On December 20, the all-new Ford Ranger was officially launched, with 7 models including the Forest Edition, Trail Edition, and Wilderness Edition, priced from 14.58 to 24.08 million yuan. The day after the launch event, we got our hands on a test drive and embarked on a hardcore off-road experience. Let’s get straight to it and see how the all-new Ford Ranger performs.
We will fully experience the driving performance of the all-new Ford Ranger, including city roads, highways, gravel, water, mud, bomb craters, steep angles, and camel humps, to see how the car performs in each environment. The version we are test driving today is the Explorer Edition – 4WD automatic off-road model, equipped with a 2.3T gasoline engine and 8AT transmission.
First, we depart from the city roads and travel approximately 200km on the highway to the off-road site. While driving on city roads and highways, we use the standard mode, in which the vehicle enters the 4A mode, also known as intelligent four-wheel drive, to change the driving mode according to our actions.
When driving on the highway, the all-new Ford Ranger can directly activate the ACC adaptive cruise control function, and the following distance can be adjusted in multiple levels. However, please note that pickup truck models are currently defined as commercial vehicles, so they cannot travel in the innermost lane and must maintain a speed limit of 100km/h. The vehicle only has lane departure warning and does not have lane keeping function.
When driving at high speed, the vehicle’s suspension performance really surprised us. We thought the rear suspension would be very uncomfortable, but when we encountered bumps, the spring-loaded rear suspension handled the bumps on the road very well, with only a slight bouncing feeling in the car. Compared to the leaf spring suspension of pickup trucks, it is much more comfortable.
In terms of power, the performance of the all-new Ford Ranger is not as good as that of new energy vehicles, but for a pickup truck, its power output is already excellent. More importantly, the engine has almost no noise and the gear shifting is very smooth. As for quietness, this car handles wind noise, tire noise, and chassis noise very well. Even at 100km/h, the interior is still quiet enough for easy conversation.
The front seats of this car are quite comfortable, with good space and visibility. They also have heated and ventilated seats, and comprehensive features. However, due to the vehicle’s structure, the rear seats of the all-new Ford Ranger may not be as comfortable, and may cause discomfort in the lower back during long rides.
After a morning of rushing around, we finally arrived at the off-road test driving site. It’s more like a riverbed than an off-road site. The first experience we had was driving through the river. Yes, you heard it right, driving directly through a small river. The all-new Ford Ranger has a factory water fording capability of 800mm, and with modifications, it can reach 900mm. So, it can easily handle small rivers, just need to control the speed and avoid water reaching the engine hood, and don’t accelerate, decelerate, or stop in the water.
The river tests the vehicle’s wading ability, while the gravel road tests the vehicle’s shock absorption ability. The all-new Ford Ranger uses a front double wishbone/rear multi-link + Watt’s linkage suspension combination to improve off-road capability and ensure better comfort inside the vehicle. We maintain a speed of about 50km/h on the gravel road, and the vehicle easily passes through, leaving only flying dust in the rearview mirror.
In the muddy road section, it tests the vehicle’s power and the distribution of four-wheel drive. Although this muddy section is not very difficult, our team also passed quickly. However, in terms of driving and riding experience, the performance of the all-new Ford Ranger is indeed very impressive. There is no bumpiness in the car, and the tires do not slip at all. The power also shows no signs of weakening or lagging.
After playing in the mud and water, it’s time to check out the hardcore off-road capabilities of the all-new Ford Ranger. In this experience, we first have to pass through an almost 30-degree slope. We immediately opened the off-road information display on the dashboard to easily see our driving angle.
Next is a series of shell craters. Here we need to switch the driving mode. First, put the vehicle in neutral, then engage 4L, and unlock both the front and rear locks. Now we can start. We must not go too fast here, as it can easily cause the vehicle to bottom out and damage it. The whole process is very smooth. Despite the large angle of the vehicle tilt, the power output is without hesitation and can quickly transfer to the wheels with traction to pass the obstacles.
Finally, the test of the camel hump road section, which tests the approach angle, departure angle, and power performance of the vehicle. The all-new Ford Ranger has a 30° approach angle and a 26° departure angle, so ordinary slopes will not affect it. In terms of power, the 2.3T gasoline engine will provide a maximum power of 190kW and a maximum torque of 450N·m, even if we stop the car halfway up the slope, the vehicle can start easily, and there is no tire slip or skidding.
This time our deep hardcore off-road test drive experience is not on a professional off-road track, but in a riverbed, closer to the real natural environment. The all-new Ford Ranger faced many obstacles without flinching, using its 7 driving modes and front/rear lock to make these obstacles seem like nothing.
After this hardcore test drive, we also came to understand the exterior and interior design of the all-new Ford Ranger. The front part of the car uses the Ford pickup family’s design style, with strong and advantageous lines filling the front of the car, coupled with high-gloss black color, giving the front of the car a rugged and vibrant American style.
The Changan website uses a high-gloss black color scheme, with two decorative strips running through the logo, and the outward-extending design extends directly to the C-shaped headlights, adding depth and overall appeal. The C-shaped headlights use LED light sources, providing high recognition and satisfactory lighting effects.
In terms of body size, the new car measures 5370x1918x1880mm in length, width, and height, with a wheelbase of 3270mm. The side of the new car also features black elements, including decorative panels at the front fender, logo signs at the door, black-colored rearview mirrors, and window trim.
The 18-inch wheels exude a sense of power, paired with Goodyear tires to ensure both vehicle comfort and off-road capability. The new car is also equipped with side steps, a very thoughtful design, but the only downside is that the step area is a bit small, it would be perfect if it could be larger.
The design of the rear of the car is simple and more about being concise and atmospheric. The taillights use the same C-shaped design as the headlights, increasing recognition and ensuring safety. The taillights use LED light sources, a design that is truly commendable.
The design of the cargo area is the highlight of this vehicle, with 30 anchor points for easy modification and higher utilization. It also comes with power supply and lighting, as well as a side step at the rear wheel for easy access to the cargo area. The tailgate is designed with a slow-drop damping, making it open more gently and elegantly.
In terms of interior, the all-new Ford Ranger looks more tech-savvy with a 12.3-inch full LCD instrument panel and a 12.1-inch central control screen, giving it more of an SUV feel. Additionally, the new car has added many orange accents, subtly increasing the vehicle’s sporty attributes.
The new car still uses the conventional round steering wheel design with physical buttons on top. It also has a steering wheel button lock to prevent accidental operation. The new car will be equipped with shift paddles, and the overall feel of the steering wheel is also very good.
The all-new Ford Ranger uses a vertical 12.1-inch central control screen and is equipped with a car-grade chip, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155, for smooth operation. The Ford SYNC intelligent connectivity system has also been localized, integrating features such as Amap and KTV to meet the needs of consumers. The new vehicle will also support voice interaction, mobile connectivity, and multi-module OTA remote upgrades.
The air conditioning still retains a physical control area, using a combination of knobs and buttons, which is still convenient to use. Below the air conditioning panel is a wireless charging panel for mobile phones, although this configuration is very popular, it is a bit difficult to pick up.
The new car will use a design with electronic shifters, which is commendable for its overall feel and operation. Behind the shifters is the control area for the vehicle’s off-road section, where each button has its own function, including front lock switch, rear lock switch, crawl mode, etc. The most commonly used function is probably the front and rear lock.
The knob next to it is the driving mode switch knob. The new car will be equipped with TMS all-terrain management system and will have 7 driving modes, including standard mode, economy mode, sport mode, snow mode, rock climbing mode, wet slippery mud mode, and sand mode. It also has functions such as water fording detection, transparent chassis, off-road information display, etc.
The new car will be equipped with BorgWarner EMOD intelligent all-wheel drive system, which can intelligently control the four-wheel drive output according to driving mode and road conditions. In addition, the new car will also be equipped with Eaton’s front/rear axle electronic control mechanical differential lock to achieve better passability and off-road capability.
The new car’s front seats are comfortable, with power adjustment and seat heating. The rear seats have a central armrest, rear air vents, and power outlets, but the seat back angle cannot be adjusted, which may cause fatigue during long rides. The all-new Ford Ranger is now officially on the market with 7 different configurations, all available in diesel. With its global design and rugged off-road capabilities, we believe this car will make a significant impact on the pickup truck market. Let’s wait and see.