Ford releases Ranger Sport

Sitting between the XLS 4x4 and XLT 4x4 grades, the Sport is primarily an appearance and tech upgrade of the XLS, defined by a gloss black treatment of the grille, mirror caps, door handles and rear bumper. Standard 17-inch wheels also get the gloss black treatment, while a matte black sports bar and side steps are fitted.

A bedliner and identifying Sport decal also feature outside, with the Sport available in a range of colours, including True Red (pictured), Meteor Grey, Arctic White, Shadow Black and Aluminium Metallic.

To the XLS it’s based on, the Sport adds driver assistance tech normally reserved for the Ranger XLT, including AEB with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Keeping Aid with Lane Departure Warning and Driver Alert, Traffic Sign Recognition and auto headlights.

Other standard features (XLT features not normally found on the XLS) include keyless entry, push-button starting, DAB+ radio and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility.

A dual 4.2-inch digital instrument display and an 8.0-inch full-colour touchscreen are part of the latest SYNC 3 functionality, with voice-activated sat-nav, included in this package, also bringing handy features like ‘breadcrumbs’, which enable an off-road route to be mapped via the vehicle dropping digital markers to record the route for the return journey or future visit to the same trail. 

The Ranger’s standard 3.2-litre five-cylinder TDCi powertrain, delivering 147kW/470Nm, is unchanged for the Sport, with standard on-demand four-wheel drive and the choice of six-speed manual or six-speed auto transmission.

Now available, the 2019 Ranger Sport is priced from $52,940 for the manual version and $55,140 for the auto. The Sport’s upgrades over the Ranger XLS 4x4 represents a claimed additional $6,000 in value for a $3,500 premium.

See your Ford dealer for more details.