The 2016 GO Further FORD RANGER

REVIEW

Ford’s five-tier Ranger line up has taken the showroom fight to the Toyota Hilux, and it punches on in 2016 with class-leading safety tech.

 DOUBLE-CAB, one-tonne 4x4 utes continue to grow in popularity as family transport. With a swag of new and upgraded models hitting showrooms in the second part of 2015, the number of them on suburban streets, worksites and bush tracks will only increase. Ford has counter-punched the recently launched all-new models from Mitsubishi (Triton) and Nissan (Navara), and has taken a pre-emptive strike at the soon to be released 2016 Toyota Hilux, with a major makeover on its Ranger truck, introducing first-in-class technologies, improved refinement and refreshed styling.
A key part of the new PXII Ranger line is a Tech Pack that is optional on the upper spec XLT and Wildtrak variants. The pack includes adaptive cruise control with collision alert; lane departure warning with lane keep assist; a driver impairment monitor that keeps tabs on the driver’s actions and gives a warning if the car thinks the driver is tiring; and a reversing camera which is standard on Wildtrak.
While it’s good news that these features are filtering though to light trucks from passenger cars, not so good here is that the reversing camera is only optional on the Ranger XLT and not available at all for the lower grades. However, rear park assist is standard on XLT and on the Wildtrak, which also gets front parking sensors.
 
 Adaptive cruise, collision warnings and lane assist are first-time in class technologies in the Ranger but it is believed that some of these features will be included in the new Toyota Hilux to be introduced in October, making this style of vehicle more appealing to family buyers. Like most of the modern one-tonners, the Ranger has a five-star ANCAP safety rating.
The exterior styling upgrades are limited to the metal forward of the A-pillar, with new ’guards and bonnet and a more contemporary front fascia. The interior cops a more comprehensive makeover. The piddly little dash screen of the previous generation has been replaced in XLT and Wildtrak Rangers with an 8.0-inch touch screen featuring Ford’s SYNC2 interface, while the XL and XLS variants get a smaller 4.2-inch screen with SYNC1 which is still way better than the old one. XLT and Wildtrak also get a new gauge cluster featuring dual customisable screens either side of the digital speedometer, while the lesser grades feature a more basic dash.
Mechanically speaking, the Ranger carries over its two diesel engines: the 118kW/385NM 2.2-liter four cylinder and more popular 147kW/470Nm 3.2-liter five-pot. Both of these turbocharged engines offer adequate performance when the trucks are unladen, but if you want to test the one-tonne payload or 3.5-tonne towing capacity you really want to opt for the bigger more powerful mill.
Neither engine makes the Ranger a rocketship but the 3.2 is the stronger performer. The 3.2 also benefits from improvements to the fuel injection system for 2016 which have made the engine quieter. The 2.2 remains a bit noisy and harsh when on the throttle and will find favour only with fleet buyers.
 
 A choice of six-speed manual or auto transmission is offered, and notably the manual gear shift behind the five-cylinder engine has been vastly improved by adapting the cable linked shift mechanism that was previously used only behind the four-cylinder engine.
Buyers of the Ranger shouldn’t expect sports-car like gear shifting regardless. These are light trucks and there is nothing sporty about them. They are big, heavy and a chore to park in the city environment. This is why rear cameras would be such a benefit to drivers. Despite the overall size, the space in the rear seat can’t match that of a 4x4 wagon or a traditional station wagon, and nor are they as comfortable. But then you can’t toss a tonne of whatever into the back of those wagons.
The Ranger feels more at home out on open roads and bush tracks, where visibility from behind the wheel is good and the seating position okay despite there being no reach adjustment on the steering column. The new electrically assisted power steering is super light at parking speeds but firms up out on the road, while the suspension soaks up bumps and potholes well. Ford claims the suspension is the same across the range but we felt that the Wildtrak had a softer, more compliant and passenger-friendly calibration.
The Wildtrak also benefits from the most sound insulation, and disappointingly this dwindles down the range. We would expect that at least the XLT models would get the top level of insulation, for buyers who don’t want the flashy features of the Wildtrak yet still expect a high level of refinement with their $60K truck.

 SPECIFICATIONS:

Model: 2016 Ford Ranger Wildtrak PXII
Engine: 3.2L turbo-diesel
Max power: 147kW @ 3200rpm
Max torque: 470Nm @ 1750rpm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Weight: 2200kg
Fuel economy: 9.0L/100km