It has its challenges, but Ranger XLT fights back strong
A lot has happened since we last had a Next-Gen Ford Ranger on our driveway. To be honest, that all-new V6 Wildtrak split our opinions. Then Ranger became SA Car of the Year. Which had us scratching our heads even more. And when Ford refused to supply its new double cab to be rated against its best rivals in the SA Bakkie of the Year, we were even more confused.
We were luckier, however. We have since had our second bite at the apple. And this Ranger XLT thrilled us. It’s not all a bed of roses however, so better you read this report through. Make no mistake, Next Ranger is fantastic bakkie overall, so let’s consider the many positives first.
We will start with our road test. We have been testing turbodiesel 4×4 double cab bakkies basically since they were a thing. Remember that 4x4s arrived in the early 1980s, they were still basically converting bakkies to double cabs in the aftermarket in the early 90s and turbodiesels only really took hold in the mid-1990s. They have since become a staple diet.
Meet the new Turbodiesel Bakkie King
As Bakkie magazine and beyond, we have put them to the test ever since. Let’s just say that we’ve grown with diesel double cabs over the last quarter century. And our road test records go that far back too. Throughout that time, bakkies improved and gradually became quicker. It was not long ago that we first tested one to 100 km/h in under 10 seconds.
This two-litre biturbo Ford has not just beaten our four-cylinder diesel double cab road test records. It has pulverised them. In fact, this XLT is almost as quick as its hallowed V6 Wildtrak sibling across its performance envelope. Don’t underestimate 0-100 in a bakkie. It’s more important than break-over angles or braked towing.
See, first and foremost to the South African owner, a bakkie must pull strong. The rest of those details will always be secondary. So, being our new 8.8 second four-cylinder turbodiesel double-cab acceleration King is a vital accolade for Ford’s mainline biturbo Ranger. Bravo!
Advantages don’t end on the drag strip
It doesn’t just end on the drag strip either. Ranger certainly looks the part and drives very well too. In fact it’s among the better bakkies to drive out there. The cab feels unusually harmonious with the chassis, which is also in fine tune with the suspension. Stiff, yet not harsh, Ford really has Ranger’s drive sorted. It feels safe, planted and satisfying to drive.
Ranger’s aggro C-headlights and mock F150 grille stand it apart. That subtle shoulder line helps breaks some bolder aspects. Like the wheel arches and sharp taillights each side of that Ranger embossed tailgate. Our deep ocean blue bakkie really looked the part, complimented by smart grey wheels and trim. You’d never guess its middle of the DC range.
Next-Gen Ranger XLT also brings a host of vital load bay improvements, better functionality, and better access too. Loadability is another Ranger plus. It now swallows a Euro pallet, the tailgate doubles as a work bench and those sidesteps behind the rear wheels make the bak easy to access.
XLT has a flexible, modern, plush cabin
Swing the door wide to reveal a flexible, modern, plush cabin. Crisp digital dials and the 12-inch portrait Sync touchscreen infotainment deliver a splendid space. On paper, that is. Scratch a bit and the trouble starts.
Build quality is crap for starters. The centre console creaks, groans, and moves if you lean your knee on it in cornering or 4x4ing. Fascia is busy and lacks quality, fit and finish. The many hard plastic dash components seem bashed together. Gaps are inconsistent and several other components also move about.
The rotary controller on the centre console is cheap and nasty. The grossly overthought gear lever is horribly complex and awful to use. And to escape, the squeeze to open door handles are cheesy, disappointing. We did however enjoy Ranger’s extensive driver assist tech. Subtle in operation, you can kill it off with a tap on a steering button.
Did XLT and Ranger miss a trick?
Which is why this bakkie’s long in the tooth principal rival puts it to shame in fit, finish and practical ergonomics. Ford had a great opportunity to address all that with simple, basic solutions. Instead it has delivered a poorly thought-out space hobbled by slapdash controls and ergonomics.
Worst of all, Ford’s portrait screen infotainment is this bakkie’s greatest failure. The JD Power survey recently released its first report in over a decade, where customer satisfaction is down over the previous period. Why? Well, it’s all about in car infotainment systems that are increasingly impossible to operate and confusing to use. Next-Gen Ranger is a case in point.
If you sit in your parked Ranger and use this system, it is relatively easy and uncomplicated enough to operate. But to try and work it while driving, is another challenge altogether. It is not at all user friendly. We’d go as far as to say it’s dangerous. Because it takes an awful lot of driver concentration to delve through so many windows just to get anything to happen.
Ranger XLT would be untouchable
Take those oversights out of it and this bakkie would be a no-brainer. But they are there. And they are annoying enough to make the prospective owner say, ‘bugger this, I’m sticking with what I have, even if it’s a bit of a geriatric’. It’s a pity that poorly thought out ‘brainwave’ moments hinder such a good bakkie. Without them, Next-Gen Ranger would be untouchable.
Untouchable, it pretty well is on the road. We are not quite sure why this latest 154 kW 500 Nm version of Ford’s Eastern Cape-built biturbo is so much faster than it once was, but it is now the fastest 4-cyliner turbodiesel double cab we have ever tested. Quite an accolade, that. And as close as dammit to its far dearer and allegedly much stronger V6 siblings too.
The top Ford Ranger XLT is also a splendid bakkie to drive. Smooth, sophisticated, and pleasing, it is comfortable and very quiet too. Well-damped and positive on the road, it runs off the tar with aplomb too. It brings SUV and carlike culture to the bakkie world.
compelling enough to overlook its foibles?
Add Ford’s extensive backup, a great warranty and add-on options up to 200,000 km, and Ranger becomes a most compelling option. Certainly compelling enough to even overlook its challenges of some poor quality, and other stupid solutions to live with every day.
Yet in spite of its challenges, the Ford Ranger biturbo now has one crucial accolade to its name. It is the fastest accelerating four cylinder turbodiesel double cab bakkie on the block. Put that in your pipe and smoke it! – Michele Lupini
Images & testing: Giordano Lupini
ROAD TESTED: Ford Ranger 2.0 BiTurbo DC XLT 4x4 Engine: 154 kW 500 Nm 2-litre bi-turbodiesel I4 Drive: 10-speed automatic 4x4 Load Capacity: 946 kg Max Braked Trailer 3,500 kg TESTED: 0-60 km/h: 4.05 sec 0-100 km/h: 8.81 sec 0-120 km/h: 12.39 sec 0-160 km/h: 23.82sec 400m: 16.4 sec @ 138 km/h 80-120 km/h: 6.32 sec 120-160 km/h: 11.43 sec CLAIMED: VMax: 190 km/h Fuel: 7.5 l/100 km CO2: 195 g/km Range: 1,050 km Warranty/Service: 4y 120K/ up to 8y 200K km LIST PRICE: R833K RATED: 8
