The best way to test any 4×4 is to pull up your sleeves and get it dirty – real dirty. Ford recentlylaunched the limited-edition Ranger Stormtrak in South Africa and we took the newcomer on a 1 000-kmoff-road adventure in the Eastern Cape. Cars.co.za journalistGero Lilleikereports back from somewhere in the Karoo…

Dust filled my nostrils as I looked out over the vast plains of the Little Karoo. At my feet lay a dead Kudu cow, its hooves entangled in a fence with her eyes gouged out by crows. It’s was a sombre scene.

After abrief moment of silence and reflection, the large convoy of limited-edition Ford Ranger Stormtraks set off on yet another seemingly never-ending dirt road, barrelinginto the Karoo’s vast emptiness.

The launch of the limited-edition Ranger Stormtrak took place in the Eastern Cape, starting in Gqeberha. Ford was keen to highlight the Ranger Stormtrak’s off-road ability with a driving route that would take us through the renowned Baviaanskloof World Heritage Site, the Little Karoo and Addo Elephant National Park. It was a gruelling 1 000-kmroute, which consisted mainly ofdirt roads.

We have tested the current-generation Ford Ranger many times during the past decade and, in that time, the model has undergone numerous updates and many “special”derivatives havecome to market. The Ranger Stormtrak follows on from recent additions such as the Ranger XL Sport, Ranger FX4 and Ranger Thunder.

As the Ford Motor Company of SouthernAfrica’s expansion plans unfold at its Silverton Plant in Pretoria ahead of the local production of the all-new Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok in 2022/23, we are fairly certain that the Stormtrak won’t be the last limited-edition Ranger to come to market;Ford will surely look to capitalise on its current-gen bakkie’s enduring popularity.

It’s anyone’s guess what the next special iteration will be called… the Ranger Windstorm, perhaps?

So, what makes the Ranger Stormtrak special?

The Ranger Stormtrak is the latest limited-edition iteration of the Ranger to be built and offered locally in South Africa.

The Ranger Stormtrak is based on theWildtrak derivative and slots in just above the Ranger Thunder. Apart from its name and a few styling details such as its black mesh grille, with matching decals and accents, 3D-effect Stormtrak badges and red contrast stitching on the leather upholstery (to name a few embellishments), the biggest difference is the inclusion of an electronically operated roller shutter, as well as a load bin divider that adds useful practicality to the overall package.

Moreover, the Lucid Red body colour is exclusively available for the Ranger Stormtrak (it looks fantastic in the metal) in addition to other colours such as Sea Grey, Frozen White and Blue Lightning.Conveniently, the power roller shutter can be operated using abutton in the load bin, the bakkie’s key fob or the switch panel on the inside of the driver’s door.

Apart from some Stormtrak badging and red stitching, the cabin is familiar and well specified with features.

Perched at the pinnacle of the Ranger lineup, the Ranger Stormtrak comes well-equipped with features,including Ford’s SYNC3 infotainment system with integrated navigation and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility,as well as nice-to-have features such as heated seats and adaptive cruise control with forward-collision alert.

Safety in the Ranger Stormtrak is another highlight with features such as lane-keeping alert, lane-keeping assist, a driver alert system, autonomous emergency braking and even semi-automatic parallel park assist, the latter ofwhich takes the stress out of executing those tricky parallel parking manoeuvres with this sizeable bakkie.

See full specification details for the Ford Ranger Stormtrak

What’s the Ford Ranger Stormtrak like to drive?

Driving through water in the Baviaanskloof was no hassle for the Ranger Stormtrak.

The tried-and-tested 2.0-litre bi-turbodiesel engine in the Ranger Stormtrak delivers ample performance, both on tar and in the dirt. It’s the same powerplant asfound in the Ranger Raptor(its peak outputs are157 kW and 500 Nm) and it’s mated with a smooth-shifting 10-speed automatic transmission;this engine is not only strong– it’s also refined.

Weather permitting, traversing the Baviaanskloof requires a vehicle with good ground clearance;a 4×4 drivetrain is not a necessity, but it’s certainly an advantage. The Ranger Stormtrak 4×4 is, therefore, an ideal choice to tackle this wild and rugged terrain with its 237-mm ground clearance and convenient shift-on-the-fly 4×4 system that allows you to easily switch between 2H, 4H and 4L as needed. We spent most of our time with the Ford in 4H and didn’t encounter any obstacles that required low range or differential lock, but that could have changed instantly had it rained during the trip.

The Baviaanskloof is one of South Africa’s most picturesque offroad driving routes.

As an off-road route, the Baviaanskloof ranks highly and the views on offer are simply spectacular. The Ranger’s torque was particularly useful on the steeper uphill sections, while hill descent control added a level of surety on the narrow and equally steep declines that you typically encounter when venturing into the ‘kloof.

The convoy of Ranger Stormtraks spent much of the day driving through the 80-km main section of the Baviaanskloof, finally exiting into the Little Karoo near Willowmore, but the adventure was far from over and a few more hundred kilometres of dirt road lay ahead as we squiggled our way through the Karoo back to Gqeberha.

Apart from the Ranger’s strong engine performance, its exemplary ride quality and surefooted handling ability on dirt (and, of course, tarred) roads truly beliethe bakkie’s advanced age.

The Ranger’s off-road ride quality is arguably best-in-class.

The Ranger arguably has the best-in-class ride quality in the dirt and this assertion was solidified on this drive. The Ranger rides so comfortably over ruts and undulations that there were times when you would be forgiven for thinking that you were driving on a smooth section of tar. It really is a superb vehicle to drive off-road. What’s more, the Ranger handles with reassuring precision and predictability on dirt roads, giving the driver much-needed confidence.

Overall, this off-road experience once again highlighted why the Ranger remains a popular choice in the leisure double-cab segment. With bold styling, a comprehensive set of standard comfort and safety features and undeniable off-road ability, the Ranger Stormtrak is easy to recommend if you are looking for a well-sorted range-topping leisure double-cab bakkie.

What does the Ford Ranger Stormtrak cost in SA? (Sept 2021)

Ford Ranger Stormtrak 2.0Bi-Turbo Hi-Rider – R790 300

Ford Ranger Stormtrak 2.0Bi-Turbo 4×4 – R846 500

The Ford Ranger Stormtrak is sold with a 4-year/120 000 km warranty and a 6-year/90 000 km service plan.

Buy a Ford Ranger on Cars.co.za

Related Content

Toyota Hilux Legend RS vs Ford Ranger Thunder – Race!

6 Bakkie Drag Race! Hilux vs Ranger vs Amarok vs P-Series vs BT-50 vs Navara (all 4×4)

Ford Ranger FX4 (2021) Review

Ford Ranger (2021) Review