Costs & verdict
Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is
The Ford Ranger and other pick-ups are classed as commercial vehicles, which makes them remarkably affordable to run as company cars. If a model can carry more than 1000 kg, you'll pay a flat commercial vehicle company car tax rate regardless of how much CO2 it produces.
In the Ranger line-up, that means all version except the Raptor, which has a reduced payload (it still qualifies for the flat rate of annual commercial vehicle road tax, though). As a cash buy, the Ranger is competitively priced next to the Toyota Hilux, but the Isuzu D-Max can be had for less and the Ssangyong Musso provides more kit for your cash.
The Limited trim represents even better value for money. For a small jump in price, you get 17in alloys, rear privacy glass, leather seats (heated in the front), dual-zone climate control, an eight-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat, front and rear parking sensors, LED headlights and the more advanced infotainment software we discussed earlier.
If you want a pick-up that has all the luxuries of a high-class, modern car, you’ll want to opt for the Wildtrak. It looks beefier than the Limited Ranger, with 18in alloy wheels, roof rails, LED fog lamps and dark grey exterior highlights, but has a plusher interior. You get a leather sports steering wheel, a leather dashboard with contrast stitching, ambient interior lighting and a sound system with active noise cancellation.
The Wildtrak is our pick of the range, unless your commute includes sand dunes or similar, in which case the Raptor is the best Ranger.
If you go for the cheaper XL and XLT trim, you’d be sensible to consider the rear parking sensors that can be fitted as an option. A load bay cover and plastic bed liner are also useful options to protect the bed of your truck from damage and keep your valuables locked away. Speaking of protecting your kit, the Ranger scored highly in Thatcham security tests.
It's hard to rate its safety, though, because its Euro NCAP score has expired (it was last tested in 2012). It comes with seven airbags, and if you add the optional Driver Assistance Pack you get some active safety kit, including lane-keeping assistance, traffic sign recognition and adaptive cruise control with collision mitigation. There are now far more modern pick-up designs available now, though – the D-Max, for example, gets more safety tech and was awarded a full five stars by Euro NCAP under tougher recent testing.
