2022 FORD RANGER SPORT

Written by DriveLife

When DriveLife went to the launch of the next-gen Ford Ranger, we came away impressed. In fact, we came away in the new Ranger V6 Sport. Leaving the launch in Haumoana, we hit the road south to Wellington with a few detours on the way.

While the 2022 Ford Ranger impressed us offroad, what would it be like on a long trip, with an empty tray? Can we Daily Drive it as well as the outgoing model?

Come with us as we spend a week and 1,500Km in the all-new #NextGen Ford Ranger Sport V6.

What we like

• Engine smoothness • Ride quality on and off-road • Design • Fit for purpose • Adaptive cruise control/ • speed limiter functionality • Transmission • Centre screen resolution • Engine performance, • torque • Fuel economy • Handling, for a UTE • Braking feel and • performance • Brake auto-hold • functionality • E-Shifter • Safety alerts • Seat comfort • Audio quality

What we don’t like

• Narrow reversing camera view • Headlight performance

What’s In The 2022 Ford Ranger Range?

New Zealand will see three engine options, and two transmission options. At the base end is a single-turbo 2.0-litre diesel that puts out 125kW of power and 405Nm of torque from 1,7502,500rpm. That engine is mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

Next up is a bi-turbo 2.0-litre managing 154kW and 500Nm from 1,750-2,000rpm. Both 2.0-litre motors are 4-cylinder.

The all-new engine is the single-turbo, 3.0-litre V6 diesel. It has an output of 184kW and 600Nm of torque between 1,750 and 2,250rpm. Both the bi-turbo and V6 have a 10-speed automatic gearbox.

The next-gen Ranger is built in 6 plants around the world, but New Zealand’s models will be built in Thailand.

There’s far too many models to list the features of here; if you want to see it all head to www.drivelife.co.nz

First Impressions Of The 2022 Ford Ranger Sport

For me, my first impressions were at the launch of the next-gen Ranger. In the flesh, it feels bigger than the previous model and while it still maintains that Ranger look, a lot has changed. The front end is probably the most dramatic, with a blunt and tall front end compared to the smooth, almost laid-back look of the previous model. It looks like a baby F150, and that’s from all sides.

But it’s not baby in size. More imposing, but also – in my view - better looking. That’s probably down to that front end, with its large “C clamp” daytime running lights, curving around the headlights. They look pretty cool, I’ve got to say.

There’s been a lot of design changes for the new Ranger, not just at the front. At the rear, the taillights are all-new, and the tailgate has come in for a big change (more further on). On the side, the functional air vents are still on the front guards. Our Sport model had a “V6” mounted on it. I wish the V6 was in silver or chrome, but it’s black so looks a little lost on the black vent. In some Ford photos the V6 is chromed, so perhaps that was just our test car. There are also some sprung covers on the top of the tailgate, which you can use to insert a G clamp to hold your timber in place while you cut/drill it. It’s simple, and brilliant. Being a work truck, there are also a couple of cup holders on the tailgate for your keep-cups.

What’s The Interior Like In The 2022 Ford Ranger Sport?

Along with the exterior, the interior has undergone huge changes. It looks more luxurious, at a first glance that’s probably down to that large centre screen.

But it still looks like a work truck in many ways, with hard black plastic panels where they’re needed, and rubber mats proudly adorning the floor. As mentioned, our test car had been used for the launch of the Ranger and much of that launch – most of it, actually – was offroad, so apologies for the mud in the photos. It’s going to take more than a quick vacuum to tidy this Ranger up.

Rear legroom is about the same as the last model, so it’s pretty good in the front, and better in the rear. Headroom seems to be the same too, and there’s plenty for those who are not heightchallenged. At each end of the dash are some pop-out coffee cup holders, along with two more on the centre console, and two drink bottle holders in each door.

Around the back, Ford has put thought into this ute’s employment. There is a measuring ‘tape’ across the back of the tailgate, so if you’ve forgotten your tape measure and need to cut that 4x2 on the tailgate, don’t worry about it. The cargo box itself is wider than before, has external tie-downs and a plastic boxtop and tailgate is standard.

There are internal rails in the cargo area with adjustable cleats to secure your load. Lighting for the cargo area has moved to under the lip of the tray.

What’s The 2022 Ford Ranger Sport Like To Drive?

On the launch, we spent most of our driving time offroad, so it was hard to judge what this ute would be like on the open road, or as a Daily Driver. I was aiming to do over 1,000Km in the nextgen Ranger, so would definitely be testing it out as much as I could. In February of this year, I spent 1,600Km in a bi-turbo Wildtrak as part of our Project V8 series, so both the driveability and fuel consumption could be compared at the end of this trip.

The 10.1” screen in the Sport model is crisp and clear, bordering on the level of a Tesla. It’s a full portrait screen which is great for height, but it does mean that your reversing camera has a very narrow view.

The first part of my trip back to Wellington would be to Tirau, over 250Km away. The Ranger Sport and I hit the road north to Napier, then headed across SH5 towards Taupo. While that V6 diesel impressed me offroad, it impressed me even more on road. It’s so incredibly smooth and quiet, you’d swear it was a petrol V6. Even at idle on the outside, it sounds like a petrol V6.

The delivery of power is linear, and since it has 600Nm of torque performance is effortless. Yes, I was running an empty ute, but you can feel the potential of this engine at all times. At 80Km/h (the limit on SH5), the engine is almost silent. At 100km/h, there’s no engine noise, tyre and road noise is negligible but there is a little wind noise from the top of the door frames. It’s a bold thing to say, but I stand behind it: The next-gen Ranger has lifted the bar for refinement across the entire ute sector.

The 10-speed automatic has also had an upgrade, and is still excellent. Changes are almost seamless, putting a nail in the coffin of a constantly variable transmission (CVT). There’s no hunting up and down the ‘box as you think there might be, and unless you floor the throttle, there’s no way of knowing the truck has changed gear. It’s a brilliant transmission, and an excellent match for the engine. The new model has a Tow/Haul mode that will adjust the transmission’s changes to suit the load, or delivers the right amount of engine braking down a hill, among other things. Braked towing capacity is 3,500Kg, same as the outgoing model.

Once it started raining, I stuck the Ranger Sport into 4A mode. The next-gen Ranger can now do four-wheel-drive on tarmac, using clutch packs in the centre diff to stop the front or rear diff from binding up. It works beautifully, although I couldn’t actually feel that the car was now in 4WD, since it does so well in 2WD.

The next day, four of us headed back to Tirau for the day. Even four up, performance remained about the same, with my passengers surprised at the engine’s refinement. Honestly, this new V6 is outstanding in all respects. I think if you went and drove the new-andimproved bi-turbo you’d be impressed. But then you’d test out the V6 and it’s all over. It’s a world apart from the bi-turbo 2.0-litre.

On the return trip to Wellington, I decided to head up to Tukino Ski Field to get some photos. Those who familiar with the ‘road’ up to Tukino will know this is no easy forestry track. It’s relatively gnarly, with some steep, rocky gradients to climb. Add to that impending snow and slush, and this should be a reasonable test of the next-gen Ranger’s capacity off the tarmac.

The first part of this track is not too hard, and I managed to cruise along at 70km/h at a few points, the Ranger’s suspension soaking up the bumps in the track. I’m going to call it now: the new Ranger is leading the entire class when it comes to ride quality off-road. I know we mentioned this in the launch article, but that was on fairly easy tracks. The Tukino ‘road’ is infinitely more of a test than the tracks we went on, on the launch.

Back to Tukino, and the Ranger simply cruised along, even up the first decent uphill section that’s littered with rocks. Then I got to the slushy snow. I cruised along without the diff lock on, leaving the car in 4H and it just got on with it, with no dramas, no stopping and backing up of any sort. The knob on the centre console has buttons for selecting your drivetrain mode; 2H, 4A, 4H, or 4L. You can shift on the fly between 2H, 4A and 4H, but if you want to go into or out of 4L, you’ll need to stop and engage Neutral first. 4A (automatic) continuously distributes power between the front and rear axles.

On the way to the ski lodges, I passed 3 SUVs and utes from other brands, all putting on chains. In a few places the rear end started to get a bit loose, so it was diff lock on, and the car stayed straight all the way to the top.

Getting to the top off the track and the ski lodges, a snowstorm of sorts hit putting an end to ideas of photos at the top. After a coffee, we started the trek back down the hill - going past a certain ute (with a model name starting with a H) that was stuck, and busy putting chains on.

This next-gen Ranger is now fitted with rear disc brakes, and it really makes a difference. I didn’t think the ‘old’ drum rear brakes were bad, but the new setup invokes confidence, and the pedal feel is surprisingly good. Coach stops are a doddle, and the overall braking performance is excellent. Note that disc brakes are only fitted to models XLT and above. The new Ranger does have an integrated electric brake controller (at last!) and I can see this being appreciated by many people who tow caravans and other heavy trailers.

Back on SH1 and heading south, time to take in some good, great, and no so great points of the next-gen Ranger. I love that when using adaptive cruise control it’s a one-touch affair; just hit the button and it’s set. Not only that, but as you pass a speed limit sign, adaptive cruise will adjust your speed automatically up or

down to suit the new speed limit. Brilliant, and it works seamlessly. It’s not jerky at all; say you are doing 100km/h and then pass an 80km/h sign, the truck will not hit the brakes hard, but will instead slow down gradually. This is good for a smooth ride, but it does mean you are exceeding the limit for the amount of time it takes for the Ranger to slow down, so keep that in mind.

The headlights on the Sport model are LED and they are adequate, but lack depth in the black of night. There is a thumbwheel on the right-hand side of the steering wheel for adjusting the headlights, but even all the way up they don’t cut deep enough.

Integrated SYNC 4A features such as trailer connection checklist & Trailer Light Check simplifies the task of connecting your trailer by no longer having to rely on another person to act as a spotter, or for the driver to have to get out of the vehicle. If you are on your own and hooking up a trailer, this could be a real boon.

Ford has introduced an ‘E-Shift’ transmission lever in this next-gen model. Extensive customer consultation indicated that drivers did not want a rotary dial. So Ford compromised; it’s not a standard gear lever, but uses less space than one and is pretty easy to use. Manual mode is engaged by hitting the M button on the right-hand side of the shifter, then using the +/- buttons next to the M button. One thing I missed in the Sport model is heated seats. You have to go to the topspec Wildtrak to get them, which is a shame. In our recent winter temperatures, they would have been very handy. Yet another reason to go for the V6 Wildtrak? Yes.

One small thing that wasn’t so great on our test car was some drivetrain vibration between 70-90km/h. It wasn’t bad, but I could feel it through the seat, regardless if the truck was in 2WD or 4WD. This could have been specific to our test Ranger, though.

After using this Ranger for a week and covering 1,500Km of varying roads and conditions, my fuel consumption worked out at 8.9L/100Km. If you’re used to a hybrid, this will seem high, but put it in perspective; when we tested the 2.0-litre bi-turbo Ranger out in February, that returned 10.1L/100Km on a long trip, before we hitched the trailer up. So this 50% bigger engine with 50% more cylinders – and smoothness – is more economical than the 2-litre.

SUMMARY

I’ve used the word ‘excellent’ a lot of times in this review, with good reason: the nextgen 2022 Ford Ranger Sport is excellent. As you’ve read, the 2022 Ranger is not just more economical; the new model has leapt ahead in overall refinement and sheer drivability, and the changes Ford has made only enhances its capability as a Daily Driver, so much more so than the outgoing model.

If you’ve got your heart set on saving some cash and going for the 2.0-litre biturbo, go for it, but a word of warning: do not drive the V6, otherwise you will want one. Yes, the Clean Car Fee will sock it to you over the bi-turbo, but simply drive one and you’ll see it’s worth it.

2022 SUBARU WRX GT TS WAGON

DRIVER TECH 8

ECONOMY 9

HANDLING 8

INFOTAINMENT 8

INTERIOR 8

PERFORMANCE 8

RIDE 9

SAFETY 9

STYLING 9

VALUE 6