The once-humble one-tonne “workhorse” bakkie was surely never meant to be this fancy. Or was it?
Given that so many double cab buyers are city based, and that South Africans hardly flinch at the idea of a million rand bakkie anymore, maybe Ford is onto something with its new Ranger Platinum.
Either way, potential buyers of the latest Ford bakkie range are certainly spoiled for choice, from that sensible Ranger XL and midspec XLT to the trail conquering Tremor and Wildtrak X and the wild Raptor that’s built to tackle just about any terrain at high speed.
The Ford Ranger Platinum is probably not something you’re going to want to take too far off the beaten track, with its 20-inch machined alloy wheels wearing all-terrain tyres that look lower in profile than the rubber you’d usually expect from a bakkie.
But as far as Rangers go, you don’t get more high-end than this.
On the outside the Platinum exudes elegance with its unique “silk chrome” trim that you find on everything from the unique, model-specific grille to the side steps, window surrounds and rear bumper.
Let’s not forget the three-dimensional “PLATINUM” badging on the bonnet and front doors.
Five exterior colours are available: Carbonised Grey, Iconic Silver, Lucid Red, Frozen White and Agate Black.
On the inside it’s even more opulent, with its unique quilted-pattern seats in perforated premium leather, further decorated by “PLATINUM” logos that serve as a constant reminder that you bought the fanciest Ranger on the block.
On the dashboard and doors you’ll find Black Maple and satin aluminium decorative finishes, while the instrument panel features soft-touch trim with accent stitching.
From the Raptor the Platinum inherits a full-width 12.4-inch (31.4cm) LCD digital instrument cluster and Ford has also fitted an ambient lighting system to further lift the mood inside.
It almost goes without saying that the Platinum is packed with features.
A premium B&O sound system, heated and cooled front seats with power adjustment and memory function, Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go and Lane Centering, Active Park Assist with autonomous parallel and perpendicular parking, Pro Trailer Back-up Assist and a 360-degree camera system. Need I carry on?
There’s a glut of functional goodies too, including a 400W inverter and Ford’s Cargo Management System, although you will have to pay extra for the auto roller-shutter.
For superior illumination it also comes with Matrix LED headlights with Dynamic Bending Lights on low beam.
On-road refinement
When it comes to engines, Ford has gone for broke and fitted the Platinum with its most powerful diesel engine.
The 3.0-litre turbocharged motor offers a brawny 184kW and 600Nm, channelled through a 10-speed automatic gearbox and full-time four-wheel drive system with 4A mode.
There’s no denying that the Ranger Platinum offers a refined drive, with ample, effortless performance and smooth power delivery. It’s quiet on the open road too, and the ride quality is comfortable, by bakkie standards, on just about any surface.
We took our test unit from Joburg to the Vaal for a weekend and it tackled the trip in the utmost of comfort.
With this much bakkie packed between four wheels it’s never going to be an extremely frugal package. We averaged just over 10 litres per 100km on the open road, while a separate trip reading showed that our vehicle had consumed 12 l/100km over 6,000km.
VERDICT
Although it certainly has the hardware to tackle treacherous trails, the Ford Ranger Platinum, with its fancy 20-inch rims, is probably not the kind of vehicle that you’d want to do it with.
But for those who are primarily city based, but seek something that will tackle the odd rugged road on weekend getaways or tow the boat to the dam, the Platinum offers one of the most luxurious packages that we’ve ever seen in a bakkie.
In fact, the only pick-up that can rival it on that front, albeit with a less powerful diesel motor, is GWM’s new P500.
At R1,120,100 the Platinum is expensive, but it’s only a R100,000 stretch from the most opulent Hilux and still cheaper than the two most expensive V6 Amaroks.
IOL Motoring