2022 Ford Ranger may switch to gear shift dial and electric park brake

The interior of the 2022 Ford Ranger ute and its Everest SUV counterpart has been spotted for the first time, as the vehicles undergo final testing.

Published by Spanish website motor.es, the spy photos show the Ranger and Everest siblings could adopt a rotary gear shift dial, as used on other select Ford models.

Rather than using a conventional shifter, drivers rotate the dial from ‘park’ to ‘drive’ in a clockwise motion. In a previous video released by Ford, the company says the circular control creates a “clean, low-profile centre console area”.

Yet to be confirmed, Ford's 'Return to Park' feature could also be adopted on the Ranger and Everest. If the driver suddenly exits the vehicle while the transmission is engaged, the car will automatically put the transmission in 'park' to avoid the vehicle rolling away.

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Also for the first time, an electronic parking brake switch could also feature on upper variants – thanks to rear discs, which are expected to feature on the Ranger XLT and Wildtrak. It’s possible they will be standard across the Everest line-up.

While an electronic switch can be used in conjunction with rear drum brakes, it’s likely entry-level models – such as the two-wheel-drive single-cab Ranger XL – will forego the gadgetry and continue with a traditional lever.

The prototype Everest snapped in these images uses the dashboard and door trims from the current model, however the steering wheel has been updated, using the very same wheel found in the Ford Escape – a car which also uses a rotary transmission dial and e-brake switch.

The spy photos come just days after the Blue Oval officially teased the 2022 Ford Ranger in a preview video, showing a camouflaged vehicle undergoing testing in the Australian bush and outback, ahead of its official unveiling expected in the coming months.