Ford’s 4×4 Ranger pickup truck was designed to suit the needs of the commercial/heavy duty industry from inception. Here are 10 reasons why it is a favorite with the commercial buyer till today.
1. Ford’s 4×4 Ranger is designed and geared to be an offroad vehicle capable of handling the harsh terrains and work environments even with the logging and mining sectors.
2. The Ranger has a best in class wading depth of 800mm (the iconic Land Rover Defender only has 500mm). This unbeatable 800mm water wading will give you a piece of mind in river crossings and during bad weather conditions.
3. The Ranger has a robust electronically controlled transfer case that allows drivers in 4×4 models to shift on the fly from 4×2 to 4×4 high with a knob on the centre console. For low-speed torque or additional downhill braking, drivers can also engage low-range 4×4 gearing, while an electronic locking rear differential helps to improve traction in difficult conditions.
4. The Ford Ranger has also earned a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. So in the rough working areas like mines, owners can be assured of the safety of the occupants in a mishap.
5. The Ranger probably has better safety features than even some passenger cars. It comes with side curtain airbags (on some models), as is frontal impact airbags for the driver and passenger. Also, seatbelt pre-tensioners and load limiters, ABS with EBD, ESP with DSC, hill descent control and an alarm/immobiliser, make the Ranger an all-round, safe package.
6. The Ranger cabin centre console has two 12v sockets with covers and two USB ports. There is a third 12v socket in the rear (Wildtrak models). Total 3 power outlets.
7. The Ranger seats have two seat pockets on the back of the front seats and the second-row seat back folds forwards giving you somewhere to hideaway small bags. The rear seats have storage compartments underneath and away from prying eyes.
8. The Ranger driver gets a light and mirror on the sunvisors and a sunglasses holder in the roof cabin center.
9. The Ford Ranger at 5274mm long and 2163mm wide is considerably bigger than most other pickup trucks giving Ranger drivers real road presence.
10. The Ranger has an electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) system. With EPAS, the steering is light & manageable for low-speed manoeuvring, such as parking & precise at higher speeds with assistance varying as necessary based on speed, steering wheel angle, cornering forces & acceleration or deceleration. By eliminating the power steering pump used in a traditional power-steering system, EPAS also results in a quieter vehicle & improves fuel efficiency by about 3%.
