engine can be a little busy, shifting between the higher gears to ensure smooth (but, again, not tranquil) progress.

Yep, it’s a noisy old unit, with lots of wind rush around the top of the cab and some around the mirrors, too. But as mentioned in the safety specs section, the mirrors are big and offer good vision to the sides, while the bulkhead of the ladder rack did eat into the rearview mirror vision of our test vehicle. And I reiterate - the reversing camera would be a must for me and any other driver who cares about what’s behind them.

For what it’s worth, my partner and our two small dogs were able to fit in the cabin with me. The dogs had no complaints, but the upright and non-adjustable backrest of the bench seat did cause some issues for my partner after hours of driving.

Now, let’s consider what it’s like with a load on board.

It’s easy to climb aboard with big assist-handles on the A and B pillars to compensate for the absence of side-steps.

The driving position is comfortable and spacious, with ample manual adjustments available in the seat and steering wheel.

It may be a back-to-basics workhorse but refinements in the latest Ranger generation have not been compromised.

The unladen ride quality is undeniably firm but still commendable, even on bumpy roads, given its leaf-spring rear axle and big payload rating.

The relatively light 4x2 kerb weight ensures brisk acceleration from standing starts, combined with steering feel that arguably remains the class benchmark.

We forklifted 890kg into the tub which with driver (and towing pack) was more than one tonne of payload.

The rear leaf springs compressed 50mm under this weight, but there was no chance of bottoming-out because of the rear suspension design that has long cone-shaped jounce rubbers that engage with the springs early in their compression.

This eliminates the hard thumps at full travel like traditional bump-stops and provide what is effectively a second stage of load support. The result is a smooth ride under maximum loads, regardless of road conditions.

The Ranger has ample performance in busy suburban driving and excels at highway speeds, with low engine, tyre and wind noise highlighting its excellent noise suppression.

It also made light work of hauling this load up our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km set climb at 60km/h, self-shifting down to third gear to easily reach the summit with minimal accelerator required.

Engine braking on the way down, in a manually-selected second gear, wasn’t as robust but typical of small displacement turbo-diesels trying to restrain big loads on steep descents.

The only negative was an alert that appeared on the driver’s info display, warning of a ‘front camera malfunction’ that would require servicing.

As a result, we were without pre-collision assist, adaptive cruise control or speed-limiter functions for the remainder of our test run, which fortunately occurred on the final day of our loan.

The Ranger scored a maximum five-star ANCAP assessment in 2022 and boasts a suite of benchmark active and passive features.

In the base-grade XL this is highlighted by nine airbags, AEB, a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control and more.

For smaller crew members, there’s ISOFIX and top-tether child seat anchorage points on the two outer rear seating positions.

The VW Crafter comes with a pretty good promising ownership experience, and it’s not as expensive as you might be thinking for a Euro vehicle, too.

The company offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty plan as standard - none of those promotional offers like some rivals.

Then there’s the choice of either pay-as-you-go servicing, with intervals pegged every 12 months/20,000km, whatever occurs first, or you can prepay you servicing and roll it into your finance payments with VW’s Care Plan choices.

There are two pre-paid Care Plan options: three years/60,000km, which costs $1450 and makes for a saving of between $250 and $649, depending on the model; or the five-year/100,000km offer which is $2300 (meaning your first service is free), and saves you between $898 and $1428 compared to PAYG servicing. VW Australia states “all items in scheduled service, such as labour, parts and fluids” are covered.

That makes a lot of sense, and if your vehicle is an essential tool of trade, the brand also offers roadside assistance for the life of your Care Plan prepay servicing option, while you can also book “60 Minute Service Express” maintenance.  

Warranty is five years/unlimited km.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/15,000km whichever occurs first.

Capped-price servicing for the first five scheduled services totals $1911 or an average of $382 per service.