Codenamed P703, the 2023 model year Ranger isn’t a ground-up redesign. The platform on which it’s based is an evolution of the T6 that underpins the previous Ranger. As expected of a revamp that the Ford Motor Company advertises as a new generation, the mid-size pickup received five stars out of five from the Euro NCAP for its safety.
The results are mirrored by the 2023 model year Amarok, which is nothing more than a badge-engineered Ranger. The European New Car Assessment Program tested the 3.0L Power Stroke-engined Ranger and 2.0L EcoBlue-powered Amarok with the double cabin and four-wheel drive.
Both of them received 84 percent out of a maximum of 100 for adult occupant protection, 90 percent for child occupant protection, 74 percent for vulnerable road user protection, and 84 percent for safety assistance.
“The car would be an aggressive partner in a frontal collision,” highlights the nonprofit organization, “and it was penalized accordingly. In the full-width rigid barrier test, protection of the chest of the rear passenger was marginal, based on dummy readings of chest compression.” On the upside, dummy readings for other critical areas were good. In the more severe side pole impact evaluation, the Euro NCAP notes marginal chest protection.
Given the front-end design of the Ranger and Amarok, both recorded poor vulnerable road user head protection along the front edge of the hood. On the upside, the front bumper provided good or adequate protection to the legs and pelvis of the dummy. These ratings apply to all double-cab Amaroks and Rangers, ranging from the 2.0-liter base trim level to the 3.0-liter Pan America and Aventura as well as the 3.0-liter Wildtrak and Platinum. The double cab-only Ranger Raptor hasn’t been tested thus far.
Even though Volkswagen won’t bring the Amarok stateside, Ford is currently developing the North America-spec Ranger expected to premiere in 2023 as a 2024 model, the Ranger for North America is expected to soldier on with the 2.3L EcoBoost four-cylinder engine. The Ranger Raptor, on the other hand, will get the Bronco Raptor’s 3.0L EcoBoost twin-turbo sixer.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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