It’s not everyday we get to review a vehicle like this. The Ford Ranger is something that is arguably left-field, and unlike almost any car typically provided for press drives.

To say this vehicle is like any other vehicle we have tested would be a lie, because simply, it isn’t. It’s big. It’s imposing. It also won’t fit very well into HDB carparks, given how much its nose sticks out.

But to dwell on its negatives is to miss the point completely, because the Ford Ranger is by far one of the most enjoyable vehicles we’ve ever driven.

Not Your Typical Commercial Vehicle

Coming in at $129,888 before COE (prices correct at press time), this is the 2nd most expensive commercial vehicle that can be driven with a Class 3 license. It’s only beaten by the more off-road oriented Ford Ranger Raptor, which costs a whopping $195,888 before COE.

$129,888 before COE is a lot, especially when other commercial vehicles are available at that price with COE. Even at current COE prices, it still costs almost $210,000, putting it in the same ballpark as the Peugeot 408 or BYD Seal.

They are completely different vehicles obviously, but the comparison has been drawn for contextual purposes.

But don’t just think of the Ranger as just another commercial vehicle. Instead, think of it as more of a lifestyle tool. Albeit a really big one. With the bed measuring 1604mm by 1529mm, it can still haul an absolutely ridiculous amount of stuff. Or better yet, throw a large air mattress back there and have an open air picnic and enjoy some stargazing.

And you can do so without the fear of damaging the bed. The Ford Ranger comes from the factory with a spray-in bedliner. This provides a tough, scratch-resistant surface against virtually anything you could throw at it.

Feel Invincible

First made available locally from 2016 to 2019, this new generation has been heavily redesigned. It comes with a whole host of improvements, both inside and out. The new front fascia looks truly imposing in rearview mirrors, especially with the large grille and pseudo-F-150 style daytime running lights.

The rear also receives aesthetic enhancements, with “Ranger” now being imprinted directly into the sheet metal, together with a redesigned tail light cluster. 

It laughs in the face of subtlety, and is basically the epitome of “in your face”. Big footprint, oversized grille, big logos, flashy decals. You’ll find a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbodiesel with 168 bhp under the bonnet. It may seem underpowered, until you realise it develops a healthy torque figure of 405 Nm. Pity then, that you are (legally) capped to 70 km/h.

At Home Both On-and-Off-Road

Rapid direction changes and twisty roads are not the Ranger’s forte (obviously!). However, throw it at rougher terrain, and you start to see where that Australian engineering development really shines through.

Lest you think you’ve reached the Ranger’s limits, shift from two-wheel drive into four-wheel drive. Suddenly, large kerbs, slippery grass slopes and muddy trails all but disappear in the rear-view mirror.

With the monsoon season in full swing and sporadic “ponding” incidents returning, drive through those oversized puddles without a worry, for the Ranger can traverse through depths up to 800mm without breaking a sweat.

Not forgetting its on-road manners, we daresay the ride quality is good. Even with leaf springs in the back, the ride is smooth and supple, with even bigger bumps, potholes and expansion joints barely noticeable.

Noise insulation, even with those chunky all-terrain 255/65/R18 tyres, was great. We didn’t need to raise our voices at expressway speeds, nor did we have to drown out road noise by turning up the music volume.

Space and Function Aplenty

Being a crew cab, the Ranger will seat five comfortably. The front seats are plush and are built with long drives in mind, while the rear bench will comfortably fit 3 passengers. The seats also feature horizontal grooves on the black leatherette, adding some visual flair to an otherwise unexciting cabin.

Then again, to say the cabin is unexciting is not a detriment, as Ford spent the money on where it mattered. High-touch points like the steering wheel, armrest and door cards feature soft-touch materials. The textured plastic, while hard and slightly scratchy, add nicely to the rugged theme, and is one wipe away from looking clean again. 

The centrepiece of the cabin is the 10-inch vertical touchscreen running the Ford Sync4 operating system. The system is fairly responsive, with almost all vehicle functions being able to be operated and adjusted from it. 

The gauge cluster is also fully digital and customisable to display whatever information the driver desires. Together with a safety suite of lane keep assist, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control, driving something as large as the Ranger has never felt so effortless.

If there had to be a negative, the Ranger could really use a 360-degree camera system. And at 5.37 metres long and 1.91 metres wide, it has similar dimensions to large luxury sedans. A 360-degree camera would come in handy for parking (especially parallel parking) and navigating tighter bits of road. 

Ranger Leads The Way

As automotive journalists, we are fortunate to be able to sample a wide range of vehicles. Some leave an impression, others don’t. It’s easy to figure out which is which when we turn in the vehicle at the end of our press drive.

The Ranger left more than an impression. It made us want one. Sure, it’s not the most suitable vehicle for Singapore’s roads, the fuel consumption is a tad heavy (although that could be due to overly generous throttle application), and refuelling its 80 litre tank will still cost a pretty penny, even though it’s diesel. 

With more and more light commercial vehicles switching over to electric power, the Ranger is the antithesis to this green wave, especially with the $15,000 VES surcharge due to it being in the “C” banding. But with all its capabilities, character and just how fun it is to do silly things in, you would forgive it for costing as much as it does.

Driving back to the Ford showroom, we didn’t want to return the Ranger. We really didn’t. That’s how much of an impression it left on us.

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