This big softy can work for a living, too.
In the decades since double-cab bakkies first arrived in South Africa, the offerings in this segment have gradually morphed from being workhorses with extra seats into aspirational luxury vehicles. These vehicles’ core values sometimes appear to have been lost in the process, with premium features and leather-lined luxury now often overshadowing the working-class hardware underneath.
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As a result, the marketplace has expanded to include plenty of plush double cabs clustered around (or above) the million-Rand mark, relegating their more-utilitarian siblings to the second row as far as desirability goes. Ford’s mid-level Ranger XLT bridges this gap nicely, however, and may just represent the sweet spot in its range.
We like:
Excellent engine/gearbox combination
Superb on-road comfort
Comprehensive standard equipment and sensible optional extras
Good looks
Capable of putting in real work
We don’t like:
Cramped rear quarters for such a massive vehicle
Needlessly huge dimensions
Low-budget dashboard finish for the price
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Appearance
With its bold, squared-off lines and intimidating bulk, there’s no reason to suspect that a Ranger XLT means anything but business. But, with its standard all-LED lighting with striking C-shaped front DRLs, side steps, matte-black fender extensions and black alloy wheels, it is nonetheless positioned a step or two above any bare-bones Ranger variant.
Were it not for the absence of bright finishes on the grille and wheels, some orange stickers, and a styling bar behind the cab, the Ranger XLT double cab could in fact easily be mistaken for a high-end Wildtrak model. For those who want a good-looking and clearly upmarket bakkie that still retains some subtlety, the XLT will definitely tick most of the must-have boxes.
Interior appointments
While the basic XLT trim level features cloth seat upholstery, our test unit was equipped with the R 45 420 “XLT Upgrade Pack #3”, which upgraded the seats to partial leather trim. This option pack also changes the manual single-zone air conditioning system over to automatic dual-zone climate control, and adds wireless charging, a bank of six pre-wired accessory switches in the roof console, embedded navigation, and some driver aids in the form of high-beam assistance, lane-keeping assistance and blind-spot monitoring.
The XLT-level interior trim is also enhanced through wider use of some soft-touch surfaces, relieving the cheap interior ambience of the basic Ranger but still not including the squishy dash- and door card tops you'd find in the Wildtrak variants. As with the rest of its package, the XLT’s interior basically splits the difference between the lesser Ranger XL and the top-level Wildtrak.
Even without the optional upgrade pack as fitted to our test unit, the standard equipment at XLT level is quite comprehensive. Basic conveniences include electric windows all round with one-touch up-and-down operation in front, along with electric adjustment for the folding exterior mirrors, a 10-inch colour touchscreen fronting the Ford Sync 4A infotainment system, keyless entry with push-button start, cruise control, a digital instrument cluster, a rear-view camera, and parking sensors on both ends of the vehicle.
Drivetrain
The XLT trim offers Ford Ranger buyers a choice between extended- and double-cab body styles, along with four drivetrain options. 2WD (rear-wheel drive) or 4WD (selectable four-wheel drive with low range) are both available, along with a diesel engine in two output levels.
The lower-output engine uses a six-speed automatic gearbox, while the higher-output engine is paired with a ten-speed automatic. Our double-cab XLT 4x4 was equipped with the high-output 2.0-litre BiTurbo diesel engine, and, while this engine and its matching transmission made their debut in the previous-generation Ranger, its latest incarnation feels far more sorted than it did in the old model.
Explore the entire Ford Ranger range and configure your own on Ford SA's website.
Performance and economy
The engine’s outputs are rated at 154 kW and 500 Nm, and this time around, it actually feels like there is as much power at the driver’s disposal. Expect a 0 - 100 km/h sprint in around 11 seconds, largely because the Ranger’s massive heft counts against pure straight-line sprinting ability. Overtaking punch is more than adequate, however, and the XLT pulls really strongly in the important 40 - 120 km/h speed range.
The gearbox smoothly but decisively shuffles through its vast array of possible gear ratios in response to changing power demands, and the engine’s torque delivery is muscular over a wide rev range. In contrast to previous Rangers with this engine/gearbox combination, there are no dead spots in the power delivery, and the software calibration is spot-on to the extent that one has to question whether the 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel is really necessary after all.
This question becomes even more pertinent when fuel consumption is considered. During our test period, the Ranger XLT 4x4 D/C managed to return an impressive average consumption of only 9.4 litres/100 km - almost 2.0 litres/100 km higher than Ford’s claim of 7.5 litres/100 km, but still certain to be far lower than the larger diesel engine will be able to return in similar driving conditions.
Comfort
Those drivers who miss the super-absorbent "American land-yacht" ride quality that used to be a hallmark of large cars will love the plush ride on offer in the latest Ranger. It’s soft and floaty and not at all sporty, and that’s great news in today’s world where even non-sporty vehicles are often tuned to feel more athletic than they are. While there are still some body-on-frame tremors penetrating the cabin’s serenity over rough roads, most road shocks are absorbed with neither a shudder nor a squeak.
The seats are excellent as well, especially in front, with just enough support to keep its occupants firmly in place but without becoming constrictive or unyielding. Noise levels are similarly muted, with only some wind rustling around the gigantic side mirrors generating any sort of disturbance, but engine- and road noise are almost completely absent. It’s easy to see a Ranger being a really refined cross-country companion, simply because its ride is so comfortable and its cabin is extremely hushed.
The driving experience
Make no mistake, the latest Ford Ranger is a very large vehicle, measuring 5.35-metres in length and slightly more than 2.2-metres from mirror to mirror. Its size doesn’t make the Ranger particularly difficult to pilot in most conditions, however, because the steering is light and the view to the outside is fairly unobstructed. Major controls are also lightly weighted, giving little indication to the driver that there is almost 2.3 metric tons on the move underneath.
However, its sheer size is always a factor in traffic or crowded areas, where its width necessitates careful parking and its long wheelbase makes for a wide turning circle. This could make parking garages a daunting prospect, and means that a Ranger takes up every single square centimetre of a parking slot. If ever a vehicle truly needed its folding door mirrors, this is it.
With its size comes considerable capability, however. The cargo area can carry 946 kg, and the Ranger is rated to tow a braked trailer of up to 3,500 kg. That’s as much as the law allows under a regular driver’s license, and makes one suspect that it could probably tow even heavier loads if it were legal to do so.
Big just for the sake of being big?
Unfortunately, there is also a distinct impression that the new Ranger is huge simply because that’s what the market demands. Despite its generous length, cabin space is at a premium - especially for the rear bench seat, where legroom is downright disappointing. There is plenty of head- and shoulder room all around and the cabin is very wide, but the rear door apertures are also awkwardly shaped and make entry and egress tricky for larger occupants.
All of these factors could have been forgiven if the Ranger were more sensibly sized, but it’s not unreasonable to expect about 20 cm more rear legroom (and easier entry) from a vehicle this massive. This excessive size is particularly egregious under the bonnet, because there’s enough space length-wise to fit another engine between the crank pulley and the radiator. The availability of V6 engines in this platform is no excuse, either, because those engines are shorter still.
Consequently, it’s difficult not to conclude that the Ranger could easily have been half a metre shorter than it is, without incurring any penalties in either carrying capability or cabin space. The Ranger’s fuel efficiency may be first-rate, but its space-efficiency is definitely sub-par, and this does limit its usefulness in the real world.
Verdict
With a base price of R 833,800, the mid-range Ford Ranger XLT has a lot of strong suits, and ticking some option boxes can bring it very close to a Wildtrak in specification if not appearance. Even with all the most-expensive add-on options (such as the cargo management system, option pack #6, metallic paint, and the loadside step) selected, a Ranger XLT 4x4 DC will set you back almost R 50,000 less than a base Wildtrak 4x4 DC, and that may just be enough of a price difference to sway a potential buyer’s decision.
Comfortable, good-looking, nice to drive, frugal, and surprisingly lively on the road, the only real downside to the Ranger XLT is its compromised rear-seat packaging. If you can live with its outsized dimensions (or actually prefer it for the butch factor) and less-than-stellar interior trim quality, there’s no real reason not to consider a Ranger XLT, even in the company of such strong opponents as the Toyota Hilux Raider, Mitsubishi Triton, and Isuzu D-Max.
Martin Pretorius
- Proudly ALL THINGS MOTORING
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