Ford Ranger Wildtrak v Ford Everest Wildtrak 2024 Comparison

The Australian-developed Ford Ranger and Ford Everest have a lot in common under the skin and are top-sellers for the Blue Oval brand, but which one suits you better?

Our experts have driven both the Ford Ranger Wildtrak V6 and the newly-released Ford Everest Wildtrak – here’s their pick on which you should choose.

Both models are underpinned by the same locally-engineered ladder-frame and the same V6 diesel automatic 4x4 powertrain, so...

No.

With a list price of $74,704 plus on-road costs, the new (V6-only) Everest Wildtrak costs $1114 more than Ranger Wildtrak V6 ($73,590 plus ORCs), and while that gives you a seven-seat SUV, the Ranger has a towbar as standard, which is a $1700 option on the Everest.

It's worth noting here that these prices are for MY24 vehicles delivered from January 1, 2024, and that the Everest Wildtrak is a special-edition limited to 800 units, all examples of which have now been sold at the original price of $73,090 announced in May.

But Ford has indicated there’s likely to be another batch of Everest Wildtraks coming in 2024, which will likely be sold at the higher near-$75K price, maintaining its price premium over the Ranger Wildtrak V6.

Both Wildtrak models come with the same five-year warranty and 15,000km servicing intervals, but the Everest’s capped price service cost is $50 lower than the Ranger’s over the first 75,000km/five years (at an average of $471.80 per service) and $55 less at the six-year/90,000km mark.

The Wildtrak name has been seen on the Ranger for years, but the first Everest Wildtrak went on sale in 2023.

While there are minor cosmetic differences, Everest and Ranger use the same platform, engine and transmission – the excellent 184kW/600Nm 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel matched to a 10-speed automatic.

The Everest is a fair bit shorter (4919mm versus 5406mm when both have a towbar fitted) and 71kg heavier.

The biggest differences are behind the second row, where the five-seat Ranger’s body ends and a tray with a 12V power socket is fitted, above leaf springs to help carry more weight.

The seven-seat Everest has a more advanced coil-over rear suspension, air-conditioned third-row seating and an enclosed cargo area accessed by a power liftgate.

Everest Wildtrak also has a dual-pane panoramic glass sunroof as standard, while its leather seat trim is of a higher quality than the Ranger’s.

The Everest Wildtrak also rides on 20-inch wheels against the Ranger Wildtrak’s 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tyres, which are a no-cost option for the former.

Yes.

The Everest is quieter and more comfortable than the Ranger and comes with seven seats as standard, including overhead air-conditioning vents that are fed by a second air-conditioning compressor. Even if additional seating isn’t needed, the Everest is a more refined vehicle with internal access to its cargo area.

The Everest and Ranger both have two ISOFIX child anchorage points, but the Everest has five upper anchorage points compared to the Ranger’s two, given it has fewer seats.

The Everest has 259 litres of boot space when all three seating rows are in use, expanding to 898L with the third row folded – and as much as 1823L with the second and third rows folded.

You can’t flatten the Ranger’s back seat, of course, but there are under-seat stowage areas and its tray brings flexibility in terms of how it can be loaded – from above, for instance.

The Ranger Wildtrak’s tray dimensions overall add up to a volume of 1277L, but that’s not factoring in its wheel-arches.

Ford also does not provide a figure for the Ranger’s second row as storage, even if it’s less flexible than the Everest’s, but it’s worth noting in the overall equation.

Ranger has a power roller shutter and rails along its tray sides; both Everest and Ranger have roof rails – and the Everest’s longer, of course.

Yes.

The Everest is more ‘car-like’ and has a quieter cabin than the Ranger, thanks to better sound insulation and a coil-sprung rear-end, whereas the Ranger has leaf springs.

Everest also has a tighter turning circle and is shorter, making it more manoeuvrable.

The Ranger is marginally more economical than the Everest, both on paper and in the real world.

The Everest Wildtrak has official combined fuel figure of 8.5L/100km against the Ranger’s 8.4L/100km.

On our last test with the similarly equipped Everest Sport 4x4 V6, we achieved 9.5L/100km in a mix of driving conditions – a similar result to what we saw in the Ranger Wildtrak V6.

But the Everest needs AdBlue – an emissions additive required by law – every 12,000-16000km. It can cost $1.50-$2.50 a litre and the Everest’s AdBlue tank capacity is 18.5L. 


Both models have 80L fuel tanks, however, the Ranger is classified as a commercial vehicle so does not need AdBlue.

Yes to both.

When it comes to towing, both are rated at 3500kg and have a Tow Haul drive mode at standard.

Ranger steps ahead with a factory towbar as standard, as well as an integrated brake controller – both are options on the Everest.

Everest shoppers need to tick the Tow Pack options box as well as the Touring Pack to cover both, stretching the Ranger’s price advantage.

When it comes to heading off-road, Ranger and Everest are closely-matched as two of the best, and both Wildtrak vehicles here have
A full-time four-wheel drive system.

The Ranger has a longer wheelbase but the Everest not only has a tighter turning circle but shorter front and rear overhangs, giving it better approach, departure and rampover angles – but it’s close.

Both models also offer an 800mm wading depth and while the Ranger Wildtrak has a 951kg payload, 2399kg kerb weight, 3350kg gross vehicle mass and 6400kg gross combined mass, the Everest Wildtrak has a lower 662kg payload, higher 2501kg kerb weight, lower 3150kg GVM and lower 6250kg GCM.

Everest.

Both the Ranger and Everest Wildtrak have a 12.0-inch central touch-screen with SYNC4 infotainment system, wireless smartphone charging and a suite of driver-assistance technologies including autonomous emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control and off-road tech such as a 360-degree camera and hill descent control.

The Everest takes the cake though, with a 10-speaker sound system compared to the Ranger Wildtrak’s six, while the driver’s seat in the Everest is heated/cooled and 10-way power-adjustable (the Ranger has heating and eight-way power adjustment).

Yes – but by a bee’s…

Both vehicles have four-wheel disc brakes and in independent ANCAP testing, the Everest SUV scored slightly better for Adult Occupation Protection as well as Safety Assist, but both the Ranger and Everest posted identical results for Vulnerable Road User Protection.

Splitting hairs – if a winner must be determined – the fourth and final ANCAP assessment score sees identical results of 93 per cent for both vehicles, but the Ranger actually scored 46.00 from a possible 49 points, to the Everest’s 45.66.

We told you it was close.

That 0.34-point advantage to the Ranger came in the Child Restraint Installation score. Overall though, the Everest edges the Ranger’s ANCAP score – but both were rated highly by the crash-testing body.

Mike Sinclair, carsales Editor in Chief, says unless you definitely need the tray of the Ranger then choose the Everest. Ultimately, wagon-style SUVs suit most buyers and especially families better.