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News - Ford - Ranger - phevFord defends Ranger PHEV’s value equation‘It’s not a numbers game’ – Ford defends Ranger PHEV’s price-for-specification equation3 Jun 2025 By MATT BROGAN FORD Australia has come out swinging at suggestions its newly launched Ranger PHEV does not stack up against more affordable entrants from BYD and GWM; insisting the driveability and capability of the locally engineered product far exceeds that of its Chinese rivals.
Speaking with media at last week’s launch of the Ford Ranger PHEV in Campbellfield, Ford Motor Company international management group director for Ranger and Everest Natalie Manariti said the newcomer has what it takes to continue the ute’s long-held success both here in Australia and overseas.
“From Australia to the world, it has been designed and engineered right here, and Ranger has become a global success in over 180 markets,” she stated.
“Ranger is the second-best selling mid-size pick-up in the entire world. In 2024, we sold 62,500 units of Ranger in Australia alone, and in the last two decades, we have sold over five million Rangers globally.
“As a result of that success, we are now the third-largest volume selling nameplate for Ford behind the F-Series and Transit.
“We pride ourselves in staying ahead of the game … and we’re very confident in what we’re delivering in the Ranger (plug-in) hybrid.”
Beyond the sales spiel, Ms Manariti said the design and intent of the Ranger PHEV was to deliver on what Ford customers expected from a plug-in hybrid ute, and not to challenge the specification of rivals with higher outputs and/or all-electric driving range.
“Real-world data and customer feedback has told us what our customer is looking for in terms of the core attributes of an electrified ute, and the Ranger plug-in hybrid is the answer,” she commented.
“We know that it is a no-compromise solution. It is meeting the demands of customers today, while also living up to the nameplate’s legendary capabilities.
“It gives customers zero-emissions driving while not losing out on payload, towing, and off-road capability, all the important things that have made us number one in the market today.”
Ms Manariti said that in compiling connected vehicle data from more than 10,000 Ranger vehicles covering five million journeys, 59 per cent of owners used 4A (four-wheel drive auto), 45 per cent engaged 4H (four-wheel drive high range), and just 11 per cent 4L (four-wheel drive low range).
She said the data helped in shaping the development of the Ranger PHEV, as did on-board data that showed 45 per cent of Ranger owners used the rear locking differential, while 80 per cent used the vehicle to tow.
In compiling the data from more than 11.3 million Ranger journeys, Ms Manariti said owners travelled less than 40km per day, making the Ranger PHEV’s all-electric driving range of 49km ideal for most owners.
“It’s not a numbers game on a piece of paper,” she insisted.
“Jump in the vehicle and you will see that,” she said when asked why the Ranger’s price to specification value fell below that of its key segment rivals.
Visit GoAuto again soon for our Australian launch review of the all-new Ford Ranger PHEV.
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