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0 needs more heat to start than is usual these
Page 54
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days, even in relatively mild weather, but it's also quicker than usual to warm up.
The gearing is short enough that you find yourself occasionally looking for the nonexistent sixth ratio. You get into top early and the engine's flexibility means you stay there for most of the situations you'll encounter on a main road, even at top weight. Apart from on hill starts, second gear is quite suitable for most starting situations. Despite the gearing, the interior is acceptably quiet—mechanical noise is well suppressed. Only on the notoriously noisy concrete sections of the M25 did some tyre noise become intrusive.
The tyres, semi-off-road Michelins, provide the limiting factor to the Ranger's handling, their tall, 75% aspect ratio sidewalls eventually leaning over arid feeling untidy. Until that point, the ride is surprisingly flat and agile through the bends. That's in the dry— unladen on wet asphalt it's a different matter as, like most vehicles of this type, respect for the throttle pedal is called for if sudden power oversteer is to be avoided. Steering is close to being ideally balanced, with enough resilience to absorb the bumps without being sloppy enough to compromise handling on the road.
A brief test off-road revealed plenty of grip and no noticeable vices, and our previous experience with the Ranger has already convinced us of its surprisingly high level of cross-country ability. One of its more unusual features is the 'RFW button on the dash, which disengages the free-wheeling front axle remotely once your off-roading is completed and two-wheel drive is regained. Also relatively unusual on a vehicle in this sector is the standard fitment, on 4x4 versions, of ABS. Combined with new dual-calliper front brakes, the Ranger managed some extremely impressive results on our brake test equip
ment, peak figures just exceeding Log.
The fully glazed Super Cab has reasonablysized pillars all round which combine with large and well-located mirrors and the high, upright driving position to give excellent allround visibility—if you pull out in front of anyone in traffic, you've only yourself to blame.
CAB COMFORT
Super Cab means that you effectively get the basic single cab extended by just over half a metre, with 'RAS' adding rear access through short, rear hinged doors. As the doors can only be opened from outside by the handle hidden within the shut-line, there is no danger of unintentional opening. The rear doors, which also support the closing point for the front doors as well as carrying the front seatbelts, have flip-open hinged window glasses and deep storage recesses. Just remember not to shut the front door before the rear!
All four doors open wide, with access only hindered by the higher-than-average floor level given by the off-road suspension. Trying to extract yourself from the rear seat unassisted reveals the RAS's Achilles heel. Rear seat passengers basically can't reach the front door handle, without an athletic climb over the front seats. The accommodation in the rear is relatively basic and obviously only designed for occasional, if reasonably comfortable, use. It comprises padded cushion pads on the floor, which fold up to allow the carriage of boxes or the like in the vacated space, and on the rear wall. A pair of three-point seat belts point to a strictly two-seater rear. Tools live in a cubby hole under the carpet.
Inside the facelifted Ranger, there is a new grey cloth with blue and black zig-zag pattern for the seat and door trims. The cabin is fully trimmed with no metal on show apart from the fashionable brushed aluminium effect dash panel. Ours came with the added bonus of a glitter-covered rear seat, but it was the Ranger's first test after the Christmas party season. Front seat adjustment is limited to slide and recline only, but they are well-shaped and supportive with notably comfortable head restraints.
Also new for the 2003 model year is the instrument panel, with its trio of circular instruments with white on blue marldngs. The large central speedometer is flanked by a smaller rev counter on the left and fuel and temperature gauges on the right. The dash is the most obvious give-away that this not a direct product of Ford of Europe. Its switchgear and its DIN-mounting radio, instead of Ford's uniquely-styled kit, point to a far-Eastern heritage—although that's not a criticism.
The steering column adjusts for tilt but not reach. Two airbags are now standard on all Rangers, as are perimeter alarm and immobiliser, and remote central locking on all but the cheapest model. The handbrake is the under-dash umbrella type—a bit annoying to use, but that's the price paid for the handy central storage facilities. These include numerous assorted cup-holders, bins and trays and a large central armrest bin, which could do with being soft-lined so that hard contents didn't rattle. There are also narrow door bins and a good-sized lockable glove box.
The very large sun visors are flimsy but do the job, and have the added bonus of giving the driver plenty of reading material for those M25 journeys, including advice on using the transmission and airbags. The usual two gearlevers control the main and transfer boxes, and live under a leather trimmed gaiter. 454 High is engaged by pulling the lever rearwards, which is then moved left and forward for neutral and 454 Low.
SUMMARY
While others have their gimmicks, the nearest this Ford Ranger gets to frivolity is its unique (except for its Mazda half-brother) rear-door arrangement. It provides easy access to the rear of the cab, both for passengers and for bulky goods that you may not want to expose to the elements in the load box.
Rear doors apart, the Ranger Super Cab 4.x4 is indeed a hard worker but with enough refinement and comfort to make work as much of a pleasure as possible. Although fuel economy is unremarkable, its superior payload helps to compensate in no small way. Even if, or should that be when, the bubble bursts on this section of the market, you can count on the Ranger in its more utilitarian forms performing faithful service.
m by Coln Barnett