The next-generation 2022 Ford Ranger ute has been confirmed for a global reveal on November 24, 2021.
The reveal will be streamed live on the Ford Facebook and YouTube pages.
Up until this point there have been multiple spy photos and official teaser shots of the upcoming 2022 Ranger, but all the prototypes have been camouflaged.
Ford has yet to officially confirm technical specifications, but has discussed the durability testing it’s conducted on the next-generation ute.
The latest Ranger development video uploaded by Ford shows the vehicle as a clay model and as digital renderings.
During the design process, Ford conducted more than 5000 interviews and worked with hundreds of ute owners, in dozens of workshops around the world to find out how owners used their utes, what they liked, and what they wished their utes had.
“We took influence from our Ford global portfolio but also tr[ied] to push the visual language of the truck so it feel[s] contemporary and advanced when it hits the road,” said Max Tran, Ranger chief designer.
The company also asked interviewees what experiences mattered the most to them, which hints at Ford gearing the next-generation Ranger as being not only a workhorse but also an adventure-loving recreational vehicle like the Bronco.
“With a rugged new Built Ford Tough look, and a host of new features that boost productivity, capability and versatility, the next-generation Ranger is designed to go more places, work harder and offer more comfort and refinement than ever before,” says the company.
A truly global vehicle, the 2022 Ranger will be sold in more than 180 markets with 10,000km of desert testing conducted by Ford.
The company says that this is equivalent to 1.25 million kilometres of customer driving and 625,000km of off-road durability testing at maximum load capacity.
Although it isn’t shown, it’s a given that the Ranger-based Everest SUV has been subjected to the same design process and durability testing as the Ranger, with it expected to launch just around the same time as the Ranger.
According to CarExpert reports, the next-generation Ford Ranger and Everest will be available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
It’s unlikely to be available at launch in Australia, but the Ranger is expected to be offered with a 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) system.
The Ranger and Everest PHEV’s powertrain will produce around 270kW of power and 680Nm of torque, and is expected to offer a combined fuel economy of 3.0L/100km.
Our understanding is the plug-in hybrid engine is yet to be used in any Ford products globally.
Currently, the Explorer PHEV uses a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 with an electric motor, while the Escape PHEV uses a smaller 2.5-litre four-cylinder in combination with an electric motor.
The Ranger and Everest are expected to launch with an overhauled engine range.
Entry-level models are expected to use the current 2.0-litre bi-turbo four-cylinder diesel engine, while a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 engine will be available in high-end variants.
A 2.7-litre EcoBoost petrol engine is also likely to feature in the Ranger Raptor.
Revealed in 2020, the Bronco is currently available with an optional second-generation Nano 2.7-litre EcoBoost turbocharged V6 engine.
CarExpert expects the same engine to feature in the next-generation Ranger Raptor.
It outputs 231kW and 540Nm, mated with a 10-speed automatic transmission and full-time all-wheel drive.
That’s a jump of 74kW and 40Nm on what’s offered by the current Ranger Raptor.
Inside, the Ranger is expected to be offered with a portrait-oriented 15.5-inch infotainment screen in the centre of the cabin, packing wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
It’ll be joined by a 12-inch screen ahead of the driver showing speed and trip computer information.
While the vertical screen is likely to be limited to top-spec models, lower models in the range are expected to pick up a 12-inch infotainment screen that also features SYNC4 and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
In addition to wireless smartphone mirroring, both the Ranger and Everest will launch with FordPass Connect, which allows owners to connect to their vehicle remotely to start it, monitor vehicle conditions and perform functions such as locking and unlocking.
Our spy photos and footage suggest that Ford will also offer a surround-view camera for the first time in the Ranger and Everest, with semi-autonomous parking with front and rear parking sensors expected to remain to complement the parking package.
What we know about the 2022 Ford Ranger and Ford Everest
- Four engines will be offered: two diesels, one petrol and a petrol plug-in hybrid
- The 3.2-litre five-cylinder diesel engine will be discontinued
- The Everest will be available in six trim levels, including an off-road focused Wildtrak X variant
- Everest pricing will stretch from around $50,000 before on-road costs to $76,000 before on-road costs
- The Ranger Raptor will gain a V6 turbo-diesel engine or 2.7-litre six-cylinder turbocharged petrol to replace its twin-turbocharged 2.0-litre diesel
- Our computer generated images are based on a final clay model of the Ranger and Everest
- The interior on high-spec models will get a 15.5-inch portrait infotainment screen and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with Ford’s Sync 4 infotainment system
MORE: Everything Ford Ranger
