2018 FORD RANGER WILDTRAK 4X4 2.2

Ford Ranger at a glance

In the past, pick-ups trucks were often seen as utilitarian, uncompromising, and a tad agricultural. However, there is perhaps one pick-up that kicked off a revolution in its class. That would be the third-generation for Ranger. Launched in late 2010 (2012 in the Philippines), the Ranger represented a seismic shift in the pick-up truck market. When it was launched, it was larger than most of its competitors and offered several class leading numbers. Not only that, it presented driving and comfort levels previously unseen in the pick-up segment. The Ranger offers uncompromising power, comfort, handling and utility. In some ways, the Ranger is the reasons pick-ups are what they are today. The current-generation Ranger underwent several updates throughout the years. It received its first facelift in 2015, followed by another in 2019. While the 2019 models look similar to the 2015 versions, it gained two new engines that year. The third-generation Ranger is slated to be replaced sometime during 2022.

Good buy or goodbye?

There are two camps when it comes to Ranger ownership. There are those who swear by it, piling on kilometers with nearly no issues at at. Some will even say that it's one of the most reliable vehicles they have ever owned. On the flipside, there are also those who ended up with units plagued with issues. It even reached a point that they said they will never even consider a Ford product in the future. But let's say you get one of the good units. The Ranger rewards you by being one of the best handling trucks out there. Its light steering also makes it easy to drive, even for those who have never tried pick-ups before. High-spec Ranger are also equipped with active safety systems previously reserved for luxury cars. Not only that, the Ranger boasts the highest payload and towing capacity in its class, along with the largest bed. The Ranger can do work and play without the drawbacks of a typical pick-up. This puts the Ranger in a rather unusual position. If you buy one, you can end up with a unit that's riddled with faults and end up becoming a money pit. On the flipside, you could get lucky and have a reliable version of one of the country's most capable trucks. To sum it up, say good bye to the Ranger if you're unwilling to take your chances. If not and you get lucky, it's most certainly a good buy. That said, the 2.2-liter versions seem to have the least reported problems.

Pros:

- Best-in-class payload and towing capacity - Strong performance - Largest bed in its class - Car-like steering - Tech and safety packages - Comfortable for a pick-up - Raptor's ride, handling, and performance

Cons:

- Hit or miss reliability - 3.2-liter and 2.0 Bi-Turbo diesel heavy on fuel - 10-speed automatic teething problems - Various reports of electrical issues

Variants

XLS 2.2 4x2 M/T XLS 2.2 4x2 A/T XLS 2.2 4x4 A/T XLT 2.2 4x2 M/T XLT 2.2 4x2 A/T FX4 2.2 4x2 M/T (2016-present) FX4 2.2 4X2 A/T (2016-present) FX4 2.2 4x4 M/T (2020-present) FX4 2.2 4x4 A/T (2020-present) Wildtrak 2.2 4x2 M/T (2011-2019) Wildtrak 2.2 4x2 A/T (2011-2019) Wildtrak 2.2 4x4 M/T (2011-2015) Wildtrak 2.2 4x4 A/T (2011-2015) Wildtrak 3.2 4x4 M/T (2011-2019) Wildtrak 3.2 4x4 M/T (2011-2019) Wildtrak 2.0 EcoBlue 4x2 M/T (2019-present) Wildtrak 2.0 EcoBlue 4x2 A/T (2019-present) Wildtrak 2.0 Bi-Turbo EcoBlue 4x4 A/T (2019-present) FX4 MAX 2.0 Bi-Turbo EcoBlue 4x4 A/T (2021-present) Raptor 2.0 Bi-Turbo EcoBlue 4x4 A/T (2018-present)