First drive in the new Ford Ranger Platinum in South Africa

Ford has spruced up the Ranger family in South Africa with the new Platinum – which it says is for customers who crave the creature comforts of a luxury SUV while simultaneously requiring the capabilities of a bakkie.

The Platinum’s enhancements are skin-deep, encompassing a variety of cosmetic tweaks and the standard addition of the latest cutting-edge features the Blue Oval has at its disposal, but no mechanical alterations.

No ordinary Ranger

Approaching the Platinum it is immediately apparent that it is no ordinary Ranger as it strikes a more premium pose than any of its siblings.

Elevating it above nameplates like the Wildtrak is a model-exclusive silk chrome grille with colour-coded side steps, roof rails, window linings, and rear bumper; complemented by unique 20-inch alloy wheels with ebony accents, larger than on any other Ranger, wrapped in all-season tyres.

Further underscoring its high-end status is 3D “Platinum” badging on the bonnet, doors, and tailgate; a fixed sports hoop in the load box; an electric roller shutter; and Matrix LED headlights which visually have a thicker upper edge than the standard LED lamps.

Apart from the Raptor, the Platinum is the only model equipped with these Matrix lights which are capable of dimming certain sections at night to avoid blinding oncoming traffic while keeping the brights illuminated for ultimate visibility.

They also boast new High Beam Boost and Dynamic Bending Light functions – the former of which uses dormant LEDs to produce 30% more light than the normal high beam, whereas the latter senses the speed and steering angle to swivel the lights around a bend by up to 15 degrees.

Once sat inside, the Platinum’s cabin features upgrades like stylish quilted leather seats with heating, ventilation, and electric adjustment; a customisable 12.4-inch digital driver’s display which is once again only shared by the Raptor; a unique front fascia incorporating an illuminated shelf and second upper glove box; and soft-touch materials on the centre console, armrests, and dashboard.

In here, the 3D Platinum badging is applied to the dash and seats, ambient lighting gently lights up select surfaces, it gets wood inserts in the doors and dash, and the aircon vents feature silk chrome highlights, all to give it that extra je ne sais quoi.

However, it’s not only about what you can see that adds to the Platinum’s charm.

Apart from the aesthetic enhancements, it boasts a number of amenities intended to make life inside the Ford that much more pleasurable, including a heated leather steering wheel, a 10-speaker B&O sound system, a wireless charger, a 12-inch central display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a comprehensive suite of advanced assistance systems such as Active Park Assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and cross-traffic alert.

The Pro Trailer Backup Assist feature is also included which provides informational graphics and up to seven camera angles to assist the driver with reversing a trailer into tricky locations.

A damped tailgate is standard as well making it easier to open and close the fixture, as is the cargo management system that allows owners to configure the load box into several partitions to accommodate their unique cargo-hauling needs.

On the move, the Platinum’s passenger cell is superbly comfortable despite the sizeable alloy wheels, achieving low noise, vibration, and harshness levels that would satisfy even the most discerning of bakkie buyers.

The new 3.0-litre, V6, turbodiesel engine that drives the premium Ford is a peach.

Power delivery is silky smooth and it is eager to obey your demands, not breaking a sweat when I overtook big trucks on steep mountain passes nor when needing to get ahead of traffic at a green light to make a nearby turn.

The 10-speed cog swapper delivers brisk and seamless shifts and assists the big motor in reporting rather decent economy ratings, too. The unbroken-in unit sipped 9.7l per 100km after a few hours of leisurely coastal drives and mountain roads.

Capability is still assured courtesy of a rear diff-lock and electronic four-wheel-drive system with 2H, 4H, 4L, and 4A settings – the latter of which variably channels drive to the wheels that need it most depending on turf conditions and driver inputs – and six drive settings cover nearly each and every scenario you will encounter out in the wild.

A luxury SUV the Platinum is not

The Ranger Platinum is arguably the most upmarket offering you can currently get in South Africa’s bakkie segment, but a luxury SUV it is not.

It doesn’t have the same sense of occasion and exclusivity as a R1.1-million SUV, you’re still well aware of its utilitarian roots when piloting it, but it does provide a decidedly premium entry in a segment that is generally dominated by 4×4-focused competition.

The Platinum therefore perfectly plays the role Ford intended it to, being the ride of choice for the banking executive who works in Sandton but still wants to tow his boat to the Vaal every once in a while.

Ford Ranger Platinum