New version of Ford’s huge pick up comes with a plug-in battery

What a talented car. What a big lug of a machine. What a useful and practical all-terrain vehicle. What a fun way to spend a few days.

I didn’t have ‘drive a plug-in hybrid 4x4 over an active volcano before lunch’ on my 2025 bingo card, but here we are.

It isn’t perfect but a PHEV pick-up truck is great idea and I have no doubt that once this Ranger lands in Ireland (252 reg plates available to order now, by the way) I reckon the other twin-cab pick-ups will follow suit.

Mid-life facelifts tend not to get a lot of traction with motor journalists but when you create a groundbreaking segment powertrain option and you, technically, only sell three other passenger cars these days, then you can excuse Ford for inviting us to test out the latest version of the all-conquering Ranger.

I usually don’t start with the negatives but I have to talk abut the elephant in the room. The plug-in battery only gives you 43km and, in a vehicle this big, you would expect far more.

The hatchback CUPRA Leon last week gave me 103km and boasts 124km at the time of purchase, so Ford are a bit behind here.

Now, I will say that the very learned designers and technicians who were rolled out to talk to us at the event assured us the small battery was a chosen to help with the weight of the vehicle and the ability to carry huge payloads (1 tonne) or tow even bigger payloads (3.5 tonnes) and they reiterated to us that the battery powertrain makes the car far more attractive to buy as a work car.

So, I am willing to park that grievance because there are so many positives here too.

This vehicle took everything we threw at it on with complete ease. Motorway driving, urban commutes in rush-hour traffic and, of course, the all-important ‘drive up an active volcano’ test.

We also took on a towing exercise that involved parking this beast while hitched up to a gigantic Icelandic trailer carrying over two tonnes of weight.

I’m embarrassed to say it is the first time I have towed anything but in my infancy stage of my new cargo-towing career I was able to navigate the super-modern tow system that allows you to take your hands off the wheel and control the trailer with the gear toggle on the centre console.

It’s pure genius and I reckon the Tow Package will be a firm favourite with buyers.

There is a slight compromise with the load bed as they needed to raise the floor up slightly to accommodate the new battery.

That means cargo volume isn’t quite a match for the diesel Ranger, but not by a huge amount.

I’ve always been a fan of the Ranger, so I was glad that not too much has changed with the overall look of the vehicle. In fact, aside from some subtle enough badging on the front wing panels and the fact that there is an extra flap for the charge cable to be plugged in, you wouldn’t know this was a PHEV without a close inspection.

What is quickly remarkable about this new version, however, is how quiet it is in EV mode. It’s insane to think that something this big can be so eerily silent.

Underneath there is an 11.8kWh battery to complement 70-litre fuel tank that supplies fuel to a 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

This offers 277bhp and 697Nm of torque, so the plug-in model is second only to the petrol Ranger Raptor for power, while Ford’s familiar 10-speed automatic gearbox is fitted as standard.

This drives very similarly to any other automatic Ranger in recent years, which means it is really good. When in EV mode it is very responsive to the right foot impressions and when in ICE mode it (expectedly) lags ever so slightly (comparatively) but nothing to worry about.

The brakes work really well too, which came in handy on the steep declines on the loose volcanic rocks of the rural Icelandic test setting this week.

It has a remarkably small turning circle too and the suspension ate up every single bump and groove in the road network.

The usual suite of drive modes is selectable via the push-button controls down behind the drive selector, including an EV button that allows you to either drive the PHEV in standard hybrid mode — switching between power sources as the electronics see fit — or switch to silent EV running, save the charge for later or recharge the battery using the engine while on the move.

This is a car that will instantly repel a large portion of the car-buying public.

A lot of people will be put off by the size of it, the lack of functional boot space and possibly even the asking price (the Wildtrak comes in at €69,452, while the Stormtrak is €78,194).

But those in the know will adore having a PHEV option and I have no doubt that its competitors will follow suit in the coming years.

It is a supremely talented car that needs to be appreciated for what it is. Those in the market for a dual-cabin pick-up have always leaned towards the Ranger over the competitors and this new version will only add to that.

Plus, its always handy to know that you can traverse a volcano in comfort and safety before lunch on a Wednesday.