US derived 2.3 turbo, crucial timing ask big bakkie questions
The South African bakkie market will always be a diesel market, right? Well, maybe not. Some recent changes, like the dramatic post-Hormuz difference between petrol and diesel prices have seen to some shifts in perception. And now this new 2.3-litre turbo petrol Ford Ranger could just tip those scales for once and for all.
First let’s cover the facts. Several sectors of industry and agriculture traditionally qualify for a government diesel subsidy. Today that stands at about R5.85 per litre under normal tax conditions. To market niches from farming and forestry to mining, quarrying and mineral extraction, and even fishing, some freight and some other activities.
Which means a turbodiesel bakkie has always enjoyed a huge logistical advantage over and above its natural easy driving and fuel economy plusses. But diesel was also the whipping boy of late. All that European Dieselgate nonsense. And the ridiculous EV short circuit. Never mind, the Chinese seem desperate to reinvent the petrol bakkie wheel.
A question of petrol or diesel
Markets like ours are however beginning to ease again. Diesel cars are already making a comeback. TD bakkies never left in the first place. Then Trump frustrated Iran, which shut down that strait and the difference between petrol and diesel grew to as much as R4.54 per litre. Which all but alleviated the diesel subsidy. That has by now however reverted to diesel being cheaper than diesel.
So it’s back to advantage subsidy. But wait a minute. Ford just tossed a huge 222 kW 452Nm cat among the bakkie pigeons with this new 2.3-litre turbo petrol Ranger Sport. Part of a general range renewal that came about after the Blue Oval was forced to remove its woefully unreliable wet belt 2-litre biturbo from service, the new 2.3 has quietly arrived its place in this 4x2 Sport and also an up-spec Wildtrak 4x2.
This 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine is no stranger to the Ford Ranger. It’s been the staple engine in this pickup in the gas friendly United States for years already. So rest assured, this one is more than just fully sorted. Considering there are a couple of hundred thousand of them reliably running around over there. All of which was pretty moot. Until we drove it!
To be blunt, Ranger 2.3 Sport shocked us
Considering how we’ve always crowed about our turbodiesel double cab zero to hundred road test record, and that the very biturbodiesel that this turbo petrol bakkie replaces holds that mark at about eight and a half seconds, we were expecting more of the same.
What we got, was different. Very different. Firstly, the 2.3 Sport feels completely different the moment you fire it up. There’s a little 2.3 Mustang, a bit of Focus ST and RS in there. Those cars also ran the 2.3 Ecoboost. Still, we never quite expected what happened next. When we strapped the old VBox to it and ran it down our run.
This petrol engine has totally transformed the Ford Ranger. Sure the turbo petrol V6 Raptor is super quick at just under sux seconds to 100. And we all understand that. But for this R850K mid-Ranger to run to 100 in just over six seconds, was completely unexpected. That’s approaching GTI performance. In a middle of the road bakkie.
Six and a half to a hundred is huge
That’s huge news. But is it enough to challenge diesel and all its advantages as South Africa’s bakkie power source of choice? That remains to be seen. But considering how this bakkie shocked us, a petrol pickup surge is certainly not beyond reasonable doubt.
Getting back to the Ranger Sport in the pictures, the new model slots strategically in between the popular XLT and the more premium Wildtrak. This one’s 2.3 petrol lump comes in Super and Double Cap Sport and that DC Wildtrak for now. But somehow we expect to see this dynamic petrol engine spread further across the range in good time.
The Sport is also part of a revised 23-model made in SA 2026 Ranger model portfolio across Single, Cab and Double Cabs powered by the single turbo diesel, this 2.3 turbo petrol, the 3-litre TD V6 and the turbo petrol V6 Raptor. In 6-speed manual or 10-speed automatic, 4x2 and 4x4 as well as XL, XLT, Sport, Tremor, Wildtrak get-up, and the Raptor too.
Sport’s cabin is regular Ranger fare
There’s not much difference between this upgrade and the previous one to look at. Besides generally darker trim levels. In fact you’d need more than just a trained eye to pick up any real changes. The cabin is also much the same. Although the centre screen now has a slightly more colourful outlook to it. Its more about a spec and the engine reshuffle. Which now gives us 2.3 Ecoboost propulsion in the Ranger.
Look, it’s certainly thirstier than the biturbo diesel it replaces. And this one also gees you on far more, to take it by the horns. When it becomes a bit heavy on juice. But we also managed to approach claimed consumption when we tried.
This bakkie’s wholly unexpected performance certainly caught us off guard. Enough to ponder if it really could change how South Africa looks at buying a double cab bakkie. To be brutally honest, it willn't surprise us in the least if this one actually sparks enough change to at least challenge that oh so deep South African turbodiesel double cab mentality… – Michele Lupini
Images & data: Giordano Lupini
ROAD TESTED: Ford Ranger Sport 2.3 10AT 4X2
Engine: 222 kW 452 Nm 2.3-litre turbo petrol I4
Drive: 10-speed automatic RWD
Load Capacity: 1045 kg
Max Braked Trailer: 3500 kg
TESTED:
0-60 km/h: 3.02 sec
0-100 km/h: 6.56 sec
0-120 km/h: 8.97 sec
0-160 km/h: 16.48 sec
400m: 14.7 sec @ 152 km/h
80-120 km/h: 4.32 sec
120-160 km/h: 7.52 sec
CLAIMED:
VMax: 190 km/h
Fuel: 9.3 l/100 km
CO2: 213 g/km
Range: 860 km
Warranty/Service: 4y 120K/6y 90K km
LIST PRICE: R845K
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