Review: Ford Ranger Plug-In Hybrid

Fitness for purpose. Take a deftly aimed power tool to all the marketing flim-flam, and you can’t go far wrong with that mantra. There’s no messing around when it comes to a pick-up truck, a vehicle that has a clear job to do, and in most cases does it admirably.

Except that even this segment isn’t immune to mission creep, and these hardy vehicles are now expected to double as workhorse and acceptable all-round family transport. The Ford F-150 may typify the breed, but outside of the US the Ranger has been in active duty for more than 40 years. A global player since 2011, it sells in 180 territories worldwide, and is particularly dominant in the European pick-up market.

But get this, 80 percent of the Rangers sold in the UK last year were in Wildtrak spec, the version that swaddles the hard plastics in leather and ladles on the decals. It’s—deep breath—a genuine lifestyle vehicle, beloved by the sort of buyers who actually do stuff rather than just think about it.

Courtesy of Ford

Now, at last, there’s an electrified version, though we’re talking hybrid rather than the whole enchilada. Ford sells the fully electric Lightning in the US, where it’s locked in battle with Tesla’s Cybertruck (though neither is setting the sales chart aflame), but this is the closest Brits are going to get for the foreseeable at least. Only Chinese maker Maxus sells an electric pick-up in the UK, a vehicle we wouldn’t recommend, and Toyota’s indestructible Hi-Lux makes do with a mild hybrid setup. This makes the Ranger PHEV a significant new arrival.

It shares its platform hardware with the VW Amarok, and is manufactured in Ford’s Silverton plant in South Africa. Until now, engine options have been limited to a 2.0-liter petrol or 3.0-liter diesel. The new car uses Ford’s excellent 2.3-liter “Ecoboost” turbo petrol unit (as previously seen in the Focus and Mustang), bolstered by a 75-kW (100-bhp) electric motor, packaged within the bell-housing of the 10-speed automatic transmission.

Pick-Up Philosophy

It’s fed by an 11.8-kWh battery (usable) that sits under the Ranger’s load bed. Despite its compact size, that still necessitated modifications to the vehicle’s ladder frame chassis, resulting in a 20-millimeter bulge. (It has a 1-metric-ton payload and can accommodate a Euro pallet between the wheelhouses.) An electronically controlled clutch engages and disengages the e-motor and combustion engine, switching between petrol, hybrid, and electric propulsion. Visual differences are limited to a second filler flap on the near-side rear wing, with a lightning bolt logo on it, which hides the charging port for the battery. On a 7-kW wall charger, it takes about 2.5 hours to charge.

Here’s how it works. EV Auto is the default setting, blending electric and petrol power in a way best suited to everyday use, or if you’re towing or lugging a heavy load. EV Now does what it says: This is for electric driving only, Ford claiming a range of around 26 miles (WLTP). EV Later allows the driver to store electric energy, particularly useful if you’re heading into the city or a zero-emission zone. Finally, there’s EV Charge, which sees the petrol engine charge the high-voltage battery, though it won’t top it up by all that much. In addition to those, the PHEV maintains the driving modes used in extant Ranger models: Normal, Eco, Slippery, Tow/Haul, Mud/Ruts, and Sand. This new Ranger variant is clearly messing with the sacred strictures of the pick-up philosophy.

Courtesy of Ford

The result is an eminently likable machine and a plausible alternative if you’re chasing a more tax-efficient and sustainable vehicle. Most potential customers or existing Ranger adherents will be wondering if this is a better bet than the apocalypse-proof diesel. Well, the hybrid has a combined power output of 277 bhp and a thumping 514 pound-feet of torque, more than the diesel makes. Indeed, that’s more grunt than the Ranger Raptor manages. That’s the performance version, of course, not an attribute the PHEV is overly bothered about, although it has a perfectly respectable turn of speed. It certainly won’t imperil you during overtaking maneuvers.

That electric-only range is just about adequate by current standards, but the kicker is a reduction in overall CO₂ emissions of 70-72 g/km. That means a useful reduction in benefit-in-kind taxation, and the Ranger PHEV is also VAT-exempt. Claimed overall fuel consumption is 94.2 mpg, but a more realistic figure will be well below this. WIRED got 26 mpg.

Quietly Conquer Volcanoes

Though far from sophisticated (its rear suspension uses leaf springs), the Ranger rolls along amiably, and even displays glimmers of the handling prowess that’s a Ford signature. Though you’ll be disinclined to throw it around too vigorously, it handles and rides with more verve than you’d imagine. It’s also impressively quiet on the move, helped in this regard by active noise-cancellation tech that reduces engine noise and vibration. Even with 10 speeds, the transmission goes about its business seamlessly unless you have minimal mechanical sympathy.

WIRED tried the car on a spectacularly scenic Icelandic test route, a country whose roads are in significantly better condition than the UK’s. That helps flatter its dynamics, but even so. The Ranger is also an accomplished off-roader, capable of wading through 800 millimeters of water and delivering impressive axle articulation. We slithered up the side of a volcano with no trouble, the Ranger’s Terrain Management system, diff locks, and Hill Descent simplifying the process to an impressive degree.

Courtesy of Ford

Ranger owners are also statistically highly likely to tow, whether it’s on the farm, a caravan, or a trailer-full of motocross bikes. To which end, the hybrid offers the optional Pro Trailer Backup Assist, which uses blind-spot detection tech and a bunch of sensors to eliminate reversing anxiety. Push a button on the drive mode rotary controller, turn it in the direction you want to go, then gently ease back using the brake pedal and 12-inch central touchscreen to finesse and monitor your progress. It works brilliantly, a piece of real-world tech that’s a paragon of user-friendliness. The Ranger has a braked towing capacity of up to 3.5 metric tons.

On-Board Powerhouse

Equally useful is Ford’s Pro Power Onboard capability, which runs to three plug sockets, one in the cab, two in the box at the rear of the load bay. Buyers can choose between a 2.3-kW system or a heavier-duty 6.9-kW one, powerful enough to charge e-mountain bikes, a fridge or—and this isn’t a lifestyle apparatus—a cement mixer. It turns the Ranger into a large power generator and deepens its off-grid survivalist credentials.

The interior is identical to other Rangers, bar hybrid-specific displays on the instrument display and central screen, and of course the EV mode button. The screen itself makes up in ease-of-use what it lacks in graphic sophistication, and the driving position is sufficiently commanding to dispel any concerns about managing a vehicle of such imperious dimensions (it’s 5.3 meters long).

Courtesy of Ford

Depending on the spec, it almost feels luxurious, the harder, cheaper-feeling plastics banished to the areas you’re less likely to interact with. The interior door handle is recessed but designed in a way that you could operate even with gloves on. Problems? The door bins could be bigger and the drive selector can be a little clunky to use. There’s also a comprehensive set of assistance systems, the more irritating of which are easy to switch off.

The most basic Ranger has a utilitarian appeal, but it’s easy to see why the Wildtrak is so popular; it has added interior and exterior trim, heated front seats, and 360-degree zone lighting. The Stormtrak launch edition adds a punchy B&O audio system, matrix LED headlights, and a flexible rack system for the load-bed and costs £49,800. Yes, the Ranger dreams of Montana, but works perfectly well in Milton Keynes.