2023 Ford Ranger Wildtrak X Review | Off-road adventurer has all the gear but where’s the V6?

A Wildtrak on steroids for those who want to explore the great outdoors 👉 Full Review: www.carsales.com.au/editorial...
We’ve driven the new road-focused Platinum flagship so now it’s time for its more adventurous and more outgoing sibling, the 2023 Ford Ranger Wildtrak X.
The nameplate carries over from the previous-generation Ranger, but Ford has pushed the boat out a bit further this time with bespoke suspension and some off-road toys nicked from the Raptor, as well as extra interior goodies that are off-limits for the standard Wildtrak.
It's not cheap, but the new Ford Ranger WIldtrak X makes for a very capable dual-cab 4x4 ute with plenty of appeal, although we can’t help but miss the power and refinement of the V6 diesel.
Fast Forward
00:00 Intro
00:38 Pricing and specs
03:22 Interior review
03:54 Infotainment & safety
04:15 Passenger space
04:40 On the road
05:28 Off-road performance
09:50 Verdict
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[@davidfassa3501]

I would have jumped on it if it had the V6 for sure… ohh and maybe a nice meteor grey would be nice to see

[@inyathinkulu1351]

Same here. Why is the 3.0 Diesel only available on the Wildtrak and Platinum, but not on the Wildtrak X? I would go for it, if it had the V6 available.

[@leoesposito8762]

very nice but i agree would ;love to have seen a V6 in that..

[@tempestv8]

No doubt there will be a variant of that coming soon. Wildtrak Triple X Vin Diesel.

[@patana256]

​@@tempestv8for family

[@lukedudgeon8699]

looked at one of these in the flesh yesterday. the colour is absolutely gorgeous. but, the fact you cant at least option the v6, is a MASSIVE missed opportunity. would have been nice to get basically a diesel raptor.

[@-PORK-CHOP-]

I think Ford have missed the boat by not offering the V6, I would do what you said, get the Wildtrack put different tyres and suspension and have a better vehicle with the more powerful engine.

[@user-vn7ku9io5d]

Big fan of carsales

[@nickj1663]

I don't understand the blowathon over the V6. Unless you are towing close to or 3.5T, the difference is miniscule. The V6 has also proven to be a lot less reliable to date. If the V6 was not in the range (including Amarok), this Bi-Turbo would still spank every other ute in its class.

[@Paradoxical124]

My suspicions is that the v6 is under such a large demand they only made this trim this to even out the demands.

[@rjw6487]

Im scheduled to get my X (in Germany) next week as the 2L. From the specs, it has as much Nm and PS as my current Amarok V6 3L. - I think it will be fine !

[@404-Err0r]

Its a good video showcasing the differences that the X gets. But if Ford threw in the V6 in here, it would be closer to 88k-90k drive away which then, why wouldn't you go for the raptor for a few K's more? I'm unsure why people frown on the BiTurbo so much, its not like its a bad engine and it's been around for a bit and have proven its reliability. The only thing I would say in regards to the engine is that the X requires Adblue and is the only ranger that requires this as of right now, this isn't a huge problem, but it is another area that this adblue system could fail and requires more maintenance than a standard Wildtrak. In my opinion, its hard to just say if the asking price is worth the money, it depends really depends on the buyer him/herself. If you're someone who don't mind doing your own research and enjoy putting aftermarket parts on etc, then sure the regular Wildtrak may be appealing to you. But if you're someone who just wants to enjoy the fun right out of the box and don't want to have to go learn about off-road suspensions, raising ride height or simply don't want to spend anymore money to make the already capable WildTrak more capable, then the X might very well be for you. The best thing is that it's factory fitted with Off-road enhancements, so you're actually covered by Warranty for those enhanced parts. Again its hard to say if its worth the money, but ask yourself this, do you go off-roading enough? and if you do, would you need the following features which you simply cannot get on the standard Wildtrak: 1. Trail control assist (WildTrak X Exclusive) 2. Trail turn assist (WildTrak X Exclusive) 3. Rock Crawl mode (WildTrak X Exclusive) 4. 12.3 inch instrument cluster (WildTrak X Exclusive) 5. Unique front Grille with HighbeamAssist (WildTrak X Exclusive) If you answer yes to the above, then your decision is quite easy, take the initial plunge and get the X, you will not be disappointed. (More on this below) Some other offerings that are exclusive to the X from factory: 1. Bilstein upgraded suspension with 27mm lift (WildTrak X Exclusive) 2. Upgraded Off-road 17" Wheels with General Grabber AT3 tyres (WildTrak X Exclusives) 3. Exclusives styling of the X badge and suede leather interior (WildTrak X Exclusive) 4. Cyber Orange if you're into this color (WildTrak X Exclusive) Sure you can go aftermarkets to get the suspension and 17" rim with the same tyres, ebay/amazon to get it looking like the X with the badging, but it will be hard and costly to get the suede leather interior or the cyber orange color if that's your thing. I know these aren't really essential, they are nice to have and subjective to each person, but hey... it comes standard from factory. You also get the following as a part of the X: 1. Matrix LED headlights (These do make a big difference in night driving, its so much more intelligent) 2. Electric Roller shutter 3. Cargo management system in the Tub 4. Flexible Racking System 5. Auxiliary switch pack 6. Upgraded B&O sound system So all in all, are the inclusions above worth the extra money Ford is asking for? It's subjective to each person. While the Raptor have a specific audience in mind (power, speed and fun with power), I believe Ford have placed the WildTrak X in a niche market and thus as a result, narrowed its own target audience specifically to just 1 type, those who wants to go off-road but don't need that extra power, those that wants a "factory tuned" off-roader ready to go from day 1, those who wants to experience some of the offerings the raptor gets without getting the full package, those same individuals who wants to also enjoy the outback with families and need the towing capacity of 3.5T for a caravan or camping trailer (Raptor only offers 2.5T towing) but most importantly, those who dares to be... different. (The unique grille, styling of the front bar and unique suede leather interior). As I said before, if you answer yes to the above additions, you won't be disappointed. Like a lot of people, I was sold on the idea that the V6 is the only engine to go for. My advise, go take the BiTurbo for a test drive and you will be surprised, both engines offer some unique experiences and some of you may find the huge turbo lag in the V6 a deal breaker, the BiTurbo doesn't seem to have this problem at least for me, its power delivery again in my opinion, felt smoother. It does lack the top end grunt of the V6 when that turbo finally kicks in however. I did put my money where my mouth is, and I bought a brand new WildTrak X in 2024 (Last of its kind as a factory new), so I can actually say that its every bit as capable as the V6 WildTrak that my mate owns, the only difference is that I smile a lot every-time i jump in my car, its a combination of seeing that nice gorgeous 12.3" instrument display, the more capable suspension system, the additional off-road modes that eases me into the off-road experience and the feeling that I'm driving something... a little different than the WildTrak sitting next to me at the lights. After-all, there's only 1150 X ever produced in Australia and you can't order one brand new anymore. Do what makes you smile.

[@tbalt14]

Trying to find a way to get that Wildtrak X grill shipped to the US. Does anyone have the Ford part number for that grill?

[@paulinussheyapo883]

I'm looking for one too

[@mvnorsel6354]

That little milk container size of an engine has to work very hard😅.

[@trickster8635]

Well actually, no. Have you tested one?

[@BiggieBalls72]

Plastic or steel side steps?

[@alexpauls2211]

Metal

[@BiggieBalls72]

@@alexpauls2211 Features above regular Wildtrack 17-inch alloy wheels General Grabber AT3 all-terrain tyres Bilstein position-sensitive dampers with nitrogen-charged external reservoir Off-road grille with integrated LED lights Steel bash plate Cast aluminium side steps Black exterior highlights Wildtrak X badging Matrix LED headlights Flexible Rack System 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster B&O premium sound system Overhead auxiliary switch bank Leather-accented upholstery with Miko suede Terra suede dashboard Trail Turn Assist Trail Control

[@ev0wat]

I don’t see the point if this model, it’s like a poor man’s raptor. They’ve robbed a couple of the features but decreased the power but increased the fuel economy of the standard bi turbo, it doesn’t make sense, clearly a hypnotised fanboys Ute.

[@lordlobster3439]

Or more like someone who likes to go off-road time to time (say not as much as a Raptor driver) but also needs a diesel engine to pull heavy loads. Which the Raptor only has 2.5t rating. It’s a mix of a off road fun vehicle with the ability to also do work loads and what nit

[@gashslayer40]

No matter 4-6cyl still got the same crap box in it the Americans have had trouble with in the f150 for the last 6 years the 10 speed is a nightmare transmission just do a search on KZbin and watch them all fail. Overpriced and no updated trans, atleast offer a manual transmission

[@bradyb2482]

trial control = hand throtle from 70s crusier

[@trickster8635]

Or 60's Patrol

[@HOLDEN921]

I do not like the new ford ranger I don’t like the front from Holden man tc

[@trickster8635]

What about the old model? You like that one? Maybe an FJ ute would be more your style?

[@user-yt7zp7xr3r]

Not worth it without the v6

[@tyzon00800]

Huge mistake to launch this in a bi t only

[@tempestv8]

It may be a huge seller in some markets, particularly in Asia, where engine swept capacity determines the amount of annual road taxes to be paid. So when the biturbo came out in those markets, it absolutely killed sales of the 3.2 5-cylinder variant due to far lower tax.

[@trickster8635]

But adding the 6 cylinder would add another 5 grand. That puts it in direct price war with it's own stable mates.