This was a gravelogue of a truly different kind. Imagine driving a couple of thousand kilometres on all sorts of road surfaces. Name it and we drove on it.
There were tarred and dusty roads which the various next-gen Rangers handled very well. Even when driving up and down mountain passes which had several rumble strips and ruts, the Ranger was able to hold its own.
Then came perhaps the most pot-holed road I have ever seen or driven on. I thought the roads in KwaZulu-Natal were bad. But there was a connecting stretch of road that had hundreds of pot-holes literally, from the small ones to the one that you can drop a fishing line into.
It was bad as it was treacherous as I picked my way at speeds as low as 10-20km per hour. Yet, the overall drive was remarkably smooth in all the next-gen Rangers we tested. Whether in a single or super-cab, single or bi-turbo or even in the in-demand Wildtrak, The Rangers stood up to the various challenges we threw at it
That said, perhaps the most satisfying part of the three-day journey was when the convoy stopped at the Adelaide Primary School in the Eastern Cape to drop off various items from JoJo Tanks, weed-eaters and other like equipment to a deserving cause. Ford lit up the eyes of many a primary school kid and the principal and the staff. A most worthy cause indeed.
Next-gen Ranger: Single and Super cabs
- First-ever Super Cab in range-topping Wildtrak guise added to the range with 154kW 2.0L Bi-Turbo diesel engine, 10-speed automatic and 4x4, extensive luxury features and Ford’s latest driver assistance technologies
- Two high-spec XLT Super Cab models on offer – 4x2 automatic with the 125kW 2.0L Single Turbo engine, and a 4x4 with the 2.0L BiT engine and Ford’s advanced 10-speed automatic
- Three Super Cab models introduced in XL trim with the economical 125kW 2.0L Single Turbo engine, manual or automatic in 4x2 guise, or six-speed automatic in 4x4
- Four XL Single Cab models are available, powered by the 2.0 SiT engine, and a choice of six-speed manual or automatic, 4x2 or 4x4
- Extensive range of XL and XLT Upgrade Packs, options and Ford-approved accessories – enabling customers to personalise vehicles according to their unique lifestyles and requirements
Interior comfort and refinement
The flexible and modern interior design is similarly taken to the next level, featuring a more upright instrument panel with its distinctive coast-to-coast design that conveys spaciousness, toughness and sense of purpose.
Comfort and refinement are the overriding themes, with the use of high-quality materials and surfaces delivering a smart and functional interior environment – whether the vehicle is used for work or leisure.
The versatile Super Cab models offer additional secure storage space behind the rear seats, which can be conveniently accessed by via the rear-hinged doors.
Tech and safety
Ford’s latest-generation Sync 4A system is standard across the next-gen Ranger line-up, including the Single Cab and Super Cab models. It is fully integrated into the 10.1 or 12-inch centre screens, providing voice-activated communications, entertainment, information and settings.
The range of connectivity options built into the next-gen Ranger is exemplary, incorporating wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as USB-A and USB-C ports on all models. A wireless charger is standard on the Wildtrak and optional on XLT models.
Two engines, three gearbox options, 4x2 and 4x4
As with the recently launched next-gen Ranger Double Cab line-up, the new additions to the range are available with updated versions of Ford’s proven 2l single turbo and bi-turbo in-line four-cylinder diesel engines.
Final word
“We are delighted to expand the range with the start of production of the practical Ranger Single Cab and spacious Super Cab models that fulfil the needs of small to medium businesses, large fleet operators, farmers and private customers,” says Doreen Mashinini, general manager for marketing at Ford South Africa.
Single Cab price
- 2.0L SiT XL 4x2 6MT - R464, 200
- 2.0L SiT XL 4x2 6AT - R477, 800
- 2.0L SiT XL 4x4 6MT - R531, 300
- 2.0L SiT XL 4x4 6AT - R545, 000
Super Cab price
- 2.0L SiT XL 4x2 6MT - R485, 400
- 2.0L SiT XL 4x2 6AT - R499, 900
- 2.0L SiT XL 4x4 6AT - R542, 900
- 2.0L SiT XLT 4x2 6AT - R547, 100
- 2.0L BiT XLT 4x4 10AT - R688, 900
- 2.0L BiT Wildtrak 4x4 10AT - R772, 800
Included in the purchase price is a four-year/120,000km warranty, four-year/unlimited distance roadside assistance and a five-year/unlimited distance corrosion warranty. The recommended service interval is 15,000km or annually. Customers have the option of purchasing service or maintenance plans for up to eight years or 165,000km.
