Houston we have a problem. This phrase was first used on the Apollo 13 mission. The crew on board the spacecraft would use this term to report back to their ground crew in Houston, Texas to alert them to an issue. We bet that every bakkie manufacturer in
South Africa has used that exact same term after seeing the all-new
Ford Ranger. If not, they are clearly not paying attention. We recently spent time with the latest
Ranger in
Wildtrak V6 guise and boy oh boy, it’s a game changer.
The latest
Ford Ranger not only features a new design but new engines and technology. As mentioned, we were handed the keys to the top-spec
Wildtrak and under the bonnet was one of those new engines. A V6 turbo-diesel but more on that a bit later. Let me run you through my thoughts on the design and the interior before we get into the power and the overall driving experience.
One of the most exciting aspects of the
2023 Ford Ranger Wildtrak is its design. It features a bold and aggressive exterior that is sure to turn heads on the road. The front grille is larger and more pronounced than previous
Ranger models, giving the bakkie a commanding presence on the road. The most noticeable design element is undoubtedly the
C-Clamp LED day-time running lights which can be seen from a mile away. Drive this bakkie down the road and you can see previous
Ranger owners gaze upon you with sheer jealousy.
Viewed from the side and you will notice a subtle shoulder line down the sides incorporates bolder wheel-arches that give the
Ranger muscular stance. At the rear, the tail lights are designed in harmony with the signature graphics on the front. There is also
Ranger lettering pressed into the tailgate. The design is not overly complicated, it is in fact handsome, modern and appealing, especially to current
Ranger owners who will inevitably wait by the bakkie in the parking lot until you return so they can ask a bunch of questions and take photos.
Their jaws really drop once you open the driver's door, as ours did. Visually, this new interior is in a different league to what we have been exposed to in the bakkie segment. In fact the jump from the previous interior to this in terms of visual aspect is incomparable. As one would expect there is a rather large touchscreen which takes up the center of the facia. It has been mounted vertically and measures an incredible 12-inches. Then you have a digital instrument cluster which adds a further modern element to the cabin.
What we like is that the dashboard is very rectangular in design, flat surfaces add a sense of space to the cabin and the new steering wheel is equally as visually appealing. Most of the vehicle's functions are controlled via the screen which makes use of
Ford’s latest
SYNC 4A system. Expect wireless Apple CarPlay and a wireless charging tray below the screen and the climate control panel. We were also pleased to find some
Bang & Olufsen sound which is great.
The centre console houses the new gear-selector and a large rotary dial for the
4x4 system. The dial also allows you to select different terrain options. What peaked my interest here was the 4A option. This is joined by the conventional 2H, 4H and 4L but 4A seems to adjust between 2H and 4H automatically. This was put to the test during some torrential rain. You can feel the system working, there’s even a neat graphic on the screen which shows when the front axle is active. Anyways, I also liked the rear air vents and the overall tactile feel of the interior is noteworthy. There are some issues though.
Now it could just be my test car but there were some trim gaps. We wont get into the nitty-gritty but we think there could be some fine-tuning just to ensure that fit and finish is on point.
Ok, let’s get into the big news; the diesel lump that lives under the bonnet. My goodness, what a motor it is. Expect 184kW and 600Nm of torque that has been near perfectly programmed to come in as if riding a wave. What makes the experience even better is the
10-speed gearbox. I know that the new Amarok is based on this
Ranger and we think the 10-speed gearbox was looked at by engineers over in Germany because it behaves just like the
8-Speed gearbox in the previous
Amarok. It is smooth, quick and effortless with little to no vibration that was felt on the previous
Ranger.
In gear acceleration is effortless and the bakkie seldom needs to drop cogs to get going. When you do demand power and it does drop cogs it will chop the horizon with little to no effort. We also averaged around 10.6l/100km over my week test period which considering the power, driving experience and did i mention the power is not at all bad.
The
Wildtrak is packed with features that would see this article turn into a novel. we haven't even touched on the safety elements but it has it all. Pre-Collision Assist, Post-Collision Braking, Blind Spot Information System with Trailer Coverage, Cross Traffic Alert and Lane Keeping System and much more are all standard.
Here’s the bottom line. This new
Ranger Wildtrak is not just miles ahead of the model that it replaces, it seems to be in a different league than the competition. Sure, we had the
V6 Wildtrak with all the toys and gadgets but still, from a design perspective, on-road comfort and off-road ability this new
Ranger has definitely given the rest a ‘Houston we have a problem’ moment, if not, they are not paying attention.
Credit: Justin Jacobs
