Ford Ranger Review

Ford has considerable experience of building pick-up trucks, thanks in particular to the enormously successful F-Series sold in North America. The Ranger channels much of that knowledge into a model developed for European roads and working requirements.

The current generation reached UK buyers in 2023, replacing a Ranger that had already become the dominant pick-up in the British market.

Ford developed it in partnership with Volkswagen. The Ranger shares its underlying platform, South African factory and several mechanical components with the Volkswagen Amarok, although the two trucks have distinctive styling, cabins and model ranges.

The Ranger offers the broader selection, but this review concentrates on the five-seat Double Cab. The work-focused single-cab models and high-performance Ranger Raptor serve sufficiently different buyers to warrant separate reviews.

Earlier examples of the current Ranger were widely available with 170PS and 205PS four-cylinder diesel engines. These remain relevant used purchases, particularly the smooth and capable 205PS automatic.

The current new-order Double Cab range focuses on a 240PS 3.0-litre V6 diesel and a 281PS plug-in hybrid.

The diesel combines strong low-speed pulling power with a 10-speed automatic gearbox and full-time four-wheel drive. It is particularly well suited to towing and sustained high-mileage work.

The PHEV pairs a 2.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor and rechargeable battery. It can officially cover up to 27 miles on electricity and retains the Ranger’s headline 3,500kg towing capacity.

It also offers Pro Power Onboard, allowing tools and other electrical equipment to draw power from the truck. For some trades, this may prove more useful than the potential fuel saving.

Whichever powertrain you choose, the Ranger remains a large vehicle. Its 5.37-metre length and two-metre width require care in narrow streets and car parks, while the heavy-duty rear suspension can feel restless when the load bed is empty.

Even so, few rivals combine carrying ability, towing strength, off-road performance and passenger comfort as successfully.

The V6 diesel Wildtrak is the best all-rounder. Its 240PS engine and 600Nm of torque make towing and carrying feel effortless, while Wildtrak adds the larger touchscreen, heated seats, dual-zone climate control and useful load-bed equipment.

Choose the PHEV Wildtrak when the truck can be charged regularly and most daily journeys fall within or close to its 27-mile electric range. XLT offers better value and a slightly higher payload, but its cabin is more workmanlike.

The V6 diesel XLT starts at £36,250 excluding VAT and on-road costs. The PHEV XLT costs £36,700.

Wildtrak is £46,750 with the diesel or £44,900 as a PHEV, while Platinum costs £48,800 and £46,950 respectively. The road-focused diesel MS-RT tops the regular Double Cab range at £51,650.

Options such as a tow bar, hardtop, load cover and drawer system can add thousands of pounds, so compare quotations on the same VAT and on-road basis.

The Volkswagen Amarok is the closest alternative because it shares the Ranger’s structure, factory and V6 diesel engine. It feels slightly more upmarket in places, but the Ranger has simpler climate controls and offers the unique PHEV option.

The Toyota Hilux has an outstanding reputation for toughness and potentially lengthy warranty cover, although its interior and road manners are less sophisticated.

The Isuzu D-Max is more utilitarian and usually cheaper, while the KGM Musso offers generous equipment and a spacious cabin for the money. Neither feels as polished as the Ford.

The elevated driving position provides an excellent view along the road, while relatively slim windscreen pillars make the Ranger easier to place than its size might suggest.

There is plenty of adjustment in the driver’s seat and steering wheel. Higher trims add powered adjustment, heating, ventilation and more supportive upholstery.

Ford has fitted a large portrait infotainment display but retained physical controls for the heating and ventilation system. This makes routine adjustments easier than in the Volkswagen Amarok, which places more functions within its touchscreen.

Storage is plentiful, with large door pockets, cupholders, dashboard trays, a deep centre console and two glove compartments.

The rear bench has enough headroom and legroom for adults, although its upright backrest and high floor prevent the Ranger feeling as comfortable as a large SUV. Four adults can travel easily, with the middle rear position better suited to occasional use.

Lifting the rear seat bases reveals useful storage compartments for tools, recovery equipment or the PHEV charging cable.

The Double Cab load bed is 1,638mm long at floor level and 1,224mm wide between the wheel housings, allowing a standard Euro pallet to fit between the arches.

Tie-down points are provided, while steps built into the rear bumper make it easier to reach into the bed. The open tailgate can support up to 750kg, creating a sturdy temporary work platform.

Payload varies according to powertrain and trim. The V6 diesel XLT carries up to approximately 1,098kg, while other diesel versions remain above one tonne.

Current PHEV models also exceed the one-tonne mark, with payloads of approximately 1,058kg to 1,071kg depending on specification.

These are gross figures. Occupants, tools, accessories, a hardtop, load drawers and the nose weight of a trailer all reduce the remaining allowance.

Every current regular Double Cab is rated to tow a braked trailer weighing up to 3,500kg.

The Ranger Double Cab is 5,370mm long and 2,015mm wide with its mirrors folded. It measures around 2,208mm with them extended and stands up to 1,886mm high.

Its length, width and 12.9-metre turning circle are noticeable in tight car parks and older urban streets.

A reversing camera is standard, while higher trims add front parking sensors and a 360-degree camera. Both are worthwhile on a truck of this size.

Ground clearance reaches approximately 237mm and the official wading depth is 800mm, underlining that the Ranger is designed for genuine off-road and work-site use.

Every Ranger has a portrait touchscreen running Ford’s SYNC 4 software.

The system has clear graphics, large icons and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Wildtrak and higher specifications gain a larger 12-inch display.

A digital instrument panel is also standard. It can show normal driving information alongside towing, off-road and four-wheel-drive data.

The physical climate controls beneath the screen are an important usability advantage, allowing temperature and fan speed to be adjusted without navigating a touchscreen menu.

Higher trims add a 360-degree camera, wireless phone charging and a B&O audio system.

The PHEV introduces displays for battery charge, energy flow and electric driving. Its Pro Power Onboard system provides electricity through sockets in the load bed, allowing some tools and equipment to operate without a separate generator.

The Ranger is unusually polished for a ladder-frame pick-up. Its accurate steering, strong body control and smooth engines make it easy to drive, although its ride remains firmer than that of a conventional SUV.

The V6 diesel produces 600Nm of torque and feels ideally suited to the Ranger. It responds smoothly from low engine speeds and builds pace without the strained character found in some four-cylinder pick-ups.

The 10-speed automatic can move through several ratios when rapid acceleration is requested, but the V6 has enough torque that it rarely needs to work particularly hard.

The PHEV combines a 184PS petrol engine with a 102PS electric motor, producing 281PS and 697Nm.

When both power sources work together, it accelerates with surprising strength. In electric mode, performance is gentler but adequate for urban traffic and local journeys.

There is a short pause when the driver requests full acceleration while the hybrid system and gearbox decide how to respond, but it is not troublesome in normal use.

Pick-up trucks can feel skittish when their load beds are empty because the rear suspension must be strong enough to support a heavy payload.

The Ranger manages this compromise better than most.

Its steering is accurate and well weighted, helping the truck feel secure despite its width. Body roll is well contained and it remains stable through faster bends.

The ride is still taut. Sharp bumps and broken surfaces can send movement through the cabin, particularly with no weight in the bed, although adding a load helps the rear suspension settle.

The V6 diesel is smoother and quieter than the earlier four-cylinder engines, while the automatic keeps engine speed low on the motorway.

The PHEV is particularly quiet in electric mode. Its petrol engine normally joins in smoothly and only becomes intrusive under harder acceleration.

Full-time four-wheel drive is standard. Selectable driving modes adjust the powertrain and traction systems, while a locking rear differential is available according to trim.

The PHEV’s immediate electric torque gives it particularly smooth control over slippery surfaces. With substantial ground clearance and an 800mm wading depth, either version can tackle terrain that would stop most family SUVs.

Euro NCAP awarded the current Ranger five stars in 2022.

It scored 84 per cent for adult occupant protection, 90 per cent for children, 74 per cent for vulnerable road users and 84 per cent for safety assistance.

Standard equipment includes automatic emergency braking, lane assistance, traffic-sign recognition, driver monitoring and multiple airbags.

Double-cab versions have rear Isofix child-seat mountings, while higher trims add adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and more extensive camera coverage.

The five-star result is reassuring, although the Ranger’s size and weight still demand additional care and stopping distance.

The V6 diesel officially returns between 26.7mpg and 32.9mpg, although most current derivatives have combined figures closer to 27mpg or 28mpg.

Towing, urban driving and a heavy payload can reduce that considerably.

The PHEV has an official weighted result of up to 91.1mpg and an electric range of approximately 27 miles.

That figure assumes frequent charging and regular use of electric power. A driver covering local journeys and charging overnight could use very little petrol, but a truck completing repeated motorway trips will not approach the official result.

The PHEV is intended to recharge at home, at work or at a depot rather than using public rapid chargers.

The Ranger has a three-year or 60,000-mile warranty.

That is adequate rather than generous, with the Toyota Hilux and Isuzu D-Max providing potentially longer protection.

Ford offers extended warranty and servicing products at additional cost.

Trucks used for frequent towing, off-road driving or short journeys may require more maintenance than those covering steady motorway mileage.

Insurance varies by engine, trim and value, and Ford does not publish one simple range covering every current diesel and PHEV derivative.

Higher-specification V6 and PHEV models are likely to cost substantially more to insure than a work-focused truck.

Obtain a quotation for the exact registration, particularly where several employees will drive the vehicle or valuable equipment is carried.

A Ranger registered in the Light Goods Vehicle taxation class pays the flat commercial rate, currently £360 for 12 months in 2026/27.

Company-car taxation is separate. Most Double Cab pick-ups acquired from 6 April 2025 are now treated as cars for Benefit-in-Kind purposes.

Ford’s current price list shows a 37 per cent Benefit-in-Kind rate for the V6 diesel and 20 per cent for the PHEV.

Businesses should seek tax advice because Benefit-in-Kind, VAT, capital allowances and Vehicle Excise Duty are governed by different rules.