A New Level Of The Ford Ranger

There are few vehicles that can garner as much attention as a new Ford Ranger. The anticipation for the arrival of this next-generation model has been too much to handle. But it is finally on South African soil, and we got our hands on one at the recent launch in the Western Cape. Was the wait worth it? Let’s find out. 

The next-gen Ranger, as it’s been dubbed, is almost all new. It is unmistakably Ford, and unmistakably Ranger, but this is because the Blue Oval brand spent countless hours with Ranger customers to find out what it is they want in the new model. It is bolder and commands more of a presence on the road.

The Daytime Running lights make quite the statement and when you see it coming up behind in your review mirror, it makes quite the impact. 

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Ford Ranger Interior: Perfect Harmony

Step inside and the harmony between the exterior and the interior is instantly felt. The cabin, like the exterior design, is upright, bold, and square. There is a feeling of more space around you which lends itself to a family car. The most notable feature is the huge, horizontal infotainment touchscreen. 10.1-inch in the case of the Base, XL and XLT models, and a 12-inch version on the Wildtrak. It boasts Ford’s latest SYNC® 4A system, which comes customer-ready with its voice-activated communications, entertainment and information systems. There is an embedded factory-fitted modem across the range so you’ll never have to worry about not being connected. The 360-degree camera on the Wildtrak makes parking this very wide beast an absolute doddle. 

Ford Ranger Wildtrak premium high-tech dashboard and interior

Ford Ranger Wildtrak Engine: It’s all about the oomph

Speaking of beasts and the Wildtrak, the eagerly awaited addition of a 3.0-litre V6 engine is everything and more. Not only is it refined, but the smooth acceleration and added oomph from the 184 kW of power and 600 Nm of torque mean that overtaking is absolutely effortless. As is going off-road. The Ranger has never been as capable as it is now, and that is saying something when you consider just how capable the outgoing model is. If you don’t need to tow anything or don’t plan on venturing too far off the beaten track, there is also the much-loved 2.0-litre BiTurbo engine on offer or a 2.0-litre Single Turbo unit which is mated to a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox. 

If we were able to make this a full-length novel, we could go into so much more detail, alas, we will have to let the pictures and this brief review do the talking. Or even better, get yourself to a Ford dealership now to test drive the new Ranger because it was certainly worth the wait and if I were Toyota or any other brand in the bakkie space, I would be very worried.

The next-gen Ranger has shifted the goal posts and once you’ve got a taste of it, you will be hard-pressed to find anything like it – despite maybe the Volkswagen Amarok which is a carbon copy of the Ranger, but we suspect it will be more expensive.

Pricing for the Ranger starts at R486 000 and goes up to R953 500 for the 3.0l Wildtrak. 

Juliet McGuire

Juliet McGuire is South Africa’s leading female motoring journalist. She’s been a motoring journalist for the past 14 years and she is here to help you make an informed decision when buying a car.