Ford Ranger (2011-2022) review

It suffers less from the lateral shimmy and shudder that characterise most pick-ups with leaf-spring rear suspension. It insulates you better from that suspension noise and harshness and comes across as reasonably well damped. Compared with other pick-ups, that is – it’s important to bear that in mind if you’re coming out of a conventional SUV or estate as so many buyers are these days. Pick-ups come from working roots and do still feel like it. 

How’s the handling?

It’s a bit of a lummox. Big, slow and easily confused. It will take corners with a dash of speed, but you’re never sure if the tyres have that much grip, because the steering has no feedback, so you slow down. 

And when you do, you realise how easily it consumes distance. The engine fades to a background hum (it pulls just 1700rpm at 70mph), it’ll pound along at 28mpg (Ford claims 30.7mpg and 228g/km of CO2), and you’re looking at an easy 450 miles between refuel stops. 

How’s the engine and gearbox?

The 10-speed automatic doesn’t need much managing. There are buttons on the side of the lever that allow manual shifting, but actually they lag a bit, and the choices the gearbox makes when left to its own devices are generally sound. There are a lot of shifts, though, and they tend to slur gently through. As long as you’re not in max attack mode you won’t notice. 

The engine is smooth and fairly hushed for a 2.0-litre diesel with more muscle than you might expect. Have the twin-turbo 210 if you can, the 170 if you can’t. Neither is fast, but that’s not the point. Especially when the brakes are as spongy as these. 

What’s the 0-62mph?

You do realise we're talking workaday pickups here? Anyway, it's 9.2 seconds for the auto and 8.8 seconds for the manual. Strange for a manual to be quicker these days, but that shows how the 10-speed doesn’t like to be rushed. And no, there’s no launch control.

How is it off-road?

Now we’re talking! Because there’s not much that can better a pick-up off-road these days. As long as you’ve got the space to let it strut its stuff, the Ranger is largely unstoppable. While conventional SUVs have abandoned the heavy-duty underbody mechanics, the Ranger hasn’t. It has switchable 2WD and 4WD, plus a low ratio gearbox for pulling trailers out of muddy fields. The rear diff is lockable, there’s switchable stability control and hill descent control. It’s a workhorse, has the tools to cope and – crucially – doesn’t feel overly precious to be bashing about in. The same can’t be said of a Land Rover Discovery. Or a Defender for that matter.