Ford SA reshuffles Ranger lineup as bakkie battle heats up

Neale Hill, president of Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa, said at a recent product launch that its award-winning Ranger bakkie was the market share leader for double cab bakkies in 2025, accounting for 26.7% of total sales and with 18,678 units sold.

The Blue Oval now looks to keep up the sales momentum of Ranger with tweaks in the range in an attempt to appeal to a wider audience. Hill explained that this lineup change is not a cosmetic one, but rather a technical engineering refresh. "We took this opportunity to make some tweaks to the lineup as well to address some of the opportunities we see in the market," he said. A lineup reassortment is fitting as well for Ford, as its main rivals, the Toyota Hilux and Isuzu D-Max, are set for updates in the near future.

A Sport model has been added to the Ranger lineup as part of the refresh. The Sport variant sits between the XLT and Wildtrak models and is offered in double-cab and super-cab. Powering the 4x4 option of the new Sport model is the venerable 3L turbodiesel V6. The 4x2 option comes with a new engine introduced to the range, an imported 2.3L EcoBoost petrol engine, which gives the Ranger 222kW of power and 452Nm of torque. This petrol engine is also now under the bonnets of new Wildtrak Double Cab 4x2 models.

Other changes in the lineup include a 10-speed automatic on all auto models and the expansion of V6 turbodiesel availability on the Wildtrak Super Cab 4x4 and Tremor Double Cab 4x4, which replaces the 2L turbodiesel engines. The WildTrak X has been dropped from the range, but is offered as a package. The 2L turbodiesel four-cylinder engine in range has been updated with a new timing chain that Ford says is designed to enhance durability, simplify maintenance and provide long-term performance.

I test drove the new Ranger Sport in its 4x2 2.3L EcoBoost petrol engine guise through the magnificent Swartberg Pass outside George, right before a massive storm. The omission of the famous diesel purr on a Ranger bakkie is almost instantly noticeable, and without the rattle, the petrol engine presented a new side of refinement to the Ranger. Paired with a 10-speed auto, the power to the wheels was also smooth, resulting in a quick-moving and polished driving experience.

While the 2.3L EcoBoost petrol engine brought a different level of refinement to my experience with a Ranger bakkie, the fuel consumption was a bit disappointing. I averaged roughly 13L per 100km, and given the current fuel price crisis, it isn't ideal. However, a higher diesel price might negate this, considering a 3L moves the 4x4 model. Another minor letdown is perhaps the lack of design changes. Hill did, however, note that this refresh is only a technical one and that the cosmetic one is yet to come. One has to wonder, though, if design changes would have been ideal right before the Hilux and D-Max updates.

The updated Ford Ranger range sees the new Ranger Sport slot in at R839,600 for the 2.3L EcoBoost 4x2 double cab, while the V6-powered version is priced at R995 000. At the top of the Sport range, the 3L V6 4WD model comes in at R995 000. In the wider line-up, Wildtrak now starts at R899 000 for the 2.3L EcoBoost 4x2, rising to R1,070,000 for the 3L V6 4WD, while the Tremor (R1,039,000) and Platinum (R1,79,500) push further into the premium segment. The range is capped by the Ranger Raptor at R1,299,000.