Ford Ranger review
by David Finlay (26 August 2009)
Off-roading is not usually meant to be a fast process, but I have to say I don't think I have ever gone over a course more slowly than I did in the restyled Ford Ranger pickup. The expert sitting beside me kept telling me to keep my foot off all the pedals, and only to squeeze the accelerator when we came to a particularly steep slope.
All this was to show how effective the Ranger's anti-stall system is, and it certainly worked - at one point I'm sure we were overtaken by a snail, but the Ranger never showed any sign of wanting to shudder to an embarrassing halt.
The situation is helped by the fact that one of the few mechanical changes to the Ranger for this model year is a revision to the gear ratios, first and second being respectively around 10% and 7% lower than before. This is a help both for off-roading and for towing, which is something the Ranger is rather good at - its towing limit is 3000kg with a braked trailer.
Compared with your average SUV, the Ranger is far more likely to get down and dirty, though perhaps not quite to the extent that it did on the press launch. But it's more likely still to be used as a load-carrier, and the extent to which it serves this purpose depends on which body style you choose.
In all versions the loadbox is 1456mm wide and 465mm deep, but its length varies from 2280mm for the Regular Cab to 1530mm for the Double Cab, which is the one most likely to be used both as a workhorse and as family transport. (There are also Tipper and Chassis Cab versions, though you probably won't see either of those on a school run.)
All body styles are available with the basic XL trim level and with selectable four-wheel drive (rear-only drive being an option on the Regular and Super Cab) and, for the 4x4s, a low-ratio mode for off-road purposes. The Super and Double Cabs also have two higher specifications called XLT and Thunder, and right at the top of the range, costing £25,127 including VAT but not delivery, is the Wildtrak, which comes in Double Cab form only.
The Wildtrak is, as you can imagine, the best-equipped, with privacy glass, an auxiliary music connection, 18" wheels, illuminated scuff plates, body cladding and sports pedals. It's also the only Ranger with a 154bhp three-litre turbo diesel engine - all the others have a 141bhp 2.5-litre version.
I don't entirely see the point of the 3.0 myself. It certainly has more power and torque, and the performance figures are better (105mph and 0-60mph in 11.3 seconds compared with 98mph and 12.5 seconds for the 2.5) and the fuel economy and CO2 ratings are not much worse (27.2mpg and 260g/km versus 30.4mpg and 255g/km).
On the other hand, it doesn't feel usefully quicker, and those 18" wheels and the relatively low-profile tyres have a terrible effect on the ride - the 2.5-litre models aren't as carlike as Ford likes to say they are, but they feel much more refined than the 3.0. Very few Ranger buyers are expected to opt for the Wildtrak, and I don't think the ones who choose any of the other versions are missing much.
The Wildtrak is, however, the only Ranger with a roller-shutter cover available as a £1000 option. Another extra, costing £1380, is automatic transmission, and that applies only to the Thunder. It's a nice unit with smooth changes, though there are inevitable shortfalls in acceleration, combined economy and CO2 emissions (14.7 seconds, 29.7mpg and 277g/km respectively).
Ford is not planning to sell a three-litre automatic in the UK on the basis that combining an unpopular engine with an unpopular gearbox will lead to almost no sales at all, but there is no technical reason why such a vehicle couldn't be sold, and Ford will do so if there is an unexpected clamour for it.
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