Ranger Wildtrak: Right ride for the job

Just what the market ordered: a vehicle that could survive the Philippines’ most challenging roads

MANILA, Philippines–Back in 1985, nothing was cooler than owning a pickup truck, especially the black Toyota SR5 4×4 that Marty McFly deeply coveted in the beloved film classic “Back to the Future.” It was the one ride that the character, portrayed by actor Michael J. Fox, dreamt of bringing to a lake someday with only a couple of sleeping bags while gazing at the stars with his girlfriend Jennifer.

But while such compact pickup trucks have fallen on hard times in the past decades in the United States, its appeal has not waned in other parts of the world, especially here in the Asean region. In fact, it has grown so big that the region is currently the world’s biggest per-capita buyer of compact pickups, ahead of even the United States, and is also the world’s largest producer and exporter of one-ton pickups.

It’s no longer just about its brawny look or its aura of usefulness and practicality, and today’s generation of compact pickup trucks now have a strong case to even convince those in the market for a new SUV or crossover utility vehicles.

Consider the new Ford Ranger, particularly the Wildtrak variant, which is powered by a 197-horsepower (maximum 470 Newton-meters of torque), 3.2-liter turbodiesel engine. This pickup truck possesses the right dimensions (it’s still compact when compared to the hulking beasts that American market prefers) and efficiency that make it so perfect in our market. It also has the offroading prowess that could shame most SUVs as well as go head to head against heavy-duty off-roaders.

A few months ago, I spent a couple of days with this particular Ranger variant and realized that it’s one the ride that has some very obvious charms that could veer buyers away from SUVs and crossover utility vehicles.

Contemporary and rugged

The Ranger Wildtrak’s look is contemporary as well as rugged. Ford designers call it “21st Century Tough,” which is characterized by signature three-bar grille, big bold nose, large headlamps, raked back windscreen and hood. Graphics and textures used throughout the the body display an attention to detail usually only seen on cars and SUVs.

The beltline, which has been significantly raised, not only provides superior cab protection for the driver and passengers, it also gives the Ranger Wildtrak a strong street presence. At almost 2 meters tall and with a ground clearance of almost nine inches (exactly 223 millimeters), sitting behind the wheel of this pickup means you look down on the drivers of just about every other SUV and car on the road.

But apart from enjoying the view from such an imperious height, the high seating position of the Ranger Wildtrak means I also had a better view of the road or traffic buildup ahead.

Its interior and exterior designs are also more striking compared to its competitors. It features Ford’s class-leading safety and user-friendly comforts: seatbelt minder, audio control on steering wheel, side and curtain airbags, and rear parking sensors, antilock braking systems with electronic brake force distribution (which prevents wheel lockup during sudden brakes), and electronic stability program with traction control system (which prevents wheels from losing of traction).

One surprising feature I didn’t expect to find was the viewing screen of the reversing camera that is integrated into the rearview mirror. With a pickup as large as the Ranger, it made maneuvering into tight parking slot much easier and safer for everyone.

Another capability that would shame a number of SUVs and crossover utility vehicles is the Ranger Wildtrak’s ability to negotiate deeply flooded streets—it’s rated to safely wade through 800 mm of floodwater (which is almost waist-deep). It could do this because the Ranger Wildtrak’s key engine components and air intake are positioned high under the bonnet, so it won’t have any trouble tackling submerged streets.

Those who live in the mountainous region of the country would be glad to know that the 4×4 variant of the Ranger Wildtrak has permanent four-wheel-drive transmission that can cope with some serious offroading duties while the large load bed is rated to carry a ton of payload.

Brisk sales

No wonder, Ford Philippines is proud to report that the Ranger is enjoying brisk sales—5,507 units as of September, which is already a 71.45-percent growth when compared to last year’s performance. In fact, the Ranger also helped the company deliver its best-ever performance of 52 percent (year to-date) after selling 14,564 vehicles by the end of September.

The Ranger’s impeccable sales performance also helped inspire the company to spread its reach across the country. Come to think of it, those in the provinces have been found to prefer a pickup truck, which they find extremely versatile and offer them plenty of options when transporting family or their items over rough or flooded roads.

To get more Ranger to its intended customers, Ford Philippines is beefing up its current 34 dealership network as it recently opened one in Baguio City (Ford Metro Baguio is located along Marcos Highway). It is also set to reopen in Tacloban City (which was destroyed by Super Typhoon “Yolanda” last year) as well as in Alabang, with a 4,000-square-meter, four-story megadealership that boasts a showroom that could display up to 20 vehicles and service up to 80 vehicles. Next for Ford Philippines is to open one in Ormoc City next year.

It used to be that pickup trucks were used primarily for work. You would see them in the field or in construction sites loaded with sacks, lumber or even livestock. These days though, pickup trucks like the Ranger Wildtrak have other uses. They have become dual-purpose vehicles, with owners using them for the traditional duties during the weekdays and then as recreational sport gear and equipment transporter (mountain bikes, tents, surf boards, etc.) on weekends. If I were an owner of a Ranger Wildtrak, I would surely take McFly’s advice and hope the night sky is clear.