The new 2019 Ford Ranger Wildtrak 4x4 is one of the chart-toppers in the pick-up trucks segment and is a popular choice among the enthusiast, thanks to how it is neatly packaged as a lifestyle vehicle. The pick- up truck was once the tool of choice for people whose business required heavy towing, payload and off-roading. Now, pick-up trucks like the 2019 Ford Ranger have evolved into lifestyle vehicles that offer the same comfort and technologies as cars, but with the versatility and toughness to function as a workhorse, business partner, family vehicle and anything in between. The modern pick-up truck’s versatility allows the combination of utility and luxury.
To prove its worth, Ford Philippines took the media on an adventurous road trip with the Ranger Wildtrak called the Ford Ranger Provincial Media Tour. The tour was a drive up the cut flower farms in “Barangay Babag” to the “Lettuce on the Rocks in Sudlon.” We carried container drums up the steep roads of Sudlon as Ford Philippines donated these to the farmers. We also carried truckloads of produce from Sudlon to the Cebu City Resource Management and Development Center makeshift market. The group then proceeded to Lusaran then the Cebu Transcentral Highway via Tagbao. Long, steep and winding roads showcased the power of the new 2.0 liter bi-turbo engine and the handling capabilities of the Ranger Wildtrak. With how the Wildtrak was able to deliver in those conditions, it wasn’t hard to believe why this pick-up is a favorite.
As I kept the pace with the lead vehicle, a 2019 Ford Everest, the bi-turbo and the 10-speed automatic transmission helped me keep up with the pace. I should say these features are the top of its class. Its transmission also allowed for manual shifting, a much needed feature when you need to downshift during steep inclines.
The Ford Ranger’s tall and tough-looking exterior design was matched with all the amenities of a luxury car interior. The fancy Wildtrak interior had leather trims with orange stitching, a steering wheel that had controls of just about everything and a multi-information display and gauge clusters everything was digitally displayed(too many to say). The wide screen multimedia system paired with our smartphones with ease. All these features added to the overall driving comfort of the Wildtrak. At the end of the day, I realized I had driven almost a hundred kilometers of mountain roads in a pick-up truck, but it didn’t feel like it. It felt like I was driving a luxury performance car.