Automotive

Ford Ranger Wildtrak review: One truck to do it all

Ford Ranger Wildtrak review: One truck to do it all
The Ford Ranger Wildtrak comes in a special shade of Pride Orange
The Ford Ranger Wildtrak comes in a special shade of Pride Orange
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The Ford Ranger Wildtrak comes in a special shade of Pride Orange
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The Ford Ranger Wildtrak comes in a special shade of Pride Orange
The Wildtrak will wade depths up to 800 mm
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The Wildtrak will wade depths up to 800 mm
Putting the Ford Ranger Wildtrak through its paces in the Australian bush
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Putting the Ford Ranger Wildtrak through its paces in the Australian bush
The Ranger is more than 5 meters long, but it handles like a smaller car
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The Ranger is more than 5 meters long, but it handles like a smaller car
The Ranger Wildtrak is at home off-road
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The Ranger Wildtrak is at home off-road 
The alloy wheels on the Wildtrak are unique to the model
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The alloy wheels on the Wildtrak are unique to the model
The Wildtrak is designed to work on and off the road
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The Wildtrak is designed to work on and off the road 
Unfortunately, your money doesn't buy you a "C" in Wildtrak
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Unfortunately, your money doesn't buy you a "C" in Wildtrak 
The Ranger Wildtrak comes with a locking cover for the bed
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The Ranger Wildtrak comes with a locking cover for the bed 
The Ranger Wildtrak has been pitched as a go-anywhere, do-anything truck for the cashed-up set
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The Ranger Wildtrak has been pitched as a go-anywhere, do-anything truck for the cashed-up set
The Ranger Wildtrak gets down and dirty on Victoria's Surf Coast
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The Ranger Wildtrak gets down and dirty on Victoria's Surf Coast 
The Ranger Wildtrak has switchable four-wheel drive with low range
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The Ranger Wildtrak has switchable four-wheel drive with low range 
Ford makes a splash with the Ranger Wildtrak
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Ford makes a splash with the Ranger Wildtrak 
The Ranger Wildtrak has an electric locking rear differential
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The Ranger Wildtrak has an electric locking rear differential 
The Ranger Wildtrak in the Australian bush
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The Ranger Wildtrak in the Australian bush
The tray on the Ford Ranger Wildtrak will hold 950 kg
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The tray on the Ford Ranger Wildtrak will hold 950 kg
The sliding cover on top of the Ranger's tray can be locked
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The sliding cover on top of the Ranger's tray can be locked 
The five cylinder engine in the Ranger makes 147 kW
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The five cylinder engine in the Ranger makes 147 kW
The five cylinder engine in the Wildtrak can be hooked up to a six-speed manual or automatic gearbox
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The five cylinder engine in the Wildtrak can be hooked up to a six-speed manual or automatic gearbox 
Under the hood of the Ford Ranger Wildtrak
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Under the hood of the Ford Ranger Wildtrak 
Just in case you weren't sure, this is a four-wheel drive
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Just in case you weren't sure, this is a four-wheel drive 
There is also a manual option on the Ranger Wildtrak
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There is also a manual option on the Ranger Wildtrak
There are some nice touches on the Ranger Wildtrak
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There are some nice touches on the Ranger Wildtrak 
Behind the wheel of the Ford Ranger Wildtrak
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Behind the wheel of the Ford Ranger Wildtrak 
The seats in the Ranger Wildtrak are comfortable, and the heaters are incredibly effective
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The seats in the Ranger Wildtrak are comfortable, and the heaters are incredibly effective
Swapping from two- to four-wheel drive is dead easy in the Ranger Wildtrak
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Swapping from two- to four-wheel drive is dead easy in the Ranger Wildtrak 
There's an electronic locking differential in the Ranger Wildtrak
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There's an electronic locking differential in the Ranger Wildtrak 
Behind the wheel of the Ranger Wildtrak
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Behind the wheel of the Ranger Wildtrak
View gallery - 28 images

Americans might love their trucks, but they aren't the only ones. The folks Down Under are partial to a good pickup, and Ford would argue the Ranger Wildtrak is the best pickup you can buy. With a luxurious interior, plenty of off-road gear and a ruggedly handsome face, it certainly looks good on paper. But does the range-topping Wildtrak deliver in the real world?

One look at the Wildtrak should be enough to let you know it's not your average laborer's pickup truck. For one, our tester was finished in a special shade of Pride Orange. Coupled with the special graphics and blacked-out front grille treatment, not to mention the unique 18-inch wheels and chunky Bridgestone Dueller RT tires, the bright finish certainly makes this Ranger stand out from the crowd.

The flashiness continues inside as well. Ford is charging a lot of money for the Wildtrak – more on that later – and the interior is appropriately loaded. All five passengers sit on seats trimmed in a combination of leather and tough woven orange cloth, and they're heated up front. These are some of the best bum warmers in the business, too, heating up quickly and maintaining a brilliant roast.

Ford SYNC 3 is one of the best infotainment systems in the business, but if you're not keen on using it Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard, as they are across the Ford range.

The seats in the Ranger Wildtrak are comfortable, and the heaters are incredibly effective
The seats in the Ranger Wildtrak are comfortable, and the heaters are incredibly effective

There's more to the Wildtrak package than just seat warmers and shiny paint, it's also one of the safest trucks on the road. A radar mounted behind the front grille delivers adaptive cruise control and pre-collision warnings. There are also parking sensors and a reversing camera, but the sensors seem overly nervous in tight spaces – the sort of tight spaces where accurate parking sensors are most necessary.

Power comes from a 3.2-liter five-cylinder diesel engine, hooked up to a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox. It makes 147 kW (197 hp) of power – which doesn't seem like much in a truck that weighs 2,300 kg (5,071 lb) – but peak 470 Nm of torque on tap from 1,750 rpm is much more relevant here anyway. Trucks like this are favored by people who tow boats and caravans, so bottom-end pull is the name of the game.

The engine is unquestionably effective, but it isn't the most refined powertrain in the world. It's very rattly, especially when it's cold, and there's a bit of vibration through the steering wheel and seats. Things settle down as the engine comes up to temperature, and the cabin is remarkably quiet at highway speeds – just like it was in the Everest – but the Ranger is going to feel agricultural if you've grown up on a diet of city SUVs. Still, it has the Toyota Hilux covered for refinement.

I'm not really the off-roading type (mud is tough to get out of black skinny jeans and cable knit sweaters) but the high-riding Ranger was just crying out for a backcountry excursion. With no meaningful four-wheel driving experience to call on, survival would be down to how well the electric locking rear differential, switchable low-range and electronic smarts in the Ford could cover for my incompetence.

Ford makes a splash with the Ranger Wildtrak
Ford makes a splash with the Ranger Wildtrak 

Armed with a sense of adventure and two bottles of water, we put the Wildtrak to the test on the rain-soaked tracks around Moggs Creek on the Victorian Surf Coast.

With a maximum 800 mm (31.5 in) wading depth and 237 mm (9.3 in) of ground clearance, along with the 29 degree approach angle afforded by a short front overhang, any ideas of truly challenging the Ranger on our reasonably straightforward off-road track were quickly quashed. Switching from two-wheel drive to four-hi or four-low is simple, and there's also a rear differential lock if things get really tricky. Provided they remember to be careful of the paintwork, most casual off-roaders are likely to love the Wildtrak.

The Ranger Wildtrak comes with a locking cover for the bed
The Ranger Wildtrak comes with a locking cover for the bed 

Although its sheer length (5.3 m/17.4 ft) can make inner-city garages a struggle, the big Ranger is surprisingly adept at handling the daily grind. The steering takes a bit of arm-twirling at low speeds, but it's light enough to remove most of the stress from parking in tight spaces. Some trucks ride poorly until they're loaded up with something heavy in the tray, but the Ranger felt settled with a completely empty bed.

The optional six-speed automatic gearbox is decisive on the move, and does an excellent job keeping the engine in its power band when you need to dive into gaps or overtake. It picks up better than you'd expect of a smallish diesel engine in a heavy car, provided you can deal with plenty of grumble under heavy throttle. Our 10l/100km (23.5 mpg) fuel consumption in traffic was less than ideal, but it's still acceptable for a vehicle of this size.

Sure, it's never going to feel like a Focus or Fiesta, but daily driving in a Wildtrak wouldn't be too much of a hassle. And you can't tow 3,500 kg (7,716 lb) with a Fiesta, nor can you load 950 kg (2,094 lb) in the boot. It's worth remembering this is still a work vehicle at heart, albeit one with a luxurious interior, and a fancy (as well as useful) locking cover for the tray.

All this on and off-road capability comes at a steep price. With an automatic gearbox and premium paint, you'll pay just over AU$60,000 (equiv. US$35,300) for the Ranger Wildtrak. That is a lot, especially when you consider the truck starts life as an AU$31,000 workhorse. But for people who want one vehicle for taking the kids to school, hauling a load around at work and adventuring with a trailer in tow on the weekend, it makes a lot of sense.

Sorry America, you don't get the Ranger in any spec. The next generation car will be headed to the USA though, accompanied by a new Bronco.

Product page: Ford Australia

View gallery - 28 images
4 comments
4 comments
Captain Danger
Nice but needs a V8 option. (Every vehicle needs a V8 option) Sort of looks like the sport trac which was available in North America until a few years ago. Not sure what kind of mileage you get down under but 23 mpg in a truck sounds pretty good to me.
Gregg Eshelman
@ronbh Yup, Aussie Sport Trac. Ford dropped the ball on the first generation Sport Trac by not offering a V8. Unlike the Mountaineer and Explorer that got redesigned to take the OHC V8 when Ford discontinued the 302 Windsor, the Sport Trac and Rangercontinued with the front structure identical to the previous SUV and Ranger. Ford also flubbed big by never offering the 302 in the 2 door Explorer Sport. How could it be "Sport" without the power to back it up? With the second generation Sport Trac, Ford finally gave it a V8. Then in a (not surprising for Ford) dumb change, Ford discontinued the Ranger and all Ranger based vehicles in the USA, while continuing to sell them in other countries - including a short box 4 door Ranger. Sport Trac in all but name - but only with little engines.
Craig Jennings
^ V8 option? 200hp and 350 ft/lb is MORE than 90% of the 302s ever produced :P They ride and drive really well, top selling vehicle in NZ the last couple of years. Got people out of Nissans, Toyotas (in the land of Barry Crump!) and even a few Holden fans swallowed their pride for a taste of the blue oval ;)
Gizmowiz
Can it do 0 to 60 in 3 seconds? The Tesla will be able to do that.