Next-gen V6 Ranger coming to New Zealand, first arrivals expected in a few months

Ford’s next-gen Ranger will come to New Zealand with a three-litre V6 turbodiesel engine as the Blue Oval continues to beef up its ute range.

We’ve already been shown the new Ranger Raptor, the most potent of all the Rangers. But the more stripped back standard version still comes with plenty of grunt.

The V6 churns out 184kW of power and 600Nm of torque.

“When you drive a Ranger with the V6 turbodiesel, it feels like a much bigger truck,” Ford says.

That’s because it is bigger, 50mm bigger to be exact. The tray width has also been increased to fit a standard Euro size pallet.

To ensure the pallet stays in place, the Ranger’s suspension has been tinkered with. The rear dampers are moved outboard of the springs, giving it a smoother ride.

There are smaller engine options available. A single turbo 2.0-litre four and a Biturbo 2.0-litre four (both diesel) can be purchased at the expense of power.

In any case, mostly all new Rangers are equipped with a ten-speed automatic transmission. The exception is the single turbo four-cylinder, which has a six-speed auto.

All new Rangers have a 3500 kg towing capacity.

A full-time four-wheel-drive system means you don’t have to play around too much with the different drive settings. Speaking of which, there are six selectable drive modes.

Besides that, it looks very much like a Ranger.

The interior is the same; the exterior is the same. If it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it.

Pricing isn’t confirmed. Ford New Zealand says this is due next month.

What we do know is first arrivals are expected midway through the year.

You will have to pay a fee under the Clean Car scheme, but that shouldn’t be too much of a hassle if you’re a Ranger owner.