Rough-riding in the city on a Ford Ranger

If there is one thing that I have noticed while stuck in traffic on EDSA — it’s that there are now more pickups on the roads. What with the floods that come at a moment’s notice after a heavy downpour for an hour — a pickup might be just the vehicle to get one home safely.

A friend recently told me that pickups are becoming more and more for city driving. “They are built with the comfort one finds in SUVs,” said John. “This might be because more and more people are using the pickups for city driving here in Metro Manila.”

Makes sense.

Enter Ford Ranger

I was able to get into the cockpit of a Ford Ranger recently and I was pleasantly surprised with how easy it was to drive this pickup as it is loaded with an array of smart technologies.

“We continue to set a new benchmark in the pickup truck segment with an uncompromised toughness and a blend of robust capability, craftsmanship and advanced technology for our tough and smart new Ranger,” said Kay Hart, managing director, Ford Philippines. “Our tough new Ranger has gone smarter, introducing class-leading and segment first advanced technologies that customers are used to seeing in a traditional SUV, but now made available in our truck.”

In the cockpit of the Ranger, I got to check out the SYNC 2, the latest generation of Ford’s in-car connectivity system. The system allowed me to stay in control of the road ahead, while staying connected to the outside world.

I was able to handle the Ranger’s climate controls, entertainment system and navigation system easily. Plus, the eight-inch touchscreen was within reach with its color-coded corners making it easy for me to navigate through the menu.

Of course, it is a must nowadays to be in a vehicle that has a power socket — and the Ranger is equipped with a 230-volt power socket that can be used to power a cell phone, laptop or tablet computer. That is heaven sent when one is stuck for four to five hours in traffic.

Hit The Road

It was time to get going so I hopped onto the driver’s seat of the Ranger and took a drive — one stormy day — up and down EDSA. I started in Pasig and headed for Caloocan, made a U-Turn and then headed towards Magallanes.  A drive that took me almost a whole day to complete.

I wanted to get stuck in traffic, see how the Ranger responded to floody streets and then find out if I could stay cool — in spite of or perhaps even because of all the driving through traffic I did that day.

In the cockpit, I was entertained by the Lane Keeping Alert and Lane Keeping Aid, which prevented me from unintentionally drifting out of lane when driving at high speeds — which I was only able to do early in the morning that day.

It was kinda cool to get a warning from Lane Keeping Alert through a vibration in the steering wheel if a vehicle was coming a little too close for comfort.   

The other features like the Adaptive Cruise Control, which can be preset, detects a vehicle ahead, it decelerates automatically to maintain a safe distance. It accelerates back to the driver’s preset cruising speed when the road ahead clears. Cool, right?

I had reached one of the bigger malls in the north and stopped for a snack.

Oh, no parking, I thought to myself.

But with the front and rear park assist sensors that detect obstacles and provide audible warnings, I was in good hands.  I was able to park the Ranger without a hitch.  Of course, the rear-view camera gave me a clear view behind the vehicle — so no wall was harmed when I backed into the parking slot.

Comfort within: The cockpit of the Ford Ranger

Look Outside

As I sat in the cockpit munching on my snack, I gave the exterior of the Ranger a once over.

I noticed how the Ranger is definitely built for those who love what is rugged and sporty in life.  Reading through the brochure I had with me, it said that, “designers worked to emphasize its tough, sophisticated design.”

I got down from the Ranger and checked out the projector head lamps and the bold trapezoidal grille.

I liked the rectangular fog lamps and a unique sports hoop. The 18-inch alloy wheels did not go unnoticed — as I thought to myself that these are the best wheels to have when driving through Manila’s flooded streets. 

It was time to get going — engine started, I left the parking lot and sped off.

 As a driver, one must always feel in control of the vehicle — no matter what. And with the electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) system,  that is exactly the way I felt behind the wheel.

The drive down to Caloocan went without a hitch. A U-Turn and I was on my way to Magallanes. The traffic had started to build up as the rains continued to pour.

But I was continously impressed with the Ranger’s power in its six-speed automatic transmission. 

I sat through lots of traffic, but since I was behind the wheels of a pickup that was so comfy, those other smaller vehicles trying to muscle their way ahead of me never annoyed me. Happier was I as I was able to keep the pesky buses at bay — that is what I love about pickups that are built tough.

As I drove down EDSA, I recalled what Hart said: “The new Ranger is ready to take on the world, offering the complete package -- tough but smart, capable yet refined. Our new Ranger really epitomizes Ford’s proud truck heritage and global expertise, showcasing the very best in terms of being the toughest, most capable truck out there.”

The Ford Ranger makes for a great companion in city driving — as I am sure it would too, when driving in the great outdoors. Just drive.