Ford Ranger: Pros and cons

Times have changed and so have our needs. Since we all are so busy with our professional lives, we aspire to become a good multitasker. Apparently, that’s one of the qualities that big companies look for in a job seeker. Similarly, we want our belongings to multitask. For example, our smartphones. Aren’t they multitasking? And also, our vehicles. We would like to do daily commuting, grocery shopping, adventure weekends, etc. with the same four-wheeler. This is why we have pickup trucks. And Ford Ranger is one of the best ones available in the market right now. Here are some of its pros and cons which would let you know more about this pickup truck.

Ford Ranger Pros

Stylish

Yes, there are a number of modern pickup trucks available in the market but the Ranger is perhaps the one that looks the best. With its projector-type headlamps, LED daytime running lights, large and simple front grille and sporty front bumper, the Ranger demands supreme attention. Its massive dimensions make it quite intimidating irrespective of the angle you are looking at it from. And the best part is that in the quest to make the Ranger a modern-day pickup truck, Ford didn’t overdo it and made it more car-like. The Ranger very much looks like a pickup truck.

Powerful Engines

The Ford Ranger specs list three engine options - 2.0-litre turbo diesel, 2.2-litre diesel, and 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel. While the first and the second one are pretty great and have 180 PS and 420 Nm and 160 PS and 385 Nm respectively, it is the third one that is the most interesting. It is a bi-turbo unit and thus produces a whopping 213 PS of max power and a ground-shattering 500 Nm of peak torque! And then there is Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission that works brilliantly in both on- and off-road conditions by delivering better responsiveness and more accurate, swifter gear changes. Ford is also providing options for both 4x2 and 4x4 variants.

Car-like Interior

We said that Ford did not make the Ranger more car-like. Well, that is true for its exterior. On the inside, the Ranger is very similar to most modern cars. Everything is very well put together, nicely and ergonomically arranged. Features like touch screen display, steering-mounted controls, advanced instrument cluster, etc. will wow you. It also comes with Ford’s SYNC feature which can fathom certain predefined voice commands to make your life easier. It also provides next-level connectivity options.

And as a result, you don’t really feel like you are sitting in a pickup truck until you notice the commanding driving position you are in. The Ranger has a ground clearance of over 230 mm which justifies the driving position we just mentioned. And also it is high enough to tackle or get over with almost anything on the road.

Unbelievable Capabilities

At the end of the day, no matter how fancy or advanced your pickup truck is, if it is unable to do stuff that a pickup truck is supposed to do, it is not worth the money. Fortunately, you don’t need to worry about that if you have a Ford Ranger.

Where other pickup trucks usually have 600-700 mm of water wading capacity, the Ranger can handle 800 mm with ease. It has a max payload capacity of 1.3 tons and can tow 3,500 kg without breaking a sweat. It also has one of the largest cargo beds in the segment. Ford has also provided leaf spring suspension at the rear which is built to sustain more load. However, it has also been tuned to provide the comfort of a coil spring suspension.

Advanced Safety Features

For a pickup truck, you would be amazed to know how many safety features it comes with. But considering the sheer size of this vehicle, we think Ford has done the right thing. The list of safety features includes rearview camera and sensors, active park assist, lane keep assist, autonomous emergency braking, multiple airbags, ultra-high-strength steel chassis, e-locking rear differential, and much more.

Ford Ranger Cons

Large Dimensions

While the Ranger’s large dimensions act in its favour in most of the situations, they also tend to put it in a very difficult position. Driving the Ranger in heavy city traffic is a cumbersome task even after having a handful of cameras and sensors. We can’t deny that it is indeed a large vehicle and thus, manoeuvring it requires some extra skills even though Ford has done everything it could to rectify the problem.

And that is the only con that we could think of ...

Ford has indeed done a fantastic job with its Ranger. It is available in several variants so that you can pick one based on your needs. Ford Ranger price starts at Php 1.03 million for its base model and reaches as high as Php 1.7 million for the top-end variant. It comes in six colours options - Ingot Silver, Magnetic, Lighting Blue, Absolute Black, Hot Pepper Red and Saber.

Also Read:-Fox provides the Ford Ranger with a 2-inch lift via a suspension upgrade