Work-ready Ford Ranger XL SuperCab shows virtues of being plain

More often than not, we are spoiled as motoring journalists by driving mostly higher-end or flagship versions of a vehicle that turn-up during the seven-day testing period.

Bottom range surprise

On the rare occasion though, it comes as a refreshing departure not to drive something with all of the bells and whistles as it provides the biggest indicator of what consumers on a specific budget would get.

As with cars, bakkies are no exception and as part of Ford’s association with the Rally to Read initiative stretching back to 1999, the 2024 edition, which took place in the Eastern Cape last month, provided the opportunity to drive a specific variant of the locally made Ranger seldom present in any brand’s test fleet.

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The model’s sampling had additional substance though as of all the models at the event, whether it be a Ranger or Everest, all had been driven and written about by The Citizen in one way, shape or form.

This, however, hadn’t applied to the Ranger that was selected. While it ordinally denotes the entry-level model, the XL does not in the context of the entire Ranger range, as this role goes as an unbadged variant solely offered as a two-wheel-drive double cab.

However, at R593 300 before options, it does denote the most accessible cab-and-a-half variant with four-wheel-drive and an automatic gearbox.

Afforded the chance to drive it down to Gqeberha before the event started, our departed long-term XL double cab 4×2 auto’s tendency for frugality, and this writer’s favouring of “basic” models – especially bakkies with four-wheel-drive – over more premium offerings, accepting the key of the Blue Lighting coloured XL SuperCab 4×4 auto that arrived, came with no regrets.

Better looking than double cab?

The term, “Plaine Jane” became appropriate for the double cab last year.

In the case of the SuperCab, it appeared somewhat misleading as right from the off, the Ranger looks more purposeful and dare I say it, better looking as a cab-and-a-half than a double cab.

Besides the colour, our tester rode on the optional 17-inch alloy wheels in place of the standard 16-inch items, while sporting side-steps plus a cost-option spray-on binliner and tow bar.

Appearing similar in profile to the 11^th generation F-150, the base SuperCab is devoid of any aesthetic add-ons such as chrome door handles that can be had as part of no less than six upgrade packages across all XL models.

In fact, the sole absentee was LED headlights only the step-up XLT and above can be specified with.

This omission was understandable given the XL’s line-up ranking and focus as a workhorse, the standard halogen lights still appear out of place, most likely as a result of the C-shaped LED diodes’ prominence on the majority of Ranger sighted on the country’s roads.

Anything but sparse

Inside, the “basicness” is even more apparent as the partial leather seats, orange stitching, wireless smartphone charger, push-button start and leather-wrapped steering wheel of the flagship SuperCab Wildtrak have all been replaced by cloth upholstered chairs, a traditional key and ignition barrel, a urethane steering wheel and a storage area with a single type-A and type-C USB port.

Taking place of the embroidery work is a grey plastic insert at the base of the dashboard and storage slots in place of the cupholders below the air vents.

The biggest change is on the infotainment side where the 12-inch display makes way for the 10.1-inch SYNC 4A screen and the 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster for the still customisable eight-inch.

Additions that make the XL’s cabin premium and lavish for a workhorse in the traditional sense, the smallest displays the Ranger comes with, didn’t warrant their respective “upgrades” being present.

In fact, the only real tech gripe involved the voice recognition system, which failed to respond to any prompts correctly, and would default to the phone pairing menu when the press-to-speak button on the steering wheel got pressed.

This oddity aside, the 10.1-inch display still requires the same familiarity as the 12.4-inch system.

Although easy to fathom with everyday use, the smaller display, like its upmarket equivalent, still takes a backseat on immediate user-friendliness when compared to the previous Ranger’s eight-inch SYNC 3 setup.

Amidst the interior being awash with black plastics that felt robust and in some places, unsurprisingly hard, the retention of physical switchgear remains a focal point, even more so on the XL whose intended buyer is unlikely to be wowed by touch-sensitive switchgear.

In terms of space, the suicide-opening rear doors reveal two storage areas integrated into the floor and a carpeted bulkhead below the rear window.

A design that makes it illegal to transport passengers in the rear based not only on the floor, but also the lack of seatbelts, the biggest surprise is the 1 006 kg payload no other SuperCab model is able to better.

As for specification, the XL is anything but sparse as apart from the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto-enabled infotainment system and instrument cluster, it also receives electric mirrors, one-touch electric windows, a multi-function steering wheel, auto on/off headlights, four airbags and Hill Descent Control.

Included on our tester, the so-called XL Upgrade 3 pack added the 17-inch wheels, a reverse camera, rear parking sensors and cruise control with an adjustable speed limiter to the mix.

One finger salute to fuel price hikes

For all its un-workhorse fixtures, what stood out was the XL’s ability to consume diesel at a rate its bi-turbo sibling will never get close to.

Filled to the brim upon leaving Johannesburg, the XL completed the 1 073 km journey to the Friendly City on a single tank with the trip computer registering an indicated 6.7 L/100 km plus a remaining range of 202 km.

All this while making extensive use of both the air-conditioning and cruise control while not exceeding 115 km/h.

Despite tipping the scales at 2 184 kg, the single-turbo 2.0-litre Panther oil-burner never warranted more power or torque in spite of its 125kW/405Nm sounding underpowered when lined-up against the 154kW/500Nm made by the bi-turbo powering the XLT and Wildtrak.

Noticeably more agricultural sounding and with some diesel noise audible inside the cabin, the unbelievable fuel sipping repeated itself on the return run.

While a single fill-up and a less extreme top-up preceded the final brimming, the XL SuperCab eventually stopped in the Big Smoke after a single top-up in the Friendly City, which brought the visits to the pumps to four after a total distance of 2 482 km.

The final fuel consumption readout remained impressive and despite having gone up in between arriving in the Eastern Cape and returning to Gauteng, eventually rested upon 7.1 L/100 km.

Throughout the almost 2 500 km, the seats failed to leave a mark, while the ride, which unsurprisingly felt firmer than on the Wildtrak with its 18-inch wheels, didn’t feel workhorse-like or even similar to bakkies of old.

Not all perfect

Comfortable on tar, taking the XL on an admittedly badly rutted gravel road did come with a nervous feel and propensity to be easily upset by bumps and ruts.

While the empty loadbin might well have contributed to this, along with the rotary four-wheel-drive selector left in 2H, keeping the speed below 60 km/h still raised stability worries of how a conventional two-wheel-drive Ranger would react when driven at a higher speed on gravel as the case often is.

Back on tar, the main gripe, apart from the wonky infotainment system, involved the six-speed automatic gearbox.

Nowhere the level of crispness found on the improved 10-speed ‘automatic, the ‘box shifted smoothly up, but lagged on downshifts and without the same sharp reaction as its sibling

Compounding matters is Ford’s decision to no longer offer a manual override as in the previous generation Ranger.

Instead, the sequential shift pattern opposite Drive has been replaced by an M at the base of the gear lever which, when selected, requires shifting to be done by the frustrating and awkwardly placed buttons on the lever itself.

An annoyance that could have been prevented, the ‘box does blight the drivetrain somewhat, but seemingly not by much as evident by the fuel consumption and linear power delivery the Struandale-built engine produces.

Conclusion

No vehicle, regardless of the badge on its bonnet, is without faults and while the same applies to the Ford Ranger XL SuperCab 4×4, the weeklong stay behind the wheel did leave a few surprises.

Its frugal habits aside, it stands to reason that the majority of buyers are unlikely to be phased by the transmission or infotainment system’s foibles as it was designed to work and not be used as a lifestyle vehicle similar to the Wildtrak or even an XLT in spite of what could be seen as having luxuries not often associated with a bakkie of this type.

That being said, it doesn’t bow down to its siblings either and makes for an enticing buy by offering the credentials of a space increased workhorse, with a number of nice-to-haves almost certain to attract signatures on the dotted line.

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