Ford Ranger XLS 3.2L 4x4 auto 2018 off-road review

The XLS is available only as a dual-cab ute, with a 3.2-litre engine and manual or automatic transmission. It sits above the XL and XL Plus, and under the XLT and Wildtrak in the Ranger line-up.

Our 3.2-litre auto test car has a price-as-tested of $55,590. That pricing could stand to have a few grand chopped off it to better reflect what buyers can expect to pay for similar-spec rival dual-cab utes.

As standard, it has the SYNC multimedia system (with a 4.2-inch colour screen, emergency assistance, USB/iPod connectivity and more), radio/CD with six speakers, power windows, 230-volt power inverter and 12-volt power outlet, cruise control with steering wheel-mounted buttons, electronic locking differential, inner and outer tie-down points, tray illumination, rear view camera, rear parking sensors and more.

Inside, the XLS has the SYNC multimedia system with a 4.2-inch colour screen. (image credit: Marcus Craft)

The XLS also has body-coloured bumpers, front fog lights, 16-inch alloy wheels (plus full-size steel spare) on off-road-friendly 16-inch tyres, carpet floor with floor mats (front and rear), a high-mounted rear stop light and more.

The XLS comes with 16-inch alloy wheels. (image credit: Marcus Craft)

XLT and Wildtrak models have tyre-pressure monitoring as standard, but no Rangers yet have auto emergency braking.

The 2019 XLS models, set to arrive later this year, will get front parking sensors, chrome grille and door handles, dual-zone climate control, and keyless entry with push-button start. XLS buyers will also have the option to get a $1950 'Sync 3' package, which includes an 8.0-inch colour touchscreen with sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Nothing much has changed in the Ranger's appearance inside or out, and likely won't until the next iteration is due to land here later this year. But that's not a problem because all Rangers are pretty easy on the eye. They have a distinctive, blocky front end with that signature Ford grille and the chunky shoulders of a wannabe Yank tank.

The XLS is bush ready, with 232mm of ground clearance, 800mm wading depth, 29 degrees approach angle, 28 degrees departure angle and 25 degrees ramp break-over angle. Yep, that’s a stack of numbers to get your head around, so here’s the upshot in a nutshell: this Ranger goes well off-road.

We tackled a series of shallow water crossings (topping out at about 400mm), steep, shale climbs and downhill winding bush tracks, as well as a few short runs on coastal bush sand.

Its air intakes are up high between the inner and outer guards on the driver’s side; the alternator is high in the engine bay.

The Ranger’s terrain management system is a part-time 4WD system with low-range transfer case: high range is 1.000:1 ratio; low range is 2.717:1. Torque is available from low down in the rev range, handy for soft boggy patches of sand.

The driver is able to shift from 4x2 to 4x4 high on the fly, using a dial on the centre console. The vehicle must be stationary for shifts from 4x2 high to 4x4 low. There are buttons to engage the electronic rear diff lock and hill descent control, which works below 40km/h and down to 2km/h.

One of the few chinks in the XLS' off-road armoury was its bitumen-friendly Bridgestone Dueler H/Ts, but that’s easily fixed with a set of bush-going ATs.

Also, at times the XLS feels bigger and bulkier than it actually is, especially when driving along those narrow and twisting tracks in the bush, but you soon get used to that and adjust your off-road driving style to suit.

Through deep ruts, the Ranger’s wheels don’t flex down for grip as far as some rivals, namely the HiLux, but this lack of full articulation droop is not a deal-breaking issue.

The tray has rear-window guards to protect the glass from sharp edges and shifting loads. The load area has six tie-down points, three each on the inside of the tray.

The load area has six tie-down points, three each on the inside of the tray. (image credit: Marcus Craft)

Towing capacity is 3500kg (braked) and 750kg (unbraked). The 2111kg XLS has a payload of 1085kg and a GVM of 3200kg. GCM is 6000kg.

All Ranger variants since September 2015 have a five-star ANCAP rating, based on Euro NCAP crash tests conducted in 2011. Safety gear includes dual front, side-chest and side-head airbags, dynamic stability control, emergency assist, hill-descent control, hill holder, trailer-stability control and more.