Ford Ranger Super Duty XLT Pickup 2026 review

For the second half of 2026, Ford has just rolled out the more premium XLT version of its Ranger Super Duty.

The double-cab Pickup configuration now joins the three cab chassis body styles, which one would assume will be the most popular with buyers looking for a ute that can carry and tow more than most.

Pricing starts at $99,990 (before on-road costs), the XLT Pickup is certainly is a fair chunk of change, but there’s not much competition in this space for a 4×4 ute that offers as much capability, comfort and load carrying ability.

While there aren’t too many changes to the core Super Duty specification, the XLT in Pickup configuration offers the most comfort and practicality. You get leather seats, carpet and a reinforced tub that can handle additional weight.

Interestingly, the tub internals are the same as regular Ranger specs. This means it’s a familiar sight, with Ford Australia telling Chasing Cars that a factory Ranger canopy fits still – there’s no need for a bespoke canopy to cover your loads.

That said, the guards are pumped out to cover the chunky 33-inch General Grabber all-terrain tyres mounted on sharp-looking eight-stud alloy wheels.

Another key point to mention, is Ford engineers have fitted a revised alternator to the 2026.5 model year Super Duty. This could be in response to negative owner and press feedback about alternator failures, thanks to the low mounting position in the engine bay.

The upgraded unit is said to be more resistant to water, mud and dust ingress, which is a positive step showing how quickly Ford can identify potential issues and rectify them or improve specification.

Officially, the main changes are:

• Super Duty specific 18-inch eight-stud alloy wheels
• Heated and cooled leather seats in the front
• Rear leather accented seats
• Carpet flooring instead of vinyl
• Floor mats

How does the Ranger Super Duty XLT Pickup drive?

While we’re normally hesitant to give a rating (7.5/10) from a launch event, here we did manage to spent three long days testing the XLT Pickup variant of the Super Duty.

In this time we covered morning Adelaide traffic, long highway stints, fast sections of muddy Outback roads and lots of low-range technical four-wheel driving.

So we were able to form a solid understanding of how the XLT Pickup handles in a wide range of rural settings. We had the chance to test on a private farm, called Bendelby Ranges, and really live with these vehicles how farmers and off-road tourers would. It was a proper and genuine test.

Suspension is surprisingly compliant when unladen, which is impressive when you consider this is a vehicle that has a GVM of 4500kg. We hit fast whoops at highway speed, and the Super Duty XLT just took them with consummate stability, like they were a mild inconvenience.

Our only issue with the Super Duty Pickup XLT is the lack of mid-range power when trying to overtake on the open road. It’s not diabolical, but it’s not commendable either.

The torque figure feels good, especially when combined with the 10-speed transmission. Hitch up a 3500kg caravan and throw a load in the tub, and I feel this would be magnified.

On that, the double-cab Pickup offers the same 4500kg braked towing as the cab-chassis versions, with an identical 8000kg GCM. With its 2803kg kerb weight, the payload offered is a pretty impressive 1697kg.

Of course, you won’t be able to max out both the payload and towing capabilities in the same situation, but either measure is very handy when utilised in isolation, or when balanced in tandem.

Off-road, the Super Duty XLT Pickup is in its happy place. The rougher tracks of Bendelby Ranges are steep, off-cambered, rocky – we slashed on tyre sidewall at one point – and stunningly beautiful. The perfect place to live with and test these vehicles.

One key addition to the Super Duty that most Rangers don’t get, is the addition of Rock Mode. We tested this, and found it made an impressive difference to the off-road capability of the Super Duty.

In saying that, with front and rear electronically controlled differential locks, which can be operated independently of each other (just the front locker can be selected if required), the Ranger Super Duty offers traction on tricky terrain in spades.

There’s also loads of underbody protection, such as a GVM-rated fuel tank guard, and beefy bash plates, which were appreciated on this rocky terrain.

Some vehicles had optional extras fitted too, such as ARB bull bar and rock sliders. All were put to test and made it to the other side without issue.

How is the Ranger Super Duty’s interior?

Being an XLT Super Duty, it’s the top variant in the line-up. But it’s certainly not flashy, especially when compared to some of the alternative ute offerings from Chinese manufacturers.

Heated and cooled leather seats are the main focus for the XLT, which were comfortable and supportive in our time with the vehicle, be it clocking up long hours on sealed highways or when occupants are flung about negotiating rough off-road landscape.

Carpet instead of vinyl is the other party trick in the XLT, which was tested thoroughly with all the Flinders Ranges mud we were dragging off our boots. Thankfully, the included floor mats are quite good, but the carpet still displayed signs of abuse.

Vinyl flooring is my preference in a hard working 4×4 ute, so maybe the XL is better suited to someone using the ute primarily for hard yakka.

Carpet is now an optional extra for the XL too, so there’s no deal-breaker for those that prefer a more plush interior feel over utility.

Ford has to take the cake for the most elaborate cup holders. They pop out from the dash, and spin down to form a handy place to store your beverage, right in front of the air con vents. However, take care getting in or out, as they are quite easy to bump with a careless knee…ask us how we know.

The focal point for the interior is the infotainment screen. To keep the dash layout simple, there are less physical buttons. Instead, the screen controls most day-to-day functions, including engaging differential locks, which I find less than ideal.

Thankfully, the Super Duty fits proprietary sat-nav – or at least a time-capped subscription – which makes for an essential ally when touring in regions where guidance using phone reception (and Apple or Google Map apps) is non-existent.

If you love your tech, the Ranger Super Duty is loaded with it. I’d recommend spending a bit of time familiarising yourself with the screen and how to operate it, before heading to Bendleby Ranges…

What are the Ranger Super Duty’s ownership costs?

Touring range? As we found with Super Duty cab chassis, consumption fluctuates between 10L/100km open road touring to high teens during low-speed off-roading. We saw general consumption across three days to settle into the 12L/100km mark on average.

Given the 130-litre fuel tank, this gives the Super Duty a general touring range of around 1000km, or where a regional-friendly all-terrain and touring vehicle needs to be.

Ford Australia offers a five-year (75,000km) prepaid servicing package that costs $2100, which is steeper than the regular Ranger ($1596 MY26 onward) if cheaper than what you’ll generally find with Toyota Hilux.

The Super Duty is also covered by Ford Australia’s five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

The honest verdict

The best way to describe this rather unique vehicle is that it’s a genuine jack of all trades. It’s a ute anyone can jump in and drive, and in genuine comfort at that. When the road ends, the Super Duty is incredibly capable off-road and still easy to pilot on-road.

As a workhorse when you need it? Absolutely, given how much weight this thing is designed to carry or haul. And whether you’re lugging load or grand touring, the ride quality of this rig makes it a more pleasant place to be than many commercial grade dual-cab alternatives.

If it had a little more power than a modest 154kW, it would darn near be the perfect four-wheel-drive ute for hard workers, off-road enthusiasts, farmers and caravan haulers.

The 10-speed automatic transmission does its best to help find the 600Nm this 3.0L V6 turbo-diesel produces, however we’d love to see a higher-output performance version.

The potent 5.0L V8 petrol from the Mustang would be a hoot, if ultimately an impractical solution to cover off the broader requirements this ute aims to nail. Super Duty Raptor? One can dream, we suppose.

For now, the XLT Ford Ranger Super Duty looks set to be a popular vehicle, and one that’s more than a worthy addition to the broader Ranger lineup. And the Australian aftermarket industry seems excited by it too.

But will it become a cult favourite with Aussie buyers in the same vein as a 79 Series LandCruiser? Time will tell.