Ford Ranger

Tough-as-nails pick-up has smooth 2.5-litre diesel and lots of load space

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Rating:
For : Built to last, punchy and smooth diesel, large load area
Against : Cabin not spacious, firm ride, low kit levels

The Ford Ranger is a solid pick-up that will cope with some serious off-loading while carrying a tonne of payload in the back. It's quite good looking, has a durable interior and a decent engine range. On the road it has an uncomfortable ride like rivals the Mitsubishi L200 and VW Amarok, but it is a decent, hard-working machine.

Our pick: 2.5-litre Double Cab XLT

Styling

The Ford Ranger has always been a chunky pick-up in the classic style. It's not curvy like a Mitsubishi L200 and sticks to the formula of boxy looks. A facelift in 2009 saw new headlights and taillights and the result is a more modern look.

Interior

The Ranger has a sturdy dashboard made of strong plastics and simple controls. But the VW Amarok has certainly leapt ahead with its more car-like cabin. Unfortunately, there is no height adjustment for the driver's seat and the steering wheel doesn't have reach adjustment either, so the driving position isn't as good as it should be. The worst part of the cabin is the handbrake which sticks out of the dashboard – and gets in the way of your left leg. Most buyers will go for more spacious double-cab versions and these get remote central locking, all-round electric windows and a CD stereo. However, air-con is a cost option. XLT models have it as standard, along with a CD changer. Thunder versions have leather trim and handy rear parking sensors.

Driving and Performance

If you think the Ford Ranger will be like a tougher Land Rover Discovery to drive – think again. Like all pick-ups, the ride is very bouncy as the bed at the back has stiff suspension to support heavy loads. However, the steering is light enough, even if it does require many turns of lock when manoeuvring, and the Ranger is reasonable agile on a country road. On the motorway, its brick-like aerodynamics mean there's lots of wind noise, but the Ranger is as good as a Mitsubishi L200 and Nissan Navarra to drive. The best engine is the 141bhp 2.5-litre, four-cylinder diesel which isn't as powerful as that of the Nissan Navara, but is quite punchy and smooth with lots of low-end shove for towing. We would steer clear of the flagship 3.0-litre TDCI as it doesn't offer many more benefits for the extra money. Off-road, the Ranger is a strong performer with switchable four-wheel drive and a low-range mode for hills.

MPG and running costs

As the Ford Ranger is termed a commercial vehicle, business drivers can claim VAT back and pay less benefit-in-kind tax too. That makes it much cheaper to run than a conventional large executive car. With solid mechanicals and that durable interior we wouldn't expect anything other than routine servicing either – although intervals are short at 12,500 miles – but the weight of the Ford Ranger and size means you will be lucky to get 30mpg in everyday driving.

Practicality

The best thing about the Ranger is its load carrying, not passenger carrying, abilities. There isn't much space inside, even with Double Cab versions, and you will have to shoe-horn three tall workers in the back seats as the bench is narrow and there's not much headroom. All Ranger variants have the same load bed width and height, but the length does vary. The Single Cab has the most, the Double Cab the least. Compared to rivals the Ranger beats the Nissan Navarra on space, and can carry a payload of up to 1,235kg.

Safety and reliability

If you're driving a big, sturdy pick-up, you'll instantly feel safe – but other than its size, there's not much safety equipment included. Basic cars have front airbags, while those above get side airbags as well. However, rivals like the Nissan Navarra and Mitsubishi L200 both offer curtain airbags and traction and stability control – which you cannot get on the Ranger. With its sturdy mechanicals and few electrical gadgets, the Ranger should be reliable though.