It really should come as no surprise that the Ford Ranger took out the light commercial award again this year; it utterly dominated everything else last year to take out the overall 2022 AA DRIVEN NZ COTY title and one of its strongest competitors this year was the VW Amarok. Which is based on the Ford...
The Ranger truly transcends the idea that utes are just workhorses by being as comfortable and refined as a passenger car, as capable off road as an SUV and, in the case of the awesome Raptor variant, as fast and fun as a sports car.
With a range that kicks off with the XL single cab chassis farm workhorse the Ranger line up ticks off traditional commercial (XLT and Sport), sporty lifestyle (Wildtrak), performance (Raptor) and even luxury with the new Platinum model.
Of course, you also need to acknowledge the fact that the replacement for the previous model’s venerable 3.2-litre inline 5-cylinder turbo diesel engine – the smooth and powerful 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6 – has brought a whole new level of refinement and, yes, grunt to the Ranger, while the slick 2.0-litre biturbo four continues to be an excellent option.
Ford has continued to tweak and refine the Ranger line up since it launched, with the likes of the high-spec Platinum and Wildtrak X models only adding to the breadth and versatility of the best-selling vehicle in New Zealand.
Runners Up: Peugeot Partner, Volkswagen Amarok
FORD RANGER
ENGINE: 2.0-litre biturbo diesel four, 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6 or 3.0-litre biturbo petrol V6
POWER: 154kW/500Nm, 184kW/600Nm or 292kW/583Nm
GEARBOX: 10-speed automatic, part-time 4WD or AWD, both with low range
CONSUMPTION: 8.7-12.8l/100km