Ford’s tried-and-tested 2.0-litre, bi-turbo diesel motor has been the most popular option for buyers of the Ranger Wildtrak in South Africa since the new generation launched in December 2022.
Between January and October this year, a total of 5,100 units of the Ranger Wildtrak were sold in South Africa – 79% of these being the 2.0-litre model and only 21% the 3.0-litre, Ford South Africa confirmed to TopAuto.
The previous-gen Ranger was often ridiculed when it launched in 2010 for the Blue Oval’s decision to abandon the larger powerplants in favour of more efficient, turbocharged 2.0-litre units.
At the time, statements like “only milk comes in two litres” were often seen on social media and forums alike, though when these netizens realised that their comments were not going to change the company’s decision, nor have much of an impact on the bakkie’s sales, they toned down rather quickly.
Be that as it may, Ford did take the (sometimes) constructive criticism to heart, and for its next Ranger, it developed a new 3.0-litre, turbocharged V6 that would adorn the engine bay of the flagship Wildtrak trim, giving buyers the option to have their premium double cab with one of two drivetrains for the first time.
Despite this change in tone, the vast majority of Ranger Wildtrak buyers over the course of 2023 still opted to go for the smaller 2.0-litre, bi-turbo block, proving that the engine that got so much flak from armchair critics in the not-so-distant past was, after all, the better decision.
The roughly R100,000 difference between the bi-turbo and V6 derivative may have played a role in these numbers, the sky-high fuel prices we saw in 2023, too, but considering both bakkies sit right around the R1-million mark their owners should be on the more wealthy end of the spectrum, so these costs probably did not make that much of an impact.
While Ford saw a need for a V6 in the line-up, the automaker knew it wouldn’t sell as well as its bi-turbo mills as it said this 21% market share has “exceeded” its expectations with regards to buyer demand.
“[The V6] has also managed to play a role in helping to keep Ford as the leader in terms of double-cab bakkie sales within South Africa for 2023,” it said.
Wildtrak V6 engine
2.0 bi-turbo vs 3.0 V6
The specifications for the various engines of the Ranger Wildtrak are detailed in the following table:
| Specification | 2.0l bi-turbo | 3.0l V6 |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 154kW | 184kW |
| Torque | 500Nm | 600Nm |
| Fuel consumption | 7.5l/100km | 8.4l/100km |
| Max. towing capacity | 946kg | 944kg |
| Max. payload capacity | 3,500kg | 3,500kg |
It’s worth mentioning that it’s not only the motors that differ between the Wildtraks, but also the drivetrain.
The V6 has Ford’s “advanced” four-wheel-drive (4WD) system while the bi-turbo gets the more traditional 4×4 setup. While both provide 2H, 4H, and 4L settings, the key differentiation lies in the fact that the “advanced” version has a 4A mode that when selected variably distributes power between the axles depending on which one needs it most for optimal grip.
The bi-turbo can also be had as a 4×2 model, while the V6 is strictly offered in 4WD guise.
Apart from this, the Wildtrak-badged siblings both feature a 10-speed automatic gearbox and provide Normal, Eco, Tow, Slippery, Mud, and Sand drive programmes.
They also have identical equipment, comprising amenities such as rain-sensing wipers, keyless entry and start, electric seats, partial leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, a 12-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 10-speaker Bang and Olufsen sound system, as well as a 12V/400W inverter in the load box.
This is on top of a generous level of advanced assistance systems, namely adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring with trailer coverage, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist with road edge detection, hill-launch and descent assist, evasive steer assist, pre-collision assist, reverse brake assist, all-round parking sensors, and a 360-degree camera system.
Ford Ranger Wildtrak
Keyword: 2.0L Bi-Turbo or 3.0L V6 – The most popular engine for the Ford Ranger Wildtrak in South Africa