Ford makes the next-generation Ranger and Everest official – A first look and quick drive

After a month of teasers, leaks, and road sightings, the next-generation Ford Ranger and Everest were officially unveiled in the Philippines. They’ve carried powertrain options from the previous model but almost everything else has been reworked to accommodate the new features. Bolder, better, and definitely safer – the new Ranger and Everest are now here to impress you in many ways. 

Price

The Ford Ranger is available in 8 variants starting at P1,198,000 and tops out at the Wildtrak 4×4 that retails for P1,875,000. Meanwhile the Ford Everest only has 5 variants starting at P1,799,000 and reaches P2,495,000 for the Bi-Turbo Titanium+ 4×4. Check the list below for the complete prices. 

P1,198,000 – Ford Ranger 2.0L Turbo XL 4×4 MT

P1,198,000 – Ford Ranger 2.0L Turbo XLS 4×2 MT

P1,273,000 – Ford Ranger 2.0L Turbo XLS 4×2 AT

P1,374,000 – Ford Ranger 2.0L Turbo XLT 4×2 AT

P1,474,000 – Ford Ranger 2.0L Turbo Sport 4×2 AT

P1,594,000 – Ford Ranger 2.0L Turbo Sport 4×4 AT

P1,569,000 – Ford Ranger 2.0L Turbo Wildtrak 4×2 AT

P1,875,000 – Ford Ranger 2.0L Bi-Turbo Wildtrak 4×4 AT

P1,799,000 – Ford Everest 2.0L Turbo Trend 4×2 AT

P1,999,000 – Ford Everest 2.0L Turbo Limited 4×2 AT

P2,089,000 – Ford Everest 2.0L Turbo Sport 4×2 AT

P2,179,000 – Ford Everest 2.0L Turbo Titanium+ 4×2 AT

P2,495,000 – Ford Everest 2.0L Bi-Turbo Titanium+ 4×4 AT

Powertrain

Ford has ditched the old 2.2-liter turbo diesel and focused on the newer 2-liter diesel engines. The first is a single turbo that makes 170 horsepower and 405 Nm of torque, and is now only available with a 6-speed automatic or in the Ranger, also a 6-speed manual for the entry level variants. 

The power figures are lower than before when the single turbo was mated to the 10-speed automatic transmission. However, Ford said that the 6-speed automatic is a new transmission along with the 6-speed manual, and is better suited to the single-turbo diesel engine. 

The 2-liter Bi-Turbo diesel remains solely for the top trim variants of the two models. It generates 210 Hp and 500 Nm of torque, paired exclusively to a 10-speed automatic. 

Ranger

The Ford Ranger was beefed up in many ways for this iteration. It’s 16mm longer, 58mm wider, and 63mm taller. Wheelbase was increased by 50mm, the track (distance between the center of left and right wheels on the same axle) was wider by 50mm, and ground clearance was slightly taller at 235mm. The wider track also allowed for shorter wheel wells creeping into the pickup bed, allowing for more cargo capacity.

The increase in size was complimented by a much more intimidating exterior design. Headlights are now C-shaped LED and available with an adaptive lighting system. The front grille is much more complex featuring a prominent horizontal bar and long X brace enveloping the mid and lower section of the front bumper. The sides have a deeper groove by the doors while the 18-inch wheels have a redesigned spoke. 

At the back are new LED taillights which when combined, look like an hourglass figure. The tailgate has a bigger bump that goes along the shape of the taillights, and the Ranger name is now stamped on the lower portion and not simply painted on. 

Changes are more significant inside the cabin. An 8-inch digital gauge is standard across the lineup, while at the center of the new dashboard is a portrait-oriented touchscreen. It’s available in either 10-inch or 12-inch sizes, both equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Other amenities include wireless charger (XLT and up), Dual Zone Climate Control, auto brake hold, and rear air vents.

For safety, the Ranger is available with 6 or 7 airbags, cruise control, electronic parking brake, ABS with EBD, traction control system, electric brake booster, front and rear sensors, rear camera, hill start assist, hill descent control, and roll over mitigation. 

The Wildtrak 4×4 gets exclusive safety features including adaptive cruise control, auto high beam, autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane keep system, 360-camera, blind spot monitoring, and reverse steer assist among others. 

Driving the Ranger

I was able to drive the previous Ranger XLT before and while I felt that it’s a great balance of price and amenities, I really wished that the riding comfort could be improved.

Well, I’m happy to report that Ford did not disappoint because the new Ranger rides smoother than the outgoing model. It still has that hollow feel when there’s no rear passengers or cargo, but it’s not as bouncy anymore. 

The steering also improved. It’s a tad more firm but more responsive giving you more accurate feedback on the road. It also felt like it had a wider range of motion, giving the Ranger a smaller turning radius. 

The new Ford Ranger’s safety features also give you more confidence on the road. They have a fairly accurate spacing on their monitors from the 360-camera so you really won’t be bumping things despite the massive size of the truck. The Hill Start Assist latches on subtly and quickly that there wasn’t any movement despite my quick release of the brakes during the uphill. The Hill Descent Control also has a similar behavior with the Hill Start Assist that despite the steep slope, the Ranger was able to maintain a slow and steady pace. If these systems are working smoothly, I can only assume that the others will be just as good and non-intrusive. 

Everest

The Everest finally received a much needed overhaul and just like the Ranger, it was also bulkier this time around. It’s 11mm longer, 339mm wider, and 48mm taller. Its wheelbase also increased by 50mm, while the track is 50mm more at the front and 55mm at the rear. Ground clearance is slightly lower at 223mm. 

The Everest shares an almost identical front face to the Ranger. It also has C-shaped LED headlights and a honeycomb grille highlighted by the horizontal bar flanking the logo. What’s different is it doesn’t have the X-brace in the lower portion of the front bumper. 

Since it has fewer variants, the Everest has more standard features across its lineup. Some of these are the automatic headlights, front and rear fog lights, power folding side mirrors, and tow hooks. Available in the upper trims are power tailgate and panoramic moonroof. 

The cabin is also similar to the Ranger featuring the digital gauge cluster and portrait-oriented touchscreen options. Leather upholstery is standard together with dual zone climate control, smart keyless entry, push start button, 8-way power adjustable driver’s seat, and cruise control. It also has a different shifter that feels more like a computer mouse than anything while the third row seats can be folded electronically via buttons on the cargo area. 

Safety bits are the same in that only the Titanium+ 4×4 gets all the advanced safety features like adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and 360-cameras among others. 

Driving the Everest

Despite the limited time for the event, I waited in line to try out the new Everest. The look and feel of the cabin was definitely more premium, but the mechanicals is where it’s at. It’s more comfortable on the road compared to before, but it needs more testing to see if it doesn’t duck too much anymore under hard braking. 

The most improved aspect for me, at least for this Titanium+ 4×4 trim, is the automatic parking. Since the cameras and sensors were improved, the feature is more accurate and a bit faster. All you had to do is let go of the brakes, hold the parking button, and it will accurately parallel park faster than I can ever do. It even gets too close for comfort at times but the sensors are very precise in their readings so the car is confident in its space. 

Ford Island Conquest

Together with the launch of the next-generation Ranger and Everest, Ford has kicked off the return of the Ford Island Conquest. This is their signature closed-off makeshift test track that’s designed to test the capabilities of their vehicles. You can test drive the new Ranger, Everest, and Territory in Arcovia City in Pasig from 9am to 8pm on July 29 to 31. Those who will join the test drive are advised to bring their vaccination cards and wear their masks. 

There are also promos happening during the 3-day event. Those who will make a reservation for the new Ranger, Everest, including the Territory, Mustang, and Explorer are entitled to win one of the P3-million worth of prizes. Accessories, premium Ford merchandise, 3-year Scheduled Service Plan, and cash discounts ranging from P10,000 to P100,000. 

The new Ford Ranger and Ford Everest both come with a longer 5-year or 150,000 km warranty. Both are available in Absolute Black, Aluminum Metallic, Arctic White, Meteor Gray, Snowflake White Pearl, Blue Lightning, and Sedona Orange. The Luxe Yellow is exclusive to the Ford Ranger Wildtrak while the Equinox Bronze is for the Ford Everest Titanium+ only.