Ford unveils revamped Ranger

After a torrent of leaks, spy photos and reports about what the next Ford Ranger will look like, Ford has officially offered its first look.

The 2022 Ford Ranger has been teased for the first time, ahead of its unveiling later this year. Ford has confirmed the new Ranger will be in showrooms in 2022.

According to CarExpert reports, the next-generation Ranger and Everest will be available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain.

It’s unlikely to be available at launch in Australia, but the Ranger is expected to be offered with a 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with a plug-in hybrid system.

The Ranger and Everest PHEV will produce about 270kW of power and 680Nm of torque, and is expected to offer a combined fuel economy of 3.0L/100km.

Our understanding is the plug-in hybrid engine is yet to be used in any Ford products globally.

Currently, the Explorer PHEV uses a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 and electric motor, while the Escape PHEV uses a smaller 2.5-litre four-cylinder in combination with an electric motor.

The Ranger and Everest are expected to launch with an overhauled engine range beyond just the PHEV.

The entry-level engine is expected to be a 2.0-litre bi-turbo four-cylinder diesel engine, while a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 engine will be available in high-end variants.

A 2.7-litre EcoBoost petrol engine is also likely to feature in the Ranger Raptor.

Revealed last year, the range-topping Bronco is available with a second-generation Nano 2.7-litre EcoBoost turbocharged V6 engine.

CarExpertexpects the same engine to feature in the next-generation Ranger Raptor.

It outputs 231kW of power and 540Nm and torque, mated with a 10-speed automatic transmission and full-time all-wheel drive.

That’s a jump of 74kW and 40Nm on what’s offered by the current Ranger Raptor.

Inside, the Ranger is expected to be offered with a 15.5-inch infotainment screen in the centre of the cabin, packing wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

It will be joined by a 12-inch screen ahead of the driver showing speed and trip computer information.

While the vertical screen is likely to be limited to top-specification models, lower models in the range are expected to pick up a 12-inch infotainment screen that also features SYNC4 and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

In addition to wireless smartphone mirroring, both the Ranger and Everest will launch with FordPass Connect, which allows owners to connect to their vehicle remotely to start it, monitor vehicle conditions and perform functions such as locking and unlocking.

Our spy photos and footage suggest that Ford will also offer a surround-view camera for the first time in Ranger and Everest, with semi-autonomous parking with front and rear parking sensors expected to remain to complement the parking package.

• Four engines will be offered: two diesels, one petrol and a petrol plug-in hybrid (more below).
• The 3.2-litre five-cylinder diesel engine will be discontinued.
• The Everest will be available in six trim levels, including an off-road focused Wildtrak X variant.
• Everest pricing will stretch from about $50,000 before on-road costs to $76,000 before on-road costs.
• The Ranger Raptor will gain a V6 turbo-diesel engine or 2.7-litre six-cylinder turbocharged petrol to replace its twin-turbocharged 2.0-litre diesel.
• Our computer-generated images are based on a final clay model of the Ranger and Everest.
• The interior on high-spec models will get a 15.5-inch portrait infotainment screen and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with Ford’s Sync 4 infotainment system.

Scott Collie is the news editor at CarExpert.com.au.