2023 Ford Ranger Wildtrak X new car review

The Blue Oval is looking to capitalise on the success of its Ranger Raptor with a new cheaper off-road focused tough ute.

2023 Ford Ranger Wildtrak X.

This is the sensible cousin to Ford’s Ranger Raptor.

The big bird muscled up when Ford’s new generation Ranger debuted last year, ditching the old car’s 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel engine in favour of a twin-turbocharged petrol V6 with almost double the power.

The trouble is that it also developed a drinking habit.

The Wildtrak X borrows lots of its gear from the range-topping Ranger Raptor.

Official (and optimistic) consumption figures and current fuel prices suggest folks driving 15,000 kilometres per year will spend an extra $120 per month to fuel the petrol Raptor, and get 200km less range from every tank.

Yes, the high-performance Raptor sounds great and is fun to drive.

But you can get many of its toys and a good serve of butch appeal in the Ranger Wildtrak X.

Priced from $75,990 plus on-road costs (about $82,500 drive-away), the new model splits the difference between the standard Ranger Wildtrak (about $75,000 drive-away) and full-fat Raptor (about $95,000 drive-away).

New shocks and off-road rubber boosts its 4WD ability.

The Wildtrak X justifies its price premium with tech pinched from the Raptor, inducing a full-width digital dashboard and Matrix LED headlights.

Mechanical changes include 17-inch machined alloy wheels wrapped with fat Grabber General all-terrain tyres, along with special Bilstein shock absorbers that contribute toward 26mm of additional ground clearance and a 30mm wider track.

It also has a steel bash plate and cast-aluminium side steps that promise to be more rugged than the standard car’s components.

It also gets lots of tech features that were previously reserved for the Raptor.

Powered by a twin-turbo four-cylinder engine with 150kW and 500Nm, the Wildtrak X misses out on the extra wallop of V6 models but benefits from clever full-time all-wheel-drive normally off-limits to four-cylinder Rangers.

It also has special software borrowed from the Raptor to make off-road adventures easier to handle, swing-out roof racks that fold into its roof rails and a sliding sports bar on the covered rear tray that can be used to support long loads such as canoes or surfboards.

Cosmetic upgrades include optional cyber orange paint, textured black exterior trim elements, and a cabin featuring leather and suede trim with orange highlights.

But it makes do with the older, smaller engine.

It also has a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo and an overhead accessory switch bank.

That’s a lot of gear for the $7500 premium over the regular Wildtrak.

While Ford might not admit as much, the extra kit represents a response to its mechanical twin in the Volkswagen Amarok, a vehicle that generally costs more than the Ranger while delivering additional features.

The result is a machine that ramps up the Wildtrak’s off-road ability while delivering the adventurous image many people want from a new pick-up truck. The only real omission from the Wildtrak X is the option of V6 power – either in petrol or diesel form – that delivers comparatively effortless punch.

The addition of full time 4WD aids on road stability, especially in wet weather.

Tested in isolation, the bi-turbo four is no bad thing.

Reasonably quiet in the suburbs, it has a fine ally in a 10-speed automatic transmission that helps make the most of its efforts.

The Wildtrak X’s additional features add more than 100 kilos to its weight, which means the 2.0-litre engine has to work harder than before.

It can feel stretched from time to time – and that’s without hitching 3.5 tonnes to its towball.

But it scores points with new Bilstein suspension that feels more sophisticated on the road, doing a better job of soaking up bumps than the standard Wildtrak. That sensation is helped by chubby tyres on the new machine, along with the planted nature of its wider stance.

We also like the inclusion of automatic full-time all-wheel-drive. Most utes are designed to be driven in two-wheel-drive mode on tar, which can make them a bit of a handful in poor weather. But all-wheel-drive shared with V6 models lends stability that helps make the Wildtrak X an easy car to recommend.

Originally published as 2023 Ford Ranger Wildtrak X new car review