As much as we enjoyed the Ford Ranger Raptor's off-road skills when we road tested it last November, a cloud concerning safety overshadowed the popular double-cab.
The range-topping model's safety suite skipped Autonomous Emergency Braking — a surprise, given that this was technology that was standard in the Wildtrak model at the time. At the Darwin launch, Ford said that these features didn't make it into the Raptor due to issues integrating the system into the model's unique bodywork.
However, that's all changed with today's announcement from Ford.
The blue oval have confirmed that the Ranger's suite of safety technology is getting a shake-up, with a long list of features now becoming standard on not only the Raptor, but also on the entry-level XL and on the mid-level XLT.
Traffic Sign recognition, lane-keeping aid with driver alert, and automatic high beams are now standard on the XL and XLT. The XL, XLT, and Raptor all now also gain Autonomous Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection.
“Ranger has a tradition of leading technology, which includes being the first pick-up to achieve a five-star ANCAP safety rating, and in 2018 we added more powertrain choices and significant Driver Assist Technology coupled with a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty,” said Ford Australia and New Zealand President and CEO, Kay Hart.
“Now, AEB with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Keeping Aid, Traffic Sign Recognition and Automatic High Beam is standard on every Ranger, from the entry-level Ranger XL cab-chassis all the way through to the Ford Performance Ranger Raptor.”
The changes make Ford's foundation Ranger models stack up more favourably against some of their rivals, while the Raptor now has a suite more befitting of its $84,990 price-tag. Although weirdly, it still lacks adaptive cruise control — a standard feature on all Wildtraks.