In terms of off-road capability, the new Ranger Wildtrak X represents a halfway step between the Wildtrak and the Raptor. Is it the sweet spot in the Ranger line-up or does it make little sense to have it in the range? We drove it in the Northern Cape to find out.
What is a Wildtrak X?
Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa has produced the new Ranger for only about 12 months (at its Silverton assembly plant in Pretoria), but “special-edition” bakkies have already begun rolling out of the facility. Compared with the Wildtrak, the newcomer is a comparatively more off-road-biased derivative.
Powered by a 154 kW/500 Nm 2.0-litre 4-cylinder bi-turbodiesel paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, as opposed to the 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel with the same ‘box (the Wildtrak is available with a choice of the two powertrains), the Wildtrak X comes with extra off-road kit, which includes specialised Bilstein dampers (not quite tuned to the level of the Raptor’s Fox units), Grabber off-road tyres, a 30-mm wider track, 24 mm of extra ground clearance, as well as a Rock Crawl mode within the off-road system.
Compared with the Wildtrak, the approach angle is improved by 2 degrees to 32 degrees, the breakover angle is 1 degree better (now 24 degrees) and the departure angle is up by 1.4 degrees to 27 degrees.
The final trick up its sleeve is a trail turn system that allows the Wildtrak X to make tighter turns off-road by applying the brakes to the inside rear wheel and “rotating the bakkie” around that braked wheel.
Why not just buy a Raptor?
The Wildtrak X may be more off-road focused than most other Rangers, but it’s still some way off the capabilities of a flagship Raptor. What the Wildtrak X does offer buyers over the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol-powered Raptor, however, is superior fuel economy, courtesy of its turbodiesel engine. Whereas the former is said to consume an average of 11.5 L/100 km, the claim for the Wildtrak X is 7.5 L/100 km.
Crucially, the Wildtrak X maintains the towing- and load capacities of most other double-cab 4×4 Ranger derivatives; its tow rating is 3 500 kg (braked) and its payload is 945 kg. The Raptor is extremely capable off-road, but its towing capacity is limited to 2 500 kg, while it cannot haul cargo heavier than 667 kg.
What’s the Wildtrak X like to drive?
After landing at the Southern Hemisphere’s longest runway in Upington, it was nice to have a reprieve from the wet Cape winter and breathe in the warm ambient air of the Northern Cape. South Africa’s most sparsely inhabited province has an abundance of dirt roads and, to travel to our stopover point for the night, we would be driving for about an hour on tarmac and another hour on a rural gravel road.
The first thing I noticed about the Wildtrak X is the distinct characteristics of the newcomer’s Bilstein dampers; they produce a much firmer ride quality than that of the standard Ranger. It seems as if Ford’s tremendous efforts to make the Ranger such a comfortably riding modern bakkie has been undone in the Wildtrak X… There’s a bit more noise from the Grabber all-terrain tyres on tar, but then, once the Ranger traverses gravel, they make sense – the rubber offers much better traction and feel on loose surfaces.
If you plan to spend a lot of time travelling off-road with your Ranger, this new derivative really does make more sense than the Wildtrak; yes, it is a bit compromised on-road, but certainly better off it.
The additional Rock Crawl mode will give 4×4 enthusiasts one more setting to play with and, as for the trail turn system, it’s best saved for negotiating off-road conditions – not for turning into that tight parking space at the local shopping centre! The braking effect applied to the inside wheel is quite severe and clearly audible from outside the vehicle. When you stand next to the bakkie, you can even see it working, but fear not, it has to be activated via the infotainment screen and only when 4WD is active.
Anything else of interest on the Wildtrak X?
Ford offers what it calls the Flexible Rack System (an adjustable “sportsbar”, if you will) for the Wildtrak X – it is also optionally available on all Wildtrak derivatives. It seems like quite a nifty system, because the “sportsbar” can slide up and down the length of the rim of the load tub to create the effect of extended rails. The rails located above the cabin also have extendible arms that create crossbars on which to rest items like surfboards, ladders, kayaks or anything else you may want to strap to the back of the bakkie.
The rest of the Wildtrak X’s specification is the same as that of the Wildtra derivatives, save for some additional LED lights, some bespoke stitching in the cabin and the fitment of 17-inch wheels.
How much does the Ford Ranger Wildtrak X cost?
| Ford Ranger 2.0 BiTurbo double cab Wildtrak X 4WD | R1 013 000 |
The Wildtrak X is sold with a 4-year/120 000 km warranty, 4-year/unlimited km roadside assistance and a 5-year/unlimited km corrosion warranty. Service or maintenance plans of up to 8 years/135 000 km are optional.
Summary
The new Ford Ranger 2.0 BiTurbo double cab Wildtrak X 4WD is a derivative aimed squarely at 4×4 enthusiasts who do a lot of off-roading or gravel-road driving with their bakkies and don’t want (or at least can’t afford) a Raptor. The Wildtrak X offers better towing and payload capacities than the latter and its turbodiesel motor will probably be much more fuel-efficient than the Raptor’s turbopetrol V6.
Some on-road refinement has been sacrificed in the pursuit of improved off-road prowess, but it’s probably worth it if you’ll be venturing off the beaten track more than most double-cab owners.
Related content:
Ford Ranger Wildtrak X (2023) Price & Specs
New Ford Ranger Raptor vs Wildtrak V6 – Which one should you buy?
