Ford Ranger 2023 Long-Term Review

UPDATED 15/12/2023: This brings an end to our 2023 Ford Ranger long-term series and, as promised, we’ve sampled the range from top to bottom.

We can’t tell you which model is the ‘right’ one to buy, but we can make some recommendations depending on your intended use case based on this experience.

If you’re after a workhorse there really is nothing wrong with the 2023 Ford Ranger XLS dual-cab (now starting from $55,430 with the latest price increases). Add the $750 Tech Pack and it has absolutely everything you need and more besides, the 2.0-litre biturbo diesel works great and it still has all the safety gear.

In theory a step up to the Ranger XLT is all that’s needed for a family-friendly option, and if you’re going to add your own tonneau or canopy that is the case, but without any covering for the tray there’s nowhere to put luggage or prams or, well, anything really.

Given it has a powered tonneau standard, the Ranger Wildtrak stands out as the pick and it’s a really impressive package, setting the new standard for dual-cabs that the closely-related Volkswagen Amarok has met but all others must now strive for.

We’d pick a 2.0-litre Wildtrak over the ($700 more expensive) V6 Sport, but if you can stretch to the bigger engine in the Wildtrak it’s worth considering as the improvement in refinement is marked. But it’s a decision made tougher by the fact the V6 premium is now $4200 rather than $3000 as at launch.

Last but most, not least, the Ranger Raptor is the ultimate dual-cab. It’s a huge amount of money and arguably the antithesis of where the car industry is headed, but it’s a car you will enjoy every time you drive it.

A succession of price rises since launch have made the Ford Ranger Raptor more expensive, lifting its ask from the original $85,490 plus on-road costs to $89,190 plus ORCs for the 2024 model year.

If you’re wondering, Ford has hiked prices four times since launch, moves “which take into consideration a number of different external factors such as currency and material cost considerations”.

It’s almost $10,000 more than the next rung down on the Ranger ladder, the Platinum (from $79,390), and it’s a hefty $15,000-plus step up over the popular Wildtrak V6.

Of course, no other Ranger can boast a 292kW/583Nm 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6, enough grunt to throw even 2475kg of Raptor to 100km/h in six seconds.

It’s also loaded with everything Ford can possibly throw at it. Mechanically, there are 17-inch alloys with aggressive BF Goodrich tyres (and a full-size spare), diff locks front and rear, adaptive Fox shocks, active dual exhaust, a reinforced box frame and stronger power steering motor.

In terms of toys, everything is standard, including the Matrix LED headlights, 10-way power adjust front seats with heating, leather-accented upholstery, the 10-speaker B&O stereo, dual-zone climate control, the larger 12.4-inch digital instrument and 12.0-inch infotainment displays, ambient lighting, auxiliary switch bank, the works.

The only things it lacks compared to the Platinum are quilted leather upholstery and memory front seats with ventilation.

Safety is well covered by nine airbags, every active safety assist function under the sun and a 360-degree camera with sensors front and rear and park assist, though the Raptor is technically excluded from the regular Ranger’s five-star ANCAP rating.

The warranty is Ford’s standard five-year/unlimited-kilometre offering and servicing is capped at $329 each for the first four visits with intervals of 12 months or 15,000km.

There are now some options to contend with, a power roller tonneau made available from MY23.5 for $3500, while beadlock-capable wheels are $2000, prestige paint is $700 and the Raptor decals are $500, so fully loaded you’re looking at well beyond $100,000 by the time it’s parked in your driveway.

No question, circa-$100,000 drive-away is a lot of money by any standards. In fact, you wouldn’t need to rewind too long for the idea of a six-figure dual-cab to be thought of as absurd. And yet, the 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor wears the tag with relative comfort.

Part of the reason is the level of differentiation. Step out of a Wildtrak and the Raptor is obviously a class above. The steering wheel is different, chunkier with different buttons and a pair of shift paddles on the back.

The seats are clearly more serious, with extra padding and bolstering, there’s all the various orange trim accents (which are orange regardless of the exterior colour), the full-width digital instrument display – lots of little touches that add up to the impression that you’re in something a bit special.

This feeling continues when you hit the start button and the boosted V6 growls into life. I’ll discuss the issue of sound later but, again, there’s no mistaking the fact you’re in something out of the ordinary.

Possibly the most remarkable aspect of the 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor is that it feels different the moment you turn the steering wheel.

The steering has its own unique weighting – adjustable but Normal feels right – and there’s greater fidelity, which is quite an achievement given those messages are coming through giant 285/70 off-road tyres.

It should be like trying to figure out what notes you’re playing on a guitar wearing oven mitts. The trick Fox suspension not only improves the Raptor’s off-road capability but also improves its ride comfort.

It’s not as plush as the old diesel Raptor. Ford has had to sacrifice some of that cushiness to provide the control that almost 300kW and 2500kg requires, but this is still a more comfortable car than the standard Ranger and there’s the added novelty of never having to slow down for speed bumps – you barely feel them.

I’ve dealt with the Ranger’s daily practicality in other updates so there’s no point going over the same ground here; it’s no better and no worse, though the addition of the powered roller tonneau option gives it some tray security it was initially lacking.

The tech all works pretty seamlessly, especially if you consider that the majority of people will be using smartphone mirroring. Having it wireless is handy and no connection or re-connection issues have made themselves known.

A word to the Ranger’s active safety systems, too. Its lane keep assist in particular is well calibrated; there is still the occasional unrequired nudge but nothing like the continued intrusion by some other systems.

Let’s now deal with the elephant in the room: fuel consumption in the 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor.

With some self-restraint, it’s not as bad as you might imagine. While initially sitting at around 13.0L/100km, tootling around Melbourne’s outer ’burbs had the display steadily dropping to the point where it became a challenge to see how frugal it could be.

Eventually about 11.5L/100km seemed to be the realistic floor – matching the official ADR claim – at which point I gave myself a stern talking to about trying to hypermile in a car like this.

Typically, you’ll probably be in the 12L/100km bracket, maybe edging towards 15L/100km in heavy traffic and well into the 20s if you’re towing or driving with a heavy foot. Speaking of.

The original Ford Ranger Raptor could not be called a performance car. In the right environment it could be fantastic fun but wouldn’t break 10sec to 100km/h downhill with a tailwind.

As such, it was a comfy daily cruiser – which suited many people just fine – but not particularly exciting.

In certain circumstances, the new Ranger Raptor can be a bit too exciting. The aggressive tread of the BFGoodrich tyres works wonders off-road but it reduces the contact patch considerably, and on a wet road in rear-wheel drive the Raptor can spin the wheels and wiggle its rear-end in the first six gears and at any road speed.

This is ably mopped up by the traction and stability control and selecting 4A for all-wheel drive improves things further, but remember that this improves traction but not grip. The cornering forces and, in particular, braking forces remain the same.

Be aware on a wet road a Ranger Raptor takes a long, long time to stop.

In the dry it certainly now has the grunt to move at a remarkable pace as long as you’re going in a straight line.

This seems an apt time to talk about a fairly contentious point of the Raptor – the noise.

Personally, it’s all about context. The first time I heard a Ranger Raptor accelerate in anger I thought it was an Alfa Romeo Stelvio Q, and when I mentioned this to someone at Ford they said: “That’s the car we used as a benchmark for sound.” Job done.

Now, if this engine was installed in a Ferrari or a BMW M car I would say that it doesn’t sound very good, but in a dual-cab I think it’s quite cool. Turbocharged V6s – Ferrari 296 GTB aside – rarely make a particularly pleasant noise so compared to the diesel clatter you find in most utes this is quite exotic.

Nevertheless, while the Ranger Raptor might be as quick as a hot hatch from 0-100 it doesn’t handle like one. Quelle surprise. I mention this because I’ve seen a number of posts online from people thinking about doing a track day in their Raptor.

Now, I’m all for getting out there on track, but not in one of these. Yes, it’s quite fast, but you’ll melt the brakes in less than two laps, shred the tyres and just have a generally unpleasant time.

However, if you do want to experience what your Raptor can do, what it was designed for, then you need to head beyond the tarmac.

I’m not necessarily referring to off-road, though with the dual diff locks, multiple drive modes, excellent traction control, plenty of ground clearance and those tyres it’s about as capable as standard production cars come.

But if you really want a taste of what the Raptor can do you need more space and speed. Any forest road will give you a taste, those tyres as good on the loose as they are poor on wet tarmac, the suspension soaking up every bump and hole, the steering providing accuracy and feedback and engine offering plenty of power and torque.

Happily, a good friend owns a private rally track and when truly let off the leash this is a truly incredible vehicle. Switched into Baja mode the twin-turbo V6 activates an anti-lag system to improve response, the shocks have a dedicated off-road setting, the exhaust opens up and the stability control backs off.

Or, if you deactivate it completely it stays off, even cancelling rollover protection, so be aware. Now the Raptor feels genuinely like a giant Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution – its ability to turn on the brakes and continue turning mid-corner and on-throttle defies physics and logic.

In the same way few Porsche or Ferrari owners will scratch the surface of their cars’ capabilities, you can drive a Raptor harder with commitment and control than pretty much all will give it credit for. On the flipside, stick it in rear-wheel drive, lock the rear diff and you have a loose-surface drift machine almost without equal.

There is a price to pay if you engage in such behaviour. Driven hard the fuel thirst is wallet-shredding, you’ll knock a few thousand kilometres off your tyres in half a day and the brakes quickly feel the heat, the ESC flashing up various warnings after only a few minutes hard driving.

This sounds more dire than it is. It turns out the Raptor senses it’s being driven hard, predicts you’ll be generating some serious brake temperatures and flashes up the warning to tell you to calm down so you don’t actually run out of brakes.

What was relatively dire was the Raptor somehow thinking the park brake was stuck on even though it wasn’t (the car still rolled freely). It didn’t alter the way the car drove at all but having an insistent bonging on the three-hour drive back to Melbourne almost sent the occupants mad.

2023 Ford Ranger Raptor at a glance:
Price: $89,190 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol
Output: 292kW/583Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 11.5L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 262g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested

UPDATED 30/8/2023: At its mid-2022 launch, the Ford Ranger Wildtrak sat atop the range but it’s since been usurped by the Wildtrak X, Platinum and Raptor.

At $71,190 plus on-road costs for the 3.0-litre V6 version, current pricing for the 2023 Ford Ranger Wildtrak has increased $1000 since it first appeared and our test car asks for a little extra, adding $700 for premium paint (anything other than white) and $1850 for the Premium Pack that consists of Matrix LED headlights, full LED tail-lights, a bank of overhead auxiliary switches and premium B&O stereo.

Unsurprisingly, the overwhelming majority of buyers are opting for this pack and it brings the total ask to $73,740 plus ORCs or around $80,000 drive-away depending on which state you’re in. If you don’t need V6 grunt, the 2.0-litre biturbo Wildtrak will save you $3200.

The V6 makes more power and torque (184kW/600Nm v 154kW/500Nm) but is also a bit thirstier (claimed 8.4L/100km combined v 7.6L/100km), though in our experience in day-to-day driving there isn’t a whole lot of difference in thirst between the two due to the need to work the four-pot a bit harder.

As you’d hope, the Wildtrak is loaded with plenty of gear, though what seemed like strange omissions made a lot more sense once Ford revealed the Wildtrak X and Platinum variants – it wanted to keep some toys in reserve.

The most obvious is the full-width 12.4-inch digital driver’s display, the Wildtrak limited to the 8.0-inch version shared with lower variants. Other goodies you miss out on are 10-way power-adjust front seats, front seat ventilation, a heated steering wheel, damped tailgate and Ford’s clever Flexi-Rack system.

Thankfully, plenty of gear is also included, such as 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tyres (20s are a $500 option if you aren’t planning on heading off the tarmac), dual-zone climate control, eight-way power-adjust front seats with heating, rear air vents, auto lights/wipers, ambient lighting and more.

Like all Rangers, the Wildtrak is safe as houses with nine airbags and every conceivable active safety aid including adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go function, lane departure warning and lane keep assist, trailer sway control, rollover mitigation, blind spot monitoring with cross traffic alert, a 360-degree camera and tyre pressure monitoring, just to name some of it.

Ordinarily, the downside of this kit would be extra weight which would come out of your payload as traditionally a range of vehicles will have the same gross vehicle mass (GVM).

Ford, however, has thought of this and while the Wildtrak is one of the heavier Rangers at 2384kg it also has the highest GVM at 3350kg, so max payload is still a healthy 966kg.

Max towing capacity is 3500kg but, as ever, we wouldn’t necessarily recommend towing that much, but the 6400kg gross combined mass (GCM) should cover most bases.

Finally, tray dimensions are listed as the same as other Ranger variants (L/W/H 1464/1520/525mm), but the Wildtrak’s standard electrically-operated roller shutter does substantially encroach on tub space, but more on that in the next update.

In general, cars tend to feel like they were designed from the bottom up or the top down. It’s a bit of a sweeping generalisation, but you get a sense of whether a manufacturer started with the base model and added bits to create flashier variants or started at the top and took bits out to meet various price points.

Hot hatches are a good example of the former. They might be awesome fun to drive and have plenty of toys, but it’s also difficult for them to escape the fact they’re based on very humble city cars.

The Ford Ranger, on the other hand, feels like the latter and by that I mean it feels like the Blue Oval started with the Wildtrak and then just stripped bits out of it to create the Ranger Sport, XLT, XLS and XL.

To back this claim I present as evidence the fact that every model gets the full safety suite and a digital dash and a large portrait-style infotainment touch-screen (though the Wildtrak is the first variant to score that larger 12.0-inch screen) with wireless smartphone mirroring.

There’s also the soft-touch surfaces in the Wildtrak, especially around the doors, and the contrast stitching. It just all feels like Ford started by saying “What do we want the Wildtrak to look like?” and then worked backwards rather than trying to glitz up an XLS.

The lack of full-width digital dash is a disappointment, though. Not including it standard is perhaps understandable, but not to include it as part of the Premium Pack? It lets the interior down slightly.

I don’t envy those wanting to buy a Ranger as Ford has been quite cunning in its model walk. For instance, between the XLS biturbo and this Wildtrak V6 there’s a $16,460 price gap, which sounds significant until you realise there’s five variants sandwiched in there.

I do wonder how many buyers succumbed to “Well, if I just spent another $2500-$3000 I can get the next model” and next minute they’ve ordered a Wildtrak when they wanted an XLT.

As an example, for the extra $3500 over the Sport you score all-terrain tyres as standard, heated seats, powered front seats, tie-down rails in the tray, self-park capability and the electric hard tonneau – all handy gear.

So, is the Wildtrak worth the money? If you need a Ranger for daily/family duties I’d say yes and it’s primarily thanks to that powered roller shutter. Although, yes, you can fit an aftermarket unit (or a canopy) to any Ranger!

I mentioned in the first XLT update (below) that a family trip away was stymied by the (in hindsight obvious) realisation that there’s very little secure luggage or storage space in your typical dual-cab.

The Wildtrak solves this. Instantly it became more useable by having a handy (and sizeable) space to secure prams/bags, and the ability to operate the shutter from the key makes quick access a breeze.

The downside is the amount of space the roller shutter robs and those keen on outdoor adventures and the associated gear required are probably better off sticking with the Sport.

Speaking of outdoor adventures, let’s go on one.

In previous updates I’ve covered in some detail how the new Ford Ranger drives both on- and off-road so there’s no point going over the same ground.

Instead, with the 2023 Ford Ranger Wildtrak I decided to just head off into the great outdoors like many owners would on a weekend.

A simple route was devised: north from Melbourne to Broadford, east towards Flowerdale, north into the Tallarook State Forest and drive around until bitumen was found once again.

On a highway cruise there’s little to make the Wildtrak any better than its lesser siblings, though that’s no bad thing as it’s about as comfortable and refined as utes come.

One thing that is worth mentioning is the larger infotainment screen. While bigger might sound better there’s really very little practical advantage to the larger screen.

It gives you the option of a row of shortcuts underneath the smartphone mirroring display, but it’s not something I really use; nor do I miss it when it’s absent.

Turning off the sealed road at the Murchison Gap Lookout (stunning views) seems a good time to remind those unfamiliar that speccing the V6 diesel also includes full-time 4WD capability.

While you still have the ability to run in rear-wheel drive only, unlike the four-cylinder Rangers, which lock the centre diff when switching to four-wheel drive, the six-cylinder variants can happily run on tarmac without drama.

It’s in this environment the Ranger shines. Plenty of traction and stability on the slippery surface which gives you more freedom to enjoy the stunning views.

In an effort to test the Wildtrak’s limits a little more, a random turn-off down one of the many, many rougher offshoots has the hill descent control activated and the Ranger edging its way without fuss to the bottom of a steep gully.

Variants from Sport upwards benefit from some extra off-road gear, specifically two more drive modes – Sand and Mud/Ruts – and an off-road screen which shows your driveline settings, whether the rear diff is locked or not, vehicle pitch as well as the feed from the front camera that can track where your front wheels are headed.

Finally, if things go really awry, there are two front tow hooks rather than the single one on the XLT and below.

Steep, slippery climbs, rough, rocky trails, muddy ruts, nothing on this journey is particularly difficult, but equally none of it in any way troubles the Wildtrak and that’s the whole point.

I’ve gone off exploring on my own (or it could be with my family) safe in the knowledge that – as long as you’re moderately sensible – it’ll confidently tackle anything you throw at it.

2023 Ford Ranger Wildtrak V6 at a glance:
Price: $71,190 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 184kW/600Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 222g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2022)

UPDATED 14/04/2023: As with the Ranger XLT we focused on in the first instalment of this long-term review (see below), there are two sides to how much the 2023 Ford Ranger XLS costs.

The first is the price of the launch vehicle you see here, the second is how much the same vehicle would cost as an MY23.5 model, which you’ll be ordering if you make the plunge today.

The Ranger XLS originally cost $54,330 plus on-road costs, but our test car has quite a few extra goodies that lift it to $59,105 plus ORCs. These include premium paint ($675, white is the only standard colour), 17-inch alloy wheels with all-terrain tyres ($750), a spray-in bedliner ($900) and the tow pack with integrated trailer brake controller ($1700).

Last but not least is the Tech Pack ($750), which includes the improved SYNC4A infotainment system, built-in sat-nav, DAB radio, keyless entry/start, rear air vents and dual-zone climate control. It must be one of the most no-brainer options boxes to tick in the history of the motor vehicle.

The bad news is that as an MY23.5 model you’ll need to pay more, but the good news is the damage is relatively slight, the total ask being $59,530 plus ORCs due to the base vehicle increasing by $400 and premium paint now costing $700.

In terms of rivals, the Ranger XLS lines up with the likes of the Isuzu D-MAX LS-M (from $55,300), Mazda BT-50 XT (from $55,080), Mitsubishi Triton GSR (from $56,940), Nissan Navara ST (from $54,205) and, of course, the Toyota HiLux SR (from $54,045); all auto-equipped.

It’s covered by Ford’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and your first four services (with 12-month/15,000km intervals) are capped at $329 apiece for a total of $1316. That’s a pretty handy saving as Ford’s service price calculator suggests those four services should cost $2035.

That same service price calculator gives up to 12 years of visibility and the next eight years will set you back $4180 for a total of $5496 over 12 years/180,000km, though this obviously doesn’t include any consumables or things that may go bang over that time.

Conventional wisdom is that the family-friendly Ford Ranger options start with the XLT – anything below that is a bit ‘tradie’ spec.

Is that actually the case?

No, as it turns out, at least not in our experience with the 2023 Ford Ranger XLS.

There’s no doubt that it’s a more basic environment than even the XLT we were previously in (see below), let alone the Wildtrak.

Soft-touch surfaces are now hard plastic, the leather steering wheel is now plastic, you have to turn the wipers on yourself (oh the humanity!) and the yellow glow of the halogen headlights betrays the lack of LED lighting.

But by and large this is all tinsel. You still score the 10.1-inch portrait touch-screen with wireless smartphone mirroring (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) and 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster that are the same all the way up to Sport trim as well as all the safety gear.

Nine airbags, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane departure warning, lane keep assist, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert and a reversing camera all come standard.

Admittedly, our test car helps the XLS’s case by having quite a few options, but they’re so reasonably priced that they are basically must-haves.

Upgrading the wheels to 17-inch alloys (16s are standard) with all-terrain tyres seems very good value at $750 but that pales into significance compared to the Tech Pack.

The upgraded infotainment, native sat-nav, dual-zone climate control with rear air vents and keyless entry and start closes most of the gap between the XLS and XLT and means it doesn’t really lack any daily creature comforts.

Certainly, I haven’t found myself cursing the lack of anything in particular which suggests nothing pivotal is really missing.

The other big difference between the 2023 Ford Ranger XLT we tested earlier (see below) and this XLS is under the bonnet.

The Ranger XLS is only available with the 2.0-litre biturbo four-cylinder turbo-diesel that produces 154kW/500Nm, but it’s a perfectly serviceable powertrain.

In daily driving I find it more immediately responsive than the V6. Ford worked hard on the transmission mapping of the 2.0-litre and it works well, picking up quickly and decisively.

It’s only when you ask for bigger throttle loadings that the gap between the two engines becomes apparent. Press the accelerator firmly and the 2.0-litre’s early promise fades, whereas the 3.0-litre V6 really gets into its stride and delivers very meaningful performance.

On the downside the transmission does have the occasional off day. Especially on start-up it can flare on the first throttle application like the clutch is slipping – obviously it doesn’t have a clutch but you get my point – before sorting itself out. It’s only an occasional thing but doesn’t exactly fill you with confidence.

The pros and cons continue. The standard shifter proves that the V6’s e-shifter is a retrograde step in terms of functionality, though having the manual shift buttons on the side of the lever is an ergonomic disaster that ensures they’ll never be used.

Four-cylinder Rangers also lose the ability to run in four-wheel drive on sealed surfaces, instead leaving the traditional options of 2H, 4H and 4L.

Fuel consumption between the two engines is also remarkably similar, with both our previous V6 XLT and this XLS hovering between 10-11L/100km depending on the prevailing traffic conditions.

This makes sense, as you’re working the four-cylinder harder for a given level of performance. On a highway cruise the numbers would undoubtedly get closer to the official claims of 7.2L/100km and 8.4L/100km for the four- and six-cylinder respectively.

To summarise, if you’re not too enamoured with the finer things in life then as long as you tick a couple of options boxes the XLS can successfully perform daily driver duties. 

Oops. This is embarrassing. The 2023 Ford Ranger XLS is currently like a Corgi held above water, its legs furiously but fruitlessly paddling as they have no actual purchase. In this case, however, the Ranger isn’t being cradled by hands but sitting on its underbody protection, its wheels scrabbling helplessly.

This predicament might suggest that the answer to the question above is no, the Ranger XLS isn’t any good off-road, but that isn’t accurate.

I could, I suppose, point to the new Ranger’s 50mm-longer wheelbase as the culprit, as it decreases the rampover angle and makes it more susceptible to bottoming out. But really I just stuffed up.

The reason for the question is that the Ranger XLS misses out on some of the headline off-road kit available in upper-spec models.

Being the 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel means the XLS lacks the full-time four-wheel drive ability of Rangers fitted with the 3.0-litre V6 diesel, while the Sand and Mud/Ruts drive modes are also missing.

Does it matter? No, not really. The Ranger XLS still comes with all the basic ingredients required for off-road excellence, though the optional all-terrain tyres certainly enhance its abilities dramatically. The Dunlop Grandtrek isn’t the most aggressive tyre around, but it’s definitely leagues ahead of any ‘all-season’ option in the rough stuff.

A lot of people will fit their own tyres, of course, but for $750 the official option is good value.

There’s high- and low-range four-wheel drive as well as a locking rear diff. While its traction control system isn’t as good as the very best (read: HiLux), the Ford has a key advantage over the Toyota – as well as the D-MAX and BT-50 twins – in that traction control remains active if you lock the rear diff, providing crucial extra grip to the front wheels.

Not that that’s proving particularly helpful right now. Having successfully conquered every obstacle on our off-road test loop we just needed a couple more pictures. Ironically, descending the same piece of road just ascended looked a little risky due to where the wheels would potentially fall, so I chose what looked to be the easier route, only to misjudge the size of the entry hump.

Again, my mistake was erring on the side of caution and backing off as soon as I heard the underbody scrape. A fraction more momentum and it would’ve slid over the other side and we could have continued on our merry way.

But sadly the Ranger was now beached, j-u-s-t enough weight being taken off the wheels (all still on the ground) to prevent them gaining purchase.

While the current predicament wasn’t the Ranger’s fault, it does go to show that really the only thing that’s going to slow it down is ground clearance. And an incompetent operator.

REVIEW PUBLISHED 22/02/2023: As Australia’s second-most-popular vehicle behind the Toyota HiLux, it was a no-brainer that we would add a Ford Ranger to the carsales long-term garage.

In fact, as local supplies improve, Ford’s new-generation Aussie-developed ute could threaten HiLux for the outright sales crown in 2023.

Traditionally, long-term reviews have been an opportunity to test the reliability and durability of a car, but modern vehicles are pretty good – things don’t tend to go drastically wrong or fall off (though we’ll certainly tell you about them if they do!).

As such, this long-term test will be a thorough investigation of the Ranger across multiple variants and powertrains and in all scenarios: long trips, short trips, laden, unladen, on-road and off.

Essentially, if you have a Ford Ranger-related question, over the course of the next six months you should be able to find the answer here – if not, send us a note and we’ll answer it!

To kick off we have a 2023 Ford Ranger XLT fitted with the optional ‘Lion’ V6 turbo-diesel. This will be followed by the lower-rung XLS, a Wildtrak 2.0 Bi-Turbo and finally the Raptor.

So, without further ado, let’s get into it…

The 2023 Ford Ranger XLT starts at $61,190 plus on-road costs, with another $3000 required for the 3.0-litre V6 diesel.

Add to this $500 for all-terrain tyres, $675 for prestige paint (aka any colour other than white), $400 for the spray-in bedliner and $900 for the Touring Pack (integrated trailer brake controller, 360-degree camera, puddle lap mirrors and zone lighting) and you have a total of $66,665 plus on-road costs. It quickly adds up.

But wait, there’s more. Vehicles built from March 2023 are dubbed ‘Model Year 2023.5’ so by the time you read this it’s almost certain if you order a Ranger it’ll be the updated version. If you find a car in stock, it may be a different story.

The bad news is you’ll be paying more. The Ford Ranger XLT now starts at $61,990 plus ORCs (+$800), the V6 diesel is $3200 (+$200), prestige paint is $700 (+$25), the tyres and spray-in bedliner remain $500 and $400 respectively, the integrated brake controller is now standard but the Touring Pack rises to $1295 but also includes six auxiliary switches and a cargo management system.

All up, an MY23.5 Ranger XLT to the same spec as our long-termer will cost $68,085 plus ORCs, which translates to $73,436 drive-away according to Ford’s website. Pop your own postcode in to source accurate pricing for your location.

The XLT is essentially the first rung on the ‘family friendly’ Ranger ladder, the XL and XLS variants below it intended to be more utilitarian workhorses.

It’s the first variant to have the option of the 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel and full-time four-wheel drive, though can also be had as a 2.0-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder diesel in two- or four-wheel drive. Rear disc brakes are also now standard.

Externally you score body-coloured mirrors and door handles, LED headlights and C-shape LED daytime running lights, a chrome central grille bar, 17-inch alloy wheels, a black sports bar and a 12V socket for the illuminated tray.

On the inside the seats are cloth and manually adjustable but the wheel and gear shifter are leather, there’s keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control, auto wipers and sat-nav, digital radio and voice activation for the SYNC 4A infotainment system.

One area Ford deserves praise for with the new Ranger is the democratisation of technology. In the XLT (and indeed the base XL) you score a 10.1-inch portrait infotainment touch-screen with wireless smartphone mirroring, embedded modem and FordPass App connectivity as well as an 8.0-inch digital instrument display.

In terms of safety, all Rangers include nine airbags, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane keep assist, lane departure warning with road edge detection, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, a reversing camera and rear parking sensors.

Model grades from XLS up also include front parking sensors.

Our relationship with the 2023 Ford Ranger XLT has gotten off to a rocky start. It arrived just prior to a family holiday so I thought “perfect, a great opportunity to test the Ranger’s family credentials” – an important consideration when so many are now used as daily transport.

First port of call was to fit a new baby seat. There’s plenty of space for the seat itself but installing it is a little trickier than in a passenger car/SUV due to the top tether point being located behind the seat.

Usually I would clip in the ISOFIX points then attach the top tether but this isn’t possible because accessing it requires you to fold down the backrest, which then doesn’t allow enough space for the baby seat to sit in situ. This isn’t a huge drama, but it’s now a process made much easier by having a second set of hands.

With the baby seat installed the real problem became apparent – there’s nowhere to put anything. That might sound like a ridiculous statement given the massive load space at the rear but when you’re talking luggage the matter becomes more complicated.

Only the Wildtrak and forthcoming Platinum receive a hard roller tonneau (though it’s now an option on Raptor as well), with lower models having no covering whatsoever.

This essentially limits luggage space to two-thirds of the back seat (the other third occupied by baby seat) which isn’t nearly enough for all the paraphernalia required for a family weekend away.

The easiest solution is a canopy, which provides the extra security and protection from the weather a soft tonneau cannot, but you’ll need to budget an extra $3500-$5000.

Of course, this isn’t a problem unique to the Ford Ranger but one that afflicts all dual-cabs, but don’t get editor-in-chief Mike Sinclair started on this topic…

So, how did we solve this holiday transport conundrum? We took my wife’s Skoda Karoq, which swallowed all our luggage and returned 5.9L/100km to boot.

Imagine this scenario: you currently have a previous-generation Ford Ranger Raptor, and while you love it, it’s time to upgrade to something new.

Obviously, you’d love the new Ranger Raptor, but the entry price is now almost $10,000 more than you paid, you do a lot of kilometres and you’re wary of a twin-turbo petrol V6’s thirst. And then there’s the small issue of a 12-month wait list…

Could the XLT V6 prove an adequate – or even ideal – replacement?

We’ve selected this variant for a number of reasons. The first and most obvious is that the XLT V6 is our current long-termer and it was while driving it that the thought popped into my head.

Then there’s the fact that at a tick over $70,000 drive-away you could almost get out of a PXIII Raptor and straight into an XLT V6 with very little, if any, outlay.

Unlike the Raptor and V6 Wildtrak, which are currently subject to around a 12-month wait, the XLT V6 (and the Sport as well) can be had in around three-to-four months, though this is a fluid situation.

The final piece of the puzzle is that the XLT V6 is the quickest diesel Ranger you can buy. Granted, there isn’t much in it, but as the lightest Ranger available with the more powerful engine the XLT undercuts the Sport by 15kg and the Wildtrak by 68kg.

This gives the XLT a very slight power-to-weight advantage over the latter of 80.5kW/tonne versus 78.2kW/tonne. Anyone coming out of a previous Ranger Raptor won’t know what hit them, however, as that managed a mere 66.1kW/tonne.

In light-throttle driving the V6 doesn’t feel appreciably more powerful than the four-cylinder biturbo diesel, but floor the accelerator and the extra grunt is definitely there.

This creates its own hazards. With 600Nm of torque and all-terrain tyres, significant care is needed if you’re driving in two-wheel drive on wet roads.

Hard acceleration, like that applied during an overtake, for instance, can result in wheelspin at up to 100km/h. It makes the new four-wheel drive auto setting very useful, allowing the car to be driven more safely on slippery sealed surfaces.

So if you’re coming out of a prior Raptor you’re likely to be pretty pleased with the performance available with the new Ranger.

But the highlight of the old car was its suspension, which offered a beautifully smooth ride on-road and gave it incredible ability off-road.

The new Ranger can’t compete, its standard suspension no match for the expensive Fox shocks in the Raptor. Its unladen ride is good when compared to its rivals but there’s still plenty of jitteriness over poor surfaces.

On the plus side, the XLT is the more practical ute, with a 3500kg maximum towing capacity, 3350kg GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) and 6400kg GCM (Gross Combined Mass). It far outstrips the previous Raptor’s figures of 2500kg, 3090kg and 5350kg respectively.

As one final test, it’s time for the sort of road trip that that previous Raptor would’ve excelled at, exploring some of Australia’s (in this instance Victoria’s) vast network of unsealed roads.

The chosen destination is the Ada Tree, for no other reason than it’s in the middle of the forest and I’ve driven past signs referring to it for years and wondered what’s out there.

What’s out there, as it turns out, is a dirty great tree, but in this instance we’re more interested in the journey than the destination.

The road there, winding through the hills between Warburton and Powelltown, is phenomenal; wide, in general well-surfaced, incredibly varied and with some great scenery in parts.

It’s here that a dual-cab makes perfect sense, its chunky rubber at no risk of punctures like a typical low-profile SUV tyre might be and the Ranger is sharp enough to drive that the endless corners aren’t a chore.

It’s also handy to note that the Ranger’s road edge detection still works more often than not on these forestry tracks, which could be quite handy in slippery conditions.

Put simply, if you have the previous Raptor and can’t or don’t want to stretch to the new one, a Ranger XLT or Sport V6 might well be worth a look.

You’ll sacrifice some ride comfort but gain greater performance, better towing and load-carrying capability and a ute that’s still very capable and enjoyable to drive should you venture into the great outdoors.

2023 Ford Ranger XLT Dual-Cab Pick-Up V6 at a glance:
Price: $61,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel
Output: 184kW/600Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 222g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2022)

2023 Ford Ranger XLS at a glance:
Price: $54,330 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now 
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel 
Output: 154kW/500Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 189g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2022)

Join the conversation at 

our Facebook page

Or email us at 

editor@carsales.com.au