Wildtrak makes the heart sing

New pick-ups don’t come around very often, so Andrew Walker was delighted to get to grips with the all-new Ford Ranger at a test event at The Belfry. Here’s how he got on.

Model range

There are a good few options. The Entry level XL comes as a single or double cab, followed by the XLT – a double cab. Both are aimed at the agricultural, utility and construction sectors. Next up is Tremor, followed by the perennial favourite and the model we drove, the Wildtrak. The range is rounded off by two new premium models, Platinum and Wildtrak X, and the mad-ashell Raptor to top it off.

Exterior

C-shaped daytime running lights are the Ranger’s new signature at the front. At the sides, you get wheel arch cladding and an all-new step built into the bodywork behind the rear wheel.

You can tell it’s a work vehicle: the tailgate edge features measurements along it and holes for clamps so it can double as a work bench. The load space is larger and wider than before, and easily takes a loaded pallet.

Interior

The highlight inside is the 12″ touchscreen display. Centrally located it runs Ford’s latest SYNC 4 connected infotainment and dominates the dash. In front of the driver sits a configurable 8″ digital instrument cluster with climate controls underneath. There are steering wheel controls for the media and cruise control.

Between the front seats you’ll find the gear lever, electric handbrake, off-road settings and twin cup holders. The leather upholstery is very nice, as are all the panel finishes. The quality shines through.

There’s a choice of fuel-efficient 202 bhp 2.0-litre twin turbo diesels with six-speed manual or auto, or ten-speed auto transmission. You can even have a 237bhp 3.0-litre V6 diesel. The Wildtrak comes with Ford’s 10-speed auto and features a four-wheel drive transmission that can shift from 2WD to 4WD on the fly.

Safety

It’s a case of what’s not included with the latest Wildtrak, ‘cos it has it all. ABS with Stability Control, ETC, ESC, Electronic Brake Booster, Integrated Electric Trailer Brake Controller, Roll Stability Control, Traction Control System (TCS) ... it’s all there. Plus you get front driver and passenger air bags, seat mounted air bags and one interaction airbag between the front passengers.

There’s a host of driver tech too, including Driver Assist Technologies with Active Park Assist, Blind Spot Assist, Collision Mitigation System and Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Lane Centring.

It’s as practical as they come. An onboard inverter offers power to the box, with 400W of available power and an AC outlet in the tray. New clamp pockets are built into the tailgate so you can hold materials down for clean cuts and precision work. Other useful touches include durable plastic caps to protect the load box edges and tailgate upper edge; to fit a canopy or crossbars you simply remove the access caps to reveal Ranger’s structural attachment points. The bed liner features moulded slots for dividers, to stop the load sliding around.

For practical purposes, the Wildtrak Double Cab offers a 1,575mm load length, a load width of 1,560mm and a 541mm load depth. Payload is 1,041kg and you can tow a braked trailer of up to 3,500kg.

We were testing the 3.0 litre diesel. This offers 240PS, emits 265g/km of CO2 with economy of 28mpg. To compare, the smaller 2.0 litre diesel offers 32.1mpg. Top speed is 111 mph with a 0-62mph time of just 7.9 seconds.

The latest Wildtrak did not disappoint. It handles our current malaise of poor UK road surfaces with aplomb, and at 30mph it’s quiet and calm inside.

Driving through Staffordshire on small A- and B-roads, the latest Wildtrak offers steady progress, with the 10-speed auto box hanging onto gears as the revs rise, before things settle down. Accelerate hard and the diesel engine roars into life and is audible in the cabin, that’s for sure. The changes between gear ratios is done smoothly and once up to motorway speed the noise dies down and you’re piloting a very quiet vehicle with little or no wind noise entering the cab.

All pick-ups come with compromised ride. If it has a one-tonne payload but it’s been driven with an empty load bed, then some bouncing will occur. I have to say that our unladen drive was very impressive, with only the largest road bumps noticeable. Despite its size, the steering is light and you get a good feel for the vehicle in and out of corners. It’s actually very easy to drive and you can clearly see that the latest Ranger is an evolution up from the previous model.

Pros

Great to drive. The cab quality is highly impressive. And the thinking outside the box, for example the inclusion of a rear wheel side step, shows how thorough Ford have been with the design.

Average fuel economy is poor, but it is a pick-up. The gear lever takes a bit of getting used to.

A triumph. Pricey at £42,701, but with monthly BIK from £66 – £132, you’ll lease one and get a remarkably capable vehicle for your money. Safety and spec are impressive. With higher specced Platinum and X also in the range, customers are spoilt for choice. Made our heart sing!

CC&V RATING: N