SUVs have overtaken station wagons, sedans and hatches as the go-to family car over the past decade, but are they really the better option?
2022 Ford Ranger pricing revealed: Raptor headlines at $85,490
Prices for the next-generation Ford Ranger have been announced, with rises from $240 to $2,240 over the current model. Deliveries start in June.
Ford has finally shown its hand by announcing the pricing of the next-generation Ford Ranger ahead of first deliveries in June.
The new platform will be shared with Volkswagen (in the form of the Amarok), but Ford will be first to market - that’s a huge advantage and will put Ford in the driver’s seat for the hugely popular ute market.
With the outgoing Ford Ranger falling to sixth in the March VFACTS sales data as dealers sold-down existing stock, the challenge for Ford now will be to ensure the demand can be met by supply from the Thailand-based factory.
Ford dealers are reporting massive interest in the next-gen vehicle, which can officially be ordered as of now.
That’s no surprise given the Ranger and Toyota HiLux have traded blows as the most popular ute (and vehicle) sold in Australia over the past couple of years … and this iteration of the Ranger ups the game considerably.
Standard equipment on the new Ranger will include nine airbags, a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a digital driver’s display and a range of car-like safety software, from autonomous emergency braking to adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist.
Pick-up variants will add reverse-parking sensors and a reversing camera.
All four-wheel-drive versions are fitted with a rear diff lock.
Top-end versions will see extra features including a 12-inch display screen, wireless phone charging, integrated trailer brake controller, underbody bash plates, powered and heated front seats and ambient interior lighting.
All models come with a 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity, excluding the Raptor, which is limited to 2.5-tonnes.
Pricing for Ford Raptor, XLT, Sport, Wildtrak revealed
Prices for the 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol-powered Ranger Raptor have been set at $85,490 plus on-road costs.
That’s a staggering cost for a four-wheel-drive ute that is evolved from a basic workhorse. What is more staggering, is the fact the wait-time could blow out for months as prospective owners queue to take possession.
The Raptor’s performance arguably justifies the cost. The four-door ute is designed as the ultimate Ranger.
Its twin-turbo V6 cranks out 292kW/583Nm, complemented by front and rear diff locks, locally-calibrated Fox sports suspension, an active sports exhaust and a huge range of drive modes (Normal, Sport, Slippery, Mud/Ruts, Sand, Baja and Rock Crawl).
Wait times for the tow-oriented 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel are also expected to extend quickly.
Prices start at $62,290 for the XLT double-cab cab-chassis (the version with a tray on the back) and rise to $64,190 for the XLT pick-up with a tub on the back.
That’s a rise of $3,000 over the same variant fitted with a 2.0-litre dual turbodiesel engine.
Most private owners will easily justify the five per cent increase on the basis of improved towing; the V6 pumps out 184kW and 600Nm against 154kW/500Nm for the 2.0-litre bi-turbo.
Both engines are paired with Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission across all versions.
The new-for-2022 Sport variant will cost $63,690 with the 2.0-litre mill or $66,690 with the V6.
Topping the turbodiesel range is the Ranger Wildtrak. The 2.0-litre engine will start at $67,170, up by $1,100 over the current vehicle, while the V6 will add another $3000.
2022 Ford Ranger pricing announced
The 2022 Ranger will tee off at $35,930 plus on-roads for the XL rear-wheel-drive single cab with a tray and powered by a 125kW/405Nm 2.0-litre turbodiesel matched to a six-speed automatic transmission.
That represents a rise of $1040 over the previous entry model.
The XL line-up tops out at $53,430 for the dual-cab pick-up fitted with the 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel, a rise of $740 over the previous model
Stepping up to the XLT will see buyers pay $53,990 for the dual-cab 4x2 version, again powered by the 2.0-litre bi-turbo. That variant headlines at $64,190 for the four-wheel-drive dual-cab ute powered by the 3.0-litre turbodiesel.
It is probably the pick of the range, though it will be a tough sell with private buyers who are increasingly gravitating to the more premium Wildtrak and Raptor versions.
Ford Australia CEO, Andrew Birkic said that the 2022 Ranger line-up offers fantastic value for money to customers.
“The 2022 Ranger is a world-class vehicle, with significant leaps forward in technology, safety and capability across the range,” Birkic said.
“Ranger is an award-winning vehicle, and we expect this next-generation model to raise that standard.
This is excellent news for our customers, as thanks to the great steps forward for the vehicle, the 2022 Ranger line-up offers a vehicle for every customer, for work, family or play.”
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