Family Car Review: 2025 Ford Ranger Wildtrak plug-in hybrid

How much does the Ford Ranger PHEV cost and what are the options?

The Ford Ranger PHEV range starts from $71,990 (excluding rego, stamp duty, etc.) and is available in four variants: XLT, Sport, Wildtrak, and the special launch edition Stormtrak. This is Australia's first-ever Ranger with a plug-in hybrid powertrain, which is also more powerful than all the diesel Rangers.

One of the standout features of the Ranger PHEV is its Pro Power Onboard system, which comes standard across the entire range. This gives you a 10-amp 2.3kW socket in the cabin…

…and two 15-amp 3.45kW sockets in the tray — which is great for families who love camping!

The Ranger PHEV also has a longer tray than the standard Ranger, measuring 1,638mm in length but it is 3cm shallower than the standard Ranger due to the hybrid battery positioned beneath the tray floor, but in our testing we still managed to fit our enormous esky in there, which was fantastic.

The power roller shutter cover on the Wildtrak and Stormtrak is brilliant — you can press a button on the side of the tray to open, close, or pause it halfway, and it also operates from the key fob. Unlike pretty much any other ute I've tried with one of these, the Ranger's roller shutter just managed to close over the top of that massive esky (I was worried because of that battery hump in the floor).

Adjustable tie-down hooks on both sides of the tray can be repositioned to wherever you need them, which is really handy for securing shopping bags from click-and-collect.

The Ranger Wildtrak PHEV I tested had the optional adjustable sail planes, which provide extra shade for rear passengers — especially important for little rear-facing passengers.

They fold up to create a roof rack for surfboards, paddle boards, or tradie equipment.

Factory options include Prestige Paint ($700), Full Sized Spare Wheel (no cost option), 18″ Alloy Wheels with All-Terrain Tyres ($700), Flexible Rack System ($2,800), Technology Pack with 360-degree camera and Pro Trailer Back-Up Assist ($950), Adventure Pack with Cargo Management System and Auxiliary Switches ($500), and canopy options from $4,500.

How big is the tray of the Ford Ranger PHEV?

The tray of the Ford Ranger PHEV is seriously practical for families. The tailgate drops down manually — just be aware it comes to toddler head height, so always keep little ones clear when you're opening it. The tray is lit inside for loading in the dark, which is really handy.

The tray of the Ford Ranger PHEV dual-cab ute will hold a whopping 30 shopping bags when empty (same as the diesel Ranger). The GWM Cannon and Toyota HiLux hold 29, the Mitsubishi Triton holds 26, and the Mazda BT-50 and Isuzu D-Max hold 30 too.

The boot space and its functionality are really important. I like to have a big boot space and little side wells or areas I can divide things into. So something I don't want to move around while I'm driving such as my daughter's lunch bag or her wet swimming gear can be sectioned off in a little well where it's not going to spill or get squashed by the rest of the things in the boot.

Hooks for securing shopping bags to are also favourites of mine, I like being able to secure the bag containing more fragile things like eggs so they don't move around on the journey.

I measure the boot space in freezer shopping bags, prams and dogs. Not because I think all there is to a mum's life is food shopping, prams and dogs. (Although it can feel like it sometimes!!) But because these are visually measurable items we can all associate with. For me, the car company boot measurement of litres is not an amount I can easily visualise and 400L in one car may differ in usability to that in another due to the configuration or shape of the space.

The Thule Sleek, future-proof, multi-configuration pram with a single seat…

…will fit in the tray of the Ford Ranger PHEV with 21 shopping bags.

The Thule Sleek, future-proof, multi-configuration pram with two sibling seats…

…will fit in the tray with 18 shopping bags.

The Thule Sleek, future-proof, multi-configuration pram with a single seat and the bassinet…

…will fit side by side in the tray of the Ford Ranger PHEV with 16 shopping bags.

The Thule Urban Glide 3, ultimate All Terrain stroller with the back wheels on…

…fits easily in the tray of the Ford Ranger PHEV with 16 shopping bags.

The Thule Urban Glide 3, double ultimate All Terrain stroller with the back wheels on…

…also fits easily in the tray of the Ford Ranger PHEV with 16 shopping bags.

The Thule Spring, lightweight and one-handed folding stroller fits in the tray of the Ford Ranger PHEV…

…with 27 shopping bags. Fantastic!

The tray of the Ford Ranger PHEV can also accommodate two 90-litre, two 70-litre, and two 40-litre Thule Chasm duffel bags.

Multiple large dogs will fit comfortably in the tray.

The two 240V Pro Power Onboard sockets in the tray are brilliant for camping — you can plug in your esky and keep it running or even use it like a mobile powered site during family camping trips. The only downside is having to have the ute switched on to run the power sockets, which is fine when the battery has plenty of energy in it as the engine won't run but at night the Ranger's exterior lights stay on which won't make you very popular.

How good is the storage in the Ford Ranger PHEV for families?

Storage inside the Ford Ranger PHEV is very practical for families. The front is interior is well thought-out and comfortable for the grown ups!

In the front of the Ford Ranger PHEV, the storage is excellent.

My absolute favourite feature for drivers are the dashboard cup holders — one at each end of the dash. They'll easily hold a refillable or disposable coffee cup and are really easy to reach while driving.

There are two cup holders in the central console that will hold a reusable or disposable coffee cup. In front of them is a little ridge that's good for the key or a Maccas chip packet.

There's a wireless phone charging pad, and next to it space for another phone.

The central console box is a good size with a single lid as your armrest.

There are multiple glove boxes. The small one at the top holds a mobile phone and glasses. Below that is a rubber lined shelf for a phone and glasses too. The main glove box is a really good size and will hold an iPad and wallet with the manual.

The front door bins are a really good size. They'll hold a large refillable water bottle and an iPad, and a wallet fits in there too.

There is a glasses case in the ceiling and both front visors have lit vanity mirrors.

There are also handles above both rear doors — a great spot to hang a toy to keep little rear-facing passengers entertained on long drives!

In the rear of the Ford Ranger PHEV, there is a fold-down armrest in the central seat back with two cup holders. They will hold a reusable or disposable coffee cup, and a kids' drink cup fits in there nicely too.

There are map pockets on the back of both front seats that will hold and conceal an iPad, which is brilliant for keeping the kids entertained on long trips.

The rear door bins are a good size and will hold a large refillable water bottle, with room for an iPad and wallet too.

There are also pockets for a phone on the front of the central seat base and under-seat storage in the rear, which is really handy for keeping things out of sight but you can't access it if you have child seats installed..

How many child seats will fit in the Ford Ranger PHEV?

The Ford Ranger PHEV has ISOFix anchorages in both outer rear seats.

They're located between little slits in the base fabric — not within plastic guides — and they're really nice and easy to access and connect to.

The top tether anchorages are behind the seat back — you pull a cord and the seat back drops forward to access them. There are metal top tether anchorages for both outer rear seats only.

IMPORTANT NOTE: You can not install child restraints in the centre rear seat of the Ford Ranger PHEV, as there is no top tether anchorage for that position. This means a maximum of two child seats can be installed in the Ford Ranger PHEV.

I installed a rear-facing infant capsule behind the driver's seat and a forward-facing child seat on the other side, and they fit really nicely in the back. I could sit between them, which is excellent.

When it comes to leg room, a 180cm driver can fit comfortably in front of a rear-facing infant capsule. With a forward-facing child seat installed, a 186cm driver can fit in front. It feels just as comfortable for an adult to sit in the back as it does in the front, which is really lovely.

There is a hump in the central rear footwell, so any passenger sitting in the middle will need to straddle that, but it's not too bad.

How comfortable is the Ford Ranger PHEV for families?

All members of the family will be well catered for in the Ford Ranger PHEV. The interior feels like that of an SUV, a lot like the Ford Everest funnily enough!

There are air vents in the rear of the central console box for rear passengers, which is great for keeping little ones a comfortable temperature while you are driving along.

There is a light in the central ceiling, so you can see at night when putting little ones in and out of the car. The handles above the rear doors are also great for hanging toys for rear-facing babies.

I have found our daughter does not like travelling in the dark in the car so if it gets dark whilst travelling then I reach back and turn the interior light on for her. So it's really important for me that I can reach the rear ceiling light.

Also if I am traveling home and it is getting near to bed time and I DEFINITELY DON'T want her to fall asleep in the car as even a 5-minute nap in the car means bed time is all over!!!! I lean back and pop the light on so it's not dark and try to keep her awake!! Along with screaming/singing at the top of my voice!!!

The front seats are really comfortable with nice leather accents (from Sport grade up), and there are heated seats for the driver and front passenger from Sport grade too. The driver's seat is power-adjustable from Sport grade up, which makes getting comfortable really easy. The lit vanity mirrors in both front visors are a nice touch, and there's a glasses case in the ceiling as well.

The steering wheel is fully adjustable in/out and up/down. The steering wheel also has cruise control and audio controls, and the media system controls are really nice and easy to reach.

The media system in the Ford Ranger PHEV is on a lovely big 12-inch portrait screen in the centre — really nice, clear, and easy to use. It has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so you can easily access your phone's music, podcast, navigation and messaging apps while driving.

You've got handy shortcuts making it really easy to find things quickly

The towing screen is part of an amazing trailer technology system that means you can set up the size of your trailers and the Ranger will set its safety systems appropriately. It will help you test the trailer lights and you can even reverse the trailer like a video game using a dial in the central console (if the steering confuses you as much as it does most people when reversing a trailer).

…the Pro Power Onboard screen where you can check battery and charging status and the off-road screen are all really practical. It thoughtfully puts a camera view up on the screen to help with obstacles.

If you click on the car icon, you can customise all your driver assistance settings…

…and you can turn the rear occupant alert on and off in there too — very handy when you've got kids.

The climate controls are always visible at the bottom of the screen, plus there are manual climate buttons on the dash below the screen — really quick and easy to get to.

When you put the Ranger into reverse, you get really nice and clear camera views with multiple angles to choose from.

You can also view your tow ball, which has been incredibly helpful when hitching the caravan. There's also an inbuilt trailer brake controller so you don't need to have one fitted separately.

You can turn the parking sensor beep off on the screen, which is very handy when Bub is asleep in the back!

Some of these safety features are also features that drive me crazy as a mum! Like the lane departure and forward collision alert or the parking sensor beeping sound. I want all the safety technology AND to be able to mute the sound when Bub's asleep!

The windows and doors are pretty quiet and wouldn't disturb little sleepy passengers. And with the EV mode, you can start and drive the Ranger almost silently — this was fantastic when we were camping. Doing the midnight toilet run without waking up the entire campground (or my own kids!) was an absolute highlight.

With baby asleep you can get in and out without worrying the doors will be too noisy. The same for the windows their mechanism is not too noisy and I didn't notice them having a loud opening or closing sound.

With baby asleep you want to be able to get in and out without worrying the doors will be too noisy and wake Bub up!

The side steps are brilliant for helping kids get in and out, and they also make reaching into the tray so much easier, especially if you're a little on the shorter side like me!

How safe is the Ford Ranger PHEV for families?

The Ford Ranger PHEV currently has the second highest ANCAP safety rating for child occupancy of all dual-cab utes tested and it has a five-star ANCAP safety rating — and importantly, this rating does apply to the PHEV variants. According to ANCAP, additional frontal offset and oblique pole tests were conducted to confirm the integrity of the battery and safety of high voltage electrical systems in PHEV variants, so families can drive with confidence.

The Ford Ranger PHEV scored 93% for child occupancy and 84% for adult occupancy. It also scored 74% for vulnerable road user protection and 83% for safety assist.

The Ranger PHEV is fitted with nine airbags, including:

Dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting (curtain) airbags, and driver and passenger knee airbags. A centre airbag which provides added protection to front seat occupants in side impact crashes is also standard.

According to ANCAP, in the frontal offset and side impact tests, protection of both the 10-year and 6-year child dummies was rated as GOOD, with maximum points scored in both of these tests.

The Ford Ranger PHEV comes with comprehensive active safety technologies as standard across the range, including autonomous emergency braking (AEB) — Car-to-Car, Vulnerable Road User, Junction Assist, and Reverse Brake Assist — adaptive cruise control (ACC), a lane support system with lane keep assist (LKA), lane departure warning (LDW), and emergency lane keeping (ELK).

The active safety suite also includes forward collision warning (FCW), blind spot monitoring (BSM) with cross-traffic alert and trailer coverage, rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA), electronic stability control (ESC), emergency brake assist (EBA), driver drowsiness monitoring, front and rear parking sensors, anti-lock braking system (ABS), tyre pressure monitoring, and an intelligent speed assist system.

An Acoustic Vehicle Alert System (AVAS) is also fitted, which uses an externally mounted speaker to alert pedestrians of the approaching quiet vehicle when driving in EV mode at speeds up to 30km/h. This is a really important safety feature for little ones playing in car parks and driveways.

Ford also offers a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty for the Ranger range and capped-price servicing.

What is the Ford Ranger PHEV like to drive?

The Ford Ranger PHEV is a really lovely dual-cab ute to drive, and being petrol-electric it is a smoother drive than any diesel ute in the range, and it brings some genuinely useful features for family life.

The stand-out feature for family life is the 49km electric driving range and the ability to drive in near-silence in EV Now mode. When we were camping, being able to do the midnight toilet run without waking up the entire campground — or my own kids! — was absolutely fantastic. The 49km range is also plenty for school runs and the daily commute on electric power alone, which keeps running costs really low.

There are four EV drive modes to choose from. Auto EV lets the car decide between the combustion engine and battery for the best balance of power and efficiency — great for everyday driving. EV Now uses only battery power and is brilliant for school drop-offs and quiet camping mornings. EV Later saves the battery for when you need it most, such as keeping it full for using the Pro Power Onboard at your camping destination. EV Charge uses the engine to recharge the battery while driving — perfect if you want to go for a drive and make sure the Pro Power Onboard has plenty of juice when you return to camp.

We towed with the Ranger PHEV, on-road, off-road, and on the sand, and I was really impressed with how comfortable, capable and powerful it felt throughout.

The Ranger PHEV also handles itself beautifully off-road with its full-time 4WD system, seven selectable drive modes (Normal, Eco, Tow/Haul, Slippery, Mud/Ruts, Sand, and Sport), locking rear differential, and 800mm wading depth. It felt really composed and capable in all conditions we tested it in.

Visibility is very good in the Ranger PHEV. The high ride height gives all passengers a great view, and the cameras are excellent.

With two child seats installed, you can still see out of the rear windscreen, which makes reversing and parking nice and easy. The tight turning circle makes it easy to manoeuvre even in tight car parks — and with a newborn screaming in the back, the last thing you want is to spend 10 minutes trying to park!

One thing I have noticed since being a mum is I hate it when I reach a destination or get home from being out and the kids have either done really well in the car or she is screaming her head off and I have done really well to keep it together for the entire journey (usually the latter!!) and it takes 10 minutes to park the car! It can be really stressful.

My favourite feature as the driver are the dashboard cup holders at each end of the dash, right by the air vents. Being close to the vents means hot drinks cool to the perfect sipping temperature faster, and cold drinks stay cold longer. As a mum who never gets to finish a hot drink, this is a very big deal!

The 3,500kg braked towing capacity means this is a seriously capable family tow vehicle, and with the integrated trailer brake controller, trailer light check, and optional Pro Trailer Back-Up Assist (standard on Wildtrak and above), it's very well equipped for family adventures with a caravan or boat.

Compare the Ford Ranger PHEV:

If you are looking at the Ford Ranger PHEV as a dual-cab ute for your family, you can pay a lot less for a BYD Shark 6 or GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV and although those both have some impressive features, after using the Ranger PHEV for off-grid, off-road camping and towing it felt like Ford made a lot of clever decisions about keeping the capabilities of this ute intact while adding the benefits of plug-in hybrid technology. The other brands go the other way, putting in more battery at the expense of towing and load capacity.

Not ready to jump across to a hybrid ute? You may also want to consider the Ford Ranger diesel variants, which offer a lower entry price and a slightly deeper tray. The Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain is also worth considering as a similarly capable diesel alternative and the Kia Tasman is well worth a look as a family-friendly option.

BabyDrive Verdict on the Ford Ranger PHEV

To sum up, the Ford Ranger PHEV is a super impressive family dual-cab ute. The plug-in hybrid tech has real-world benefits that families will love — I loved the near-silent, guilt-free electric driving on the school run (and morning camping departures) and the Pro Power Onboard system can be a game-changer for powering your campsite if and when your solar panels struggle with cloudy weather.

The 49km EV range is enough for most daily errands on electric power alone, keeping running costs low for a big ute, although the extra you pay for the PHEV version could take some time to recoup in petrol savings. The 2.9L/100km combined fuel economy figure is remarkable for a vehicle of this size and capability and I got close in real-world driving (an Ikea trip mostly on the motorway in fact).

For families, two child seats fit nicely in the back with good legroom for drivers up to 186cm in front. It's a shame there's no top tether in the centre rear seat, limiting you to two child seats, but that's the same limitation as the standard Ranger and pretty much every ute on the Australian market these days.

The tray is a standout for practical family use, holding 30 shopping bags or prams alongside grocery hauls, and the adjustable tie-down hooks on the sides make securing shopping and other items a breeze. It's good to see the lower tie-down loops are also included as a lot of utes really lack enough places to secure things.

The Pro Power Onboard with 240V sockets in the tray and cabin is a game-changer for camping families — no more heavy generators or flaky dual battery systems, just plug directly into your ute. That said we did have some issues with it glitching during our summer with the Ranger PHEV.

The adjustable sail planes provide welcome shade for little rear-facing passengers on sunny days, and the side steps make getting the kids in and out nice and easy.

If you're a family who loves adventure — camping, towing a caravan or boat, heading off-road — the Ford Ranger PHEV is an outstanding all-rounder that manages to be both economical and incredibly capable. The PHEV premium over a diesel Ranger is might not quite be justified by the running cost savings but the bonus features it brings to family life can be pretty priceless in my experience.