2024 Ford Ranger Wildtrak X Review

Research the top vehicle sales results of last year and you’ll find that the Ford Ranger sold more units than any other passenger vehicle in Australia. It was a massive triumph for Ford Australia, which lost that title way back in the 1990s, and especially because the Ranger was developed by the company’s Australian team. With such strong sales momentum, Ford wants to capitalise on the Ranger’s success by offering even more variants. Enter the even more off-road focused 2024 Ford Ranger Wildtrak X, which promises to go further off the beaten track than any other new Ranger.

Off-road focused dual-cab 4×4 utes are not a new concept, with more than a few offerings already on the market to rival the Wildtrak X: the Toyota HiLux Rogue and Mazda BT-50 Thunder are just two examples. We – and many other motoring outlets – love the new Ranger as it’s a genuinely excellent ute, so does that excellence also cover the new Wildtrak X? Let’s find out.

How much does the Ford Ranger Wildtrak X cost to buy?

There are currently seemingly infinite variants of the Ford Ranger in Australia and looking at a pricelist can be overwhelming to see just how many specifications are offered. The model tested here is the second-from-top limited edition 2024 Ford Ranger Wildtrak X, which sits above the regular Wildtrak but below the range-topping Platinum. Priced at $75,990 plus on-road costs, it’s one of the more pricey Rangers, adding $6,600 onto the cost of a regular Wildtrak.

Wildtrak X standard equipment:

• 17-inch alloy wheels with General Grabber AT3 tyres
• Bilstein shock absorbers with ‘End Stop Control Valve’ technology
• Dusk- and rain-sensing automatic all-LED exterior lighting
• Rain-sensing automatic wipers
• Roof rails with inbuilt roof racks that connect to the other roof rack
• Electric roller shutter
• Flexible rack system that can be slid fore and aft
• Leather steering wheel and gear knob
• Leather and suede seat upholstery
• Eight-way electric front seats with heating
• Dual-zone climate control with rear vents
• 12.0-inch portrait touchscreen with Ford’s ‘Sync 4’ software and an inbuilt eSIM for live services
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring
• Satellite navigation with live traffic
• AM/FM/DAB+ digital radio
• 12.4-inch digital driver’s display
• Keyless entry and push button start
• LED interior ambient lighting
• Heated and auto-folding mirrors
• 360-degree exterior lighting
• Rear privacy glass
• Tow bar with wiring and integrated electronic brake controller
• 2x USB-A and 2x USB-C charging ports
• Wireless phone charger
• Ford MyPass smartphone app

Wildtrak X standard safety equipment:

• Eight airbags (including front centre and driver’s knee units)
• Auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection
• Lane departure warning with lane keep assist
• Adaptive cruise control with stop and go and active lane centering
• Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert (with braking)
• Low speed automatic rear braking
• Traffic sign recognition
• Matrix adaptive high beam
• Driver attention monitoring
• Semi-automatic parking functionality
• Front and rear parking sensors
• 360-degree camera

The Ford Ranger achieved a five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2022 with scores of 84 per cent in adult occupancy protection, 93 per cent in child occupancy protection, 74 per cent in vulnerable road user protection and 83 per cent in safety assist.

Wildtrak X colour range:

• Shadow Black: (no cost)
• Meteor Grey: (no cost)
• Aluminium: (no cost)
• Arctic White: no cost
• Cyber Orange: (no cost – fitted to our test car)

Over the regular Ranger Wildtrak the 2024 Ford Ranger Wildtrak X gains the option of Cyber Orange paint, as well as a new front grille, LED driving lights, a steel bash plate, aluminium side steps, Wildtrak lettering across the bonnet, black badging, 17-inch alloy wheels with a 30mm wider track and General Grabber AT3 all-terrain tyres, Bilstein dampers with 26mm more ground clearance, leather-accented seats with suede inserts, all-weather front and rear floor mats, 10-speaker B&O sound sound system and a larger 12.4-inch digital driver’s display. While the cost difference between the Wildtrak and Wildtrak X isn’t minor, you do lot of extra kit for your money.

We think that the most direct rival to the 2024 Ford Ranger Wildtrak X is the Toyota HiLux Rogue, which is priced at $71,530 plus on-road costs or around $5,000 less than the Ford. The Ford does come with more equipment such as two extra airbags (nine versus seven), electronic park brake, fully digital driver’s display, a much larger larger touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, blind-spot monitoring, lane trace assist, rear AEB, automatic parking, driver fatigue warning, Matrix auto high beam, auto wipers, auto-folding and heated exterior mirrors, more speakers, tyre pressure monitoring, ambient lighting and access to online services. We think the Ranger is definitely worth the extra outlay.

How powerful is the Ford Ranger Wildtrak X?

Unlike the regular Ranger Wildtrak, which is offered with either a 154kW/500Nm twin-turbo diesel four cylinder or its optional 184kW/600Nm 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine, the Ford Ranger Wildtrak X is only available with the 150kW/500Nm 2.0-litre bi-turbo four-cylinder diesel engine. For the first time, it’s now rated to Euro 6 emissions standards and requires AdBlue exhaust treatment. A 10-speed automatic transmission is standard equipment, like most other new Ranger models. Instead of the Wildtrak Bi-Turbo’s ‘shift on the fly’ 4×4 system, the Wildtrak X features a full-time 4×4 system.

The engine is more vocal than the regular Ranger Wildtrak’s optional V6 diesel, but for a commercial ute, the Wildtrak X’s bi-turbo four-cylinder is still nicely refined and offers a good amount of torque low in the rev range. The start/stop system can be a little too keen at times, but once you are on the move the 2.0-litre is a good unit.

The 10-speed auto is smooth and you often don’t even feel the gear changes unless you put your foot on the loud pedal. It can occasionally stumble for gears, since there are so many to choose from, but if accelerating in a linear fashion it will choose the gears well. There is a manual mode on the gear selector and a gear cut out function meaning you can lock out the higher gears with the plus and minus on the gear selector for towing or off road application.

Ford claims that the 2024 Ford Ranger Wildtrak X has an average fuel economy figure of 8.7L/100km with CO2 emissions of 230g/km. Our week spent behind the wheel with mixed driving of urban, motorway and some off roading saw an average fuel economy figure of 9.2L/100km, which we thought was pretty good. The Ranger Wildtrak X has an 80-litre fuel tank.

What is the Ford Ranger Wildtrak X like to drive?

It’s no secret that the Ford Ranger offers one of the best ride and handling balances in the mid-sized ute segment and the Wildtrak X, despite its off-road focus, is largely the same. The new Bilstein dampers paired with the off-road tyres mean that the ride on the 2024 Ford Ranger Wildtrak X is a little firmer than the normal Wildtrak, but it’s still quite comfortable. Those sitting in the rear of the Ranger will also notice this new firmness as the lack of weight over the rear accentuates this. It’s more comfortable than the Toyota HiLux Rogue, however, and we much prefer the Ranger for daily duties.

Mid-size four-wheel drive utes were never designed to be keen handlers, but the 2024 Ford Ranger Wildtrak X drives well. The steering offers a reasonable amount of feel, and the four-wheel drive system is excellent. Off-road ability is also very impressive – we took the Wildtrak X on a mild off-road track and came away impressed with just how capable this dual-cab ute really is.

If you do plan to take your Wildtrak X off-road, its 32-degree approach angle and 24.0-degree departure angle are reasonable (a HiLux Rogue’s equivalents are 31-degrees and 23-degrees respectively), while its 800mm wading depth is class-leading – though off-road accessories company ARB still offers a plethora of factory-backed accessories for the Ranger, and if you’re likely to do a lot of water crossings, a snorkel would likely be a good investment.

For those looking at towing with the Ranger Wildtrak X, it’s all reasonably good news. It has a standard tow bar kit with electronic brake controller, while its 3,500kg braked towing capacity is up there with the best in the class. Its gross combination mass (GCM) is 6,000kg – towing a 3,500kg caravan and subtracting the Wildtrak X’s 2,432kg kerb weight leaves you with under 100kg to pack.

How practical is the Ford Ranger Wildtrak X?

As we have discovered in the other model Rangers we have tested, the cabin of this dual-cab ute is best in class and it’s at its best in the Wildtrak X thanks to its premium (for the segment) materials, excellent integration of technology and long list of cool features like the pop-out cupholders and the fries holder in the centre console. It also feels more modern than pretty much every other ute on the market – other than its Amarok twin that shares a lot of the cabin design – but you can also tell that it’s been designed with a lot of Australian ingenuity as it’s very ergonomically pleasing to use.

The 12.4-inch digital driver’s display – which is also used in the Ranger Platinum and Ranger Raptor – makes the cabin feel premium and shows off a decent amount of information, though not integrated maps like its Volkswagen Amarok twin. There’s plenty of cabin storage with big door bins, pop out cup holders, a big centre box underneath the centre armrest, a two-tiered glovebox and a tray beneath the screen with a wireless phone charger.

Sitting in the dash of the Ranger Wildtrak X is a 12.0-inch portrait touchscreen that uses Ford’s ‘Sync 4’ infotainment system. It has an eSIM for connectivity features such as live traffic updates for the satellite navigation, as well as access to the Ford SmartPass smartphone app for features like remote locking and unlocking, remote start and vehicle location. It’s a huge screen that can take some getting used to thanks to its sheer size, but once you’ve learnt it, it’s intuitive and easy to use, plus it also has physical AC controls and a proper volume knob for extra usability. It’s also fully featured with wireless smartphone mirroring, satellite navigation, digital radio and a fun drawing pad.

The rear seats of the Ranger are quite comfortable, while offering good space for the segment as well – two six-footers will be more than happy. There is plenty of head and knee room for adults, while there is also storage under the base of the seat and the backrest of the seat can fold down to fit larger items. Rear passengers get air vents, both a USB-A and USB-C port, two map pockets, reasonable door bins and a centre armrest with cupholders.

Opening the tray of the Ranger Wildtrak X reveals a larger tray than the model it replaces, and one of the biggest in the mid-sized ute segment. We wish the tailgate was soft opening like the more expensive Ranger Platinum (it does have lift assist, however), but it’s an otherwise positive story. There is a spray in bed liner, a 12V power outlet, as well as tie down hooks, LED lighting and clamping points. The tray is 1,200mm long and 800mm wide between the arches and can now fit a Euro-sized pallet.

What warranty covers the Ford Ranger Wildtrak X?

Like other new Ford models, the 2024 Ford Ranger Wildtrak X is covered by a five-year/unlimited km warranty with 12 months of roadside assistance that’s topped up to seven years in total if serviced through a Ford dealer. The Ranger Wildtrak X needs servicing every 12 months or 15,000km with a five-year/75,000km total service cost of $1,716 (which averages out at $343 annually).

In comparison, Toyota offers the same five-year unlimited/kilometre warranty as Ford but also offers an extra two years of warranty for the engine if serviced through Toyota. No form of roadside assistance is offered with any Toyota, however, and servicing the HiLux needs to occur every six months or 10,000km, with each service costing $260. A total of 10 services are needed over the span of five years if you do not exceed the kilometre limit with a total price of $2,600 ($520 annually).

Should I buy a Ford Ranger Wildtrak X?

The 2024 Ford Ranger Wildtrak X is a fantastic ute for those who don’t just want a grocery getter but also want something more capable to take them on their weekend trips to the camp ground and bush tracks. We love that Ford offers an even more off-road focused Ranger than the regular Wildtrak and thanks to the amount of different Ranger models for various tastes, it’s no surprise that the Ranger is the most popular car in Australia at the moment.

In comparison to other utes, it’s not cheap, but once you see that it is one of the best equipped Utes in the segment and that the safety features are second to none then the price seems a lot more justifiable. Would we buy the Wildtrak X variant over the regular Wildtrak? Well, you can’t order a new Wildtrak X any longer but if we had the choice of either a four-cylinder Wildtrak or an X on a dealer lot, the X’s extra features would be well worth the extra outlay to us. But regardless of which Ranger you choose, it’s an excellent ute and if you’re after a ute, you simply must test drive one.