Meet the Ford Ranger 2.0 SiT XLT 4×2 Double Cab we’ll be living for the December holidays. For many who are extending the Day of Reconciliation long weekend, today marks the last day of the 2025 working year. So, we thought it fitting to introduce the subject of our extended festive-season road test.
Typically, in the year, publications receive a test car for one week only. This is just enough time to drain a tank of fuel and assess its pros and cons. However, the Ford Ranger 2.0 SiT XLT will be with us four times as long as the manufacturers shutdown for some well-deserved rest. In this period, you’re afforded the luxury of really getting to know a vehicle’s strengths and foibles.
FORD RANGER 2.0 SIT XLT 4X2 DOUBLE CAB
From the outset, we believe the Ford Ranger 2.0 SiT XLT 4×2 Double Cab might be the best value bakkie in the Blue Oval’s lineup right now. At just R681 500, you get a lot of bakkie for your money, without a lot of the arguably unnecessary addenda. Under the bonnet is the brand’s excellent 125 kW and 405 Nm turbodiesel engine.
It’s not the bi-turbo which is being relieved of duty next year. Nor is it the 10-speed gearbox, but rather the simpler, to-the-point six-speed automatic. Likewise, unlike the SuperCab 4×4 Wildtrak we drove not long ago, this one is only 4×2.
Will not having four-wheel drive be an issue over the festive season? Only time will tell. Although, our initial impressions are that the vehicle feels that little bit lighter in two-wheel-drive guise. And this makes it surprisingly sprightly and easy going in daily driving.
IT HAS A CANOPY
Furthermore, Ford South Africa very graciously fitted a Beekman canopy to this Ford Ranger 2.0 SiT XLT 4×2 Double Cab test unit. We’ve actually never tested a bakkie with one before, so we look forward to seeing how practical it will be when it comes to leisure lifestyle activities.
Because when we reviewed the ‘entry-level’ Ranger XL Double Cab earlier this year, we found only having a tonneau cover for the rear load bay quite laborious. The plain cover can be a real finger-buster to fit/remove. And leaning all the way deep into the load bay to collect items was also tricky at times.
So, there you have it. Report back to The South African in a few weeks to get the full living-with-it review of the Ford Ranger 2.0 SiT XLT 4×2 Double Cab. One full-size bakkie with a very keen price that may just be the pick of the bunch …
What do you think? Do you think the 4×2 will be shown up during the festive season? Or are 4×4 double cabs more of a status symbol than anything else? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below …
