FIRST-CLASS TRAVEL

A HOLIDAY TRIP WITH THE FORD RANGER PLATINUM RAISED A FEW EYEBROWS WHEN COMPARING IT TO OUR RANGER SPORT

- MATT RAUDONIKIS

WHILE it wasn’t with us for long enough to become a fixture in the 4X4 Australia shed, we did have a Ford Ranger Platinum for a month over the Christmas-New Year period and it was interesting to put some holiday miles on it. Interesting because it is mechanically the same as our modified Ranger Sport, and it threw up some eye-opening comparisons.

At $79,390 plus ORC, the Platinum sits atop the diesel-fuelled Ford Ranger line-up, only cheaper than the Ranger Raptor. To justify its price, the Platinum is loaded with just about every feature and option on the Ford Australia spec sheet.

Inside it, we appreciated the B&O sound system, the soft leather steering wheel and the quilted vented leather seats, which were nice on those hot summer beach days, but we were less impressed by the bigger digital gauge screen.

Externally, the Platinum rides on 20-inch alloy wheels and low-profile tyres which weren’t as harsh as I expected they might be. The Ranger’s ride is already firm and it is not much worse on the 20s, but we’d still fit the optional 18s, given the choice.