Test Drive: New Ford Ranger TDCi

The first time I saw pictures of the new Ranger, I thought that the styling changes were not significant and if one zoomed by on the road, I’d have to look long and hard to know if it was the new one or the old one. When I expressed this opinion to Mike Pease, Ford Malaysia’s MD, his reply then was “Wait till you see the vehicle ‘in the flesh’ and then tell me it doesn’t look different enough.”

Well, Mike, you were right – there is a noticeable difference. After seeing the new Ranger, especially next to the old one, it would not be hard to notice which is the new one (of course, those who are indifferent to trucks won’t agree). I also agree with the philosophy of the designers that a pick-up should look like a pick-up and the Ranger has been a prime example of what that means. It’s not so much about the ‘Ford truck DNA’ but about a truck having the rugged appearance with bold slab-sided panels… the style which we’ve seen for decades.

New Ranger and previous generation (right)

Of course, there will be people who will say that my taste is ‘old fashioned’ and point to the Mitsubishi Triton as being the trendsetter in pick-up styling. Even conservative Toyota went for a new kind of look for its Hilux so why isn’t Ford changing with the times? Perhaps they should but it is hard for the designers to go with ‘new trends’ when the Ford F-Series pick-up is the best-selling pick-up in the world – and also the vehicle sold in the largest numbers in the whole world – and its looks are what one would say ‘classic pick-up truck’. Of course, it can also be argued that 99% of the F-Series trucks are sold in North America so while those buyers may like such looks, in Asia and the rest of the world, people want a fresh new look.

4-Trac concept truck was created from design of new Ranger

The argument on styling can go on and on so let me set that aside by saying that I like the bold new looks and there may be many with the same taste, and there may also be others who say it is not changed enough so they prefer the Triton. It’s a subjective thing and I am sure that the Ford people did enough clinics and surveys to be confident enough that the looks on this new generation will be appealing enough. After all, it goes to 130 different countries in Asia, Africa, Australia and Europe.

There are some elements from the Ford 4-Trac concept truck which was displayed at the KL International Motorshow 2006 and although Ford (at that time) suggested that it was a prototype which showed a ‘truck of the future’, I have since learnt that it was actually the other way round. The new Ranger already had its ‘design freeze’ and the 4-Trac was created from that design rather than the new Ranger being adapted from the 4-Trac.

As I said earlier, when you put old and new side by side, you will see that there is a noticeable difference. The new model has a much bolder look, stands a bit taller and is more muscular. In dimensional terms, the body length is 42 mm longer, 54 mm wider and the top of the double cab is 12 mm higher. The wheelbase remains at 3000 mm and the tracks are also pretty much the same.

The cargo bed is deeper (465 mm sides) but not the largest among the pick-ups here. But there’s plenty of volume anyway and unless you are using the Ranger for business, the 1,266-litre space (15% more than before) should be more than enough for recreational gear or dirt bikes… or the trip to the furniture store. Somehow the rear tailgate feels heavier than before to lift shut but if I remember correctly, it is also strong enough to take a heavy load on it when open flat.

Getting into the new Ranger through the front doors is easy enough but the rear doors seem to open at an angle which is inadequate. You have to sort of squeeze in and up onto the seat, which seems odd when you consider how big the vehicle is! Perhaps if the doors could open to 90 degrees like the Perodua Myvi, then there would be no problem – that’s something which Mr Pease said could be fed back to the plant and modified easily. But the question is – didn’t any designer notice this issue?

The cabin of the new Ranger is definitely at a different level from the previous one, taking on an appearance of higher quality in both the visual and tactile sense. One could use the word ‘refined’ as the fitting and materials are all of a higher grade. The even greater passenger car ambience is deliberate and in response to the increasing use of the truck as a primary vehicle. The front seats, with high-density urethane material, have nice contours with good side support and are generously sized.

More refined interior with high-grade materials	Curve at the top of centre panel can give off an irritating glare under noon sun

The redesigned dashboard is still ‘American’ in styling meaning that it has mostly vertical surfaces. The centre section takes some design ideas from the F-150 and houses the ventilation controls and audio system. It has a metallic finish which is meant to add ‘class’ and while that effect may be achieved, it also causes one problem under the noon sun. The top curve of the surface produces a glare which, though not directly in front, can still be irritating to the eyes from the side. Perhaps in some places, this is not an issue but in Malaysia, our sunshine is very strong and it happens. Apart from that, the feel of the knobs and switches is nice and firm, and adds to the refined ambience.

At the rear, the seats were as comfortable as the front ones with enough space for three adults. The backrest has 3 degrees more rake so it’s more relaxing on long drives. A centre armrest is provided now and apart from extra comfort for the arm, it is also useful in preventing the body from sliding across when the driver is showing off the handling of the Ranger!

Storage spaces are always something I like to check out (especially cupholders) and the Ranger has enough to satisfy me. The glovebox isn’t any better than before though but above it is something that Ford proclaims as an ‘industry first’ – a pull-out tray. From the way the Ranger’s Chief Designer, Paul Gibson, describes its usage, it seems that the tray is meant for times when the vehicle is at a standstill: “Truck owners have told us they will rely on the tray as a mobile workspace for completing paperwork – and as a convenient place for their lunch.” But it feels flimsy when pulled out and the inside surface is hard plastic, which means that pens and other hard objects will rattle about. The idea is good but the execution still needs a bit of work, I think.

There are five cupholders around the cabin, which means one per occupant but only two are within reach of the rear occupants. I don’t understand why Ford (and some other manufacturers) like to position cupholders on the floor behind the centre console box where they take up footroom. And in the case of the Ranger, you will crush a plastic bottle in the cupholder if the lid of the console box is flipped open backwards!

Now let’s talk about the drive. With declarations of being the most powerful pick-up in its class and claims of lower NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) and other refinements, there were great expectations. Whenever a manufacturer makes such bold claims, it invites challenging and I am happy to report Ford’s claims are justified. The new Ranger is definitely tops in many areas and could well be the winner in the pick-up category in Autocar Asean’s 2006/2007 Car of the Year awards.

For starters, the lower NVH is impressive and noise from the new engine, with its commonrail system plus more engine bay insulation, is muted. At cruising speeds, you can hardly hear the engine and wind noise is clearly evident. Before, the engine was loud so you never heard the wind outside the windows!

The smoother engine also brings the vibration levels down but it is not this alone that makes the new Ranger a more enjoyable truck to travel in. The improvement in ride comfort is highly commendable and over most bumps, there is no jarring feeling. The damping is just right and even rear occupants will feel comfortable. Cracks on roads do jiggle the body in some instances but not in an objectionable way. The H/T Duelers on the automatic definitely are more preferable to the A/T pattern that the manual comes with. Mr Pease said that Ford Malaysia will see if it can accommodate requests for change of tyre types by manual customers who may prefer more comfort.

The new engine is an impressive unit and with that generous torque, it’s a joy to drive. Between the manual and automatic, the manual proved more enjoyable. It’s unusual for me to be enthusiastic about a manual transmission these days but with the ease of driving, it seemed to me like I could actually return to shifting myself. Having a lot of torque low down means that shifting is not needed frequently and the acceleration is strong from under 2000 rpm to 3500 rpm so you can stay in top gear much of the time. It’s not one of those diesels where you approach a corner and expect that coming out is going to be a drag; this one has enough torque to accelerate away smartly. Turbo lag is really non-existent.

Maximum speed on the manual version

With the manual, it is possible to get up to 160 km/h but not beyond because Ford deems anything faster as being unsafe for a pick-up (unless it’s the SVT Lightning, the fastest pick-up in the world) so the top speed is restricted. It’s fast enough anyway since it’s well beyond the national speed limit and a point of note is that the Ranger cruises at very high speeds with good stability.

The automatic, with five gears, has a different character and the test units we drove seemed less spirited. One possibility for this is the gearing: both transmissions have the same final drive ratio (3.727:1) but the overall gear ratios of the automatic are higher than the manual. This could just put the shift points off the ‘sweet spot’ that give the manual such a nice brisk character. The automatic also tops out at 155 km/h or thereabouts.

The recirculating ball steering system was something which was a bit controversial and some people felt it lacked sufficient sensitivity but I was fine with it. I can understand the benefits when driving on rough ground as the shocks don’t come through as much and if there is any trade-off when on the highway, it’s acceptable. The power assistance was also well weighted and  generally gives a good feel of the road. In the handling department, the new Ranger has a more positive feel in turns, tracking pretty well and also with body roll well controlled.

Final words: Whenever I test a pick-up truck, one weekend is enough and I am usually glad to return it on Monday morning. I admit that I am not a fan of trucks because the ride comfort and performance are just not for me. However, driving the new Ranger and also spending some length of time in the back seat. I kept thinking that this is the first pick-up I would be happy to use on a daily basis. It feels good and it has more than enough power to make driving pleasurable rather than a chore.

Let the Battle of the Pick-ups begin (again)!

Nett selling prices at launchtime
Ranger 2.5 XLT Automatic - RM88,639
Ranger 2.5 XLT Manual - RM83,739

Above prices exclude insurance, roadtax and other costs. The first 500 New Ranger customers will get FREE accessories which consist of original sidesteps, sports bar and bedliner worth RM3,000.