2026 Ford Ranger Platinum 4x4 Double Cab Pick-up review

Rivals

The Ranger doesn't exist in a vacuum. Here's how it stacks up against the three main alternatives.

Toyota HiLux

The eternal rival. The HiLux wins on reliability reputation and resale value (it retains roughly 63% after five years vs the Ranger's 58%). The Ranger counters with a larger touchscreen, a more car-like cabin layout, and a 3.0-litre V6 the HiLux range has no answer to. We have not driven the HiLux, so treat the ride and refinement comparison as the consensus of published road tests rather than our own verdict. If you value comfort and tech, Ranger. If you value simplicity and resale, HiLux. Read the full three-way comparison.

Isuzu D-Max

The value play. The D-Max undercuts the Ranger by $2,000-5,000 at comparable spec levels, offers a 6-year/150,000km warranty, and its 3.0L turbo diesel is a proven unit. Towing is matched at 3,500kg. Where the Ranger pulls ahead on paper is interior tech and the V6 engine option, and note the D-Max's five-star ANCAP scope excludes the Blade. The D-Max is the smarter buy if you want to save money upfront. Check our D-Max vs Ranger comparison for the full breakdown.

Volkswagen Amarok

The Amarok shares the Ranger's platform, body structure, and even the V6 engine. So what's different? The Amarok gets a unique front-end design, different interior trim (arguably more premium in feel), and VW's own infotainment calibration. It's positioned as the more upmarket option and priced accordingly, typically $2,000-4,000 more than the equivalent Ranger. If you want the Ranger's mechanicals with a more premium wrapper, the Amarok is worth a look. Full details in our Ranger vs Amarok comparison.

Fuel Economy

Fuel efficiency varies quite a bit across the range. The base 2.0L single-turbo claims 6.9L/100km combined, which is the best figure in the lineup and competitive with the D-Max (6.8L) and slightly better than the HiLux (7.6L).

In the real world, expect around 7.5-8.5L/100km for the single-turbo depending on driving conditions. Highway cruising sits around 6.5-7.0L, while metro driving pushes towards 9.0L. The bi-turbo 2.0L is rated at 7.4L/100km but typically returns 8.0-9.0L in mixed driving.

The V6 is thirstier, as you'd expect. Ford claims 8.7L/100km for the Wildtrak V6 and 9.0L for the Raptor. Real-world numbers for the V6 tend to sit around 9.5-11.0L/100km in mixed driving, climbing to 12-14L when towing. At today's diesel prices (around $1.85/L), the V6 costs roughly $300-400 more per year in fuel than the bi-turbo four-cylinder.

Over 15,000km a year, the base XL will cost around $1,910 in diesel. The V6 Wildtrak will set you back roughly $2,410. That $500 difference is the price of having that lovely V6 smoothness.

Price and Running Costs

The Ranger lineup is wide. Really wide. Ford offers everything from a stripped-out single cab chassis to the full-noise Raptor, and the price gap between them is over $50,000. Here's how the range stacks up.

That $37,130 entry price for the XL single cab is competitive. Not the cheapest in the segment (the Isuzu D-Max undercuts it), but fair given the equipment levels. For the most popular configuration, a dual cab 4x4 XLT, you're looking at $58,790 before on-road costs. Driveaway, that's roughly $63,000-65,000 depending on your state.

Running costs are reasonable for a ute. Ford's capped-price servicing program covers the first five years, with intervals every 12 months or 15,000km. Average annual servicing sits around $750-850. Fuel will set you back roughly $2,000-2,400 a year at 15,000km depending on which engine you pick. Insurance runs $1,800-2,200 for a typical owner. Ford backs the whole range with a 5-year unlimited-kilometre warranty, matching Toyota and Nissan.

For a full breakdown of how the Ranger stacks up on ownership costs, check out our best utes guide which compares annual running costs across the segment.

Safety

The Ranger holds a 5-star ANCAP safety rating, scoring strongly across all four categories: adult occupant (85%), child occupant (87%), vulnerable road user (69%), and safety assist (82%). It's one of the safest utes you can buy.

Standard safety equipment across the range includes autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, and a rear-view camera. The XLT and above add adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, evasive steer assist, and a 360-degree camera.

Notably, the Ranger was one of the first utes to offer intersection AEB, which can detect vehicles approaching from the side at intersections. It's a meaningful feature for a vehicle this size, particularly in urban environments.

Airbags include driver and front passenger, side curtain (extending to second row), and driver's knee. A centre airbag between the front seats is standard from XLT up.

For a deeper look at what these ratings actually mean, see our ANCAP safety ratings guide.

Interior, Screen, and Materials

This is where the Ranger genuinely leaps ahead of the competition. Our Platinum test car came with the full suite: 12-inch portrait touchscreen, leather-trimmed seats, and a cabin that could genuinely pass for a premium SUV. Previous-generation utes had interiors that felt like an afterthought. The current Ranger's cabin could pass for a mid-range SUV.

The XL gets the basics right: air conditioning, an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a digital instrument cluster. It's fine for a work truck. The XLT is the sweet spot. It gets a massive 12-inch portrait touchscreen running Ford's SYNC 4A system, a 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster, dual-zone climate, and soft-touch materials on the dash and door trims. The system is responsive and well laid-out, and wireless Apple CarPlay is a nice touch.

Wildtrak adds leather-accented seats, heated front seats, and a premium audio system. The Raptor goes further with unique sports seats, orange stitching throughout, and magnesium paddle shifters. All models get a leather-wrapped steering wheel from XLS up.

Storage is decent. There's a large centre console bin, bottle holders in all four doors, and a phone tray with wireless charging (XLT and above). The glovebox is adequate but not huge. Under-seat storage in the rear is limited because of the flat floor, but there are map pockets and ISOFIX points for child seats.

Build quality is good throughout. The dashboard doesn't creak, the switches feel solid, and there's very little cheap-feeling plastic above knee height on XLT and above models. It's a genuinely pleasant place to spend time, which matters when you're driving this thing five or six days a week.

Practicality: Boot, Tray, Rear Seats, and Towing

The Ranger is a practical vehicle by nature, but the details matter. Let's break it down.

Tray Size

Single cab models get a tray length of approximately 2,315mm. That's enough for standard building materials and most trade setups. The dual cab tray is 1,553mm long, 1,139mm wide between the wheelarches, and 511mm deep. It'll take a standard Aussie pallet (1,165 x 1,165mm) flat. The Ranger's tray is slightly larger than the HiLux (1,520mm) in most configurations and is among the larger trays in the ute segment. See our full ute tray comparison for exact measurements across every model.

Rear Seats

Rear seat space in the dual cab is good. In our Platinum test car, the leather-trimmed rear bench had plenty of room for two adults, and the flat floor makes the middle seat more usable than most utes. Adults over 180cm will fit without their knees hitting the front seatback. There's a flat floor (no transmission tunnel hump), decent headroom, and three-across seating is possible for shorter trips. Two ISOFIX points and three top-tether anchors make child seat installation straightforward. The rear seats fold up to create extra covered storage, which is handy.

Towing

This is where the Ranger really earns its keep. Every variant can tow 3,500kg braked, which puts it level with the HiLux and D-Max. The ball weight limit is 350kg. Where the Ranger stands out is the towing experience. The 10-speed auto (XLT and above) manages gear selection beautifully under load, keeping the engine in its torque band without constant hunting. The optional Pro Trailer Assist system lets you reverse a trailer using a dial on the dashboard. It sounds gimmicky, but it genuinely works and saves you time at boat ramps and caravan parks.

The V6 diesel in the Wildtrak and Raptor makes towing feel effortless. 600Nm of torque means overtaking on the highway with a loaded trailer doesn't require a running start. The exhaust brake is strong enough to hold speed on long descents without riding the brakes.

If towing is your primary use case, the Ranger with the V6 is among the best towing utes in Australia right now. Read our best towing vehicles guide for the broader picture.

Driving: Handling, Ride, and Engine

The Ranger's party trick is its ride quality. Ford replaced the traditional leaf-spring rear suspension with a Watt's-link setup on XLT, Sport, Wildtrak, and Raptor models, and it transforms the way this ute drives. Unladen, where most utes bounce and skip over bumps, the Ranger absorbs imperfections with a composure that's closer to an SUV than a workhorse. It's noticeably better than the HiLux, which still uses leaf springs across the range.

The XL and XLS stick with leaf springs, and you can feel the difference. They're still acceptable for a work ute, but if you're driving to and from site every day, the XLT's suspension is worth the step up.

Engines

The base engine is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel making 125kW and 405Nm. It's matched to a 6-speed automatic on XL and XLS models. For unladen driving and light-duty work, it's adequate. Not exciting, not underpowered. Just gets the job done.

The bi-turbo version of the same 2.0L bumps output to 154kW and 500Nm, paired with the 10-speed auto. This is noticeably punchier and the better gearbox makes a real difference. It's the engine most buyers will end up with in the XLT.

Then there's the 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo diesel in the Wildtrak and Raptor. At 292kW and 583Nm (Raptor) or 184kW and 600Nm (Wildtrak), this engine is in a different league. It's smooth, quiet at cruise, and has enormous reserves for towing or overtaking. The V6 is genuinely the best engine in any ute sold in Australia, and it's one of the key reasons the Ranger leads the segment.

Off-Road

Should You Buy It?

Yes, if: you want the best all-round ute in Australia. The Ranger does more things well than any competitor. The ride quality is class-leading, the interior is genuinely good, the V6 is spectacular, and the towing capability is as strong as anything in the segment. For tradies, families using a ute as their primary vehicle, and anyone who tows regularly, the Ranger makes a compelling case.

Maybe not, if: you plan to resell within three years (the HiLux holds value better), you want the cheapest possible ute to run (the D-Max undercuts it), or you do serious remote-area work where Toyota's parts network and proven simplicity matter more than creature comforts.

The sweet spot in the range is the XLT 4x4 Dual Cab. You get the 10-speed auto, the multi-link rear suspension, the big 12-inch screen, and all the safety gear. It's where the Ranger starts to feel like the premium product Ford intends it to be, without the Wildtrak or Raptor premium.

If budget is tight and you just need a reliable workhorse, the XL single cab at $37,130 is solid value. It still gets 5-star ANCAP safety, the 5-year warranty, and the efficient 2.0L diesel at 6.9L/100km.

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