Global Ford Ranger trying to dethrone Toyota Hilux

[RobertRyan]

Going to be interesting Hilux is the top Global Pickup, new Model has been released 2.3 million Global Pickups were sold last year

FORD'S range-topping Ranger Wildtrak will set a new safety standard for the one-tonne ute segment when it arrives in the third quarter, with a raft of driver assistance equipment not yet seen in its class.

While recent advances in active cruise control and lane-departure monitoring technology have found their way into passenger vehicles in recent years, the safety systems have not been applied to any models in the Australian light-commercial class, until now.

Sitting at the top of Ford's popular Ranger line-up, the pumped-up Wildtrak will bring a selection of off-road performance-enhancing gear, extra aesthetic tweaks as well as adaptive cruise control, forward collision alert, lane-keep assistance and a driver impairment monitor.

With the potentially lifesaving features, Ford's flagship Ranger Wildtrak out-guns the safety standards of its key rivals, including the just launched Nissan Navara and Mitsubishi Triton, as well as the Mazda BT50, Holden Colorado and even the high-specced Volkswagen Amarok.

Toyota's segment-dominating HiLux will touch down on Australian dirt shortly after the Ranger's third quarter launch, but no mention has been made of any similar safety and driver-assistance equipment for Toyota's new-gen pick-up either.

Ford has not yet outlined the rest of the Ranger line-up but details are expected to be made official soon, along with a concrete release date and pricing. At this stage, a September launch is looking most likely.

The Blue Oval was unable to confirm if the safety equipment would be included in any other Ranger variants, but Ford Australia brand communications manager Neil McDonald told GoAuto the top tech is traditionally seen in the highest-spec cars initially.

“It's probably a bit early to say but customarily that sort of technology comes in at the high-end first,” he said. “It's probably a bit early to see where it's going to be available in the rest of the range.

If the Ranger evolves with a similar progression to other lines, the autonomous braking and other safety equipment is likely to be offered in lesser variants later in the model's lifecycle.

The Wildtrak's lane-keeping assistant can alert the driver if the vehicle unintentionally wanders out of a lane and if the warning is ignored, the system can provide steering correction to maintain the vehicle's course.

Adaptive cruise control uses forward facing sensors to maintain a set distance from a leading vehicle even if its speed fluctuates, while the same technology can provide a warning and primes the brakes if a nose-to-tail collision is imminent.

A driver-impairment monitor also uses the forward-facing camera to detect signs of driver drowsiness along with steering behaviour monitoring, and issues an audible warning if fatigue is sensed.

The Wildtrak is also equipped with more commonplace safety systems such as all-round parking radar with reversing camera, tyre-pressure monitoring, ESC with roll-over mitigation and emergency assistance via Ford's Sync2 system.

In addition to the significant boost in safety tech, the Wildtrak gets unique 18-inch alloy wheels, and tougher-looking exterior treatments including a dark “liquid metallic” grey grille with accentuated “nostrils”, with the unique colouring repeated on door mirrors and handles, side vents, bed rails and tail-lights.

Wide side steps, roof rails and a special smoked roll-over bar are also standard fare on the Wildtrak, while the Pride Orange paintwork and nameplate emblazoned on the front doors sets it apart from other Rangers.

The top-spec version will also be available dressed-up in Cool White, Black Mica, Metropolitan Grey and Aluminium.

A dusting of unique features continues on the inside with more smoky trims to match the exterior, two-tone orange upholstery with matching stitching, while the driver's seat is adjustable in eight ways.

The Sync2 information and entertainment is accessible through the 8.0-inch touchscreen or through recently revised, simpler voice commands. More natural spoken instructions can be used to control cabin temperature, entertainment sources and navigation functions.

Like the previous-generation Ranger Wildtrak, the new version is also powered by Ford's 3.2-litre Duratorq five-cylinder diesel engine, which pumps 147kW and 470Nm of torque through a six-speed automatic transmission, to just the rear wheels or all four corners at the flick of a switch.

Power is unchanged over the previous model but exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) development has cut fuel consumption by 18 per cent says Ford, while electric power steering has lopped another three per cent off fuel use.

Ford is yet to release performance figures but a combined 21 per cent boost in fuel efficiency takes consumption to about 7.1 litres per 100 kilometres.(38mpg U.S.)

Selecting two or four-wheel drive can be done on the fly with the centrally positioned control knob, with a low-range option for more serious off-road or towing work.

Ground clearance is a generous 230mm allowing the Wildtrak to wade through up to 800mm-deep water, while hill-hold, hill descent and Adaptive Load Control gives the range-topping Ranger more ability on and off-road. Towing capacity is rated at 3500kg.

Ford Asia Pacific product development vice president Trevor Worthington said the new Wildtrak builds on the strengths of the forthcoming Ranger.

“The 2015 Wildtrak takes the Ford Ranger to the next level with an aggressive exterior, a premium, sporty, interior, the latest driver assist technologies and capabilities that ensure it’s up for any adventure,” he said.

“Building on the bolder, smarter and more refined 2015 Ranger, the advanced Wildtrak is a perfect fit for customers who want to combine genuine 4x4 capability with stand-out styling and premium features.”

[RobertRyan]

IdaD wrote:

RobertRyan wrote:

So basically you're talking out of your backend. I could see a good departure able being an advantage. Payload has nothing to do with off road ability, though. You can get diesels in the US, and they aren't inherently better offroad (they have advantages and disadvantages). "Good on sand" doesn't mean anything, and "indestructible" is meaningles puffery

Totally wrong. Off Road ability here is not just climbing rocks it is going Off Road with a substantial payload, fording creeks, etc. a Jeep Wrangler is great climbing rocks but useless as an Off Road vehicle

A Jeep Wrangler isn't a pickup, which is what I thought we were discussion.

If you're going to spew meaningless generalities I'm done. If you can give me specific features I'd be genuinely interested in hearing about them. Locking differentials, low range ratio, suspension type, etc. I'm getting none of this type of thing from you. Most likely because you don't understand what any of it is or how it actually impacts off road capability, but I digress.

That would require more than a thread to answer that. This is my last post on this thread, it is now repeating itself

[IdaD]

RobertRyan wrote:

So basically you're talking out of your backend. I could see a good departure able being an advantage. Payload has nothing to do with off road ability, though. You can get diesels in the US, and they aren't inherently better offroad (they have advantages and disadvantages). "Good on sand" doesn't mean anything, and "indestructible" is meaningles puffery

Totally wrong. Off Road ability here is not just climbing rocks it is going Off Road with a substantial payload, fording creeks, etc. a Jeep Wrangler is great climbing rocks but useless as an Off Road vehicle

A Jeep Wrangler isn't a pickup, which is what I thought we were discussion.

If you're going to spew meaningless generalities I'm done. If you can give me specific features I'd be genuinely interested in hearing about them. Locking differentials, low range ratio, suspension type, etc. I'm getting none of this type of thing from you. Most likely because you don't understand what any of it is or how it actually impacts off road capability, but I digress.

[RobertRyan]

ShinerBock wrote:

RobertRyan wrote:
You really love to distort the facts, who said dual cab Pickup? Yes the Sportstrac has a similar size ut it had no model that could carry 3,000lb or tow 8,000lbs. The Ranger is a single cab that can carry 3,000lb plus

Okay, what is the year, make , and model of this dual cab global pick up that has a payload of 3,000 lbs and a tow rating of 8,000 lbs. If there is one like you are saying then this information would be easy to give.

Well the new Toyota Hilux has that, like to take it up with Toyota? Minus 300lbsc On that note my last post on the subject

[ShinerBock]

RobertRyan wrote:

Absolute waffle. They have capacities that cannot be meet Australian Standrards in this case Meet the standards and you get a realistic number. Not just US Pickups, but European and Asian have to meet the same standards

So how come your global trucks would have less of a payload and tow rating over here than over there?

Oh, and that's BS on the converter. It is the converter that puts the payload and tow limits on the F250s along with the regulations that have to abide by, not the manufacturer. Don't believe me, ask one like I did.

[RobertRyan]

The reason why the payloads on our F250s are less there have a lot to due with the people making the conversion among many other things like laws and regulations. It DOES NOT have anything to do with trucks not being compatible. I have told you this time and time again with proof yet you keep stating this

Absolute waffle. They have capacities that cannot be meet Australian Standrards in this case Meet the standards and you get a realistic number. Not just US Pickups, but European and Asian have to meet the same standards

[ShinerBock]

RobertRyan wrote:
You really love to distort the facts, who said dual cab Pickup? Yes the Sportstrac has a similar size ut it had no model that could carry 3,000lb or tow 8,000lbs. The Ranger is a single cab that can carry 3,000lb plus

Okay, what is the year, make , and model of this dual cab global pick up that has a payload of 3,000 lbs and a tow rating of 8,000 lbs. If there is one like you are saying then this information would be easy to give.

[ShinerBock]

RobertRyan wrote:

They are older models, not all have 3,000 payloadslb just like not all F150's have 3,300lb payloads.He has cherry picked, the Ford / Mazda have 3,000lb payloads but remember these are " 1 tonne" Pickups so they have to have. 2,200lb payload model.
The New Navara has 3,500kg towing or 7,700lb, The old Hilux had only 5,500lb, now 7,700lb.

So name me the year, make, model, and trim of a dual cab global pickup that had a payload of 3,000 lbs and a tow rating of 8,000 lbs. Just one is all I need.

RobertRyan wrote:

U.S. Towing firgures and global,are not compatible a F250 HD with a diesel has a rating here of 4,500kg or 9,900lb, you can up grade to 5,000kg or 11,000lb a lot less than the U.S. Figures
That earlier Nissan had a 6,600lb rating but also a 405lbs ft Diesel, it could tow a 29ft 5ver

The reason why the payloads on our F250s are less there have a lot to due with the people making the conversion among many other things like laws and regulations. It DOES NOT have anything to do with trucks not being compatible. I have told you this time and time again with proof yet you keep stating this.

You know what, lets go by this standard you keep stating and apply it to your trucks here. All these global trucks that have a 2,200 lbs payload there would have a payload of less than 2,000 lbs. In fact most would be around 1,500 lbs payload depending on their weight and that es before any kind of conversion is done. Since you say that our F250 have less payload over their because they are "not compatible", does these mean that your global trucks have less of a payload here because they are "not compatible"?

Also, these global trucks would not pass our SAE tow rating to be able to tow the 29 ft trailers here due to the minimum speed while towing requirements. So what does that mean going by your analogy of our converted truck over there? Could it be that the limit is due to each country's regulations rather than abilities like I have been telling you all along.

[RobertRyan]

So basically you're talking out of your backend. I could see a good departure able being an advantage. Payload has nothing to do with off road ability, though. You can get diesels in the US, and they aren't inherently better offroad (they have advantages and disadvantages). "Good on sand" doesn't mean anything, and "indestructible" is meaningles puffery

Totally wrong. Off Road ability here is not just climbing rocks it is going Off Road with a substantial payload, fording creeks, etc. a Jeep Wrangler is great climbing rocks but useless as an Off Road vehicle

[IdaD]

RobertRyan wrote:

IdaD wrote:

RobertRyan wrote:

IdaD wrote:
Out of morbid curiousity I'd like to know what would make, say, a Toyota Hilux better offroad than factory trucks you can get in the US. By that I mean specific features. Solid front axle? Low range ratio? Rear and/or front locking differentials? Electronic or quick swaybar disconnects?

I haven't looked any of this up so I'm genuinely curious. You can get fairly capable off road trucks in the US these days.

The whole thing about Global models is there Off Road ability and payload., for US Pickups it is mainly towing .

Again, specifics. What features from the factory does a Hilux have that make it superior offroad. If you don't know just admit it and move on, but if you do know I'm curious. I do quite a bit of driving offroad so I'm interested in the subject.

Good question like all of the Global Models, good escape departure angles, very good payloads , Diesel engine . In the Hiluxes case good on sand and an indestructible quality

So basically you're talking out of your backend. I could see a good departure able being an advantage. Payload has nothing to do with off road ability, though. You can get diesels in the US, and they aren't inherently better offroad (they have advantages and disadvantages). "Good on sand" doesn't mean anything, and "indestructible" is meaningles puffery.

I get the sense that you don't know a lot about off road capability.

Edited to add: Is that picture a stock truck from the factory? Modified trucks are a totally different discussion.

[RobertRyan]

You really love to distort the facts, who said dual cab Pickup? Yes the Sportstrac has a similar size ut it had no model that could carry 3,000lb or tow 8,000lbs. The Ranger is a single cab that can carry 3,000lb plus

m still wondering how you can say I distorted stuff when I posted the info for all to see. Are you just saying that because I proved(with evidence) that there is no global dual cab pickup truck that has a 3,000 lb payload rating and a tow rating of 8,000 lbs?

[DaveF-250SD]

RobertRyan wrote:

Lessmore wrote:
To a certain point it's interesting to see what the other parts of the world does regarding truck needs, regulations, payloads....how they do things differently, etc.

But in the end, I think the subject has been covered very thoroughly and on a regular basis, by Robert Ryan. Thanks Robert you've covered it very well. Your job is done.

As others have pointed out that different parts of the world require different types of vehicles due to...different social- economic situations, regulations, road and climatic conditions, customer needs and wants, etc.

I know myself, when it comes to cars or light trucks...I like them big. I like big cabins, lot's of legroom so I can stretch out my long legs, shoulder room so my shoulder doesn't hit the window or side post, comfort and I prefer power over fuel economy....although a balance between these two is good.

Where I live (Western Canada) and travel (Canada/USA) roads are generally wide, straight and traveling long distance is the norm.

I've traveled in Europe, rented cars and realize that my vehicles, built/designed for North American needs/tastes would have some difficulty on some old narrow town roads in England, France, etc.

But the little European Ford and Peugeot that I drove over there....worked fine getting around. I glad the Peugeot had a tiny little 4 banger (1000cc I believe) as fuel costs were very expensive compared to over here.

In the end I find, I'm happy to drive in a North American vehicle in North America...just as I'm sure many in other parts of the world are satisfied with the vehicles available/designed for their market and no one is right or wrong.

People are satisfied with the vehicles they drive.Europeans do not drive Pickups as a rule.In Asia is it is exact opposite. In Australia we love Pickups and SUV's but not US Pickups, not because they are big, but a lack of Off Road ability and payload, to a lesser extent Fuel economy. The head of Toyota Australia said there was a terrific demand for the Tundra, but when he was giving details he quoted a Diesel with RHD and a expected selling rate of 100 Vehicles a Month! That does not make sense

You bring up a great point about the Tundra in Australia issue. Lee Iacocca was in a similar situation in Japan in the 1980's. The Jeep Cherokee was, and still is, incredibly popular in Japan. He was offered by the Japanese Government an opportunity to build a Jeep plant in Japan. The down side was Japan having a strict limitation, ten percent of total market share to be exact, on non-Japanese vehicles. He would be extremely handicapped in the amount of vehicles that could be produced and sold there due to said volume restrictions. China did not put any volume restrictions on vehicles sold in their marketplace, and the Cherokee was also immensely popular there as well. He ended up putting a plant in China. Mustangs are quite popular in Japan as well. Ford of Australia also built RHD Mustangs, so Ford offered the Japanese buyers their choice of LHD or RHD Mustangs for a few model years. I believe the selling rate was less than ten units a year of the RHD version. Buyers overwhelmingly wanted the LHD Mustang, exactly as they would have in the U.S..

[RobertRyan]

IdaD wrote:

RobertRyan wrote:

IdaD wrote:
Out of morbid curiousity I'd like to know what would make, say, a Toyota Hilux better offroad than factory trucks you can get in the US. By that I mean specific features. Solid front axle? Low range ratio? Rear and/or front locking differentials? Electronic or quick swaybar disconnects?

I haven't looked any of this up so I'm genuinely curious. You can get fairly capable off road trucks in the US these days.

The whole thing about Global models is there Off Road ability and payload., for US Pickups it is mainly towing .

Again, specifics. What features from the factory does a Hilux have that make it superior offroad. If you don't know just admit it and move on, but if you do know I'm curious. I do quite a bit of driving offroad so I'm interested in the subject.

Good question like all of the Global Models, good escape departure angles, very good payloads , Diesel engine . In the Hiluxes case good on sand and an indestructible quality

[ShinerBock]

RobertRyan wrote:

Being defensive about the distort ions presented by a poster and the " superiority" come from the fact US Pickups are not sold anywhere else

Superiority? You just keep coming up with stuff don't you. You haven't showed me where I degraded global trucks in this thread and now you are saying this? Where are these distortions Robert? I posted the info straight from the manufacturers website or brochure and even linked them for all to see for themselves. How is that distorting anything? As I told you I don't know how many times before, enjoy the trucks you got over their and quit trying to put ours down while cherry picking the data you want people to hear just so you can try and say "global trucks are better". Our trucks are good for us and your trucks are good for you, why can;t you leave it at that and stop with the little jabs about our trucks.

I am still wondering how you can say I distorted stuff when I posted the info for all to see. Are you just saying that because I proved(with evidence) that there is no global dual cab pickup truck that has a 3,000 lb payload rating and a tow rating of 8,000 lbs?

[RobertRyan]

Thanks for keeping the discussion going. I think there was a lot of resistance to European Vans being used in the U.S., they being not compatible, would not hold up to US Conditions. Now look what has happened, Promaster, Transit, Sprinter and some City models
I would think down the track Global " 1 toners" may become available

[IdaD]

RobertRyan wrote:

IdaD wrote:
Out of morbid curiousity I'd like to know what would make, say, a Toyota Hilux better offroad than factory trucks you can get in the US. By that I mean specific features. Solid front axle? Low range ratio? Rear and/or front locking differentials? Electronic or quick swaybar disconnects?

I haven't looked any of this up so I'm genuinely curious. You can get fairly capable off road trucks in the US these days.

The whole thing about Global models is there Off Road ability and payload., for US Pickups it is mainly towing .

Again, specifics. What features from the factory does a Hilux have that make it superior offroad. If you don't know just admit it and move on, but if you do know I'm curious. I do quite a bit of driving offroad so I'm interested in the subject.