Long-term Intro: Ford Ranger Wildtrak Supercab is perfect for a pair
Having had a number of Ford Ranger double cabs as long-term vehicles, the latest one to join our stable is the Ranger Wildtrak Supercab.
Basically the Supercab takes the double cab’s cabin, shortens it allowing for more space in the loadbin, puts on two doors and two smaller “suicide” doors.
It’s certainly not family friendly but when there’s only two of you and it’s a Wildtrak, then the Ranger is fit for purpose.
Mostly though I reckon they’re purchased by businesses, especially the lower specced XLT and XL models, who use them to cart all manner of goods about with the added bonus that they are VAT deductible.
As with the Wildtrak double cab, the Supercab has Ford’s tried and tested 2.0-litre Bi-turbo diesel engine that’s good for 154kW and 500Nm of torque.
It’s mated to their 10-speed automatic transmission with six driving modes set via a rotary dial on the centre console.
You can also choose between rear-wheel drive and 4A (automatic) which decides when power goes where, as circumstances dictate. It’s my preferred setting especially on gravel and wet tar when road users’ brains seem to turn to porridge.
The exterior is top-end Wildtrak with the grille finished in Boulder Grey also found on the mirrors, front and rear bumper, roof rails, rear sports hoop, LED front fog lamps, roller shutter and puddle lamps.
Ours is fitted with 18-inch alloys wrapped in Good Year Wrangler All Terrains which we’ll put to the test later.
Ford’s interiors are a cut above the opposition and in the Wildtrak iteration, it’s more luxury SUV than bakkie.
Soft touch surfaces and orange stitching, a plethora of storage nooks and crannies and electric seats give it an executive appeal.
The eight-inch digital instrument cluster has various settings via the steering wheel and the 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Ford’s Synch 4 system is wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible and so far it’s behaved impeccably with no random disconnections while using it.
For some reason though there’s a keep your hands on the steering wheel warning that flashes randomly despite both hands on the wheel and the only way to clear it is a gentle movement of the wheel.
There’s also a driver fatigue warning that pops up which, when all you have been doing is driving in town for five minutes, doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.
There’s a 400W inverter, with 12V and 240V power to the cabin and loadbox which is ideal for powering leisure accessories and of course power tools.
Behind the seats there’s additional secure storage space accessed via the rear-hinged doors.
Note to self: It’s a Super Cab so the rear door must be closed first to avoid that horrible metal on metal sound.
The rear storage space is hard plastic and a rubberised mat would be a useful addition to prevent things like cooler boxes and shopping bags from sliding around and ending up in the rear footwell.
We’ve done just under 1,000km so far mostly on suburban roads and highways.
The ride quality is exceptional, not only for a bakkie, but it’s superior to many other SUVs and even hatchbacks and sedans.
When Ford first launched the new Ranger, the one thing that everyone agreed on was how comfortable and pliant its road manners were.
The gearbox and engine combine well with smooth changes throughout so when you pass slower traffic and put your foot down, it changes down two or three gears effortlessly and quickly moves up again to settle on the adaptive cruise control setting.
Seating is comfortable and on the odd occasion I’ve pushed it hard into corners, providing ample support in the right places.
I’m on tank two at the moment and fuel economy is standing at 10.1l/100km which for a rather large vehicle isn’t bad at all.
I still have to do a towing test and a couple of 4x4 trails which will provide a more realistic figure, but judging on previous Rangers we’ve had on test, it won’t be a significant increase.
It comes with a swathe of safety features should things go awry that include Lane Centering, Evasive Steer Assist, Reverse Brake Assist,Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), Lane Keeping System with Road Edge Detection, Blind Spot Monitor with Trailer Coverage, Cross Traffic Alert, Post-Collision Braking and Pre-Collision Assist (with Dynamic Brake Support, Forward Collision Warning, and Autonomous Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection).
It’s taken a while to get used to not having rear seats, but so far the Ford Ranger Wildtrak Extended Cab has provided a trusty companion.