Ford Ranger PHEV review — plug into the pick-up revolution
T he world of cars has become stupidly complicated. Every niche seems to have been filled, and some vehicle types seem to have been shoehorned in between two traditional categories for no obvious reason. Think of the coupé SUV, for example: hulking great vehicles taking up the same amount of space as a small house but with the back sliced off in a vain attempt to improve the looks and aerodynamics. In reality it does little to either, but does have the effect of reducing the car's potential for carrying luggage. Better to have two cars: a gorgeous lightweight sports car for fun and a small van or estate for load-lugging. Perhaps a 4×4 for those adventurous families who like to get off the beaten track at the weekend.
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Better still is one vehicle that can do it all. A pick-up truck, for example. Some see these types of vehicle as the automotive equivalent of a mullet, except instead of being 'business at the front, party at the back' a pick-up is business during the week and party at the weekend. With a double cab (five-seat) version, small business owners can throw their tools in the load bed, collect colleagues on the way to a worksite and treat it roughly from Monday to Friday, then head to the beach with the family on Saturday and go mountain biking on Sunday. A four-wheel drive model adds go-anywhere flexibility.
Ford has added a PHEV version to the Ranger, which is the bestselling vehicle in its class in the UK and across Europe
Which sounds appealing, but which to go for? Of the many pick-up options out there — Toyota Hilux; VW Amarok; Isuzu D-Max; KGM Musso — the Ford Ranger is the one most buyers gravitate towards. It's the bestselling vehicle in its class in the UK and across Europe, while in Australia they love Ford's 'ute' so much that it outsells every other vehicle full stop. Fair dinkum.
And now there's a new version that Ford reckons is going to further its appeal: the Ranger PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle). This combines a 2.3-litre Ford Ecoboost petrol engine — proven in Rangers outside Europe and found in the UK under the bonnet of non-V8 Mustangs — with a 75kW electric motor and a lithium ion battery, which can be charged up by plugging into a power socket or by the petrol engine during use.
Why? Well, there are a number of claimed advantages for the owner, which we'll come on to. But it surely can't have escaped your attention that car makers are being made to reduce the overall CO₂ output of their combustion vehicles while also increasing the proportion of fully electric options for consumers. And going plug-in hybrid means Ford can continue selling the Ranger until 2035, five years after sales of new cars powered by more traditional petrol and diesel engines are banned.
The Ford Ranger PHEV can tow up to 3.5 tonnes
Not that Ford mentioned any of that on the vehicle launch, of course. Instead we were simply told about how, in developing the Ranger PHEV, the engineers wanted zero compromises compared with the existing powertrains, and that, in fact, the PHEV outperforms the rest of the Ranger stable in almost every regard.
To look at, it's business as usual. Same length, same wheelbase, same ground clearance and overhangs as the other Ranger double cabs (you can't get the PHEV in single cab configuration). There's a small reduction in load-bed capacity, as the 11.8kWh battery pack sits under the floor, raising it by 20mm. But you barely notice, and the Ranger PHEV has all the same capabilities as the diesel Ranger — a payload of up to one tonne (and resulting business tax breaks); the ability to tow up to 3.5 tonnes; and four-wheel drive with a low-range gearbox.
Inside the Wildtrak version I tested, there's a pleasing mix of digital screens and proper buttons (actual dials for the temperature and volume controls!), with a reassuringly chunky drive select lever and more physical controls for the drive modes and off-road settings.
The cockpit is well organised, and the digital display features a 12in vertical touchscreen
We'll knock marks off for a slightly low-rent rotary dial for those drive modes (Normal; Eco; Sport; Tow; Slippery; Mud/Ruts; Sand), which had a distinctly bargain bin squeak when you turned it, but it did function properly, and the multiple camera views and 4×4 info available on the touchscreen was top notch.
While some of the controls might not be 'premium' in feel, there's a high level of sophistication to the ride of the Ranger PHEV. Out on the road, it feels more like a car than a commercial vehicle, with accurate steering and suspension that is pliant over bumps but not overly rolly in corners. Ford has always had a knack for this stuff, and it makes the Ranger amazingly adaptable — capable of handling pretty tricky off-road terrain, potholes and road humps, while also being pleasing to steer on silky-smooth asphalt.
There's a reassuringly chunky drive select lever and more physical controls for the drive modes and off-road settings
The drivetrain is smooth, too, despite having two power sources, four wheels to send that power to, and eight gears to send it through. Hybrids are nothing new, it's true, but this is a particularly sophisticated set-up, despite the Ranger's workhorse roots, and the way the car switches between electric and petrol is almost seamless. You barely even perceive the engine and gear changes most of the time, so creamy is the management of it all.
The new Ranger's seats are plush and comfy, and the vehicle is perfect for taking the family out at the weekend
Ford told us at the press briefing that Ranger customers are small business owners who like to balance work with play, using their vehicle for jobs during the day and then for taking the family out over the weekend. Well, the engineers nailed it, because it's a beast on the rough stuff (we tried it out off-road in Iceland), with a tough chassis and hard-wearing materials inside, yet the seats are plush and comfy and the refinement in the cabin is SUV-like. That includes hushed noise from the tyres, wind and engine. There was even a Bang & Olufsen sound system in our bright orange Wildtrak test car.
Obviously the ability to run without pumping out exhaust emissions for up to 27 miles could be an advantage if you need to access a zero emission zone. But perhaps more useful for owners is the fact that the electric motor results in more torque (twisting force) than even the diesel models produce. That's not only about bragging rights on a building site; it genuinely makes a difference when it comes to negotiating tricky terrain while fully loaded, or towing heavy trailers.
The load bed can be divided to facilitate careful packing
There's some very clever tech associated with the towing abilities, too, with smart regenerative braking that senses the weight of the payload and helps to control speed while also recouping armfuls of energy to the high voltage battery. It can then deploy that on the next uphill section of road.
Even cleverer — and we got a demonstration of this — is what Ford calls Pro Trailer Backup Assist, which automatically steers trailers of all sizes into spaces behind; you don't touch the steering wheel, and instead simply use the pedals and direct the trailer left or right by twisting the drive mode dial on the centre console. Even Clarkson could back up a trailer accurately with this tech.
Perhaps the biggest selling point, though, is the ability to power electrical devices directly from the vehicle, using the high voltage battery pack. There's a 2.3kW system that Ford says is ideal for 'powering weekend trips to the trails' and can comfortably charge 'multiple e-mountain bikes and a portable fridge', or a more powerful 6.9kW system designed for heavy-duty equipment and work tools. The higher power on comes with two 15A outlets in the load box that have the capacity to power a compact cement mixer, angle grinder and flood lights simultaneously. There's no danger of running out of juice, either, as you can run the engine as a generator, if required.
The 6.9kW Pro Power system is enough to run a compact cement mixer and angle grinder at the same time
WILL DRON (TIMES MEDIA)
There's more, because Ford claims the plug-in hybrid powertrain could save you money. In a purely dreamt-up scenario, the company said a German owner could save €850 (£726) a year versus the 3-litre V6 diesel Ranger, although that does come with caveats: charging off-peak every day and having a commute of 80km, for example.
A UK business owner will have to do their sums, but it probably won't take long: that 3-litre V6 is actually more expensive up front, at £49,291 before tax in Wildtrak trim, while the Ranger PHEV in the same spec costs £46,241. The diesel also has less power, less torque, is slower to 62mph, and uses more fuel while creating significantly more CO₂ (officially). It's a no-brainer, mate.
The new Ford Ranger PHEV is a great all-rounder
But beyond the numbers is something less quantifiable. What Ford has created here, whether as a cynical future-proofing exercise or not, is a sensational all-rounder. More rugged than any vehicle you're likely to need, more practical than most cars, and more versatile too. If you could only buy one vehicle to do everything, it would be this. In other words it's the antithesis of the niche-within-a-niche cars being snapped up by people with more money than sense, which don't seem to have a point at all.
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