When you get into the cabin of a pick-up truck, you might expect to see a lot of black plastic. But that’s not the case with the Ford Ranger Wildtrak. While there are some hard materials if you go looking for them, the dash and doors are padded with imitation leather, and there are nice design touches like painted trim and chrome accents around the air vents. It’s not quite a BMW interior, but it’s definitely a step up from a Ford Focus.

The lower trims, such as the XL and XLT, have the expected black plastic and lack some of the extra features of the Wildtrak. However, these trims are more suitable for work purposes and still feel solid. There’s also a bit of padding on the door where you might rest your elbow.

All Ranger models have a similar design, including large screens. The lower trims have a 10.1-inch screen, while the Wildtrak and higher trims have a 12.0-inch screen. Climate controls are always displayed at the bottom of the screen, and all Rangers have physical controls, unlike the Amarok. Air conditioning is an optional £500 feature on the Ranger XL.

Even the cheapest models have a digital gauge cluster, with the Raptor and upcoming Platinum models featuring larger screens. While not highly customizable, the display is clear and easy to navigate using the steering wheel buttons.

If you’re not used to driving large vehicles, the Ranger might seem intimidating. But you’ll quickly feel at home in it. The driver’s seat can be adjusted for a commanding view over the long flat bonnet. The square corners, straight sides, large side mirrors, and thin pillars provide excellent visibility, making it easy to navigate the road. The high seating position gives you an elevated view, similar to looking down on most SUVs.

The rear legroom in the Ranger is comparable to a family hatchback, as most of the space is dedicated to the load bay. However, the flat roof and vertical rear window provide generous headroom. The double-cab design of the Ranger is typical for a pick-up truck, and it offers slightly more room than the Toyota Hilux. The seat base can be flipped up to reveal storage cubbies or folded down to create a shelf.

Now, let’s talk about the most important part of a pick-up truck: the bed. With the exception of the Raptor, all Ranger models have a payload of at least one tonne. The payload capacity ranges from 1035kg for the 2.0-litre 202bhp Wildtrak X to 1207kg for the single-cab XL. The wider bed also allows for a Euro pallet, similar to its competitors.

The Ranger has various hooks and tie-down points along the bed, with plastic tops to protect the paint. There are additional mounting points hidden by flaps. Ford offers a wide range of accessories, including rack systems, divider systems, and hard tops. And if that’s not enough, aftermarket suppliers also offer additional kits.

Our car had a spray-in bed liner and a powered shutter, both of which worked well. The torsion bars for the tailgate make it easy to open and close.

Multimedia system

All Ranger models come with Ford’s latest infotainment software, Sync 4, which is displayed on a large vertical touchscreen. The screen is positioned fairly low compared to your eye level, which makes it less distracting while driving but also impacts the viewing angle.