2021 Ford Ranger

The Ford Ranger XL comes standard with:

• 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• Cruise control
• Reversing camera (optional on cab-chassis models)
• Rear parking sensors (except on cab-chassis models)
• Six-speaker sound system (four speakers on Single Cab)
• Power windows
• 16-inch steel wheels
• Single-zone manual climate control
• Remote central locking
• Automatic headlights

The XL has spawned various special edition models.

The XL Heavy Duty Special Edition adds:

• Black-finish 17-inch steel wheels
• Heavy-duty suspension
• Solid wheel nuts
• Black side steps
• Rear-view camera kit

Over the regular XL, the XL Sport adds black 16-inch alloy wheels plus a black sports bar, bedliner, side steps, grille and rear bumper.

Over the regular XL, the Tradie adds:

• 16-inch black alloy wheels
• Black nudge bar
• 20.5-inch slimline LED light bar
• Black side steps
• Bedliner
• Tow bar

Over the XL, the Ranger XLS adds the following standard features:

• Front fog lights
• Floor carpets
• 16-inch alloy wheels

The Sport adds the XLS Premium pack features but replaces the chrome exterior trim with black-finish trim and upgrades to 17-inch alloy wheels.

Over the XLS Premium, the XLT adds:

• Cooled centre console
• LED headlights and daytime running lights
• Chrome rear sports bar
• Side steps
• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Adaptive cruise control

Over the XLT, the FX4 adds:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Black mesh grille
• Matte black sports bar
• Leather sports seats
• Red interior stitching details

The FX4 Max adds over the XLT the following standard features:

• Mono-tube Fox shock absorbers and retuned suspension
• Unique grille and exterior trim
• Matte black rear sports bar

The Wildtrak adds over the XLT:

• LED front fog lights
• Power roller shutter
• Eight-way power driver’s seat
• Leather trim
• Heated front seats
• Adaptive cruise control
• Semi-automatic parking assist
• Ambient lighting

The Ranger Raptor X loses front parking sensors, adaptive cruise and parking assist but adds:

• Unique suspension tune
• Front sports seats
• Paddle shifters
• Leather and suede trim
• Red interior stitching details
• Extended leg sports bar
• Red front tow hooks
• Black Ford logo on tailgate
• ‘Hydrographic and Black Alley’ accents on the dashboard and door cards
• Bonnet, roof and tailgate striping
• Matte-finish grille, bumpers, door handles, fender vent, wheel caps and other exterior elements
• Matte black 17-inch wheels and 33-inch BF Goodrich all-terrain tyres

The base Ranger XL and XLS are offered in:

• Aluminium Silver
• Arctic White
• Blue Lightning
• Meteor Grey
• Shadow Black

The XLT adds Alabaster White to that palette, while the Wildtrak adds Saber Orange.

The Ranger Raptor is offered in:

• Conquer Grey
• Arctic White
• Ford Performance Blue
• Shadow Black

In addition to its five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, Ford offers 10 years of capped-price servicing for the Ranger.

The first four years or 60,000km of services are capped at $299 each, some of the most affordable service prices in this segment

Before driving this iteration of the Ranger when it launched all those years ago, we didn’t know a rear-leaf-sprung, ladder-frame workhorse could ride over horribly sharp and bruising surfaces with so much cushy aplomb.

To this day there is no other ute in this class – and barely any SUVs – that dispatch our rural roads and trails more comfortably.

You sit up nice and high, and while the lack of telescopic adjustment annoys me, the electric-assisted motor-driven steering gives you featherweight wheel movement that makes it a cinch to park and drive around town.

It’s quite softly suspended, meaning there’s a little pronounced body movement against cornering forces, and some up-and-down body movement, but it all settles down quickly enough and is so cushy and quiet you’ll scarcely care.

The engine never feels like it’s working hard, because the 10-speed transmission rifles through its copious ratios to keep the engine in its sweet spot.

The Ranger’s approach angle is 29 degrees, the departure angle is 21 degrees, and ground clearance is 237mm. A small dial engages rear-wheel drive, 4H (high range 4×4) and 4L (low range 4×4), the former of which can be accessed on the fly and the latter in neutral.

Unusually for the class, the Ford’s rear differential lock (to mitigate freewheeling) works in 4H and 4L.

The ride quality is very smooth over logs and corrugations, the throttle isn’t too touchy or sensitive, the gearbox belies its plethora of ratios and doesn’t get confused or indecisive, the downhill braking felt ok, and hill-descent control allows you to override it with throttle while braking.

A Heavy Duty pack for the Ranger XL adds:

• Heavy-duty suspension
• 17 x 7.5-inch black steel wheels in Continental all-terrain tyres

The XLS can also be equipped with the XLS Premium pack which adds:

• Satellite navigation
• DAB+ digital radio
• Dual-zone climate control
• Proximity entry with push-button start
• Chrome grille and door handles
• Dual 4.2-inch instrument cluster screens
• Front parking sensors

Semi-automatic parking assist is optional on the XLT, FX4 and FX4 Max.

Ford is currently gearing up to change over to a new-generation Ranger, but anticipates having stock of the current model into the middle of 2022.

The Ford Ranger's tub measures 1549mm long, 1560mm wide, and 511mm tall. It measures 1139mm between the arches.

Payload varies. For 4×2 variants, it ranges between 1069kg (XLT Double Cab Pickup 3.2) and 1476kg (XL Single Cab Chassis Hi-Rider 2.2).

For 4×4 models, it’s as low as 748kg in the Raptor and 981kg in the FX4 Max, and as high as 1331kg in the XL Single Cab Chassis 3.2 manual and 1313kg with the auto.

All Rangers have a 3500kg braked towing capacity except the 4×2 XL Single Cab Chassis Low-Rider, which can tow 2500kg.

The Ford Ranger competes in Australia's hotly-contested 4x2 and 4x4 ute segments. It's aimed at people who want to lug a load, carry big things around in the tray, or tow heavy items like a boat.

Although it's still a work vehicle at heart, the Ranger is increasingly aimed at lifestyle buyers.

The Ford Ranger was comfortably Ford's best-selling car in 2021, and came second only to the Toyota HiLux in the overall sales race.

Ford sold 4293 examples of the Ranger 4x2, and 45,986 examples of the Ranger 4x4.

The Ranger is nearing the end of its life, but it's still one of the best dual-cab utes out there.

It's expensive at the top end of the range, but the Ranger strikes an excellent balance between comfort and capability.

The Ford Ranger has been developed with lots of Australian input. The Ford proving ground in the You Yangs was a crucial part of the development of the current Ranger.