New 2019 Ford Ranger facelift adds more kit and more power

Britain's best-selling pick-up truck, the Ford Ranger, is getting an update for 2019. The big change is the introduction of Ford's 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel, first seen for sale in the Transit and Transit Custom. The EcoBlue replaces both the 2.2-litre TDCi and five-cylinder 3.2-litre TDCi from the Ranger Wildtrak, but the new engine has more power than both, as well as being more efficient. 

In total, there are three EcoBlue engines available. There's a single-turbo version with 128 or 168bhp, while the twin-turbocharged version packs 210bhp, and is the engine that will be used in the forthcoming Ranger Raptor flagship. That 210bhp figure is up 13bhp on the outgoing 3.2 TDCi, while torque is up to 500Nm, which will make towing easier than ever.

• New Ford Ranger Raptor review

All Rangers get a six-speed manual as standard, but Ford's latest 10-speed auto - as seen in the Mustang and US market F-150 - is available with the two more powerful diesels.

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All of these updates help to boost fuel efficiency by up to nine per cent over the old Ranger models, with combined fuel economy figures ranging from 30.7mpg for the twin-turbo diesel to 35.3mpg for the 128bhp engine. 

As well as the new engine and gearbox, the Ranger gets a new suite of safety kit taken from Ford's passenger car range. Collision and pedestrian detection is included as standard, as well as an intelligent speed limiter. This automatically slows the Ranger if the on-board camera detects a lower speed limit than the current cruise control setting. There's also lane assist, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors and trailer stability control included.

Visually, the updated Ranger gets a revised front bumper and grille design, new paint options and LED daytime running lights on top-spec models. The Wildtrak still gets Saber Orange as an exclusive colour option, and still features a dark grey finish for the grille, wheels and exterior trim to help distinguish it from the rest of the line-up. 

The new Ranger arrives in the summer and will come in Regular, Super and Double Cab body styles. As well as the usual XLT, Limited and Wildtrak models, the Ranger Raptor performance flagship is also scheduled to appear at the same time. While this model uses the same 2.0 EcoBlue twin-turbo as the rest of the range, the truck's suspension and brakes have been reworked to deliver improved performance.

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