The Ford Ranger currently has four different engines to choose from in South Africa, and each one has its pros and cons ranging from price tag to power, fuel consumption, and more.
These four drivetrains are spread out across 25 different models, including single-cab, super-cab and double-cab body types, as well as five different trim levels (with two more on the way), making the choice of which bakkie to get that much more difficult.
Deciding which engine is right for you
There are three different diesel blocks to choose from in the Ranger family comprising a 2.0-litre single turbo, a 2.0-litre bi-turbo, and a 3.0-litre V6 turbo, as well as a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged petrol.
Before we look at their individual performance figures, it’s helpful to see which engines are available for certain body types and specifications, which you can see in the table below:
| Engine | Body types available | Specifications available |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0-litre turbo-diesel | Single cab, Super cab, Double cab | XL, XLT |
| 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel | Super cab, Double cab | XLT, Wildtrak, Tremor, Wildtrak X |
| 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel | Double cab | Wildtrak, Platinum |
| 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol | Double cab | Raptor |
Related to this is the minimum price you will need to pay to get your hands on each powerplant, as the differences between trim levels mean you’ll be paying a premium for the top-end units.
- 2.0-litre single turbo diesel – R494,400
- 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel – R723,400
- 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel – R1,026,400
- 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol – R1,184,100
The distinction to draw here is that the two V6 options are reserved for the top-of-the-range Wildtrak, Platinum, and Raptor, while the 2.0-litre options are more attainable in comparison.
With that in mind, these are the power stats for each drivetrain:
| Engine | Power & torque |
|---|---|
| 2.0-litre turbo-diesel | 125kW/405Nm |
| 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel | 154kW/500Nm |
| 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel | 184kW/600Nm |
| 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol | 292kW/583Nm |
Even the entry-level plant has a respectable power and torque figure, though the bi-turbo and V6 diesel naturally improve upon this in a roughly linear manner with a power gap of around 30kW and 100Nm each time.
The stand-out is the petrol unit, which flips the power vs torque stat with significantly more of the former and less of the latter compared to the pinnacle diesel mill.
You can see what this power lends you in terms of towing potential below:
| Engine | Towing capacity |
|---|---|
| 2.0-litre turbo-diesel | 3,500kg |
| 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel | 3,500kg |
| 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel | 3,500kg |
| 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol | 2,500kg |
The impressive thing here is that you can get the Ranger’s max towing rate even on the cheapest models, and it’s actually the Raptor that has less potential, though there is a big asterisk here.
The Raptor has a specially-modified body with racing shocks, which sacrifices some of the double cab’s utility in favour of rally-like performance, and so both its towing stat, and its lower load capacity of 667kg versus the others’ 944kg, are reflective of this, and are not entirely the result of the engine.
One other important aspect to consider is each engine’s fuel consumption, which is detailed below:
| Engine | Gearboxes available | Fuel consumption | Driving range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0-litre turbo-diesel | 6-speed manual, 6-speed auto | 6.9-7.7l/100km | 1,159-1,039km |
| 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel | 10-speed auto | 7.5l/100km | 1,067km |
| 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel | 10-speed auto | 8.4l/100km | 952km |
| 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol | 10-speed auto | 11.5l/100km | 696km |
Naturally, the smallest engine with a manual gearshift has the greatest fuel-saving potential, though the bi-turbo has better usage than the single-turbo automatic, illustrating how a more powerful engine that doesn’t have to work as hard can lead to greater efficiency.
Again, the standout is the Raptor’s petrol unit, as it not only has the less efficient fuel type, but is also intended to provide hot hatch-rivalling acceleration times thus resulting in a thirst comparable to something like a Ford Mustang.
This is also reflected in the driving range of each powertrain, bearing in mind every Ranger has an 80-litre tank.
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