By Ian Strachan.
Pick-ups used to be workhorses, so that’s what you got. A tough, uncompromising package with little thought given to design, comfort and specification. It did a job, didn’t cost too much, and that would be it.
No more. A 21st century pick-up is a fashion statement. That means it has to look cool, be at least as comfortable as a car, and come with all the goodies you’d expect on an upmarket saloon. That’s where the Ford Ranger Wildtrack pick-up scores.
This Ford Ranger has a stylish double cab body, impressive, chunky, body colour front end, a huge load-space with roller cover, roof rails and side-steps. Its spacious interior is well-specified, light and pleasant – a far cry from pick-ups of the past.
The Ranger Wildtrack that I tested was powered by a strong, gutsy, 2.0 litre diesel unit. It sounds tough and is tough – a growling 213 bhp engine with plenty of grunt if you need it for towing or off-roading. My test car married the engine to a ten-speed automatic gearbox which resulted in a smooth and effortless ride.
Despite its size, the unladen Ranger can still return fuel economy figures of 36.2 miles to the gallon in mixed driving. That might not sound impressive, but this is a big vehicle with four wheel drive, engaged with a simple, central control which also moves from high range to low range.
It handles pretty well, too. Suspension is softish, which means you’ll roll around corners a little, but straight-line handling is comfortable and steering is precise.
The external tough appearance of the Ranger is enhanced with brushed inserts in the side steps, privacy glass, 18-inch machined alloy wheels and contrasting roof bars.
There’s plenty of room for five people in this vehicle, with good headroom. The high specification also gives you satellite navigation via an eight-inch multi-function touchscreen which also controls the DAB radio and six-speaker CD player, high quality leather upholstery, rear parking camera with front and rear parking sensors, cruise control, air conditioning, heated electric door mirrors with puddle lights, heated front seats with powered drivers seat and all round electric windows – all for £41,515 on the road.
In addition you get extra under-body protection, front fog lamps, heated windscreen, rain sensitive wipers and leather steering wheel. My test car came with metallic paint (£600) and a trailer towing pack (£480).
You get all the safety features you’d expect on a car including lane-keeping aid and traffic sign recognition, plus the advantage of a high driving position.
Ford pick-ups have been around for a long time, but this is undoubtedly a step forward in terms of comfort and specification.
Public utilities, farmers and construction workers will find this a comfortable working vehicle, but it will also appeal to those who recognise the pick-up as the new cool vehicle to be seen in.
