Ford adds another variant Ranger no. 13

Photos by Ardie O. Lopez

There’s no doubt about it, it’s the Ranger line of toughened trucks that leads the way in terms of Ford’s vehicle sales in the Philippines. And with the introduction of this new variant, Ford now has the most expansive lineup of pickup trucks in the country, bringing it up to 13 variants.

Enter the new Ford Ranger FX4.

Unveiled recently at the Mall of Asia concert grounds, the FX4 brings a different kind of tough with a bold yet sophisticated aesthetic packaging, on top of some new rugged performance features and smart technologies.

Veering away from overtly obvious accents, the Ranger FX4 makes black, the new black once again. Beefy 18-inch black alloy wheels mounted on all-terrain tires complement the extended (you guessed it) black roll bar, matching the ebony black accents on the side mirror caps, door handles, front and rear bumpers and fenders, positioning this Ranger’s appeal towards the “special ops” look. Prominent badging behind the front wheel arches, along with a 3D version of it on its tailgate make the Ranger FX4 easily distinguishable from its siblings. The FX4 theme goes all the way to the interior, with FX4-embossed leather seats, branded floor mats, and sporty race red stitching accents.

But before it gets mistaken for an entry in a truck fashion show, Ford execs were quick to point out its features that cover comfort, convenience, safety, and proven performance. Its infotainment system now comes standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, with a new vivid 8-inch touch screen as interface. The Ranger FX4 comes equipped with Ford’s driver-assistance technologies (DAT) that include Cruise Control, Anti-lock Braking System with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (ABS, EBD), rear parking sensors, rain sensing wipers, power folding mirrors, and Electronic Power Assist Steering (EPAS). What drives the FX4 is its robust 2.2L Duratorq turbodiesel engine that rates at 158hp and an impressive 385Nm of torque. It’s available with either a 6-speed automatic or 6-speed manual transmission.

Having driven practically all the main Ford Ranger models including its radical Raptor variant, going through the driving course they’ve set up at the MOA concert grounds in the FX4, was like striding through city street puddles in serious trekking boots, it was basically a cakewalk in the park. Understandably, it was meant for the public to get to try out the expansive Ranger lineup for the three days they were made available via their Ford Island Conquest event at the venue. If only most of the public knew what these Rangers are really capable of, they’d be in for a big surprise.

Ford Philippines also revealed that the other Ford Ranger variants now come with upgrades, with the same infotainment system used on the FX4 for their XLS and XLT lines. The good news is that Ford PH is not raising the prices of all variants. The Ranger Wildtrak 4×4 though, now comes with LED headlamps, a camera-based Autonomous Emergency Braking System with pedestrian detection, and a high-mount USB socket to support various dashcam models. They’ve equipped the Ranger Raptor with these features as well.

Managing Director for Ford Philippines PK Umashankar says that the addition of the FX4 to the successful lineup of Ford Ranger pickups brings more variety to the to the market, catering to customers with different needs, budgets, and lifestyles- emphasizing that clearly, there’s a Ford Ranger for everyone.

The Ford Ranger FX4 is now available in all Ford dealerships, and it comes in 5 colors across its 2 variants, and starts at P1.256 million.