Ford Ranger Super Duty XLT 2026 Review

The 2026 Ford Ranger Super Duty XLT is more than just a layer of carpet in lieu of a washable vinyl floor. For the extra spend, the XLT brings a set of attractively chunky 18-inch, eight-stud alloys emblazoned with ‘Super Duty’ branding, leather-accented upholstery, power-adjustable heated and ventilated front seats, and thick rubber floor mats.

Those additions push up the price on an already spendy ute however, and at $95,990 in dual cab-chassis form, or $99,990 with the new dual-cab pickup body, the XLT grade represents a $6000 jump over the base versions.

It’s a big chunk of money, but you get a big chunk of ute in return. None of the extra XLT glitter that Ford has sprinkled over the Ranger Super Duty comes at the cost of its offroad credentials, and it still sports the same 4500kg tow max, 4500kg gross vehicle mass, and 8000kg gross combination mass as its more workman-like brother.

There are no changes under the bonnet either. It’s still the same 154kW/600Nm 3.0-litre ‘Prince’ turbo-diesel V6 doing the chugging, equipped with a factory-fit snorkel (which can be deleted at no cost, if you prefer), with power going to all four wheels through Ford’s familiar 10-speed automatic and permanent 4x4 system with multiple terrain modes.

Infotainment is handled via a massive 12-inch portrait display, which also is the nexus for many of the Super Duty’s unique features like its payload scales, trailer balance monitor, and various offroad controls. As with the regular Super Duty, the XLT also sports six physical toggle switches on an overhead console, which owners can wire accessories to.

The arrival of the XLT also coincides with the addition of the pickup body style, which is also available on the regular Super Duty dual-cab, but may be more attractive to private buyers for two reasons: one, it looks cooler than a tray, with bulging fenders and wheelarch extensions emphasising the Super Duty’s increased width; two, it features a 400W/230V household power outlet in the tub in addition to the outlet that’s in the cabin. For long-distance touring, that alone is a deal-making feature.

Another deal-maker? The 2026 Ford Ranger Super Duty XLT’s tub can tote far more weight than a regular Ranger. With thicker steel in its floor and six rather than just four crossmembers, it’ll take up to 1250kg in the tub alone, which leaves nearly 450kg of payload headroom before you hit the GVM limit of 4500kg.

And that makes a huge difference for recreational off-roaders who want to stay far away from civilisation for as long as possible. Water, food, and fuel determine your endurance, and the Ranger Super Duty XLT Pickup can carry a heck of a lot of it without needing a trailer.

Happily, the XLT pickup also loses almost nothing when it comes to off-road chops. There’s no change to ground clearance (296mm in the pickup), or approach angle (36.6 degrees), though the pickup does lose almost a degree of departure angle lost due to the rear bumper. Out on the trails, though, it’s still unimpeachable.

For the XLT’s launch, we drove out of Adelaide to the Bendleby Ranges and threw both the dual cab-chassis and XLT pickup at a range of challenging trails. Steep ascents, descents and deep wombat holes over craggy shale and rock tested the grip of the standard 33-inch General Grabber all-terrains.

It was far more challenging stuff than what we encountered at the standard Super Duty’s launch late last year, but it easily walked whatever we put in front of it with just a minimum of ground contact on the XLT’s skid plates. The optional rock sliders ($1850) are definitely a box worth ticking though, and we got good use out of them.

On the drive home, another side of the XLT appeared – a marked improvement in on-road comfort, most likely due to the addition of carpet. This might be a placebo, but it seemed a smidge quieter in the XLT’s cabin than the standard model, and coupled with the Super Duty’s already excellent suspension tune, it makes for a pretty good long-distance cruiser whether on dirt roads or tarmac highways.

Besides the wheels, seats and carpet, there’s not that much that separates the 2026 Ford Ranger Super Duty XLT from the vanilla Super Duty.

That’s largely a side effect of the base grade already being equipped with gear like adaptive cruise control, wireless phone charging, and dual-zone climate control, but we’d forgive you if you thought that plusher leather-wrapped seats, fancy alloys and a bit of carpet on the floor weren’t adequate justification for a $6K price jump.

The same issues that afflict the regular Super Duty also apply to the XLT: primarily slow acceleration due to its massive weight (the pickup weighs in at 2803kg), and elevated fuel economy – expect between 11-13L/100km at best).

It’s a pricey thing, but the level of capability you’re getting is well worth the cost of entry. If you’d rather spend your spare time on a gravel-strewn trail, a remote muddy track or summiting a literal mountain in airconditioned comfort, the 2026 Ford Ranger Super Duty XLT is very, very hard to go past.

2024 Ford Ranger Super Duty XLT Pickup at a glance:
Price: $99,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 154kW/600Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 13.3L/100km (as tested)
CO2: N/A
Safety rating: Not tested

Join the conversation at our Facebook page
Or email us at editor@carsales.com.au