The Land Down Under's Most Aussie-Like Vehicle Was Also Their Best-Selling in 2023

First introduced in November 2021, the second-generation T6-based Ford Ranger (the series' fourth iteration globally and fifth in North America) started production in 2022 in Thailand and South Africa, followed by Argentina, Vietnam, China, and also the United States in Wayne at the Michigan Assembly Plant. However, Australians are most proud of it because Ford Australia again developed it.

While it also debuted in America only last year, the 'T6.2' Ranger has been around long enough in other regions to establish new sales records. A sibling to the third-generation Ford Everest SUV and the second-generation Volkswagen Amarok, the latest Ford Ranger has achieved a tremendous milestone for the Blue Oval – for the first time in 28 years, it gave the parent company the title of Australia's best-selling vehicle.

By the numbers, FoMoCo delivered 63,356 units last year – a jump of 33% compared to the same period in 2022, and amid the well-known industry problems and massive demand from customers, Ford "took the extraordinary step of leasing its own vehicle carrier ship to get vehicles to customers faster." Designed and engineered by Ford's Australian team in Melbourne and Geelong, the Ranger mid-size pickup truck is suitable for everyone, "from office workers to tradies, parents with kids, and, of course, Aussies who tow, camp and go off-roading."

On sale across 180 markets currently, Ford's Ranger was the best-selling vehicle in New Zealand and a segment leader in Europe, the UK, and Vietnam. Last year, the Blue Oval decided to address the industry-wide backlogs by exclusively chartering Grand Quest, a ship now dedicated to transporting both Ranger and Everest vehicles from the production location in Thailand to Australia and New Zealand.

"Since it debuted in 2011, Ranger has redefined the ute segment globally. It's transformed a work vehicle into one that can be used by just about anyone for anything. We see our customers take it to the most extreme off-road locations and then see them parking in tight city streets and unloading their groceries and kids. A Ranger is a do everything, go everywhere vehicle," explains Andrew Birkic, President and CEO of Ford Australia.

The next step in Ford Ranger's success story is sustainable – the company announced it will soon kick off orders for the Ranger Plug-In Hybrid. First deliveries are slated for early 2025 in Australia, and the PHEV model will have an EV range of up to 45 km (28 miles), while the Pro Power Onboard function will help customers power up tools and campsites when off-roading.