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Ford Ranger 2024 review: Sport V6 – Double cab, Toyota HiLux rival, Isuzu D-Max tested off-road

Posted on by Vaseline

I’ve driven many variants of the Ford Ranger on all kinds of terrain and I’ve always been impressed with how well they perform.

The Ranger is pleasant to drive on the road – quiet inside, refined, comfortable and the engine and transmission are a smart and relaxed combination – and it’s very capable off-road, but one or two niggles prevent this ute from being a great all-rounder is a daily driver.

Let’s get a few of those negatives out of the way first.

This ute is hampered by its own physical size when it comes to all-wheel drive. The Ranger’s extended wheelbase mainly affects its ability to negotiate steep rock steps without bumps on the underside or wear on the side steps.

The wheelbase is longer than any previous version, ideal for giving the Ranger a stable stance on a road or track, but not so useful for traversing challenging terrain. Because that stretch has had an impact on the ramp landing angle, which is now listed as 21 degrees, while the previous generation Ranger offered 25 degrees.

For reference, the approach and departure angles are 30 and 23 degrees, respectively.

The Ranger’s tires – Goodyear Wrangler Territory HT (255/65R18) – aren’t as off-road capable as you’d like, especially for anything other than light 4WD. (As always, these types of issues with most stock 4WDs – compromised off-road angles and less than ideal off-road tires – can be addressed with a mild aftermarket suspension of about two inches and a good set of aggressive all-terrain tires with LT -construction.)

With a stated length of 5370mm (with a wheelbase of 3270mm), a width of 2208mm, a height of 1886mm. With a stated length of 5370mm (with a wheelbase of 3270mm), a width of 2208mm, a height of 1886mm.

I still think that the driver assistance technology that has off-road applications – the track view/360-degree camera and vehicle information readout (display of powertrain/diff lock indicators, and steering, pitch and roll angles etc.) – more novelty than necessity, but on this test I became more accustomed to it than on previous trips.

The brake pedal feels spongy – it takes a long time between the first foot press and the actual ‘bite’, and then the brakes – discs all around – come into action quite abruptly.

I’ve previously expressed my annoyance with the automatic transmission shifter – a sort of joystick on steroids – but it’s also another element of the Ranger that I’m getting used to.

Anyway, onto the positives…

The Ranger does well off-road.

The driver-assist technology has off-road applications (displaying drivetrain/diff-lock indicators, steering, pitch and roll angles). The driver-assist technology has off-road applications (displaying drivetrain/diff-lock indicators, steering, pitch and roll angles).

With a stated length of 5370 mm (on a wheelbase of 3270 mm), a width of 2208 mm, a height of 1886 mm and an official curb weight of 2351 kg, this is no small car. It has a turning circle of 12.9 meters, but never feels too cumbersome on forest paths, no matter how tight they are.

The V6 engine is rarely stressed, offers plenty of torque over a decent rev range, and doesn’t have to work hard to get you through most obstacles or challenges.

The 10-speed automatic transmission is smart – shifting between gears is minimized or even completely smoothed out – and if you want to take over duties yourself you can do so via the manual shifter. The ‘e-Shifter’ in 4WD Rangers is somewhat annoying, but as I said before, I’m getting used to it.

Low-range acceleration is adequate and the Ranger has an electronic rear differential lock for more traction-enhancing control.

There’s plenty of driver assistance technology on board and off-road, including Mud/Ruts and Sand. These aren’t a replacement for track-worthy 4WD mechanisms, but these modes do effectively adjust engine throttle, transmission, braking, traction and stability controls to suit driving conditions.

The Ranger's tires – Goodyear Wrangler Territory HT (255/65R18) – are not as off-road capable as you would like. The Ranger’s tires – Goodyear Wrangler Territory HT (255/65R18) – are not as off-road capable as you would like.

The hill descent control is effective and kept the Ranger at a controlled speed of 3-4 km/h as we crawled towards the turnaround point on a solid hill.

Wading depth is 800mm and although there had been recent rain on our 4WD test site prior to this test, I couldn’t find any mud holes deep enough to seriously test the Ranger’s ability to cross the water set.

Suspension travel – how far the axle can move up and down relative to the chassis – isn’t great, as the Ranger’s tires sometimes dangle in space instead of extending to the dirt.

If you plan to use your Ranger as a remote touring vehicle or even as a weekend adventure machine, pay attention to the payload and gross vehicle mass (GVM), which are 929kg and 3280kg respectively. Remember: any aftermarket equipment (bull bar, roof rack, etc.), people, pets, and camping gear must factor into your payload and GVM comparisons.

If you want to use the Ranger as a tow vehicle, it’s useful to know that towing capacities are listed at 750kg (unbraked) and 3500kg (braked). The gross combined mass (GCM) is 6400 kg.

The Ranger’s large physical size, long wheelbase and quiet ride may seem like an entry-level tow vehicle, but there are rumors among the general public that the 10-speed transmission gets unusually hot when the car is stopped. under load for extended periods of time, so keep an eye out for any reports of these types of issues.