Ford Ranger 2021 review: XL Cab Chassis 4x4 GVM test

Our test vehicle is an XL single-cab chassis with a 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, a six-speed automatic transmission and 4WD.

Standard features include an 8.0-inch touch-screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

It has a Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price of $45,290, but it also has an optional $1600 Heavy Duty Pack, which brings its price as tested to $46,890, excluding on-road costs.

Standard features include an 8.0-inch touch-screen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, AEB, Lane Keeping Aid, Traffic Sign Recognition, and a rear diff-lock.

Usually 16-inch steel wheels are standard on this variant, but our test vehicle has the heavy-duty pack, so black 17-inch steelies on Continental CrossContact All-Terrain tyres are the go here.

It also has the Arctic White exterior paint.

Usually16-inch steel wheels are standard, but our test vehicle has the heavy-duty pack, and has black 17-inch steelies.

The XL 4x4 Heavy Duty Pack includes heavy-duty suspension (incorporating thicker rear springs, revised spring rates and specific ABS and ESC calibration), 17.0-inch black-painted steel wheels, 17-inch Continental ContiCrossContact A/T tyres, solid wheel nuts, and a rear view camera.
 

This ute has the Ranger’s tried and tested 3.2-litre 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbo-diesel engine – producing 147kW at 3000rpm and 470Nm at 1750-2500rpm – and it has a six-speed automatic transmission. 

To my mind, this engine and auto combination is a much better fit here than either the 2.2-litre or 2.0-litre bi-turbo Ranger variants. The engine is nicely torquey, very lively and works well with the six-speed auto in work-day driving scenarios, even with a load. 

This ute has the Ranger’s tried and tested 3.2-litre 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbo-diesel engine.

The interior is as spartan as can be, but that’s perfectly acceptable in a single-cab chassis ute.

Just imagine cloth seats, vinyl floor covering and hard plastic surfaces everywhere and you’re on the right track. It’s all very basic, but it feels well suited to the tasks for which this ute is intended. 

The interior is as spartan as can be.

There’s storage aplenty for the abbreviated cab space with hard plastic bottle holder door pockets, a centre console with lid and two cupholders in front of it and a few smaller spaces here and there for keys and everyday debris.

There are two USB ports at the front, as well as an auxiliary 12V power outlet in the lower dashboard.

There’s storage aplenty for the abbreviated cab space.

The multimedia touchscreen is easy to use and there are dials and buttons to control the aircon fan and temperature, as per usual, as well as audio volume and station tuning.

There are steering-wheel-mounted buttons for pretty much everything else that you’d expect.

Having driven many Ranger variants, it’s safe to assume a few things will be on-point when you drive a Ranger: steering is light and precise, acceleration is generally smooth with an even-handed throttle response (with lag only infrequently evidenced), and ride and handling are pretty well sorted out.

It always feels composed and it takes very harsh road surfaces to unsettle it. 

Bonus: The 3.2-litre engine and six-speed auto make a quietly effective combination, even better than the 2.2-litre or the 2.0-litre do. 

Visibility is good in this single-cab chassis Ranger, with a clear field of vision in every direction. 

In terms of exterior dimensions, it is 5133mm long, with a 3220mm wheelbase, 1977mm wide (2163mm with mirrors extended) and 1800mm high.

This Ranger has a listed kerb weight of 1887kg. 

Turning circle is listed as 12.7 metres, but this Ranger never feels ponderous, however, you can sense its size – most of it tray – a bit on tighter roads, or along tight bush tracks if you’re four-wheel driving.

This Ranger rides on 17-inch steelies clad with Continental CrossContact All-Terrain tyres which seem to provide ample grip on bitumen surfaces – even on some of the very wet and rough regional roads we were on.

Overall, without a load, this Ranger does really well. 

It has a listed fuel consumption of 8.7L/100km (combined). 

I recorded an actual on-test fuel consumption of 11.2L/100km after more than 200km of driving, including our loaded loop.

The Ranger has an 80-litre tank.

Every Ranger has a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Service intervals are recommended at 12 months/15,000km, 24 months/30,000km, 36 months/45,000km and 48 months/60,000km and, at time of writing, each appointment costs $299.