Ford Ranger review

The Ford Ranger is from the brand that builds the world’s best selling pick-up truck (the F-150), so you’d expect it to be good – and it is.

Indeed, this latest Ranger offers an impressive blend of good on-road dynamics and working truck abilities with comfort for the driver and passengers. That's fortunate, because pick-up buyers now demand vehicles that are not only competent off-road workhorses, but are also comfortable and pleasant to drive between jobs.

Ford Ranger video review

We should point out that, due to emissions rules, the number of pick-up truck models available is dropping like a pallet of bricks. Still, the Ranger needs to prove itself against the Isuzu D-Max, KGM Musso, Toyota Hilux and Volkswagen Amarok.

To set itself apart from the crowd, the Ranger comes with an array of diesel engines, a 3.0-litre petrol (in the sportier Raptor) and, unlike its rivals, a plug-in hybrid. But is that enough to make the Ranger the pick-up to buy? Read on to find out...

The main Ford Ranger engine line-up is quite simple. There's a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel unit available with either 168bhp or 202bhp (badged EcoBlue 170 and EcoBlue 205), or a 237bhp 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel (badged EcoBlue V6 240). There's also a Ranger Raptor version with 3.0-litre, 288bhp V6 turbocharged petrol – for more on that see our Ford Ranger Raptor review.

Setting the Ranger apart from its rivals is the addition of the plug-in hybrid (PHEV), which combines a 2.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a 75kW electric motor. With a total of 278bhp, there’s plenty of pace and its electric motor gets it off the line instantly. It also comes with the perk of travelling up to 27 miles on electricity alone, according to official figures. Given the Ranger’s weight, that's quite impressive.  

Even so, Ford expects the Ecoblue 205 to be the most popular engine, and we can understand why. It pulls strongly from low revs and has plenty of grunt to get up to motorway speeds in short order, or to overtake on a single-carriageway road. We were also impressed with the automatic gearbox – its extra ratios aid low-speed acceleration while helping to maximise fuel economy at a cruise.

The 2.0-litre diesel is one of the smoother four-cylinder engines in the class, but if you're expecting SUV levels of refinement, you might be a little disappointed by the ever-present soundtrack, and the small vibrations transmitted through the steering wheel and pedals.

The V6 diesel is much smoother. While we’ve yet to sample it in the Ranger, we have tested it in the closely related VW Amarok and found it to be gruntier and more tractable. The downsides are its price and poor fuel economy, and given that all Rangers except the Ranger Raptor can tow 3500kg, you might consider the V6 an over-indulgence.

As you might expect, the Ranger PHEV’s engine is silent when running on electricity alone, but even when the petrol engine bursts to life it remains pretty quiet. Unlike in some PHEVs, the switch between the two modes is fairly seamless and you’ll rarely notice as it changes from electric to petrol and vice versa.

All versions of the Ranger suffer from a fair amount of wind noise, while road noise varies depending on which tyres you go for – the optional off-road tyres are by far the loudest. Despite that, the Ranger still manages to provide a far more settled experience than the KGM Musso and Toyota Hilux.

With a Ranger to appeal to everyone, suspension varies based on the trim level. You see, the Wildtrak and Platinum versions come with a softer suspension set-up better suited to on-road driving, while Tremor and Wildtrak X, with their set-ups designed for off-roading, are firmer. 

Versions that are more road-biased are among the most comfortable pick-up trucks around (along with the VW Amarok), but the off-road versions are not too brittle. No matter which you go for there can be some bobbing over undulations at motorway speeds, but it's very well controlled and never unsettling.

The PHEV has slightly tweaked suspension to deal with the additional weight of its battery. It’s on the firmer side, like the off-road-biased versions, but good damping means it still deals with longer undulations with ease. Only short and sharp potholes cause the PHEV to jostle around a little, especially at low speeds.

As with many pick-ups, the Ranger's steering is fairly numb as you first turn the steering wheel, but it’s vastly better than in the Isuzu D-Max. Indeed, it starts to weight up far earlier and allows you to place the Ranger better, something that’s helped by the model's resistance to body lean, which is a particular problem in the Hilux. All in all, the Ranger is one of the most nimble pick-ups you can buy.

All Rangers get four-wheel drive and the option of adding a locking rear differential (standard with the Wildtrak and Raptor) to improve off-road ability. We'd recommend keeping it in two-wheel-drive mode on roads to help it steer with greater finesse at low speeds and use less fuel. 

The Tremor and Wildtrak X have a raised ride height (by 26mm) and Bilstein dampers. An extra 30mm between the left and right wheels provides a wider stance for more stability over uneven surfaces. There’s also a Rock Crawl drive mode (as found on the Ranger Raptor). All Rangers have a wading depth of 800mm.

As with most pick-up trucks, if there’s nothing in the Ranger's cargo bay, the lack of weight over the rear wheels makes it more likely that they'll lose grip on a greasy road.

"You can add all-season or all-terrain tyres to most versions, as an option, something worth considering if you’re planning to test your Ranger’s limits. Bear in mind, though, that they have an effect on refinement." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

Many people love a large SUV or pick-up truck for its high-up driving position, and if that’s you, you’ll appreciate the Ford Ranger. Indeed, you literally climb into the driver’s seat using a step. 

Even on entry-level models, the driver is treated to a comfortable seat with six-way manual adjustment. Eight-way electric seats with lumbar adjustment are standard on Wildtrak, Stormtrak and MS-RT models.

The high driving position and relatively narrow windscreen pillars give you good forward visibility, but the small rear screen and long load bay make it tricky to see what’s behind you. Thankfully, all versions except the two-door Single Cab version get rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera as standard, while Platinum models get a 360-degree camera.

In terms of interior lay-out, the Ranger is fundamentally very similar to the VW Amarok, with the same seat mounting points and positioning of the touchscreen, air vents and digital driver's display. However, the Ranger interior looks noticeably different, thanks to bespoke seats, a different steering wheel and a rejigged lower centre console.

The touchscreen (10in on the cheapest versions and 12in with Wildtrak trim and above) is portrait-oriented and controls the infotainment functions. It’s the same hardware and operating system as in the Amarok but the menu lay-out is different. It’s reasonably easy to get to use, and all versions come with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring.

There’s no denying the Ranger’s interior has been made with materials designed to withstand a tough life. Rather than being lined with the sort of plush materials you’d find in a luxury SUV there’s plenty of hard, scratchy plastics in the entry-level models to make it easier to clean and wash out dirt.

Wildtrak trim and above use a wider range of soft-touch materials, with padded faux-leather sections on the doors and dash, a leather steering wheel and floor mats, while coloured stitching and glossy trim finishers add a bit of visual appeal. It’s still not as luxurious as a Range Rover but it beats rival pick-up trucks.

"It’s great that the Ranger gives you physical controls for the air-conditioning. It means that making adjustments is far less distracting than it is in the Amarok, where you have to use the touchscreen." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

The Single Cab version of the Ford Ranger is strictly a two-seater, but those seats give two adults plenty of room, even if they're tall.

The most spacious and practical Ranger – and the one we recommend – is the Double Cab, which has lots of head and leg room in the front and back. It will seat four tall adults relatively easily, or five if those in the back don't mind a bit of shoulder rubbing.

Of course, the fewer seats you have, the shorter the cab is and the longer the load bay becomes. The Regular Cab can take the most gear but the Double Cab can fit a standard pallet in the back.

The maximum payload weight depends very much on the cab type and engine (all those fancy toys add weight after all) but all models – including the Ranger PHEV – will carry more than a tonne, with a minimum of 1039kg. All versions can tow 3500kg, except the Ranger Raptor which has a payload limit of 680kg and tow limit of 2500kg.

There are lashing rings to tie down loads in the bed, which has 1233 litres of load capacity and can be secured with an optional manual or electric roll cover. Ford has partnered with off-road kit suppliers ARB so you can get extras such as lightbars and roof tents at a dealership.

A Flexible Rack system can be fitted to Tremor and Wildtrak trims as a cost option. That gets you a large sliding hoop over the load bay at the same height as the roof rack, allowing you to carry long items.

"I like that you can add three plug sockets to the load bed of the PHEV version, allowing you to use the hybrid battery to power your tools, camping equipment and whatever else you need." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

As a cash buy, the Ford Ranger is competitively priced next to the Toyota Hilux but the Isuzu D-Max and the KGM Musso can be had for less. The Ranger is significantly cheaper than a VW Amarok though.

Official fuel economy figures of around 32 to 33mpg for the 2.0-litre engine are competitive with rivals, while the 28mpg for the 3.0-litre V6 matches the Amarok with the same engine.

The Ranger PHEV is the most efficient version, with official figures promising up to 94mpg. You’ll need to keep the battery charged up to get near that though – with a dead battery, we measured a real-world average of 33mpg during our testing, which included driving around town and on dual-carriageways and motorways.

Talking of charging, the PHEV's battery can only be topped up using AC power outlets, meaning a maximum charging rate of just 7kW. Even so, charging from 0-100% should take around four hours and give you up to 26 miles (we saw 22 miles during our testing).

Recent changes to tax rates for pick-up trucks have had a big impact on the cost of running one as a company car. As such, the PHEV is your best option, keeping BIK tax payments lower than for any other pick-up truck with the exception of the all-electric Maxus T90EV.

There are nine Ranger trim levels to choose from, meaning that you should be able to find one that suits you, regardless of whether you’re planning to stay on-road, use it as a farm workhorse or venture out into the desert. 

We’d probably avoid entry-level XL due to it being pretty spartan and work-focused, but XLT gives you enough creature comforts to be a better entry point for most, giving you a multi-function steering wheel, a heated front and rear window, automatic windscreen wipers, dual-zone air conditioning and parking aids.

Our pick, however, is the mid-spec Wildtrak. It looks beefier, with 18in alloy wheels, roof rails, black exterior highlights and a plush interior. You also get a heated leather steering wheel, heated seats, a leather dashboard with contrast stitching, ambient interior lighting, rear privacy glass, a larger infotainment touchscreen and softer suspension. It’s so well-equipped we’re not sure why you’d pay extra for the top-spec Platinum or sporty-looking MS-RT.

Tremor and Wildtrak X both scrap the softer suspension for an off-road setup and add some other off-road-specific special features. The mighty Ranger Raptor is the best Ranger off-road so it's worth considering if your commute includes sand dunes or similar.  

When it was tested for safety by the experts at Euro NCAP, the Ranger was awarded the full five stars, and its highest score was for protecting child occupants. As standard, it comes with automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assist, intelligent speed assist and traffic-sign recognition.

The Ranger didn’t feature in our 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey but Ford as a brand ended up towards the middle of the table, in 14th place out of 31 car makers. Volkswagen finished in 18th, while Toyota was much higher in fifth.

Ford gives you a three-year or 60,000-mile warranty. The KGM Musso comes with a five-year or 100,000 mile warranty, while Toyota’s warranty programme is up to 10 years or 100,000 miles (if you regularly service it at a franchised dealer).

"I think it's very clever that the Ranger PHEV can use smart geo-fencing to automatically switch to electric power when you enter an electric-only zone, potentially helping you to avoid a hefty fine." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

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