After a glorious decade-long T6 stint, Ford’s Ranger is finally ready for a new generation. One that comes in line – visually – with both its smaller Maverick and larger F-150 siblings. And, of course, it also promises more of everything.
Let’s start with a humorous note: finally, there is a new Ranger in Ford’s global town. Created by Ford’s Australian division and, with production starting way back in 2011, the mid-size pickup truck’s T6 iteration has been historically crucial for Ranger’s consolidated worldwide appearance.
But now it is (almost) time to make way for “the smartest, most versatile and most capable Ranger ever” that’s said to be ready for work, family, and play. Sounds like fun, right? Well, it is not all roses. Do skim past the C-shaped LED headlights that make it a true larger brother to America’s 2022 Maverick.
There’s a rather evolutionary design for the rest of the body, with a merely “upgraded chassis and suspension (that) ensures excellent ride and handling, whether riding with passengers, fully loaded with cargo or towing.” Still, the iconic Blue Oval boasts an additional 50 mm (almost two inches) for both the truck’s wheelbase and track width, which should make it more spacious and easier to handle on the street.
Under the hood, Ford has also prepared new powertrain choices for Rangers. The options include the “proven” single turbo and Bi-Turbo 2.0-liter inline-four diesel engines. But, more importantly, there’s also a new 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel flagship option. No details about the horsepower count or torque level have been provided yet.
Ultimately, the most obvious incentive to upgrade from the old to the new Ranger comes via the cockpit. The cabin has been completely revamped and this is where revolutionary magic happens. With help from large/huge 10.1-inch or 12-inch touchscreens in the middle of the center stack, as well as Ford’s latest SYNC 4 operating system, and a digital instrument cluster, among many other high-tech improvements.
But eager customers are in for the long haul when trying to secure a Ranger XLT, Sport, or Wildtrak trim level. That is because the company says that even European order books will only be opened in late 2022, while the first deliveries aren’t scheduled before early 2023.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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