Ford Ranger Review 2023
The Ford Ranger is the pickup version of a swiss army knife; it can do a bit of everything. Perfect for individuals and businesses, the Ranger comes with a smart cabin, superb haulage capabilities, and good off-road performance.
Rivals to the Ranger include the Volkswagen Amarok, Toyota Hilux, Isuzu D-Max, and SsangYong Musso.
Our Ford Ranger review covers:
- Rugged exterior with ‘C’ shaped headlights
- Superb interior that’s comfortable and features good tech
- Max gross payload up to 1,200kg
- A pair of 2.0 litre and 3.0-litre petrol
- Four trim levels
Pros:
- Practical with large cargo bay and high payload capacity
- Brilliant on the road
- High tech cabin
Cons:
- Rivals are more affordable
- No hybrid or electric variants (yet)
- Infotainment system takes a bit of getting used to
The Ranger is a rugged pickup that is arguably the best looking vehicle in its class. At the front, there’s a large front grille that has two bars running across the middle, ‘C’ shaped LED headlights, and a choice of a single or double cab.
Inside the Ranger, there’s plenty of space for two six footers in the front. Rear space depends on what body style you go for. In the single cab, there’s no rear seats so only space for one passenger, while the double cab adds three rear seats to accommodate five people.
If you’re a business owner, the Ranger is one of the most practical pickups around. There’s rear bumper steps that make access to your cargo easier, and there’s a tailgate work bench that has integrated clamp pockets.
In the single cab, you get a maximum gross payload of 1,200kg and a towing capacity of 3,500kg, while in the double payload is decreased to 1,607kg. This is better than the SsangYong Musso and Toyota Hilux. The load bed has nine adjustable cleats and six tie-down points, which is great for securing cargo.
The interior of the Ranger is impressive. The dashboard is well laid out and driver oriented, and there’s also a good amount of high-end materials, such as soft-touch plastics and leather upholstery (from Wildrack trim). It’s a very good interior, but falls short of the luxurious Volkswagen Amarok.
On the dashboard you get a 10-inch portrait touchscreen infotainment system that has a DAB radio, Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, and navigation. Upgrade to Wildtrack trim and it increases to 12-inches. The portrait screen can take some getting used to, but once you’ve done this you’ll find it easy to use.
Four trims are available: XL, XLT, Wildtrak, Raptor.
XL has 16-inch steel wheels, halogen headlights, a centre-mounted stop light, a 10-inch in-car entertainment system, an eight-inch digital instrument cluster, and fabric seat trim.
XLT has 16-inch 6 x 2-spoke alloy wheels, electrically-operated and heated power-foldable food mirrors, six speakers, electrochromic interior rear view mirror, a leather-trimmed gearshift, a vinyl-wrapped steering wheel, and a fabric seat trims in Ebony.
Wildtrak has 18-inch alloy wheels, LED lights, zone lighting, a 12-inch TFT touchscreen display, partial leather seats, a powered 10-way adjustable driver’s seat, and a manual four-way adjustable passenger’s seat.
Raptor has 17-inch premium aluminium wheels, dynamic matrix LED lighting, intelligent lighting, a fully digital instrument cluster, eight-speaker B&O sound system, and a powered ten-way adjustable driver’s seat with heating.
For the engine range, you can choose between the 2.0-litre EcoBlue 170 and EcoBlue 205, or the 3.0-lite EcoBlue 240 and EcoBlue 292.
The entry-level 170 has a six-speed manual, while all others get a 10-speed automatic. They also all come with four-wheel drive.
For the 2.0-litre units, you’ll find they pull strongly from low revs and get up to motorway speed in a breeze. The 170 achieves 0-62mph in 11.6 seconds, while the 205 does it in 10.5 seconds. The latter is our pick of the bunch, it’s affordable and returns good performance in all situations.
The 3.0-litre units are oriented towards those who will be carrying a lot of cargo. Achieving 0-62mph in 8.7 seconds for the 240 and 7.9 seconds for the 292, you certainly won't be disappointed.
For both the 2.0-litre units you’ll get around 30mpg, while for the 3.0-litres it will decrease to around 20mpg.
On the road, the Ranger returns exceptional capabilities. Considering the sheer size of the Ranger, it’s surprisingly good around town. There’s a good field of vision from the driver’s seat, and its handling is good enough for navigating tight urban roads.
At lower speeds, and especially if your load bed is empty, suspension is a bit bouncy. You can avoid this upgrading to the Raptor which gets rear suspension and is much more comfortable.
Get up to motorway speed, which certainly isn't an issue with the engine range, and you’ll find ride comfort is much better than the SsangYong Musso or Toyota Hilux. Although there is a bit of road noise, engine noise is kept to a minimum which is great.
On a country lane, the Ranger is the best around. Surprisingly agile for a heavy pickup, the Ranger is accurate and deals with body lean very well. You can also switch between four-wheel and rear-wheel drive on every ranger, meaning you can change depending on your preferences.
Finally, off-road the Ranger is a sight to behold. Select the low-ratio mode and the ranger tackles anything in its path, making it ideal for adventuring or a British worksite in the middle of winter.
Prices for the new Ford Ranger start from £35,130.00 OTR* or to lease from £372.13 per month.
Looking to get behind the wheel of the Ford Ranger? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is one of the UK's largest van leasing brokers and offers a range of leasing deals to suit your every need.
Leasing may be cheaper than an outright purchase, thanks to a low initial deposit and fixed monthly rentals.
*' On the road' price correct at time of publication and includes one year's road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change; always check with your nearest retailer.
