Ford Australia Reveals the Wildtrak X

March 29, 2023

Ford Australia reveals the Wildtrak X

Ford Australia reveals the Wildtrak X; an off-road-focused special edition version of its top-selling Ranger Ute that bridges the gap between the Wildtrak and Raptor.

The new Ford Ranger Wildtrak X revives a nameplate last seen in 2021 in the previous generation form and is set to arrive in Australian showrooms during the second half of this year. This new Ranger special edition is priced from $75,990 before on-road costs, which is $4800 more expensive than the Wildtrak V6 and only $1000 cheaper than the luxurious Ranger Platinum V6.

The Ranger Wildtrak X is offered exclusively with the 2.0-litre bi-turbo four-cylinder diesel engine which produces 150kW of power and 500Nm of torque, mated with a 10-speed automatic transmission. It uses a full-time four-wheel drive system with a 4A mode that can be used on pavement, instead of the part-time four-wheel drive system found in all other Ranger Bi-Turbo variants.

Ford has noted the Ranger Wildtrak X is the first variant to meet Light Duty Truck Euro 6 emissions level, which means it requires AdBlue. It’s worth noting this combination of the Euro 6-compliant 2.0-litre bi-turbo four-cylinder diesel engine and full-time four-wheel drive is already available in the Everest.

One main highlight of the Ranger Wildtrak X is its suspension setup that has been “specifically tuned” for touring and payload. This suspension setup includes Bilstein positive-sensitive dampers which have a monotube design and a nitrogen-charged external reservoir. Thanks to the tweaked suspension setup and all-terrain tyres the Ranger Wildtrak X has a 30mm wider front and rear track width than the existing Wildtrak, as well as 26mm more ground clearance. Despite the suspension changes the Ranger Wildtrak X still have a 3500kg braked towing capacity like the rest of the core Ranger line-up.

What do you get?

18 inch alloy wheels, Comfortek seats (Premium Eco-Leather), Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, AEB with pedestrian detection, Lane Keep Assist, Active Cruise Control, Reverse Camera, 10.25 inch colour multimedia touchscreen, Autonomous, Emergency Braking with pedestrian and bicycle detection, Lane Keep Assist, Reversing camera.

Other exterior highlights include a new off-road grille design with integrated LED lights, a steel bash plate, cast aluminium side steps, black exterior highlights, Wildtrak X badging, and Matrix LED headlights.

What is the Wildtrak X like on the inside?

Inside the Ranger Wildtrak X comes with the larger 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster, a B&O premium sound system, and an overhead auxiliary switch bank for aftermarket accessories.

It has new leather-accented seats with Miko suede and Wildtrak X embroidered into the seat backs, upper glove box and all-weather front and rear floor mats. There’s also Terra suede on the glovebox, instrument cluster hood, door trim, and centre console rails, as well as Cyber Orange contrast stitching.

Driving features

Trail Turn Assist helps owners negotiate tight turns on narrow tracks by applying the brake on the inside rear wheel. This is designed to be used on loose surfaces at speeds under 19km/h and in either 4H or 4L with the rear differential unlocked. Ford claims the Trail Turn Assist feature can reduce the Ranger Wildtrak X’s turning circle radius by up to 25 per cent.

Another feature is Trail Control which helps drivers maintain a constant low-speed while off-road. It works at speeds below 32km/h and manages acceleration and braking.

The last off-road-focused mode is Rock Crawl which has been designed to help customers traverse uneven, rocky terrain in a controlled manner. This drive mode requires 4L to be engaged and will automatically lock the rear differential. It’ll also actuate a unique throttle and transmission calibration that’s designed to help the driver traverse the terrain as smoothly as possible.

This article was originally featured on carexpert.com.au and can be viewed here.