To be launched in the fourth quarter of this year, the 2019 Ford Ranger has been detailed by Ford. Coinciding with the on-sale date of the US Ranger – a market the Ranger hasn’t seen for more than a decade – the updated Ranger range introduces new standard equipment. The Ranger update follows the new Focus into the car maker’s Australian range.
Autonomous emergency braking will be available on XLT models and standard on the top-spec Wildtrak, joining the Mercedes-Benz X-Class in offering it in the ute class. A new 10-speed automatic will also be available, whilst all models will be covered by Ford’s new five-year/unlimited km warranty.
“The pick-up segment is at all-time record levels in Australia,” said Ford Australia President and CEO, Graeme Whickman.
“The Australian market has shifted in a relatively short timeframe, pushing pickups like Ranger towards the top of the sales charts. It’s also seen new buyers come in to the segment, especially at the premium end, which is why we’ve made Ranger more refined and more capable at an even wider variety of uses.”
Centrepiece of the 2019 Ford Ranger update is a new drivetrain. Taken from the Ranger Raptor, the 2.0-litre bi-turbo four-cylinder diesel makes 157kW of power and 500Nm of torque. It’s matched to a new 10-speed automatic, which Ford says offers superior off-road ability thanks to shorter ratios gaps compared to the current six-speed automatic. The new engine maintains the Ranger’s 3,500kg maximum towing capacity and will be offered as an option only on Ranger XLT and Wildtrak models, which in addition to every other Ranger model, will continue to offer the same engines as before.
A four-cylinder 118kW/375Nm 2.2-litre turbo diesel will be offered in entry XL and XLS models, whilst a larger 147kW/470Nm 3.2-litre five-cylinder unit is offered in XLS, XLT and Wildtrak. In addition to the engine, Ford has also reworked the Ranger’s suspension for sharper steering and less body roll for an overall more comfortable ride, yet without taking away from the Ranger’s load carrying ability. Ford has also introduced an easy lift tailgate, which reduces the initial force of opening and closing the tailgate by up to 70 percent.
Ford has also added more technology to the 2019 Ford Ranger range, with autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection and vehicle tracing now standard on Wildtrak models, as well as part of the optional tech package for the XLT – this package also includes traffic sign recognition, lane keep assist, radar cruise control and lane departure warning. Active park assist, which is automatic parallel and perpendicular steering whilst parking, is now part of the XLT tech package and standard on the Wildtrak.
Keyless entry and push button start is now optional on XLS models and standard on the XLT and Wildtrak, whilst the XLT and Wildtrak also receive LED daytime running lights and HID headlights as standard equipment. Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is standard on XLT and Wildtrak models, whilst the XLS will offer it optionally for the first time (presumably as an optional package combined with keyless entry and start). All models equipped with Sync 3 now offer emergency assist, which automatically calls emergency services in the event of an accident.
The 2019 Ford Ranger goes on sale in Australia in the fourth quarter of 2018, and pricing and specifications are due to be announced before then. Stay tuned to Chasing Cars for Ford news and reviews.
