Coming in 2022
The new Ranger is coming and Ford is giving us a peek at what to expect. Led by Ford’s Product Development Center in Australia with an international team of dedicated designers and engineers, the new model not only incorporates the very latest in Ford technology, capability and safety, but was also engineered and tested to Ford’s toughest standards.
Customer input was key to developing the next-generation Ranger’s rugged new look. Ford conducting more than 5,000 interviews and dozens of customer workshops to understand how customers used their pickups and what they wanted and expected in the new Ranger.
Distinct new look
The result is a striking new design, creating a next-generation Ranger that is bold and confident, with a purposeful exterior. The design features a defined new grille, and signature C-clamp headlight and matrix LED headlights (similar to the larger F-150) while a subtle shoulder line down the sides incorporates bolder wheel-arches. At the back, the taillights are designed in harmony with the signature graphics on the front. Inside, the car-like cabin steps up, using premium soft-touch materials, and prominent portrait-style center touchscreen with Ford’s signature SYNC 4 connectivity and entertainment system.
Beneath the new bodywork is an upgraded chassis riding on a wheelbase 50mm longer and a track 50mm wider. A hydro-formed front-end structure creates more space in the engine bay for larger engines and allows more airflow to the radiator.
More capable off-road
The next-gen Ranger will also come with a choice of three engines. There’s the new 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6, the Bi-Turbo 2.0-liter inline-four diesel, and the single turbo 2.0-liter inline-four diesel. They’re paired with new transmission choices that include an updated 10-speed auto, six-speed auto, or six-speed manual.
The Ranger maintains its capability off-road thanks to improvements to the chassis. Engineers moved the front wheels forward by 50mm for a better approach angle and outward for better off-road articulation, both of which improve the off-roading experience. They also shifted the rear suspension dampers outboard of the frame rails to give drivers and passengers a better ride both on- and off-road, no matter if they’re carrying heavy cargo for work, or just taking the family out for dinner.
Customers will have a choice of two four-wheel drive systems, an electronic shift-on-the-fly system, or advanced full-time 4x4 system with a reassuring set-and-forget mode, designed for capability when and where customers need it. Off-road recovery is made easier with prominent dual recovery hooks in the front bumper.
Intelligent interior
As attractive as the Ranger is outside, Ford has also made it a stunner inside. It come with a flexible, modern cockpit that caters to both work and family duties. The truck was designed to serve as both a workspace and a haven.
The heart of the Ranger’s connective experience is the large touchscreen in the center stack. It complements the fully digital instrument panel and is loaded with Ford’s latest SYNC4 system. This smart in-car entertainment system comes ready with voice-activated communications, entertainment and information systems. Additionally, there’s an embedded factory-fitted modem, allowing connectivity on the go when linked with the FordPass App, so customers can stay connected to their world. FordPass enhances the ownership experience with features like remote start, vehicle status check and remote lock and unlock functions via your mobile device.
Many of the traditional driving mode controls have been moved from the dash and center console to their own dedicated display on the SYNC screen. With one button press, drivers can go to Ranger’s dedicated screen for all off-road and drive modes where they can monitor the driveline, steering angle, vehicle pitch and roll angles and other controls.
The screen also is linked to a 360-degree camera to make parking a breeze in tight urban spaces or to assist when negotiating particularly tricky terrain while out exploring. In addition, customers can control Ranger’s new exterior zone lighting system via the touchscreen. This makes it perfect for working on-site, camping or doing anything in the dark. Ranger technology will also be future-proofed to accept software updates.
The design team also created clever storage and useful features for owners. There are not only places to store your phone or charge it wirelessly (where compatible), but there’s a large center console bin to stash things. In addition, the door pockets are designed to carry more, the wide dash conceals an upper glovebox and there are storage bins under and behind the rear seats.
Making work easier, anywhere
Ford paid particular attention to the rear truck bed. It now has an integrated side-step behind the rear tires to offer an easier way to access the bed. The bed is now also wider by 50mm. Additional thoughtful, customer-focused touches include a new, tough plastic-molded bedliner that helps protect both the truck bed from scratches and owner’s knees from kneeling on a steel truck bed. Extra cargo tie-down points – on strong steel tube rails – provide convenient points to secure loads. Durable, flexible load box caps around the sides of the box and across the tailgate conceal structural attachment points for canopies and other aftermarket accessories.
In addition, the Ranger offers a new cargo management system designed with dividers to hold various sized items – like timber or toolboxes. Owners also can create smaller compartments to store objects, which would otherwise have to go in the cab, using a system of ultra-strong spring-loaded cleats that clip into rails bolted to each side of the cargo box. The tailgate can also double as a mobile work bench with an integrated ruler and clamp pockets to measure, grip and cut building materials.
The new Ranger will be made available in the Philippines by the second or third quarter of next year.