Trekker Truckin' with the new Ford Ranger

MANILA, Philippines - At some point of this test drive report, I will be ranting about one particular aspect of the new Ford Ranger. But as early as now I will heartily recommend this truck to anyone looking to buy a new pickup. Why? Because there’s no such thing as a perfect truck, that’s what! But near-perfection is what the dramatically restyled Ranger does achieve.

First off, it looks great. And aren’t we all suckers for good looks? The new Ranger exudes that “tough truck” heritage Ford pickups and SUVs have always been known for. Most of this “don’t mess with me” look is delivered via the Ranger’s visage. You won’t mistake this truck for anything else thanks to the huge “RANGER” lettering adorning the horizontal three-bar grille.

The functional twin black vertical nostrils, the extended opening below the bumper line, and the large headlamps that wrap around each front fender effectively establish a new design benchmark as they marry the traditional with the new in the latest Ranger.

While the three-bar grille is one of Ford’s global design traits and is a prominent feature on the flagship F-150 full-size pickup in the US for example, its boldness is contrasted by clever details, including recessed grille meshwork and two elongated “nostril” duct shapes in the Ranger.

The rest of the front end’s styling cues, meanwhile, seamlessly blend functionality with stylishness. The large opening in the lower fascia provides cool air to the turbocharged engine’s intercooler. By mounting the intercooler forward of the radiator and directly in the flow of cool air, the boosted intake charge from the variable-geometry turbocharger remains consistent and allows the engine to perform more efficiently.

The new Ranger maintains its tried-and-tested powertrains. Two versions of Ford’s state-of-the-art Duratorq TDCi common-rail diesel engine lead the line up (2.5-liter and 3.0-liter displacements for the 4x2 and 4x4 versions, respectively). I tested the 2.5-liter version and it delivered quick response and relentlessly strong torque even off idle, while offering impressive levels of refinement and fuel-efficiency. You certainly won’t miss the greater horsepower and torque of the top-of-the-line 3.0 model.

The new Ranger features a truck-tough, long-leaf spring rear suspension with oversized 32mm gas shock absorbers for consistent ride stability and high load capacity. The front suspension, optimized for laden and unladen road holding and handling, is a double-wishbone design with torsion bar springs.

Of course, even the best suspension designs will just be flopping around like freshly caught fish if it’s connected to a wallowy chassis. To this end, Ford fitted the latest Ranger with a unique overlapped and cross-braced ladder frame. This design results in greater rigidity than the more common H-beam or open beam configurations.

A rigid chassis is essential to achieve the multiple positives of responsive handling, comfortable ride, high load-bearing capacity, durability, and passenger protection. Well, four out of five ain’t bad. The Ranger has got everything nearly spot on, except for that little issue of riding comfort, which is always a bugaboo of pickups anyway.

The front suspension of the Ranger 4x2 is supple enough, whether you go over a speed bump or fall into a deep pothole. Try that with the rear suspension, though, and you’ll wonder where the leaf springs went. The ride is simply too stiff. Still, it’s par for the course as I can say the same thing for just about every other pickup in the market today.

My message to truck manufacturers? Lighten up on those stiff rear springs! Or at least give truck buyers who will be ferrying humans more often than cement bags a choice of giving up payload capacity for a softer and more kidney-friendly ride.

Well, enough of the Simon Cowell rant. As I said, it’s pretty much the only downside to this truck – well, that and the only other nitpick I have with all pickups: the near-vertical rear seat backrest. Most everything else is on the upside. (Just check the “THE GOOD” list below.) It’s even got nifty slotted inner fenders in the cargo bed area to facilitate the use of pickup bed shelving systems for efficient and secure cargo management.

Perhaps the best part is that the 4x2 automatic transmission (5-speed, no less) Ranger Trekker model I tested retails for a reasonable P1,070,000. (The stickshift Trekker goes for P1,015,000.) That’s a lot of truck for the money.