2024 Ford Ranger Wildtrak X assessment

What occurs once you cross a Ford Ranger Wildtrak with a Raptor? You get the Wildtrak X.

This limited-edition Ranger is designed to sit down in a Goldilocks zone, providing a extra subtle suspension setup for off-roaders than the leaf-sprung Wildtrak… with out sacrificing load-lugging and towing capability just like the Raptor does.

The observe is 30mm wider each entrance and rear than the Wildtrak, and also you get 26mm extra floor clearance straight off the bat. Eagle-eyed Ranger followers may even spot the brand new off-road grille with an built-in LED mild bar, amongst different off-road oriented bits and items.

Energy comes from a 2.0-litre engine solely, however not like the common Wildtrak this Bi-Turbo has full-time four-wheel drive that may be activated on sealed roads.

Ford claims all these modifications add as much as a ute that’s excellent for touring and towing. We obtained behind the wheel to search out out if there’s any substance to these claims.

How a lot does the Ford Ranger price?

The Wildtrak X sits between the common Wildtrak V6 and the extra luxurious Platinum V6 within the Ranger line-up, with a sticker value of $75,990 earlier than on-road prices.

That’s $7000 greater than the equal Wildtrak, given the Wildtrak X has 2.0-litre energy.

As for rivals? It’s priced in step with the associated Volkswagen Amarok Panamericana, which isn’t fairly as off-road oriented however counters with turbo V6 energy.

The range-topping Toyota HiLux GR Sport is $73,990 earlier than on-roads.

• 2024 Ford Ranger Wildtrak
  • Twin-cab pick-up, 2.0-litre bi-turbo 4×4: $68,490
  • Twin-cab pickup, 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 4WD: $72,390
• 2024 Ford Ranger Wildtrak X
  • Twin-cab pickup, 2.0-litre bi-turbo 4WD: $75,990
• 2024 Ford Ranger Platinum
  • Twin-cab pickup, 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 4WD: $78,190
• 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor
  • Twin-cab pickup, 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 4WD: $87,990

All costs exclude on-road prices. A full value checklist for all Ranger variants is out there right here.

What’s the Ford Ranger like on the within?

The place the surface of the Wildtrak X seems considerably completely different to a daily Wildtrak, the variations inside are a bit extra delicate.

You get the 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster from the Ranger Platinum and Raptor, a B&O premium sound system, and an overhead financial institution of auxiliary switches for aftermarket equipment, together with new leather-based and suede-trimmed seats.

Suede options elsewhere on the glovebox, instrument cluster hood, door trim, and centre console rails, and there’s a smattering of Wildtrak X badges available to remind you what you’re driving.

With a tilting and telescoping wheel, well-padded seats that accomodate tall drivers, and loads of storage up entrance, that is nonetheless simply the very best ute on the market in case you’re planning to spend lengthy stints on the freeway – wanting a full-sized American pickup, anyway.

As is the case within the common Wildtrak, the X has been properly elevated among the many broader vary inside. There are nonetheless some exhausting plastics that time to its business roots, however with the seat heater cranking and stereo pumping, bum sat on the suede and leather-based seats, you’re not going to really feel exhausting accomplished by.

Ford has already fiddled with the infotainment tech within the Ranger. The Wildtrak X follows the Platinum in that includes a redesigned infotainment system with cleaner icons and a format designed to be less complicated to navigate than earlier than.

The software program seems and feels fashionable, and Ford has retained some bodily buttons for frequently-used local weather capabilities, so it’s straightforward to fiddle with the temperature on the transfer.

The menu construction is logical, and the quantity of display screen actual property means key info isn’t buried. It’s doable to have your mapping, radio preferences, and local weather info on show all of sudden, for instance.

Wi-fi Apple CarPlay related flawlessly for us, though on longer journeys we used USB-C to protect battery. The marginally laggy behaviour of the pre-update system seems to have been ironed out, which is an actual optimistic.

The transfer to a 12-inch digital dashboard is a welcome one – and one that ought to unfold additional down the vary. It’s a way more polished setup than the usual unit, with neat graphics and an honest vary of choices… however nonetheless no built-in mapping.

FordPass Join is customary on the Ranger, and permits house owners to lock or unlock and remotely begin their automobile, test gas ranges, discover the automobile, activate the outside lighting, and even test the indications in your trailer are working.

It seems like Ford has actually considered easy methods to value-add with its app within the Ranger, slightly than simply translating passenger automobile expertise right into a automobile with a special set of objectives.

Space for storing across the cabin is plentiful. The central bin is deep, the door pockets have loads of room, there are two cupholders on the transmission tunnel, and the slot beneath the dashboard is large. The slot forward of the gear selector is ideal for a big McDonalds fries – no chip disaster right here.

The additional pop-up glovebox on the passenger aspect (it’s not customary range-wide) is helpful, whereas the overhead swap console on our tester (a part of the Premium Pack) is a neat method to save house owners who plan so as to add powered equipment from having to MacGyver their very own switches into the cabin.

Rear seat house is fantastic, however doesn’t really feel like a lot of a step on from what was beforehand on supply. Leg- and headroom are each acceptable, and the bench is broad sufficient that three tradies will be capable of journey on quick journeys with out desirous to kill one another afterwards.

Anybody who needs to suit a toddler seat will must be affected person, although. As is the case in most of those dual-cab utes, the very fact the highest tether level is up in opposition to the rear bulkhead makes it exhausting to connect a finicky seat anchor.

The inclusion of air vents is sweet, the very fact Ford has fitted a 12V slot however no USB ports on the rear of the transmission tunnel seems like a missed alternative.

The 12V is flexible with regards to equipment, however you’ll have to plug in a dongle to cost iPads again there.

Together with the requisite ISOFIX and top-tether baby seat factors, the Ranger contains a fold-down central armrest, damped rear seize handles, and storage bins beneath the seat bases.

Twin-cab Ranger fashions have a wider tub than earlier than, billed as adequate to flat-stow a 1200mm x 800mm pallet.

It’s easy to entry, with sturdy field steps fitted simply behind the tyres.

The counterbalanced tailgate (with mounting factors for vices and even a pre-drawn ruler) will be lifted with a finger, there are six tie-down hoops within the mattress, and the field sides have structural attachment factors for canopies pre-fitted.

This Wildtrak X borrows its intelligent rack from the Platinum. When not in use, it seems the identical because the sail airplane on some other Ranger – however it may also be slid on tracks to the rear of the tray, the place elevating one other pop-up half means that you can use it as a rack for carrying lengthy objects like kayaks together with the roof racks above the cabin.

It’s a neat answer to an issue I do know a number of dual-cab house owners face, though it’ll be fascinating to see how the rack (and particularly its sliding rails) maintain as much as a lifetime of sand, dust, rain, and solar.

What’s below the bonnet?

The Ranger Wildtrak X is obtainable solely with the 2.0-litre bi-turbo four-cylinder diesel engine which produces 150kW of energy and 500Nm of torque, mated with a 10-speed computerized transmission.

It’s the primary Ranger variant to require AdBlue in Australia.

The Wildtrak X makes use of a full-time four-wheel drive system with a 4A mode that can be utilized on pavement, as a substitute of the part-time four-wheel drive system present in all different Ranger Bi-Turbo variants.

In contrast to the off-road oriented Raptor, the Wildtrak X maintains a 3500kg towing capability and a 1082kg payload.

The gas tank holds 80 litres, and claimed gas economic system is 8.7 litres per 100km on the mixed cycle. We noticed 9.9 litres per 100km on a drive loop.

How does the Ford Ranger drive?

There’s a direct distinction between the Wildtrak X and the common Ranger on sealed roads.

Its extra off-road oriented suspension setup, mixed with the all-terrain tyres and their stiffer tread blocks, makes for a tighter journey over potholes and velocity bumps when the tray is empty. Anybody who’s pushed the most recent Raptor shall be accustomed to the sensation, which isn’t uncomfortable or unrefined – it’s simply… extra purposeful.

A lot of the expertise right here is acquainted. The steering is mild and direct within the metropolis, making what’s a giant ute straightforward to put in tight areas, and the Bi-Turbo engine is refined by the requirements of most diesel dual-cab utes.

It begins with a little bit of a clatter, however as soon as it’s heat you don’t get too many unseemly noises or truck-ish sounds behind the wheel.

Put your foot down and the four-cylinder engine packs a punch that defies its 2.0-litre displacement. Put your foot down and, because of the 10-speed computerized’s tightly spaced ratios, is never caught exterior of its torque band.

Though it may well sometimes be a bit stilted, shuffling down one, two, three gears once you catch it napping, the up to date 10-speed auto within the new Ranger is extra decisive than earlier than, which pays dividends once you’re towing – particularly in Tow/Haul mode.

The graceful idle begin/cease system makes a distinction within the metropolis, though loads of house owners will little question flip it off instantly.

The additional peak and width of the Wildtrak X relative to a standard Wildtrak doesn’t make all that a lot of a distinction in every day driving, which means it’s nonetheless a reasonably straightforward ute to pilot in tight carparks or metropolis streets. It’s one of many best utes to pilot on the town, and the electrical energy steering system feels extra direct than earlier than.

Within the outdated mannequin you wanted to twirl, twirl, and twirl the wheel some extra at low speeds; the brand new mannequin requires smaller inputs.

At greater speeds, the place Ford expects the Wildtrak X to spend a bit of its time, the broader observe and extra touring-focused suspension makes it really feel extra surefooted and not using a load on board.

Over the kind of crests and dips which have the usual automobile feeling a bit bouncy, the X does a greater job controlling its weight. A typical criticism of dual-cab utes is the they will’t conceal their business roots on tough roads; though the Wildtrak X isn’t fairly an SUV with a tray it does really feel properly settled by ute requirements.

Usually, swapping road-oriented freeway terrain tyres for knobblier rubber aimed toward off-roading brings a few vital enhance in street noise – however the X stays a quiet, composed cruiser.

Ford’s energetic driver assists are a number of the finest within the enterprise. The lane-keeping help retains you between the white strains on the freeway and holds the automobile properly in its lane in tough circumstances, whereas the adaptive cruise management neatly maintains a niche to the automobile in entrance.

They make this a simple automobile wherein to cowl lengthy distances, whereas the blind-spot monitoring system that may account for a trailer shall be welcome for anybody who’s coming to grips with an enormous caravan.

We’d counsel anybody shopping for a Wildtrak X shall be serious about off-roading, however even in case you’re a primary timer the Ranger’s off-road expertise is simple to strategy.

Any inputs to the off-road dials on the transmission tunnel convey clear, brilliant animations on the instrument cluster or central display screen to maintain much less skilled drivers abreast of what’s taking place, and the four-wheel drive system switches modes rapidly.

Hill descent management retains an iron grip in your momentum and doesn’t grind or crunch like older methods, and the surround-view digicam means that you can depart the entrance digicam on when you’re off-roading, and presents a high-resolution view of the path forward that includes pointers.

What do you get?

Gear distinctive to the Wildtrak X consists of:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Normal Grabber AT3 all-terrain tyres
• Bilstein position-sensitive dampers with nitrogen-charged exterior reservoir
• Off-road grille with built-in LED lights
• Metal bash plate
• Solid aluminium aspect steps
• Black exterior highlights
• Wildtrak X badging
• Matrix LED headlights
• Versatile Rack System
• 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster
• B&O premium sound system
• Overhead auxiliary swap financial institution
• Leather-based-accented upholstery with Miko suede
• Terra suede dashboard
• Path Flip Help
• Path Management

That’s atop the next gear, which is customary on the Wildtrak:

• 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster
• 10.1-inch Sync4 portrait touchscreen infotainment system
• 18-inch Boulder Gray alloy wheels
• 18-inch Boulder Gray alloy spare wheel
• Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tyres
• Distinctive Wildtrak sports activities bar
• Energy tub curler shutter
• Cargo administration system
• Distinctive Wildtrak entrance grille with mesh sample and Boulder Gray accents
• Exterior aspect mirrors with puddle lamps and zone lighting
• Roof rails
• Aluminium load field tie down rails
• 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Inside ambient lighting
• Pull-out dash-mounted cupholders
• Distinctive Wildtrak leather-based accented upholstery
• Heated entrance seats
• Eight-way electrically adjustable entrance seats
• Encompass-view digicam
• Automated parking help

• Twin-zone local weather management
• Satellite tv for pc navigation
• Voice assistant
• Built-in trailer brake controller
• Leather-based-wrapped steering wheel
• Keyless entry with push-button begin
• Electrochromatic mirror
• Rain-sensing window wipers
• Adaptive cruise management with lane-centring and cease/go

Is the Ford Ranger secure?

The Ford Ranger has a five-star ANCAP security ranking primarily based on testing carried out in 2022.

Class scores included 84 per cent for grownup occupant safety, 93 per cent for baby occupant safety, 74 per cent for susceptible street consumer safety, and 83 per cent for security help.

The 2024 Ford Ranger line-up comes customary with the next security gear:

• 9 airbags
  • incl. driver, passenger knee airbags
  • incl. front-centre airbag
• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
  • Automotive, Pedestrian, Bike owner detection
  • Junction help
• Adaptive cruise management
• Blind-spot help
• Rear cross-traffic alert (Decide-up)
• Lane departure warning
• Lane maintain help
• Highway edge detection
• Reversing digicam (Decide-up)
• Rear parking sensors (Decide-up)
• Trailer Protection (with elective Tow Pack)

Ranger XLT provides:

• Adaptive cruise management incl. cease/go
• Blind-spot monitoring incl. Trailer Protection
• Lane centring help
• Visitors signal recognition
• Tyre strain monitoring

The elective Touring Pack provides a surround-view digicam, whereas stepping as much as the Wildtrak and above provides the Energetic Park Help 2.0 system.

How a lot does the Ford Ranger price to run?

The Ranger is roofed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee, just like the broader Ford vary.

Logbook servicing is required each 12 months or 15,000 kilometres – whichever comes first.

The primary 4 visits are capped at $329, which equals $1316 for 4 years or 60,000km of upkeep.

CarExpert’s Take

The Ranger stays the category chief within the dual-cab ute world – at this level, Ford is simply filling within the niches.

The brand new Ranger Platinum is a extra luxurious tackle the dual-cab ute, whereas the Wildtrak X on check right here is aimed on the kind of one who’d instantly take their Wildtrak to ARB and improve the suspension, carrying methods, and lighting.

Based mostly on that temporary, the Wildtrak X is a winner. Ford has picked its upgrades properly, and the value appears proper. It’s not related to how the automobile performs, however Cyber Orange can be a winner – it’s a surprising color in particular person.

Beware although, the Wildtrak X isn’t for everybody. Its adventure-focused upgrades make for a firmer journey within the metropolis, the place we all know loads of house owners spend most of their time.

We’d argue these punters can be higher served saving their cash and choosing the common Wildtrak, or perhaps a Sport V6.

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