Test Car Specifications
Model: 2022 Ford Ranger Stormtrak
Price: £47,275.64 as tested (inc. VAT)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged diesel
Transmission: 10-speed automatic, selectable four-wheel drive
Power: 213hp
Torque: 500Nm
Emissions: 226g/km
Economy/Range: 32.8mpg
0-62mph: 9.0 seconds
Top speed: 112mph
Payload: 1,140kg
Max towing weight: 3,500kg
Styling
The Stormtrak doesn't make drastic changes to the design of the existing Ranger Wildtrak, but instead it adds black decals on the bonnet, sides and tailgate, as well as 3D Stormtrak badges, 18-inch black alloy wheels and black mirror caps. There are black door handles, too, and a black sports hoop over the rear load bed. There's some red trim in there, too, which didn't sit brilliantly with our dark red test car, but that's a minor gripe about what is, overall, a good-looking truck.
Interior
As with the exterior, the Stormtrak treatment simply adds small tweaks to the Ranger cabin, rather than making wholesale changes. That means you get the same basic equipment and design as a Wildtrak, with a touchscreen infotainment system atop the dashboard, a chunky steering wheel and a similarly chunky gear lever. The instrument binnacle combines digital and analogue displays, and there's satellite navigation as standard.
Overall, the look is one of solidity and toughness, but quality is good for a pick-up truck. These vehicles are, first and foremost, workhorses, but the Ranger has a cabin that wouldn't look out of place in a mass-market car of seven or eight years ago. Sure, some of the plastics are a bit hard, but it all feels well engineered and it's more stylish than you might expect.
It's particularly stylish in the Stormtrak, because Ford has added a few goodies, including leather taken from the Ranger Raptor, red stitching and some Stormtrak logos in the seats. Like the Wildtrak, the Stormtrak has a grey decorative fascia across the dashboard.
Practicality
If a pick-up isn't practical then it isn't worth the metal it's made from. Like any other Ranger (except the high-performance Raptor), the Stormtrak offers a payload of 1.14 tonnes, meaning it's eligible for the flat rate of company car tax for dual-purpose vehicle, as well as allowing it to carry lots in the load bed. You can also get a range of secure load covers that allow you to use it more like a massive conventional boot. Better still, the Ranger Stormtrak is only available in double-cab form, meaning you get back doors and rear seats, which allow you to carry four adults in relative comfort.
Performance
Because it borrows so heavily from the Ranger Wildtrak, the Stormtrak gets the same 2.0-litre, 213hp diesel engine, which gives it a 0-62mph time of nine seconds flat. That's respectable pace for most family SUVs, but it's quite brisk for a 2.2-tonne pick-up truck. With a 10-speed automatic gearbox, it's also pretty refined most of the time, but putting your foot down will elicit a grumbly, diesely roar.
Nevertheless, the Stormtrak is more potent than most other pick-ups, and its economy is respectable too. Officially, it returns just over 36mpg, and we managed well over 30mpg without even trying on our test drive. It won't win many prizes with Greenpeace, but the Ranger won't be too ruinous to run. And, if you're into pulling power, it'll tow a trailer weighing up to 3.5 tonnes.
Ride & Handling
The Ranger is a little compromised in this area, because it has to be good on- and off-road, while also carrying up to a tonne of cargo in the load bed. That’s a challenge, and one that Ford has done a surprisingly good job of tackling. The Stormtrak handles just like the Wildtrak, which means it’s more nimble, and therefore more entertaining, than you might expect. The steering is a bit slow and there’s quite a bit of body roll, but it’s better than any other pick-up out there – except the Ranger Raptor and Ranger MS-RT, obviously.
It’s also more comfortable than you expect, although the toughened rear suspension doesn’t soak up the bumps brilliantly – particularly when there’s nothing in the cargo bay. But the most impressive thing about the Stormtrak is its off-road ability. With selectable all-wheel drive and a range of off-road driver aids, it’s as unstoppable as the Wildtrak despite the extra features. Chances are most drivers will run out of ability before the truck does.
Value
The Ranger Stormtrak comes in at just over £44,500 including VAT, which makes it around £600 more expensive than the standard Wildtrak. That isn’t bad value, considering all the extra equipment, and you also get all the usual high-end Ranger kit. That means satellite navigation, heated front seats and a rear-view camera are all included in the asking price. And for VAT-rated businesses, all that comes to £37,216.37 – not bad, all things considered.
Verdict
The Ranger is a brilliant pick-up truck, and though it may be getting long in the tooth, it’s still a class leader. But this Stormtrak model seems a bit superfluous – as so many run-out models often do. There’s nothing wrong with it, but it doesn’t justify the premium over the standard Wildtrak, which remains one of the best pick-up trucks you can buy.
