Two weeks apart towing the same object (our DRIVEN Mazda racecar) gave us the opportunity to do an almost direct comparison between what it’s like to tow with a showy V6 twin-turbo petrol Ranger Raptor hero, and the more work-minded Ranger Sport V6 turbo diesel.
We awarded our 2022 AA DRIVEN Car of the Year trophy to the Ranger, even without driving the Raptor at the time. We’ve since driven it, and even tow-tested it here.
And we found the Ranger range-topper was a good all-rounded - and though its mostly highway towing fuel use over 15-16l/100km did sound high, it was similar to fuel use around suburban driving. Its 2500kg tow rating might also be an issue for some.
So we arrive back at the Ranger Sport V6, a hulk of a machine offering 184kW (almost 40 percent down on Raptor) but – importantly for towing – 600Nm, or three-per cent more. Add in its 3500kg tow rating, and we have a an on-paper towing score already falling in favour of the Sport V6.
With just 1200kg to haul, our test consisted of a round trip from Hamilton to Taupo International Motorsport Park, a little over 300km of towing, mostly motorway/highway and 110/100km/h zones, with our 90km/h towing speed limit.
With the car and trailer loaded, tank topped with diesel and trip meter reset, there’s a handy little checklist on the latest Ranger that runs through the basics that experience towers probably wouldn’t need, but still handy: like checking the lights, dolly wheel, mirrors and trailer brake gain – though this Sport V6 is without the latter, and didn’t need it due to the sub-750kg trailer.
Though of note is the adaptor needed by the latest Ranger, that some trailers might struggle with. Check with your dealer about that one.
Straight onto the Hamilton bypass motorway, things start out well, with a steady 90km/h resulting in 9.8l/100km flashing up by the time we reach the 100km/h zone south of Cambridge.
Using just one-third if its towing capacity, this was never going to be a huge haul for the Sport V6, but sunshine and daytime all translated to an easy, effortless drive through Tirau, Tokoroa and some towns that don’t actually start with T… to Taupo, non-stop. Except for the one-lane, five-minute roadworks red-light forced stop, north of Oruanui.
No rain (for once) meant no need to engage the 4WD modes, as it was all fairly unstressed, but through the sweeping corners north of Tirua, a simple button press engages 4WD… if required. Selecting Tow/Haul mode at the beginning of the trip meant Range is smart enough to work out when 4WD is needed.
We did encounter a few wet roads as the Cyclone Gabrielle drew closer, but a stark contrast was the road tyres gripping up with confidence, as opposed to the Raptor’s all-terrain tyres being rather slippy in the wet.
The 10-speed gearbox was barely even thought about the entire trip, with the torque and response form the V6 always on tap. Only the steepest hills required more than half-throttle, and even then it was to overtake or power up and away from a tailgater. The highest fuel average use we saw was 10.5l/100km.
Ride quality remained excellent, cruise control and trailer control was basically like towing nothing at all, and with no surprises, it almost leaves the final comparison to the fuel pump.
After the race weekend and 300km towing round trip, on a road that was probably as good as fuel consumption could achieve, we resulted in a towing fuel use figure of just 10.1l/100km, with possibly 2-3 full throttle bursts.
With Ford claiming 8.4l/100km combined, to be able to haul this load for just a 20 per cent penalty was solid, but not as impressive as its fuel saving when compared to the Raptor, essentially a 50 per cent fuel saving – and at $2.70 per litre, that’s proof that a diesel still has lots of life left in it. Also, at $12,500 cheaper than the Raptor, it’s probably less about comparison, but highlighting each model’s attributes.
Next time, for our third and final Ford Ranger tow test, we’ll get hold of the Wildtrak 2.0 BiTurbo to see how the smaller capacity engines fares.
Oh, and if you’re wondering, our DRIVEN MX-5 racer finished 2nd on the podium in the MX-5 Racing NZ series. But you can read about that here.
READ MORE: Mazda BT-50 tow test
READ MORE: Dino drag, Ford Ranger Raptor on tow test
BREAK IT DOWN
Ford Ranger Sport
ENGINE: 3.0 turbo V6 diesel
POWER: 184kW/600Nm
TOW RATING: 3500kg
ECOMONY: 8.4l/100km combined (10.1l/100km tested, towing 1200kg)
PRICE: $77,490
