2020 Ford Ranger XLS Sport long-term review

Part 1: Ranga's Ranger
Part 2: Happy medium
Part 3: Off-road hero
Part 4: Scuff marks

Part 1: Ranga's Ranger

After several years of old Land Rover Defender ownership, I decided it was time to treat myself (and my family) to a more comfortable touring 4x4 … one with a few little luxuries such as air-conditioning and power windows.

So, towards the end of 2020, amid COVID lockdowns, I started scouring the internet for a reasonably priced dual-cab ute.

I spotted plenty of kitted-out second-hand dual-cab utes in my price, but I was keen on a new vehicle so I could build it up from scratch, just how I wanted it. And while I considered several models, deep down I knew I wanted a Ford Ranger.

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After all, I have tested just about all of the 4x4 utes on the market and I reckon the Aussie-developed Ranger is the pick of the bunch, despite the age of the design and the fact it’s just about to be superseded by a new model.

I opted for cubic capacity over tech when it came to the engine and driveline, choosing the older-generation 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbo diesel; after all, there’s no replacement for displacement, right?

And while I would have been happy with the six-speed manual gearbox, my wife Renata prefers an auto tranny, and as she occasionally drives me home from the pub, she easily won that debate.

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As for spec, I wanted all the safety tech available, but didn’t need superfluous comfort and convenience items. To my mind, the Ranger XLS Sport offered the best in terms of equipment for the price, and I picked this one up just in time for Christmas 2020 for $51,640 drive-away.

Standard kit includes 17-inch alloys, dual-zone climate control, auto headlights and high-beam, lane-keep assist, sat-nav, reversing camera, parking sensors front and rear, DAB+ digital radio, and bed liner. Options in the drive-away price included Meteor Grey paint and slimline weather shields front and rear.

I wrote a list of all the gear I wanted to fit to the Ranger and then started pricing items. The idea was to kit the vehicle out with everything I thought I’d need for touring, and then fit new tyres right before getting the suspension sorted.

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The first stuff to go on was bar work, consisting of ARB Summit bullbar, side-steps and rear-step towbar, along with an under-vehicle protection plate and front recovery point. The bar is home to a Warn VR EVO 10-S electric winch, and a pair of ARB Solus driving lights. While all this gear was being fitted, the excellent team at ARB Wollongong also fitted a Safari Armax snorkel.

I’ve run BFGs for many years on many vehicles and reckon the All-Terrains are a good compromise for on- and off-road use

I then set about installing a Navman dashcam with a built-in TPMS, and a Uniden UH9060 radio mated to a Uniden ATX970S antenna, while up top, I had a Rhino-Rack Pioneer platform fitted to that company’s Backbone system.

The Ranger stayed like that for a while until I found the right canopy. At the top of my list was a Kiwi-made Utemaster Centurion canopy or an Aussie-made Camp King canopy, as I wanted to retain the Ranger’s tub with deep lift-up doors on each side for easy access.

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I eventually settled on a more affordable (imported from China) no-name aluminium canopy. The design is fantastic and it mounts to the tub’s cargo tie-down points, but the supplied mounting hardware wasn’t great and I had to make several modifications to fit it securely. I’ve since fitted a drawer system and rubber seals around the tailgate to keep dust out.

Next on the shopping list were tyres, and I opted to fit BFGoodrich All-Terrain KO2s, which is the same rubber I had on my Defender. In fact, I’ve run BFGs for many years on many vehicles and reckon the All-Terrains are a good compromise for on- and off-road use, and they stand up well in terms of wear and resistance to damage.

The standard tyre size on the XLS Sport is 265/65R17, and while I could have gone as big as a 285/70R17, I didn’t want the rubber extending beyond the guards and I didn’t want to mess up fuel economy too much, so I went with a more conservative LT265/70R17. These are fitted to the standard black alloys.

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The final step in the build was suspension, which was only fitted about 500km ago. It consists of Tough Dog springs to suit the weight of the steel bullbar, winch and driving lights up front, and a constant 300kg load at the rear.

The shocks are Tough Dog 41mm Foam Cells and the kit also includes bushes, greasable pins and shackles, and a transmission spacer to account for the 50mm lift. Once fitted, the Tough Dog team gave the Ranger a full wheel alignment.

Unlike my old Defender, it keeps my right leg dry when it’s raining

As I write this, the Ranger has just gone in for its 12-month service with only 6690km showing on the odometer (bloody COVID) but hopefully it’ll get a lot more use in 2022 with border restrictions easing. I’ve been keeping a detailed record of fuel consumption since Day One and, as expected, it has been increasing as I’ve added gear, climbing from a base of 10.7L/100km when I first picked it up to as high as 14.3L/100km on the last fill, which included a couple of hundred clicks of off-road driving.

So far, I’m happy with the Ranger; it’s comfortable on-road and capable off-road, and unlike my old Defender, it keeps my right leg dry when it’s raining. Upcoming additions will include an oil-water separator and an oil catch can kit. I’ll keep you posted.

Price (as tested): $51,640
Average fuel use: 11.9L/100km
Total kilometres: 6690km

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Part 2: Happy medium

The 2022 4X4OTY trip was fantastic, and we learnt a lot about the vehicles on test.

One of the vehicles in this year’s line-up was a Ford Ranger with the 2.0-litre bi-turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine, and it was interesting to compare its performance with my 3.2-litre turbo-diesel five.

Despite the bi-turbo’s higher power and torque, I’m pleased I opted for the 3.2 five-pot, which I reckon has much more character and works better with its six-speed auto than the 2.0L engine does with its 10-speed auto.

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One of the disadvantages of my choice to go with 3.2 is higher fuel consumption. The trip computer on the bi-turbo we’re currently testing says it’s averaging 10.1L/100km, and there’s no way my 3.2 would ever be that economical. Even when it was in standard trim, the best I ever saw was 10.8L/100km, and this figure has climbed to around 13.5L/100km now I have a bunch of accessories fitted.

One of the disadvantages of my choice to go with 3.2 is higher fuel consumption

I was conscious of the potential to mess up the fuel economy when fitting accessories, which is one of the reasons I went for 265/70R17 all-terrain rubber instead of wider and taller 285s. The modest upsize in tyre diameter also meant my speedo wasn’t put out too much, and in fact is now more accurate than when the standard 265/65R17 tyres were fitted.

The other accessory that probably has the greatest impact on fuel economy, at least on the open road, is the roof-rack system I have fitted, which is a Rhino-Rack Pioneer platform on that company’s backbone system. I also have a pair of Yakima crossbars fitted to the canopy.

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The roof-rack set-up also adds to wind noise at speeds above 80km/h, but slightly increased noise and fuel consumption are prices I’m prepared to pay for the added convenience of being able to secure gear to the roof.

When out four-wheel driving I can throw bulky items like swags and recovery boards up on the Pioneer platform, and when heading to the water on weekends I can put the kayaks up on the Yakima crossbars; I have also fitted a ladder roller to make it easier to load and unload the boats.

Of course, fuel economy is also reduced when driving around town or off-road due to extra weight, and with steel ARB bar-work front and rear, as well as steel side-steps, the Ranger has packed on the pounds – a bit like its owner – but again, this is the price I’m more than happy to cop.

As well as offering protection, the bullbar is a platform for accessories (Warn winch, ARB driving lights and Uniden antenna), while the ARB side-steps and rear bar have already copped a beating off-road. I’m glad I went for the standard black powder-coat finish on the bar-work rather than colour coding, as it will be easier to touch up at home after the inevitable scrapes from off-road driving.

I’ll let you know what I think of some of the other accessories I’ve fitted in the next shed update.

Total kilometres: 7484
Kilometres since last update: 794
Average fuel use: 12.0L/100km

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Part 3: Off-road hero

It’s been a few months since the last update on my Ford Ranger and in that time it’s only covered a paltry 5000km, but a fair chunk of that has been off-road.

Yep, the Ranger is parked safely at home for much of the time, but when there’s work to do, or I want to get away for the weekend with my family, it gets plenty of dirt under its wheels.

Despite being buried and bogged, the body work looks as good as new

Since the last update the Ranger has been subjected to several work trips with Offroad Images’ Michael Ellem to shoot a series of ‘How To’ features and videos for 4X4 Australia and, as a result, it has been buried up to its axles in sand, bogged in deep mud, teetered over the edge of a rocky drop-off, and subjected to several steep climbs and descents.

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Despite being buried and bogged, the body work looks as good as new. The same can’t be said for the ARB side rails and ARB rear-step towbar, which have copped a fair beating off road, but that is what they are designed to do and, other than scratches, there is no damage to report. Ditto for the ARB UVP (under-vehicle protection) plate, which also wears battle scars from many contacts with terra firma.

Ride quality is impressive and body roll is well-controlled when cornering, despite the extra weight

The LT265/70R17 BFGoodrich All-Terrains are wearing well and show no signs of chipping across the tread face or damage to the sidewalls despite all the off-road punishment. The BFGs are about due for a rotation, and as I managed to pick up an extra matching alloy wheel to replace the OE steely that Ford supplies, I’ll throw the spare into the mix.

I’m impressed with the Tough Dog suspension, both on the road and off it. The Ranger is carrying a fair bit of weight thanks to its steel bar and Warn VR EVO 10-S winch fitted up front, and its canopy and drawer system down the back, yet it sits nicely on the road at a smidge under 75mm higher than standard, of which around 50mm can be attributed to the suspension and around 25 to the slightly larger-than-standard tyres. The ride quality is impressive and body roll is well-controlled when cornering, despite the extra weight.

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And a fair bit of that weight is now up high thanks to a 68kg OZtrail Tarkine 1400 rooftop tent I recently fitted above the canopy on a pair of Yakima roof bars. While I could have fitted the RTT to the Ranger’s Rhino-Rack Pioneer Platform, 68kg would have been right on the limit of dynamic roof load, which is reduced significantly when driving off road with the Pioneer set-up.

The Yakima bars are good for 100kg though, and I have been assured by the importer of the canopy that it is too. I’ve already given the OZtrail RTT a run on a weekend getaway.

I have also been using the Ranger to tow a bike trailer, and to keep an eye on the bikes I recently installed a Gator rear-view camera/mirror that I picked up at Supercheap Auto. The Gator is also handy for keeping an eye on following traffic that I haven’t been able to monitor since fitting the canopy, and it also acts as a rear-view dashcam so if someone runs up the back of the Ranger I’ll have video evidence.

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Another handy little bit of kit I picked up recently was a Quad Lock Wireless CarPlay Adaptor. This little device plugs into the Ranger’s USB port in the centre console and then connects to your phone via Bluetooth, allowing for wireless CarPlay. It connects automatically when you get in your car so you can leave your phone in your pocket.

Other gear fitted since the last update includes a 100Ah slimline lithium battery, a CTEK DS250SE battery charger, 12V and USB outlets in the drawer system, and a Razed Products MaxTrax Flush Mounting Kit.

The Ranger recently scored a minor service and there are no faults to report. About six months ago, however, I kept getting a message on the FordPass app that there was a problem with an airbag sensor and I should take the Ranger to a dealer for inspection. Apparently there was a loose sensor plug down by the driver’s seat which was quickly sorted.

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Speaking of the FordPass app, it’s bloody fantastic; I can check the odo, lock and unlock the doors, and reset the alarm if it goes off … all from my phone. I can even start the engine on hot days to get the air-con going to cool down the cabin before I hop in. The app also shows me where the vehicle is parked and reminds me when a service is due. It’s the little things like this that improve the ownership experience.

As you’d expect, fuel consumption has been on the rise as I have added accessories and gear to the Ranger since I have owned it, it’s now up to 12.6L/100km. The highest consumption to date has been 14.6L/100km when towing my bike trailer, and since I fitted the rooftop tent it’s been averaging 13.3L/100km. The RTT will be coming off when not in use.

Total kilometres: 12,767
Kilometres since last update: 5283
Average fuel use: 12.6L/100km

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Part 4: Scuff marks

The Ranger has only done another couple of thousand clicks since the last update but as usual much of that has been in the dirt for product testing and photo shoots and, as a result, it now sports a few more scuff marks.

Overall the paint has held up well for a vehicle that lives outside in the weather. I started using Meguiar’s Hybrid Ceramic Wax on it not long after I bought it, and that seems to have done the trick, keeping the water beading off for at least a few weeks before I need to reapply it. Some of the window rubbers are starting to fade, however, especially on the driver’s side that cops the afternoon sun.

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As mentioned in the last update, the ARB side-rails and the ARB rear-step towbar are a bit scratched up. I knew this was likely to happen when I fitted the bar work, which is why I opted for a black powder coat finish rather than colour matching it to the vehicle’s paint. When it starts looking too ratty, I’ll respray it.

Other than off-road driving, over the warmer months I used the Ranger to haul kayaks down to the local waterways. My tandem Hobie is a long unit, so it spans the Yakima roof bars fitted to the canopy and the Rhino-Rack Pioneer Platform on the vehicle’s roof.

Lifting it up on to the roof is no easy task, so I have fitted a ladder roller to the rear roof bar, which makes the job more manageable. I can get another single kayak up there with the Hobie strapped down, which is perfect for our three-person family.

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I also occasionally hitch a bike trailer to the Ranger to shuffle test bikes around the place. The trailer itself only weighs 180kg, so with a couple of bikes on there the total weight is less than 600kg, which hardly influences vehicle performance or even fuel consumption.

Average fuel consumption, which I have been measuring since Day 1, is 12.7L/100km, which isn’t great, but the roof bars and platform obviously add a fair bit of wind resistance, and I often carry a fair bit of gear in the back. And remember, a lot of that driving includes off-road work which, as you know, is also thirsty work.

While I wouldn’t drive the Ranger over some of the off-road tracks I used to drive my diff-locked Defender on, I am impressed by its off-road performance. The modest 75mm lift provided by the Tough Dog suspension system, and the slightly taller than standard LT265/70R17 BFGoodrich All-Terrains, means it rarely bottoms out on a well-chosen line, and when it does the bar-work protects the body.

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The combination of the OE rear locker and the Ranger’s traction control has never left me wanting for more, and so far I have only needed to use the Warn VR EVO 10-S winch and other recovery devices when shooting instructional videos for 4X4 Australia… touch wood.

The Tough Dog suspension handles a heavy load well; when fully loaded up with rooftop tent and all the camping gear, the Ranger maintains a slight nose-down profile, and provides a good combination of ride quality and control. It can be a little harsh over corrugations, but most utes are, and much of that harshness can be tuned out by simply lowering tyre pressures.

On-road performance is excellent. Sure, the Ranger isn’t fast, but the engine makes decent torque down low, and it works well with the six-speed auto, which holds on to gears well when you want it to and shifts with a livelier attitude when you flick it over to Sport mode.

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In XLS Sport specification, the Ranger has an odd mix of tech that includes ‘normal’ cruise control (not adaptive), yet it has lane-change assist (which I rarely activate). It also has auto high beam, but again I flick the high beam off manually before blinding oncoming traffic.

One bit of tech it misses out on but sorely needs is LED lighting. The standard halogen headlights are appalling, and I am seriously considering replacing them with LED units. Long distance lighting is great, however, thanks to the ARB Intensity Solis LED driving lights fitted up front.

The last service at my local Ford dealer cost the projected $299, with no nasty surprises. I have refrained from fitting any devices to retune the ECU or reprogram the throttle response, as the Ranger’s 3.2-litre five-cylinder diesel makes more than enough grunt for my needs. I have also decided against fitting a catch can, although I often wonder if this is a decision I will one day regret. I’ll let you know.

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I’m very happy with the Ranger to date. I always wanted a new 4x4 that I could build up from scratch and looking back on the last couple of years of upgrades I don’t think there’s a lot I would do differently.

As well as the tyres, suspension, bar work and winch, I have fitted the aluminium canopy, a drawer system, a 100Ah slimline lithium battery, a dashcam with built-in TPMS, UHF, rear-view camera and a few other bits and pieces.

I guess you could call it a moderately modified 4x4, set up for daily driving and touring, but still reasonably capable off-road.

Total kilometres: 14,859
Kilometres since last update: 2092
Average fuel use: 12.7L/100km

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