Ford Ranger XLS 2015 Review

While the flipside to the tag 'Jack of all trades' is the caveat 'master of none', Ford's 4x4 Ranger makes a very good fist of being all things to all people – or at least many things to many people.

Weekday workhorse, tow tug, offroad explorer, family transport – the Ranger can be all these things. Granted, it's a bit of a handful in tighter car parks and the second-row seating won't suit basketballers, but the 4x4 Ranger is a veritable chameleon of the LCV world.

That's why Ford's 4WD Ranger is on a roll. The Blue Oval shifted 20,674 examples last year, up 22.2 per cent on 2013, which in turn saw an increase of 32.7 per cent from 2012. After Toyota's HiLux, the 4x4 Ranger is now the second-best-selling vehicle in the segment.

A facelifted Ranger is due soon. Ford released a teaser clip for the new model late last year, while spy pics recently emerged from Thailand – presumably taken at Ford's Rayong production facility, where the bulk of the globe's Rangers are made.

In the Ranger's five trim grades, the XLS reviewed here lies ahead of the XL but below the XLT and flagship Wildtrak. Also in the mix is an XL Plus – a harder-edged workhorse aimed at mining and remote-area applications.

Only available as Double Cab (Dual-Cab) Pickup, our XLS test vehicle has Ford's 3.2-litre Duratorq TDCi five-cylinder turbo-diesel and a six-speed automatic transmission. A six-speed manual is also available, as is a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel.

The XLS misses out on goodies like a towbar, bed liner, 5.0-inch touchscreen, dual-zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers, sports bar, rear-view camera and tinted windows, among others, but it still gets all the benefits of its gusty engine and an array of offroad features, like hill descent control, a locking rear differential, and switch-actuated transfer case. The XLS spec also convers auto headlights and foglights.

We covered around 750 kilometres over the space of a week, negotiating highway running, city traffic, and some offroad recreation. And, after assessing its strengths across those wide-ranging environs, it's the Ranger's engine that truly stands out.

With 147kW and 470Nm it's not the king in this class – Holden quotes the same power and 500Nm for its Colorado – but the Ranger delivers a strong hit off the bottom and proceeds to pull hard from below 2000rpm to around 3750. The six-speed auto offers a choice of fully automatic or manual sequential modes; it shifts smoothly and generally performs well.

Unladen the Ranger is capable of surprisingly swift acceleration, with dependable offroad pulling power to claw its way up steep inclines and churn through sloppy going.

Ford quotes a combined fuel economy figure of 9.2L/100km for the auto XLS but we recorded 10.0 at the pump. That was achieved unladen and over a mix of on-road driving conditions. With an 80-litre tank it spells a working range of over 700km.

The engine is notably refined for a diesel, with a variable geometry turbo providing responsive and virtually lag-free progress. However, the Ranger still can't hide its ladder-frame roots and those used to passenger cars will find the Ranger's handling a little ponderous on the road.

While the leaf-spring rear and wishbone front suspension do a decent job of keeping body roll in check, there's still a truck-like edge to its road manners. The springs transmit smaller road imperfections when unladen but we know the ride smooths out with some weight. Still, the Ranger certainly isn't as harsh as some LCVs in this respect.

The six-speed automatic transmission takes a considered approach to shifting but it's smooth and decisive enough and it's resolute when it comes to holding a gear. The brakes – front disc, rear drum – do a superb job, wiping off speed with confidence.

The Ranger is entirely competent on the dirt. Once again, that torquey engine is a real asset, but so is its class-leading 237mm ground clearance and 800mm wading depth. It also has healthy approach and departure angles, as we discovered first hand at a Ranger offroad day held by Ford Australia last year.

The Ranger happily treks up hill and down dale in the bush, where its Bridgestone Dueler highway tyres claw their way over rocky going with surprising grip. There's a front recovery point but nothing at the rear.

Tradies will appreciate the hefty 1136kg payload limit and 3500kg towing limit (at least they will once they've fitted the optional towbar). The latter opens up countless work and recreational pursuits.

The XLS has a painted steel bed with six tie-down anchor points and six external lashing points. It has a locking tailgate and a light trellis steel bulkhead, in lieu of the dress-only sports bar found on higher-spec models.

There's no A-pillar grab handle for the driver (yet there is for the passenger) nor any sidesteps (an issue for small children), while the steering wheel is adjustable only for tilt and not reach. The front seating has basic four-way manual adjustment but no lumbar support, while the basic cloth upholstery appears sturdy if not exactly luxurious. The seating is comfy enough, if a little basic.

In the back there's reasonable legroom as far as dual-cabs go, but for longer journeys it's still better suited to kids rather than adults. Drilled holes are provided for child seat anchor points but there's no ISOFIX system. The back of the XLS is pretty basic: power windows, yes, but no 12-volt socket, no cup holders and no face-level air-con venting.

The cabin plastics continue the utilitarian theme. They'll be easy to maintain and the fit is good, but in general the interior is starting to look a bit bland. The hard plastic steering wheel and shifter are quite a come-down in the tactility stakes from their leather-wrapped equivalents in the XLT and Wildtrak.

The basic features are all there, however. The audio system has a CD plus MP3 and USB inputs and the Bluetooth is easy to set up. The audio commands are far more basic than Ford's new SYNC2 system, which should find its way into the 2015 update. The steering wheel has integrated buttons for the cruise control and audio/phone system.

The mirrors are large and vision is generally good, although without a camera or sensors parking in tight spaces can be a challenge. On a steady throttle the cabin is really very quiet, although the growl of the diesel does intrude under acceleration.

Cabin storage isn't exactly abundant, although the centre-console bin is of a generous size and the door side pockets will take a bottle. There are twin cup holders in the centre console and twin 12-volt sockets near the USB slot and 3.5mm auxiliary audio jack.

The Ranger XLS gets six airbags while stability control is standard on all 4WD models. This incorporates hill-start assist, trailer-sway control, load adaptive control, rollover mitigation, traction control and more. All Rangers score a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

The Ranger comes with a three-year/100,000km factory warranty with 12 months of roadside assistance. Service intervals are pegged at every 12 months or 15,000km, and Ford offers a capped-price servicing scheme.

If the budget doesn't quite stretch to the XLT or Wildtrack, the XLS still has plenty to offer. Its relative lack of creature comforts points the XLS more towards tradies with towable toys rather than families, but for that demographic it offers a significant saving without sacrificing anything in the way of real-world performance.