RV FEATURE
The Ranger is one of the best towing platforms in its class .
FORD RANGER WILDTRAK 2.0 BI-TURBO
The Ford Ranger ’ s updates for the ‘ 2020.75 ’
model are fairly minor , incorporating a phone app for remote start and unlocking / lock amongst other features .
Yet this is a vehicle that Ford has continually updated every year of the nine it has been on the market , and it ’ s still the best one-tonne ute for towing .
Compared with the best turbodiesels fitted to passenger cars , the 2L bi-turbo is not particularly refined , but for a ute it seems silken smooth .
This is an engine that spins up quickly , with not much turbo lag at all , and the 10-speed auto is smooth and the sheer number of ratios allow the engine to be at the right revs at the right time for all occasions , from outright performance , touring economy and engine braking downhill .
The Ranger ’ s 2L bi-turbo achieves around 18L / 100km when towing a heavy ( 3000kg-plus ) van , a reasonable figure that in back-to-back testing just pips the Ranger ’ s 3.2L version .
Like most utes in this segment , the Ranger can ’ t tow 3500kg while carrying its maximum payload . You would have to lose 700kg in the vehicle and / or van to avoid exceeding the 6000kg GCM .
However , the Ranger ’ s towing stability is excellent , with only some nose pitching with some vans . Ride comfort with or without a van behind is much better than any other ute on the market , except perhaps for the Volkswagen Amarok .
FORD RANGER WILDTRAK 2.0 BI-TURBO QUICK SPECS
Price : $ 65,790 ( plus on-road costs ) Engine : 2L four-cylinder bi-turbodiesel Output : 157kW / 500Nm Transmission : 10-speed automatic Towing capacity / TBM : 3500kg / 350kg Kerb weight : 2197kg GVM : 3200kg GCM : 6000kg
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