By Ian Strachan.
Well who’d have believed it? That mud-plugging essential for the real man – the pickup truck – has gone environmentally friendly.
Ford’s muscle-bound all-grunt Ranger now comes as a plug-in hybrid. Its 2.3 litre 281 horsepower engine is backed up by a battery which can give more than 25 miles of electric-only driving, with reduced fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions.
Don’t worry though – the Ranger still looks the part – particularly in the Stormtrak spec which I tested. It has a powerful statement front-end with painted front fender grille, honeycomb radiator grille and signature graphic headlights. Hefty alloys, rear bumper extensions, matt black sidestep and roof rails confirm its credentials as a tough cookie, despite more than a nod to net zero.
This is certainly a pickup for the 21st century – as much a fashion statement as a work horse. It looks cool, is as comfortable as any SUV and comes with all the goodies you’d expect on an upmarket saloon.
The Ford Ranger Stormtrak that I tested came with a stylish double cab body and an optional powered roller shutter over the huge loadspace. Its spacious interior is well-specified, light and pleasant – a far cry from pick-ups of the past.
The Ranger Stormtrak is powered by a strong, gutsy, 2.3 EcoBoost unit. It sounds tough and is tough, with plenty of grunt if you need it for towing or off-roading. The engine is married to a 10-speed automatic gearbox which results in a smooth and effortless ride.
Despite its size, the unladen PHEV Ranger can still return combined fuel economy figures of 28 miles to the gallon, with carbon emissions of just 71 g/km. Fuel consumption 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.
There’s more than enough room for five people in this vehicle, with good headroom. The high specification also gives you satellite navigation via a 12-inch multi-function touchscreen which also controls the six-speaker DAB radio and sound system. You also get high quality stitched leather upholstery, rear parking camera with front and rear parking sensors, cruise control, electronic dual zone air conditioning, heated electric door mirrors, heated front seats with eight-way powered drivers seat and all round electric windows – all for £49,800 on the road.
In addition you get extra under-body protection, LED front fog lamps, heated windscreen, rain sensitive wipers and leather steering wheel. My test car came with £1800’s worth of options including Stormtrak wheel trims, cargo area power supply, a technical pack and Chill Grey paint.
You get all the safety features you’d expect on a car including lane-keeping aid, collision mitigation system, intelligent speed assist and blind spot detection, plus the advantage of a high driving position.
Ford pick-ups have been around for a long time, but this is undoubtedly a big step forward in terms of comfort, specification and environmental credentials.
Public utilities, farmers and construction workers will find this a comfortable working vehicle, but it’s more likely to appeal to those who recognise the pick-up as the new cool vehicle to be seen in, with less damage to the planet.
