Ford Ranger long-term test: report 4

The Ford Ranger was named Pick-up of the Year at the 2021 What Car? Awards, but now we're seeing if it continues to impress when you live with it every day...

Ford Ranger size comparison

The car Ford Ranger Wildtrak 2.0 EcoBlue Run by Max Edleston, junior photographer

Why it’s here Because we want to put this What Car? Award winner to the ultimate test – everyday life

Needs to Be practical, good off road, comfortable for long trips and not break the bank on running costs


Mileage 5003 List price £40,695 Price as tested £41,695 Test economy 30.1mpg Official economy 36.2mpg


12 August 2021 – Size matters

As anyone who lives in or around a big city will tell you, space is a premium commodity. As such, having a Ford Ranger Wildtrak pick-up truck and living in suburban London can have it’s problems, despite how useful the car is for my work.

For example, the tight squeeze under the height restriction bar guarding some National Trust car parks and those tight turns to go up or down multi story car parks are my new worst enemy. Certainly, my car is usually three times bigger than anything else around me.

Thankfully, though, Ford does provide you with some solutions to help size not be such an issue. Firstly, I have been very impressed with the Ranger’s manoeuvrability, and in particular its tight turning cycle.

Ford Ranger infotainment screen

Second, and most importantly, the Wildtrack provides a combination of front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. So far, the system has worked smoothly and smartly, the front sensors being accurate and with no delay between my movement and the spatial warnings coming up on the infotainment screen. 

The rear camera image, meanwhile, is sharp, and I like the guidelines that move with the angle of the steering wheel to help you judge whether or not you will be able to fit into that rather tight space.

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