Ford Ranger Wildtrak X 4×4 drive: X-Factor

The new Ford Ranger Wildtrax X has arrived on the scene as a segway between the regular Wildtrak and petrol-only Ranger Raptor. Yes, it costs R1 013 000, which is not an insurmountable amount of money. And yet, to my mind, it’s instantly landed in the sweet spot of the Ford Ranger range, as I shall now elaborate …

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The route for our Ford Ranger Wildtrak X 4×4 adventure mimics a typical weekend getaway a bakkie owner might enjoy at the wheel of their trusty double-cab steed. From Upington, out route takes us along the N14 past Kakamas. Then onto the N10 and a pristine slice of high-speed gravel spearing North straight for the Namibian Border. Hundreds of kilometres of dusty gravel roads will show us what the Ford Ranger Wildtrak X 4×4 is truly made of.

FORD RANGER WILDTRAK X 4X4

On the sanguine tarmac roads of the Northern Cape, I’m reminded of how successfully the Ford Ranger Wildtrak X 4×4 has blossomed into a fully realised all-round conveyance. This is no longer just a bakkie, it’s all the vehicle you could ever need in South Africa. The interior is awash with practical stowage areas, soft-touch contact points and Wildtrak X addenda are splashed liberally throughout. There are all the modern conveniences imaginable: Adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, active parking and cross traffic alert. These were toys you’d only find on an S-Class not long ago.

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The Ford Ranger Wildtrak X 4×4 is unique in that it uses the economical 154 kW/500 Nm four-cylinder Bi-Turbo motor, which makes it ideal for an overlanding trip like this one. Granted, it’s not especially fast (we doubt zero to 100 km/h will come up much quicker than 9.5 seconds) owing to the weight of the fully loaded Wildtrak X, but the motor pulls soundly from low down. More importantly, it’s comfy and quiet, and en-route to the Namibian border I have the best seat in the house as the scenery turns from dusty to green alongside the banks of the Orange River.

GRAVEL HEAVEN

Beyond Kakamas, the first gravel road we encounter is in excellent condition. Smooth, hard and with occasional yumps to get the suspension flexing underneath the bum. The Ford Ranger Wildtrak X 4×4 has every safety feature imaginable as standard, so between permanent four-wheel drive, standard-fit General Grabber tyres, and its sophisticated vehicle stability control, a dusting of loose stones on the road is no match for the 4×4’s traction.

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Thanks to all the digital trickery we’ve come to know and love in the Ford Ranger, the interior continues to impress. But spend a lot of time in it and you’ll discover just how wonderfully comfortable the power seats are. They wear Wildtrak X trim, too. Not to mention the full gamut of modern amenities to keep you entertained: Bang & Olufsen sound, USB ports throughout, Matrix LED headlamps, seven driving modes (plus Rock Crawl mode), 12-inch tablet-like touchscreen, 360-degree camera, the list goes on. Best of all, these goodies are reliable and predictable in their operation.

STEERS ON A DIME

Most big bakkies suffer from the problem of slow steering racks and three-point turns turn into half-a-dozen-point turns in most scenarios. This is not the case in the Ford Ranger Wildtrak X 4×4 with its new Trail Turn functionality. Like any good idea, it’s based on sound principles of shortening the turn by nipping the brake on the inside wheel. Us hooligans used to do that manually with the handbrake, but it works equally well with computer chips.

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In the heat of a blazing Northern Cape afternoon, blasting along the N10 gravel past Augrabies, I notice there’s precious little sawing at the wheel as I go. There are some pretty substantial yumps on the road, too, which I’m sure if attacked with the right velocity would send most bakkies skywards. Not a bit of it in the Ford Ranger Wildtrak X 4×4, courtesy of its bespoke off-road suspension and unique-to-this-model Bilsten shock absorbers. No deflection, no drama. As mentioned, the General Grabber all-terrain tyres are also a perfect accompaniment to this adventure-focussed bakkie.

RAPTOR-LITE

In my rear-view mirror, sand and dust is whipping off the back of the convoy like a bow-wave. After a few more hours we come upon the magnificence Tutwa Desert Lodge on the Orange River. It’s directly below that arrow-straight line North on the Namibia border. It’s an outpost of the country I’ve always wanted to explore.

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Within the lodge, we engage four-high mode on the drive selector and embark on light sand 4x4ing through a series of secluded riverbeds. The Ford Ranger Wildtrak X 4×4 benefits from improved approach, departure, breakover angels over the regular Ranger. Likewise, its track is 30mm wider, as is its ground clearance. With these inched-up dimensions, it’s no coincidence it looks more macho than a regular Wildtrak, too.

FIRST TO MARKET

The way you used to get attention in the double-cab segment was by filling it with comfortable car-like amenities. Now that every bakkie stakes claim to being comfortable and well equipped, what can manufacturers do? To my mind, the Blue Oval is at the very forefront of the bakkie design and it has gone the way of introducing first-of-its-kind accessories to the Ford Ranger Wildtrak X 4×4.

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The Power Roller Shutter has been around for some time. But the new Flexible Rack System for the tailgate (R19 000) is an absolute game-changer. It’s a clever piece of design that makes fitting long objects like surfboards, a rubber dingy or planks of wood a synch. It means you don’t need to lose that badass American truck look by fitting a bulky canopy. Before you ask, the ingenious flexible system is bespoke to the Wildtrak X and cannot be retrofitted to other Rangers.

VERDICT

It’s fair to say the Ford Ranger Wildtrak X 4×4 was totally unchallenged by the roughness of our Northern Cape sojourn. The latest Ranger absolutely monstered the trip, taking on the N10’s long high-speed yumps and big-compression bumps with consummate ease. In assessment, the Ford Ranger Wildtrak X 4×4 clearly walks a fine line between Raptor tough and Wildtrak cushy, but it leaves you in no doubt of its quality and innovation. I believe it represents the sweet spot of the Ranger range right now. Thanks to its economical four-cylinder engine, clever accessories and enhanced off-road capabilities, it brings genuine X-factor to the segment. Best of all, unlike the current petrol-powered Raptor, it’s locally built, which makes it proudly South African, too.

THE FIGURES

• Model: Ford Ranger Wildtrak X 4×4 2.0 BiT 10AT
• Engine: 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel
• Transmission: 10-spd auto
• Power: 154 kW
• Torque: 500 Nm
• 0-100 km/h: n/a
• Top speed: n/a
• Consumption: 7.6 l/100 km (claimed/combined) 9.8 l/100 km (tested)
• Price: R1 013 000

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