2025 Ford Ranger Wildtrak PHEV review

At Drive, we make no secret of the fact that we’re huge fans of the Ford Ranger platform – and the Everest SUV, for that matter. It’s won copious awards with us for good reason.

But those awards were for the cars with purely internal combustion engines. Fitting a 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine – and an 11.8kW battery mated to a 75kW motor – changes things.

In short, it’s made the Ranger even more refined in terms of passenger noise and comfort. It also performs remarkably like the diesel-powered versions of the Ranger.

However, the obvious misstep is the pricing in relation to its rivals. In comparison, the Ford Ranger doesn’t go as far on electric power, isn’t as efficient, and costs far more than its like-for-like competition.

Read on to find out how the Ford Ranger plug-in hybrid (PHEV) performed during my week of use.

There was a long lead time between the announcement of the Ford Ranger PHEV and the car’s subsequent debut on Aussie roads.

In that time, other, more affordable rivals were quicker to launch and quickly stole the Ranger PHEV’s limelight as the work-ready ute for the new age of electrification. More on that in a moment.

The Ford Ranger PHEV line-up begins at $71,990 before on-road costs for the entry-level XLT, which we’ve tested before, but the car in question for this review is the near-flagship Wildtrak specification.

It costs $79,990 before on-road costs, and you get the same goodies already offered on the regular Ranger Wildtrak V6. That means matrix LED headlights with auto-adaptive beams, the unique sail plane sports bar, roof rails, a power-rolling tub shutter, 10-speaker Bang and Olufsen stereo, and Wildtrak-specific design elements join the party.

This is alongside niceties you get with the rest of the range, such as leather-accent upholstery, privacy glass, side steps, a 12-inch infotainment screen, dual-zone climate control, and a drop-in tub liner.

But, the key point of difference with this specific Ranger is its status as a PHEV, and what that means for fuel economy. Ford claims that the Ranger PHEV can get around on as little as 2.9 litres per 100 kilometres – far better than the 8.4L/100km claimed by the V6 equivalent.

Within Ford’s own range, the PHEV Wildtrak is about $5000 more expensive than the same trim level with a V6 engine under the bonnet.

But, there’s a stark difference between the Ranger PHEV Wildtrak and its new Chinese competition.

The BYD Shark 6 is $57,900 before on-road costs, or a shade under $60,000 drive-away, thanks to a current drive-away deal. That’s more than $20,000 cheaper compared to the Ranger when you get the cars on the road.

GWM’s Cannon Alpha PHEV is equally as impressive on value – at the moment, you can get a top-spec GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV Ultra for $60,490 drive-away (until December 31) against a $66,990 list price.

By way of comparison, the Ford Ranger PHEV does not shape up as well on value – especially when these rivals can go further on full-electric power (GWM: 115km, BYD: 80km WLTP-rated).

Officially, the Ford Ranger PHEV returns a fuel consumption of 2.9L/100km across mixed driving conditions involving suburban and rural settings.

But, the Ford Ranger can only do 49km on electric power, according to the brand. So, for the remaining 50km it’ll be petrol power only. This effort is eclipsed by its closest rivals, which also sneak under the 2.0L/100km mark in terms of fuel efficiency.

There’s a 70-litre fuel tank for the Ford Ranger PHEV, and the brand requires the driver to fuel it with 95-octane premium unleaded petrol as a minimum.

After a week spent with the car, I was roughly able to get between 40–50km out of a charge, so it’s on the mark in terms of the claim, but this still falls behind the competition.

In terms of an actual efficiency number, I tried plugging it in as regularly as possible using a wallbox home charger, and I achieved a 7.5L/100km result after a week spent with the car. It's worth considering that a PHEV is best thought of as running on petrol or electric power concurrently, not simultaneously. With this in mind, the combined 2.9L/100km claim has less relevance.

The battery is recharged at a maximum rate of 3.5kW using AC power. This is relatively limiting, but it still charges to 100 per cent in roughly seven hours.

It’s good news here, as the hybrid Ranger variants are covered under Ford’s five-year service program that traditionally only served diesel variants.

That means the Ranger PHEV costs $1596 over five years, if you purchase the upfront package, which we would recommend purely for the cost savings.

The service intervals are spaced every 12 months or 15,000km, and Ford sells the Ranger PHEV with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. The high-voltage battery gets a separate eight-year/160,000km warranty.

This puts the Ford ahead of its rivals, where the Cannon Alpha PHEV costs almost twice as much over five years to service ($3070) and the BYD Shark 6 is nearly $1000 more ($2489) over the same period. However, their warranties go further (time-wise) at seven years and six years, respectively.

Our quote for comprehensive insurance came to $3395 per year.

Policy estimates come from a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

At present, the Ford Ranger PHEV is not covered by the five-star ANCAP safety rating that applies to other Ranger variants.

However, it’s still fitted with all the gear you’d expect of a high-spec dual-cab ute costing $80,000. That means it’s got autonomous emergency braking (AEB), rear AEB, lane-keep assist, blind-spot assist, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go assist, rear cross-traffic alert, a 360-degree camera system, and parking sensors at the front and rear.

It also has nine airbags to cover both rows.

When I drove the car, I was particularly impressed with the rear cross-traffic alert system, which seemed to look beyond a car parked perpendicularly out front of my house to alert me to passing traffic.

Likewise, the adaptive cruise-control system was really well judged in terms of its following activity, and the lane-centring’s ability to keep the car within lane markings.

There is almost no discernible difference between a Ranger PHEV and its diesel-powered counterparts, visually speaking. There is some subtle ‘PHEV’ badging on the front quarters to signify a hybrid variant, plus the obvious electric recharge port on the passenger-side rear quarter (behind the regular fuel filler), but otherwise, it’s as normal as any other Ranger on our roads.

That is, until you get to the tray. To make way for the battery, the load floor of the tub has been raised by a few centimetres, and you’ll notice an obvious bulge in the floor. It doesn’t significantly impact the overall load space, which is a win, but more interestingly, there are two three-pin powerpoints to allow for the car’s Pro Power Onboard vehicle-to-load charge capability.

These sockets output at 3.45kW (230V / 15A), making them ideal for tools, appliances (if needed), or, in my case, charging my laptop on the go. Keep in mind, the rear row also has a single power socket for charging devices and supplying power.

In the case of the Wildtrak trim level, it gets nifty roof rails that slide out across the roof as crossbars so you can attach bike carriers or a kayak, for example. It also comes with a sliding rear sailplane that runs along the tub tray, acting as a support for longer items, such as a canoe.

The Wildtrak grade is one of the nicer ways to experience the Ford Ranger's cabin. You get cool orange stitching throughout (which coincidentally goes well with the $700 Cyber Orange paint), Wildtrak branding throughout the interior, pop-out cupholders, nice leather-accented seats with power adjustments and heating, and a 10-speaker B&O sound system.

I personally love spending time in the Ranger's cabin. It’s comfortable in the driver’s seat, thanks to loads of adjustment, and there’s ample space to store your bits and pieces. The two front seats are comfortable, if not exactly plush, with good side support and ample under-thigh extension.

The centre console is really intuitively laid out and contains twin cupholders, a wireless phone charger, the infamous chippy holder in front of the shifter, and twin USB ports (with -A and -C outlets).

Controls for the driving modes and four-wheel-drive system fall easily to hand with dials and buttons, plus the centre console bin has ample room for your larger items (plus a 12-volt outlet).

It’s built really nicely, too. I’ve spent thousands of kilometres behind the wheel of Rangers and Everests, and they’ve all been put together well with quality materials that’ll last the test of time.

As for the back seat, it contained enough space for my 194cm height. I had good head room above me – it’s a tall roof line in the Ranger – and enough space for my knees not to feel constrained.

Be advised, the backrest is quite upright, and there’s no recline adjustment.

There are air vents, map pockets, a fold-down centre armrest with cupholders, two USB ports, and a three-pin power socket for V2L capability. There’s space beneath the seats to stow things like the included charging cable. Afforded on the Wildtrak is a power-rolling tonneau shutter that can be activated using the key. It takes up some space itself and limits outright capacity, but there’s a load management rack system that allows you to tie down large items and the aforementioned twin socket ports to power devices.

The Sync 4 infotainment software and its portrait form factor are still a winning combination.

The Ranger PHEV Wildtrak features a 12-inch infotainment screen for controlling the majority of vehicle functions and settings, with a brilliant menu layout.

There’s a band at the bottom dedicated to the air-conditioning system, and although we typically like to see this information displayed separately, at least the Ranger comes with physical dials to control the air temperature and fan speed.

It’s simple to get your head around the way the software works, and it’s quite fast to operate. It comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a wireless phone charger that seemingly featured ventilation to keep your device cool.

Camera quality from the reversing camera is great, and it’s quick to engage as soon as you select reverse gear.

The 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system is a standout – sound quality is crisp and resonates well around the cabin.

In front of the driver is a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster that shows varying displays and graphics. All your key hybrid drive information is viewed through here, too.

One minor change with the PHEV version is the addition of the Pro Power Onboard menu, which details the status of the V2L system.

The Ford Ranger misses out on a head-up display.

The Ford Sync 4 infotainment system allows users to connect with the FordPass smartphone application, providing access to information such as fuel levels, service details, remote unlocking, and location data.

I’ve spent a lot of time behind the wheel of the Ford Ranger, and I’ve come away impressed every time, thanks to the relative refinement it exudes in relation to its competition.

It’s another thing entirely to drive the Ranger with a hybrid powertrain under the bonnet.

The car is eerily silent, for a type of car that’s traditionally known for belching exhaust fumes and noise. Throughout my week with the car, I passed by several bystanders who had to double-take after I passed by silently.

The PHEV powertrain prioritises electric power whenever there’s ample charge available. You have to lean into the throttle forcefully to wake up the petrol engine to join the fun and provide even greater outputs, but the electric power alone (75kW worth) is ample for running about town.

Even when the petrol engine turns on, it operates very quietly. There is minimal noise intrusion into the cabin and you often wonder whether the engine is running at all.

On its own, the 2.3-litre petrol engine is capable of producing 138kW and 411Nm, but paired with the E-Motor they combine for 207kW and 697Nm. This amount of shove is perfect for all kinds of driving scenarios, but it doesn’t feel like it has more grunt than the V6-engined Rangers. They’re close, but I’d expected the PHEV version to feel faster, given it’s got the diesel V6 beat for power and torque outputs.

The response from the 10-speed automatic transmission is good, but it’s slightly odd that the electric power continues to run through the full 10 speeds, as it would with petrol/diesel power. There’s some hesitation and jerkiness felt as the car swaps between ratios, but it’s nothing that sours the driving experience.

More concerning is the fact that there’s a fair bit of shunting and stunted activity from the driveline as the car switches between electric and petrol power.

We like to see that transition as seamless as possible, and it’s clear that Ford has further work to do in order to get that aspect as refined as the rest of the driving experience.

There’s good weight to the steering system and a similar heft to a diesel-powered version felt when rounding corners, but it’s the ride comfort that’s a bit different to the purely combustion-powered alternatives.

It’s a bit stiffer across the board – over small imperfections, large speed humps, and scraggly surfaces like gravel. There’s added weight to the PHEV version, so the suspension has been tuned to account for that added mass.

The ride profile is comfortable for the most part, but Ranger fanatics might notice a difference.

We didn’t take the Ranger PHEV off road or towing on this occasion, but my colleague Sam Purcell recently did just that with an XLT variant in this comparison.

He found that the PHEV versions don’t offer significant improvements in terms of ability, but the added benefit of the V2L capability would be a massive advantage for those who like to head bush and go camping.

Key for the Ford Ranger PHEV is the ability to tow up to 3500kg using a braked trailer, or 750kg without. This means the hybrid version is equally as capable as the 2.0-litre or 3.0-litre versions.

There is 795kg of payload capacity with the Wildtrak specification and all its additions.

This car review concerns the high-spec Ford Ranger PHEV Wildtrak. But there are three other specifications of the hybrid-powered Ford Ranger. You can choose from the Ranger PHEV XLT or Ranger Sport, which are more affordable variants, or the most expensive Ranger PHEV Stormtrak.

It’s important to note that the only hybrid Ranger is the PHEV version at present, with no closed-loop hybrid powertrains available.

It’s remarkable that Ford has been able to develop a wholly new, electrified powertrain that performs as impressively as its diesel-powered alternatives.

The Ford Ranger PHEV loses nothing in terms of on-road ability (apart from some minor jerkiness), matches the same towing performance, and is significantly better on fuel.

In isolation, it’s a great car.

But it’s now got some interesting competition from GWM and BYD – and it comes at a far more affordable price.

Read our recent comparison to see how they fare against one another in situ, but as good as the Ranger PHEV is, the value-for-money equation will be a difficult hurdle to overcome.