The Ford Ranger Wildtrak 4x4 reminds us why it’s best-in-class

The Ranger pickup truck is currently one of Ford Philippines’ most popular offerings in the market. The previous generation even held the title of the bestselling 4×4 pickup truck in the country, beating even the segment king, the Toyota Hilux.

With Ford Philippines celebrating Ford Truck Month since September, they recently invited us, as well as other select motoring media, to join them on a quick drive for some nice rest and relaxation at Lake Caliraya with the Ford Ranger Wildtrak 4×4.

We’re definitely not unfamiliar with the Ford Ranger Wildtrak 4×4 as we’ve taken this out with Ford Philippines to the lahar beds of Zambales, and also got the chance to test it out for a few days for a proper review. These experiences were enough to tell us that it is one of, if not the best pickup truck you can buy in the segment today.

WATCH: 2023 Ford Ranger Wildtrak 4×4 | Car Review

Anyway, we started our day with a quick coffee and light breakfast at our meet-up location at Starbucks 30th Street in Bonifacio Global City. From there, we drove the Ford Ranger Wildtrak 4×4 to Lake Caliraya in Lumban, Laguna through all kinds of roads you can think of.

First Impression

Just looking at it gives off a vibe that you cannot resist with its true rugged and tough truck appearance. This is refreshing with some models in the segment trying to look more like luxury vehicles. The same goes on the interior where it makes use of more straight lines with mostly rectangular shapes.

And with our drive having started, I did passenger duties first. Like we’ve experienced before, the Ranger Wildtrak, and actually any Ranger variant, has got to be the most comfortable model in the segment today. The seats are very supportive and are wrapped in a very good feeling leather material. Tech is also far from left behind with the large 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as the very good sounding 6-speaker audio system.

In addition, NVH insulation is excellent with only very light road noise coming into the cabin, and hardly any wind noise. Another bonus is the engine’s refinement as unless you push it really hard, you won’t even be able to tell that you have a diesel engine. Ride quality is also probably the best in the segment as it did a great job in soaking up all the imperfections on the road. So good in fact that you won’t even think of having to buy its SUV counterpart for better ride comfort.

Lake Caliraya

A little more than two and a half hours later, we made it to our destination, Kaliraya Surf Kamp right on the shores of the man-made Lake Caliraya. With all the trucks parked in their spots, we set-up some tables and chairs and brought out some snacks to fill us before lunch time comes.

I also unfortunately had to get a little bit of work done so the Ranger Wildtrak 4×4 does prove as a great outdoor companion as in its bed you’ll be able to find a 230V power socket which allows you to plug and charge devices like in my case a laptop, or power other devices like a stand fan.

After a filling snack and lunch, made even more filling by some industry gossip or as we like to say it “chismis,” it was time to head around the lake for a quick tour. That’s on a boat, mind you. Anyway, just around 10 minutes later, the clouds came in, lightning and thunder everywhere, and a sudden torrential downpour, we had to evacuate back into the comfort and safety of our fleet of Ranger Wildtraks. With that, it was my turn to drive back to Metro Manila.

Driving Experience

The Ford Ranger Wildtrak 4×4 is the only variant in the pickup truck’s lineup (except for the Raptor) to come with a 2.0-liter EcoBlue Inline 4-cylinder Bi-turbo diesel engine. This produces an almost class-leading 210 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque, mated to Ford’s 10-speed SelectShift automatic transmission.

With more than enough power and torque, the Ford Ranger Wildtrak 4×4 just goes through anything with finesse. Really, you know that its powertrain was designed for any driving condition. And with twisty roads upon me, I couldn’t ask for a better companion.

Other than the excellent ride quality and NVH, handling is also extremely good for a pickup truck. The slightly more weighted steering provides direct feedback and quick response which makes for more confidence when taking corners. Body roll isn’t too bad either unlike with most other pickups.

After a fun-filled but relaxed drive on provincial roads, we unfortunately hit the very congested portions of the South Luzon Expressway. Thankfully with the Ranger Wildtrak 4×4, it’s equipped with a full suite of advanced driver-assistance systems which not only make for a safer drive, but also for a more convenient one.

With its adaptive cruise control with low speed follow feature, I was able to lessen my load while crawling in the bumper-to-bumper expressway traffic. The forward collision warning and autonomous emergency braking systems also proved helpful when I didn’t notice the car in front of me slowing down a bit faster than usual.

With that portion of the drive totalling to between three and four hours long, I could’ve been a lot more tired. That was surely not the case with the Ford Ranger Wildtrak 4×4.

Ford Truck Month

Let’s not forget why Ford Philippines took us out on this drive in the first place. With the Ford Truck Month celebrations still in full swing and extended to October 31, 2023.

To expand the number of current generation Ranger’s already 15,000 unit strong owners, Ford Philippines is offering customers a wide array of cash discounts, all-in low downpayment deals, and low monthly payment fees across the Ranger line-up.

Customers can get as much as Php 50,000 cash discount with a purchase of a Ford Ranger. They can also avail of an all-in low downpayment of Php 98,000 or a low monthly payment of Php 11,111. And with such a good product, it’s surely worth it.

Now to save up some cash and buy myself a Ford Ranger.