Ford Ranger Platinum first drive: the king of the pickup trucks this side of the pond

I have to admit, I love pickup trucks. Whether it's a boyhood obsession or my time spent living in America’s MidWest, there’s something about a truck that just appeals to me. Even non-truck fans can’t deny that they are very practical vehicles – unless of course, you’re talking about being easy to park in small spaces.

Your average ‘double cab’ truck has four doors, and seating that can easily accommodate five people – much like an SUV. They sit on the road higher like an SUV too, so they’re great for longer motorway trips. Then there’s storage. The giant truck bed dwarves anything even an estate car can offer, and most higher end models feature a lockable cover, to keep your valuables safe and out of the rain.

The Ford Ranger is Europe’s best selling truck. In the US, the Ford F-150 takes that badge, but that model isn’t available in Europe. This is probably for the best, as it would be ginormous on UK roads. The Ranger is significantly smaller than the F-150, though is still one of the biggest non-commercial vehicles on our roads. Range Rovers and vans look tiny as you pass them.

The options available for the Ranger are vast, spanning tough and ready work vehicles like the XL, sporty models like the MS-RT and Ranger Raptor, and then premium models like the Platinum (or Lariat in the US). It’s this top-of-the-range Platinum model that I tested, as it’s the one you’re going to want the most.

Price and availability

The surprising thing about the Ranger truck is how cheap they are to buy. Models start from just £30,800 / $32,700 on the road for the base level XL model in the double cab (or £29,275 for the single cab). There’s a choice of three engines (all diesel) from the 2.0-litre turbodiesel Ecoblue, up to the 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6. All are four-wheel drive. Next year there will also be a plug-in hybrid option, combining the Ford 2.3-litre ecoboost petrol engine with a 75kW electric motor and 11.8kWh battery.

If you want the Platinum model you have to pick the 3.0 litre V6, which is no real hardship. Prices for the Platinum start from £47,950 or $43,680 for the Lariat in the US. The model I tested included the metallic paint, 20-inch alloys, the powered roller shutter and bed divider, body protection pack and the technology package, taking this up to £53,430.

That’s still a lot of car (or truck) for your money. That’s about the same as a high spec Kia Sorento or a BMW X3. It would also barely get you a mid-range electric model.

Features and design

The general design of the Ford Ranger has remained relatively unchanged since 2019, when the fourth generation design was unveiled. It’s a classic design but with enough modern features that it’s almost timeless.

The large front grill features a chrome surround with the Platinum lettering above it and is bookended by the Matrix LED headlights. These headlights combine with the daylight running LEDs to provide that modern C-shape illumination.

As the truck sits quite high off the ground, the side plate comes in useful when getting in and out of seats. The standard 18-inch alloy wheels are nice, but the larger 20-inch option really elevates the overall demeanour.

There are roof bars both on top of the cab and on the rear bed, to allow you to attach extra loads to this truck. What I really like about this Platinum edition though is the powered roller shutter option, which turns that truck bed into a secure space. While the entry Ranger models are likely to be used on worksites, premium models like the Platinum are more likely to be holding items that you might not want to leave out in the open air. That divider also means you don’t need to secure smaller items.

Because of the double cab, the rear bed space isn’t as large as on some trucks, but again, it’s considerably larger than most car boots. There’s also 240V power (120V in the US) in the rear bed, for powering tools or accessories. Even handy for powering lights or a speaker if you’re camping.

Interior and tech

Inside the Ranger, it does feel quite rugged and utilitarian. However, with the Platinum it has been given some premium touches to make it feel a bit special. The dash and trim are finished in black leather, as is the chunky heated steering wheel.

The seats are black leather too, with ample side supports and big comfy headrests. These have a 10-way powered adjustment and both heat and cool (through cool air venting), to keep you completely relaxed and at ease for those longer journeys.

Despite the rugged feel there’s lots of tech inside the Ford Ranger Platinum. In the centre, you get Ford’s 12-inch display, which is a portrait format unit, so sits much like a tablet. This runs the latest Ford Sync 4 operating system and provides wireless connectivity with Apple CarPlay or Android Automotive.

The screen is easy to use and still has manual climate control dials and buttons below the screen. There’s also a wireless charging tray for your phone and both USB-A and USB-C ports available. In the back seats there’s even another 240V three-pin plug connection. The only thing missing here is a head-up display.

For audio, the Platinum offers a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system. This does sound excellent, with plenty of bass and clear details. Perhaps not as crisp as some top end systems, but definitely a premium experience.

In terms of driving assistance, the Ranger Platinum offers Ford’s adaptive cruise control with lane centering. This works nicely, providing easy distance control, making it handy for both motorway driving and for heavy traffic thanks to the stop and go control, which just requires a small press of the accelerator after the car has been brought to a complete stop.

What would be better though as an option here would be Ford’s Blue Cruise system, which provides hands-free level 2 autonomous driving. This is available on the all-electric F-150 Lightning in the US, and the Mustang Mach-E in the US and UK.

The Ranger does also come with Active Park Assist to help you squeeze this beast into those tiny UK parking spaces. However, I was surprised how easy it was to manoeuvre the truck, even for a reverse park, thanks to the array of cameras. These provide a full birds-eye view of the truck, as well as detailed distance markers on the rear cam, with the trailer hook in shot.

Drive and performance

Being powered by that 3.0 litre V6 turbo diesel, the Ranger Platinum isn’t short of power, though it also weighs 3.35 tonnes. That means that you only get 240PS and a 0-62mph of 8.7 seconds here. If you want speed, you’re better off with the Ranger Raptor, which gets 292PS and a 7.9-second 0-62mph from the same engine. The plug-in hybrid version will also give you 279PS thanks to that 75kW electric motor.

The Ranger Platinum isn’t about speed though, it’s about luxury trucking, and it’s something that it does very well. The assisted driving functions make long distance travel a breeze and are also great in cities for heavy traffic and parking.

All of the UK specced models are four-wheel-drive (US provides two-wheel-drive options), as they are designed to be used off road as much as on. While the luxurious Platinum edition is less likely to be used for heavy duty jobs, it can still do it if needed. The six drive modes include slippery, mud and sand to best adapt for the conditions. There’s also the manual selection of high or low gear four wheel drive options, and an auto four wheel drive option on a dial in the centre console.

The handling is noticeably better in four-wheel drive as opposed to two-wheel drive mode. The truck feels more responsive and accelerates without that lurching feeling of the rear wheels pushing the car along. Obviously for longer distances though, the two-wheel drive option remains more efficient.

Should I buy the Ranger Platinum?

In my perfect three-car garage, there’s always a space for a pickup truck, and if that garage was based in the UK, it would include a Ford Ranger. I really love the flexibility that this truck offers, combined with its luxury feel.

I really love that inside the cab feels much like an SUV, while you gain the giant storage space of the flat bed at the back – with that rolling lid to keep the contents safe and dry. The height makes it excellent on the motorway and the array of cameras means its easy to park in town, despite its size.

The only truck that I feel could really beat this Ranger Platinum is the upcoming plug-in hybrid model, as it will not only be more economical, but it will also have more power. I’m still holding out hope that we’ll see an all-electric Ranger Lightning someday, complete with hands-free Blue Cruise driving, but that still feels a way off for Ford. In the meantime, the Ranger Platinum is a darn good alternative.