Ford has lifted the veils off its facelifted Ranger pickup, which has received a new front end, refreshed interior, upgraded engines and new technologies.
Available in 180 markets worldwide (not the United States, though), the facelifted Ford Ranger’s new look face is now similar to that of the Everest SUV, featuring sleeker headlights, a larger trapezoidal grille and a more muscular hood than before.
Ford says the interior has also been made more car-like, with upgrades including an 8-inch touchscreen and a new dual-TFT instrument cluster behind the steering wheel which displays information about the vehicle.
Moving on to the mechanical stuff, Ford has fine-tuned the Ranger’s suspension for additional comfort and better handling, while also adding an electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) system, which is said to make steering more accurate at higher speeds as well as light for low-speed maneuvers. EPAS does not need a power steering pump, which results in a quieter vehicle and improves fuel efficiency by about three percent.
As for the engines, the Ranger features an updated lineup of four units mated to either a six-speed automatic or manual transmission. There are three diesels, spearheaded by the 3.2-liter Duratorq five-cylinder TDCi which gets an updated exhaust gas recirculation system help to boost fuel efficiency by up to 18 percent. The engine produces 197hp (200PS) and 470Nm (347lb-ft) of torque.
There’s also the latest generation of Ford’s 2.2-liter Duratorq four-cylinder TDCi which is offered in two states of tune, depending on the market: 129hp (130PS) and 158hp (160PS). The former variant is 22 percent more economical than before. Finally, the Ranger is also offered with a 2.5-liter Duratec petrol engine rated at 164hp (166PS) and 225Nm (166lb-ft) of torque.
Standard and available technologies include Sync 2 (the latest generation of Ford’s in-car connectivity system), Lane Keeping Alert and Lane Keeping Aid, Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Alert, Front and Rear Park Assist, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Electronic Stability Program and more.
The facelifted Ford Ranger will continue to be produced in Thailand for Asia Pacific markets, South Africa for African and European markets and Argentina for Latin American markets.