Designed and engineered by an international team led by Ford’s Product Development Center in Australia, the all-new Ranger takes on a bold and confident exterior that exudes the brand’s global truck DNA. The silhouette itself is stronger and more upright with a wheelbase lengthened by 50 millimeters and the wheel tracks widened by 50 millimeters. The front is dominated by a defined grille and signature C-clamp headlamps with available matrix LED headlights. At each corner are bolder wheel arches filled with wheel sizes ranging from 17- to 20 inches, while at the back, the taillights are harmoniously designed to match the headlight’s graphics. There’s also an integrated load step behind the rear tires for easier loading and loading of cargo.

Underneath, the all-new Ranger rides on the third-generation T6 platform. Shared with the Ford Bronco, the front wheels have been moved forward by 50 mm, and mounted outboard for better off-road articulation. The rear suspension, while still riding on leaf springs, also moves its dampers outboard of the frame rails for better ride on- or off-road.

Customers will have a choice of two four-wheel drive systems, an electronic shift-on-the-fly system, or advanced full-time 4x4 system with a reassuring set-and-forget mode. The latter also adds a selectable Terrain Management system, the first time it has been made available outside of the Ranger Raptor.

Under the hood, Ford will offer three diesel and one gasoline engines for global markets. The base diesel is a single turbo 2.0-liter (with two states of tune), followed by a bi-turbo 2.0-liter, and completing the range is a 3.0-liter V6. Ford has yet to confirm exact power and torque figures, but it’s safe to assume that it’ll make more than the current engine line (180 horsepower/420 Nm for the single-turbo, 213 horsepower/500 Nm for the bi-turbo, and 250 horsepower/595 Nm of torque for the V6). Gearbox choices are either a 6-speed manual or automatic (base single-turbo), or an improved version of the 10-speed automatic with an available electronic gear selector (e-shifter).

Inside, the 2022 Ranger offers a flexible, modern cockpit that caters to both work and family duties. It features a car-like cabin setup with soft-touch elements and a prominent portrait-style center touchscreen in either 10.1- or 12-inch size. It complements the fully digital instrument panel and is loaded with Ford’s latest SYNC4 system. 

There’s also a factory-fitted modem allowing connectivity on the go when linked with FordPass. FordPass enhances the ownership experience with features like remote start, vehicle status check, and remote lock and unlock functions via a mobile device. It will also be future-proofed thanks to Over-The-Air (OTA) software updates.

Many of the traditional driving mode controls have been moved from the dash and center console to their own dedicated display on the tablet screen. With one button press, drivers can view a dedicated screen for all off-road and drive mode functions including driveline status, steering angle, vehicle pitch and roll angles, and other controls. The screen also is linked to a 360-degree camera to make parking a breeze in tight urban spaces, or to assist when negotiating particularly tricky terrain while out exploring.

The Ranger design team also created clever storage and useful features for owners. There are not only places to store phones or charge it wirelessly, but there’s a large center console bin to stash things. In addition, the door pockets are designed to carry more, the wide dash conceals an upper glovebox, and there are storage bins under and behind the rear seats.

The next-generation 2022 Ranger will roll out first at Ford’s plant in Rayong, Thailand. At launch, the carmaker revealed the XLT, Sport, and Wildtrak models. However, specific market specifications and launch timing will be announced closer to the launch which is expected to happen by around the second or third quarter of next year.