Ford Ranger 2021 review: FX4 Max towing test

The Ranger FX4 Max isn’t a standard ute to look at - but nor is it as outlandish or broad-shouldered as the Raptor.

It has the standard Ranger body dimensions, meaning it’s 5446mm long on a 3220mm wheelbase, 1977mm wide (with mirrors folded), and 1852mm tall. But because it has the Fox Shocks and taller 33” tyres, the body is sitting a little higher than an XLT (1848mm). 

The Ranger FX4 Max isn’t a standard ute to look at.

In fact, it has a load in height of 871mm, which is 31mm taller than a Wildtrak or XLT, and means you will need to heave heavier items into the tray with a bit more oomph. 

That doesn’t necessarily translate to a better towing experience, either. A lower centre of gravity as well as heavy mass of the tow vehicle typically translates to better handling and ease of towing, but thankfully, it’s not as though the FX4 Max has a lift kit fitted.

Instead, the 2.0-inch monotube Fox Shocks shock absorbers are fitted front and rear. The rear suspension maintains a leaf spring layout, but the rear shocks have a remote reservoir to apparently allow for optimal comfort and control. The front suspension has been tweaked for better control, too, with the coil spring setup including new lock-stop profile steering knuckles, new jounce bumpers and a 29mm stabiliser bar. 

The towing capacity is 750kg unbraked and 3500kg braked.

And if you’re wondering about weight over those axles, the FX4 Max has a kerb mass of 2219kg, with a payload capacity of 981kg. The gross vehicle mass (GVM/GVW) is 3200kg, while the gross combination mass (GCM) is 6000kg - meaning you cannot be at payload capacity and towing a maximum load behind.

The towing capacity is 750kg unbraked and 3500kg braked - a full 1000kg advantage over the Raptor. And the FX4 Max’s payload rating is some 228kg higher than the Raptor (758kg). 

The FX4 Max is only sold with the brand’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder Bi-turbo diesel engine. 

The outputs bely the capacity of the engine, with a hefty 157kW of power (at 3750rpm) and 500Nm of torque (from 1750-2000rpm). Those are class-equalling four-cylinder engine outputs, and best in the market for an engine of this capacity.

This engine is only available teamed to a 10-speed automatic transmission, and there are no paddle shifters - but there is a manual mode toggle switch on the selector. 

The Ranger comes with selectable four-wheel drive (4WD or 4x4), and an electronic locking rear diff is standard too.

The Ranger FX4 Max has a kerb weight of 2219kg, which is heavy. Towing capacity is 750kg for unbraked loads and 3500kg for braked trailers - the best you can get in this size segment.

The gross vehicle mass (GVM) is 3200kg, and the gross combination mass (GCM) is 6000kg, so keep in mind you cannot legally run the vehicle at payload and tow the maximum braked trailer. You’d be looking at closer to a 2800kg trailer maxed out. 

Official combined cycle fuel consumption is 8.0 litres per 100 kilometres - there’s only one figure, as there’s only one engine/transmission combo offered for this spec.

During our testing loop with the 2.3-tonne chipper in tow, we saw a real-world at the pump return of 13.0L/100km, which is pretty good.

The Ford Ranger has an 80 litre fuel tank capacity. There is no long range fuel tank option but it does have fuel saving start-stop technology.

It runs at Euro 5 emissions levels, with a diesel particulate filter (DPF) fitted. The stated emissions are 210g/km CO2, which is low for the class.

Buy a Ford Ranger and you get a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty plan included.

That also covers five years of roadside assistance, and there’s a lifetime capped price servicing plan. The first four services are cheap, at $299 per visit. 

Service intervals are every 12 months/15,000km.

Read our Ford Ranger problems page for more info on concerns, issues, recalls, problems or common complaints.

We hired a 2.3-tonne Vermeer chipper from Kennards Penrith for the purposes of this test, to see what a ute like this will feasibly be up against when it comes to hauling.

Firstly, the hitch is simple - there’s a really good quality reversing camera and rear sensors, but the camera itself has a zoom button to allow you to perfectly line up the towball where you need it. This takes a lot of guesswork out of the equation, and is a standard feature on all Ford Ranger models.

We hired a 2.3-tonne Vermeer chipper from Kennards Penrith for the purposes of this test.

Once hooked up, we towed across a series of different scenarios, including back street industrial areas, open road urban, highway, freeway and even twisty mountain road testing, and there was very little to find issue with.

The rear suspension offered a level of controlled confidence rarely found in this type of vehicle, and I could barely feel the weight behind the vehicle because it was such a confident tow truck. The balance of the suspension was excellent - it never felt like the front end was out of whack with what was going on at the back, and certainly offers a commendable option to those who want a tow vehicle for work (trailer, chipper) and play (caravan, camper trailer). 

The visibility was good - those Ranger mirrors are large as standard, thankfully - and it was really quite easy to judge the size of the vehicle and its towed load from the driver’s seat. 

After more than 150km of towing in mixed driving, the Ranger FX4 Max showed itself to be a confidence-inspiring dual cab ute.

The engine and transmission were up for the task, happily sitting at freeway speeds and also easily adapting to urban driving conditions - despite some low speed confusion with 10 gears to play with. I found using the manual mode trigger at lower speeds to be a good way to get around any potential jostling between the lower gears. I found that with 2300kg behind, the transmission was mostly fine at higher speeds - but if you're pushing up to (or beyond) three tonnes, you might need to rely on manual mode a bit more readily.

Of course, our vehicle had an electronic brake controller to cope with that much weight in tow, and the braking performance was exceptional - even with drums at the rear axle (discs up front).

After more than 150km of towing in mixed driving, the Ranger FX4 Max showed itself to be a confidence-inspiring dual cab ute, one that I would highly recommend for those in the market for such a truck.