THE 2022.5 Ford Ranger is finally here and cars are now heading out of showrooms to owners who ordered their new utes months ago. Ford Australia says it has more than 17,000 pre-orders for the new Ranger and hopes to fulfil them with 20,000 vehicles arriving over July and August.
While we'd driven prototypes of the new P703 Ranger in the past, this was our first steer of the production models and, here at the launch, we had time behind the wheels of several different 4x4 models.
The regular (non-Raptor) P703 Ranger is available in five model variants - XL, XLS, XLT, Sport and Wildtrak - with prices starting from $35,930 through to $70,190 plus ORC. A new Ranger Raptor will arrive in August, priced from $85,490.
FROM THE TOP
OUR series of drives on the launch started at the top of the range with the Wildtrak, which is powered exclusively by the 3.0-litre diesel V6 engine. The ‘Lion’ V6 engine is new to the Ranger brand and puts out 184kW of power at 3250rpm and 600Nm of torque, giving the Ford Ranger the most grunt in the 4WD ute class.
As in the past, the Wildtrak is more than just a dress-up pack, and stepping into the interior of the new model you are greeted with newly designed and shaped powered leather seats and a 12-inch portrait layout infotainment screen. Lower models get a still-sufficient 10-inch version of this screen.
Even though Ford has fitted these big new screens to the Ranger, the designers haven’t forgotten about functionality and have gifted us with individual dials for HVAC temperature adjustment and audio volume controls – thank you, Ford!
This story is from the September 2022 edition of 4x4 Magazine Australia.
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This story is from the September 2022 edition of 4x4 Magazine Australia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
OUTBACK WATERING HOLES
SINCE OFF TRACK WINES WAS LAUNCHED, OWNERS ANNA AND BRETT FISHER HAVE DRIVEN MORE THAN 20,000KM UP, DOWN AND ACROSS AUSTRALIA SPRUIKING THEIR WINES-IN-A-CAN MADE FOR CAMPING. THEY DROPPED INTO PLENTY OF OUTBACK PUBS ALONG THE WAY AND THESE ARE THEIR SOUTH AUSTRALIAN FAVOURITES
BIG COUNTRY
THE PILBARA IS THE VERY DEFINITION OF BIG COUNTRY, AND THERE IS PLENTY TO SEE, DO AND ENJOY IN THIS ANCIENT LANDSCAPE IN WA'S RUGGED NORTHWEST
ISLAND PARADISE
NEAR THE TOP OF THE BUCKET LIST FOR EVERY AUSSIE FOUR-WHEEL DRIVER, K'GARI IS PACKED WITH STUNNING HIGHLIGHTS AND BOASTS SOME OF THE BEST BEACH DRIVING IN THE COUNTRY
WEIGHTLIFTING
INCREASING THE GVM OF YOUR 4X4 SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY, BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN SHOULD NOT BE AVOIDED IF YOU NEED IT. WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS ON OUR FORD RANGER TO EXPLAIN HOW TO GET IT RIGHT
NOW HEAR THIS
THE CEL-FI GO MOBILE BOOSTER WILL KEEP EMAILS, MESSAGES AND CALLS COMING THROUGH TO YOUR DEVICES WHEN EVERYBODY ELSE IS HEARING CRICKETS
LOOKING BACK
A PAIR OF MSA 4X4 TOWING MIRRORS ENSURE WE ALWAYS KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON BEHIND US WHEN WE HAVE A TRAILER HITCHED TO OUR MITSUBISHI TRITON
TRUCKIN' LIFE
CAN FORD AUSTRALIA'S NEW F-150 BE AN ACCOMPLISHED OFF-ROAD TOURING 4X4?
WHAT LURKS BENEATH
IT MAY LOOK LIKE A FAIRLY STANDARD (IF CLEAN) 80 SERIES, BUT DIVE A LITTLE DEEPER AND YOU'LL FIND A MONSTER BELOW THE SURFACE
EYE OF THE HURRICANE
RAM HAS DUMPED ITS HEMI V8FOR A SIX-CYLINDER, AND IT'S COMING TO AUSTRALIA
GETTING TANKED
GWM EXPANDS IT TANK 4X4 RANGE WITH THE LUXURIOUS TANK 500 WAGON
