Comeback kid Ford Ranger FX4 ready to prove itself

Just before the Easter weekend, we welcomed back a familiar name to South Africa and indeed to our long-term test fleet, the Ford Ranger FX4.

Originally introduced in 2016 in Australia before becoming available in South Africa a year later, the FX4 makes its comeback after bowing, again, Down Under in 2019 as an aesthetically enhanced version of the XLT and not the off-road focused model the badge denotes on the North American Ranger and F-150.

Finished in Frozen White and available once again only as a double cab, the FX4 sets itself apart from the XLT by receiving the same grille as the Wildtrak-based Thunder we ran throughout last year into February this year, albeit without the red accents.

Ford Ranger FX4 rear

Aside from the grille, the FX4 also gets black 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, black mirror caps and side steps, red FX4 decals at the base of the doors and on the tailgate, a bin-liner and black tubular sport bar, black door handles and the “one-finger” closing Easy-Lift tailgate.

Inside, the tweaks are more subtle and limited to FX4 branded floor mats, red stitching on the dashboard, steering wheel and gear lever, as well as on the leather-trimmed seats which come with FX4 branded front headrests.

Also included is the SYNC 3 eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system with dual USB ports, but despite losing out on satellite navigation as per the XLT, it does come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Ford Ranger FX4 interior

On the technology front, the FX4 debuts Ford’s FordPass Connect and the FordPass app, also available on all models bar the very entry-level unbadged workhorse. In essence, the app allows for various functions of the FX4 to be controlled via the user’s smartphone, which will be detailed throughout the next few months.

Some of the app’s niceties involve the remote lock and unlocking of the doors, starting of the engine, finding the vehicle’s location and activating the climate control from the palm of your hand.

It also allows you to search for available parking, find Ford dealers across the country, schedule maintenance and servicing bookings, keep track of past and future services, view the vehicle’s warranty information, and directly access Ford’s Roadside Assistance service.

Ford Ranger FX4 decal

Mechanically, the FX4 is a lot different from its predecessor in that Ford has dropped the 147kW/470Nm 3.2 TDCi five-cylinder engine for the single-turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder the XLT now comes with.

Minus the second blower the Wildtrak, Thunder and Raptor employ, the FX4 punches out 132kW/420Nm instead of 157kW/500Nm, but in place of the previous model’s six-speed automatic gearbox comes the ten-speed self-shifter the mentioned trio also use.

Priced between the XLT and the Wildtrak, the FX4 double cab 4×4 we will be running carries a price tag of R704 500, which includes a four year/120 000 km warranty, a six year/90 000 km service plan, five year/unlimited km corrosion warranty and a three year/unlimited distance roadside assistance plan. It is going to be an interesting few months with the now smarter, comeback kid of the Ranger range.