FIRST DRIVE: Pickup overlord
Meet the country's first-ever million baht light truck _ the all-new Ford Ranger. And it practically hits all the right buttons
The fact that pickup trucks are no longer treated merely as workhorses has been accepted for quite some time already. This is especially true for those in four-door, double-cab style.
And Ford is really asserting this with its all-new Ranger, codenamed T6 in second-generation form. To cut to the chase, buyers with a million baht to spare for a second or third vehicle in their garage should take a good look at the Ranger. Here's why.
Of course, a pickup costing in the seven-figure price bracket may certainly sound silly to the average punter. But the Ranger is now so car-like _ or even SUV-like, if you don't mind its open cargo bed.
Just enter the Ranger, for starters. For years, pickup manufacturers have tried in vain to make double-cabs like passenger cars to sit in, particularly the Toyota with its Hilux Vigo and Mitsubishi with its Triton.
Five-pot diesel is more about refinement.
Now, Ford has raised the bar substantially in the Ranger, dubbed Crew Cab in the brand's speak. And if you take into consideration the range-topping WildTrak 4x4 version, you really can't consider it expensive at just under 1.1 million baht.
The safety features are class-leading, ranging from cabin-filled airbags and proper head restraints and three-point seatbelts for all five occupants. The active safety ones go all the way to stability and hill descent control system.
Actually, the Ranger's cabin is probably the most impressive among all of its competition. The materials used for the seats, door panels and dashboard take the game in the pickup sector to a new level.
The detailing of the WildTrak _ down to the stitching, grainy plastic surfaces and finish quality _ should easily win the hearts of million baht SUVs and cars.
The WildTrak is packed with convenience features including electric driver's seat, voice control, cruise control, Bluetooth, automatic headlights and rear-view parking camera system.
The basic double-cab package itself is a huge improvement over the previous model. Ford has apparently acknowledged the old Ranger's dreadful rear accommodation and gave the new one, once and for all, proper space and seat comfort at the back.
Rear seats get proper safety gear.
The class-leading wheelbase length of 3,220mm explains it all, which also points to a generous cargo bay that gets a bed liner and sport hoop in WildTrak form _ a good combination of form and function.
Although the Ranger's exterior looks may appear a little too evolutionary, it still feels bold enough for a rugged pickup. Cues like the front grille, side gills, mirrors and wheels have some semblance to those used in Land Rovers.
But probably the most amusing aspect potential buyers may want to know is the Ranger's new 200hp/470Nm 3.2-litre inline-five diesel-turbo and six-speed automatic transmission which, again, tops the class in numbers.
Although the Ranger doesn't feel exactly as swift as the stats on paper suggest, it definitely goes well considering all the 2.2 tonne heft it has to carry around.
Maximum shove arrives at just 1,500rpm and is available on a range wide enough to cover real-world driving with great ease. The enhanced refinement of five cylinders also makes it advantageous over all of its rivals using range-topping four-pot motors.
The sporty driving characteristics of the Ranger have been carried over, albeit with a less compromised chassis setup to ensure that double-cab buyers won't moan about cargo-hulling origins.
As a pickup, the Ranger steers effortless and neatly and has a taut and quiet ride nearly all times. However, there's still an underlying firmness in the ride that could make some people think twice _ whether they should go for the more cosseting Chevrolet Colorado, for instance.
Ride is a little firm but pays for stability.
But the Ranger is still a fine cruiser with a stable ride on smooth roads and excellent external noise suppression. Together with most of the aforementioned aspects, the Ranger is more than a quantum leap in improvement over the preceding model.
Should you save over 100,000 baht for the smaller 150hp/375Nm 2.2-litre inline-four turbo-diesel that also comes with a six-speed automatic? Sure, if you don't mind some of the outstanding features being taken out from the WildTrak 3.2.
The new 2.2-litre is a good lesson in engine-downsizing (the Tata Xenon actually did it first) and yields surprisingly ample performance. Cooler too, smaller engines are subject to lower annual registration rates (quite substantial when compared to a 3.2-litre unit).
Has the new Ranger joined the established players _ like we found out what the latest Colorado was capable of last month _ when it comes to pure product substance?
Generally speaking, the Ranger has it all. Actually, we feel Ford has come with a product that even exceeds the rest, especially in range-topping WildTrak uniform.
The Ranger is setting a new norm by becoming a highly credible alternative to those needing a lifestyle vehicle for the weekend _ and for battling floods, a more relevant issue at the moment.
Fascia is designed and screwed together well.
Ranger’s design is bold as ever.
Credit: Bangkok Post (www.bangkokpost.com)
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