Ford’s really come up big this time

It’s not that I’m easily impressed – I wouldn’t have many 4WDs if you gave them to me – but the new Ford Ranger is excellent. It’s possibly the most-developed ute in the history of utes. One day it will be old and desperately in need of an upgrade but right now Ranger’s king of the hill, top banana, number one, the big cheese. Hilux will, of course, continue to outsell it but that’s because people are welded to the brand, and because Ford’s marketing of light commercials isn’t all that good. There won’t be any point buying the Mazda BT-50 version because of its silly nose. So despite the Volkswagen Amarok and its Euro cleverness, a Ranger really is the only ute to buy right now, unless you want a single cab, which is sold to order only and thus probably too much bother.