Ford Ranger Wildtrak 3.0 V6 4WD review: Tracking true

For context, the thing you’ve got to remember about the Ford Ranger Wildtrak, is that there are more bakkies sold in the world every year than the most plentiful passenger car. That’s right, the Ford Ranger Wildtrak’s American cousin, the F-Series pick-up truck, retailed exclusively in North America, sold 653 000 units in 2022. Nearly a quarter of a million pick-up trucks in a market that’s retracting like a turtle into its shell.

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That works out to something ridiculous like eight per hour … every day of every week including weekends. Overall, there are more pick-ups in the world right now, than there are South Africans or Australians or New Zealanders … you get the idea.

FORD RANGER WILDTRAK 3.0 V6 AWD

The same trend prevails here in Mzansi, of course. The Ford Ranger goes toe-to-toe each month with the most prolific passenger car sold, the Volkswagen Polo Vivo. And in the used-car market the Ford Ranger is top-dog, too, proving more affordable for less mileage than its rivals.

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While the Ford Ranger Wildtrak fights tooth and nail to keep its new-bakkie market share shored up, we do believe it is the best all-round double-cab offering you can buy. I used to work at a popular car magazine previously and that team awarded the Ford Ranger its Top 12 Best Buy award for twelve consecutive years. That’s respect well earned.

FORGING AHEAD

Don’t think Ford South Africa has been resting on its laurels in light of this success, because it’s been working overtime to keep sales of the R1 026 400 Ford Ranger Wildtrak going in a tough South African economy. Despite its sturdy ladder-frame chassis, leaf-sprung suspension and turbodiesel drivetrain, Ford has furnished the fully loaded Wildtrak with the comfiest leather seats on the market and plenty of high-end technology besides.

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We were quite taken with the Cyber Orange paintwork and dark privacy glass on our test unit. Aside from Mzansi’s need for double-cab bakkies that fulfil a dual role, the Ford Ranger Wildtrak has something of the frontier spirit about it. It somehow satisfies a need that lives deep within many of us. A bakkie makes you feel like a pioneer – forging ahead into unchartered territories. It captures that adventurous spirit, while still being one the most comfortable and high-tech new vehicles on sale today.

STRONG YET SILENT

Prime amongst its USPs is its strong-yet-efficient 3.0-litre turbodiesel V6 Powerstroke engine with a 10-speed automatic and selectable four-wheel drive. The direct-injection oil burner consumed 10.4 L/100 km for the duration of our test, which is higher than then claimed (and ambitious) figure of 8.4 L/100 km. By the end of the test period, refills of its 80-litre fuel tank were still registering around R1 700 at the till. Ouch!

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Only on occasion could we beat the double-digit figure by driving ultra-sensibly, but the sheer size and weight of the Ford Ranger Wildtrak meant that was a rarity. Don’t misunderstand, we’re not on a downer here. The Blue Oval is unrivalled when it comes to the nitty gritty of what constitutes a bakkie. The latest Ranger sports one the biggest payload and towing capacities in its class. A 50 mm overall increase in width of the load bed allows for a standard packing pallet to be housed between the wheelarches with the option of built-in dividers or side-mounted tether points to secure loads.

COMMON SENSE

We also appreciate Ford’s common-sense approach to comfort and convenience features. It’s utterly conceivable that Ford Ranger Wildtrak owners will travel exceedingly long distances. Therefore, there’s not just cruise control, but adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assist to nudge you into your lane. A real-time tyre pressure monitor was also fantastic for when one of the fat-side-walled Goodyears felt as if the pressure was out. There are also heated seats and quite simply the best touchscreen multifunction system in the segment to sooth you on the long haul. What more could you ask for in a bakkie?

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During our time with the Ford Ranger Wildtrak, we went hunting for surf in the most obscure spots. And we traversed up into the mountains above Paarl to go hiking. In that time, we experienced zero maladies of any kind. The tablet-like infotainment screen didn’t skip a beat, nor did the electric rear roller shutter. Which was, by all accounts, a bit of weak point on the outgoing Ranger.

VERDICT

Rest assured, we drove the striking Ford Ranger 3.0 V6 Wildtrak 4WD over every terrain available in the Western Cape – commuter roads, motorways, fast gravel roads, sand off-roading trails, you name it. And it took it all in its stride. In terms of sheer quality, the Ford Ranger Wildtrak 3.0 V6 4WD is unparalleled and it’s made an impressive impact on the sales charts in its first full year, too.

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THE FIGURES

• Best for: Powerstroke V6 is torquey, quiet and comfortable. So tech-laden it puts some so-called premium brands to shame. 20-inch rims on a bakkie, love it!
• Not so sure: Four-cylinder bi-turbo was more economical, if a bit less imperious. Wildtrak X probably the most capable off-road Ranger currently.
• Ford Ranger 3.0 V6 Wildtrak 4WD
• Engine: 2 999 cc 6-cyl turbodiesel
• Power: 184 kW, 600 Nm
• Performance: 8.9 sec 0-100 km/h (tested)
• Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
• Economy: 10.4 l/100 km (tested), 8.4 l/100 km (claimed/combined)
• Tyres: Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain 255/55 R20
• Price: R1 026 400

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