Next-Gen Wildtrak: power and pleasure

The Wildtrak will appeal as much to first-generation buyers as to the Ranger faithful, says Ellis Mnyandu, who took it on a 1 200km test drive

- Ellis Mnyandu

Ford has taken utility and fun to a whole new level. Whether you opt for the single or super cab, the latest iteration of the company’s Ford Ranger bakkie will be sure to impress you.

For the media launch, Ford provided journalists with what proved to be an in-depth experience of the NextGeneration Ranger’s power and technology: we spent three days driving through widely differing terrain from Johannesburg to Gqeberha.

The 1200km journey allowed our group to experience the true capabilities of the new bakkie first hand.

This road test included an unusual element: making humanitarian stops along the way. Our convoy of about a dozen Ford Rangers set off from Johannesburg with all types of cargo: trees, fertiliser, pipes, and water tanks for community projects that Ford supports in the Eastern Cape.

We spent the first night at Gariep Dam on the Orange river in the Free State about 50km from Colesberg. The small town and the huge dam, South Africa’s largest water reservoir, share the same name.