Among the many pleasures of driving the Ford Ranger Raptor, two things stand out: power and control. The power comes from a twin-turbo diesel engine. The control—a well-judged balance of ride comfort and responsive handling—comes courtesy of a rejigged suspension with Fox shock absorbers. Those two elements are now available in the Ranger FX4 MAX, a 4×4 pickup that slots in just below the Ranger Raptor.
There’s plenty of power under the FX4 MAX’s hood: the twin-turbo diesel produces 213ps and 500Nm of torque. It’s mated to a 10-speed automatic. The wide spread of the automatic’s ratios allows the truck to shift up early for maximum fuel efficiency, while still responding nearly instantly when a downshift is needed. This powertrain allows the FX4 MAX to carry 981kg of payload and to tow 3500kg.
The blissful ride of the Ranger Raptor is one of its more elegant surprises, and the Ranger FX4 MAX also provides a comfortable ride when going around town. The suspension uses 2-inch monotube Fox shock absorbers front and rear. The rear suspension has a remote reservoir and leaf springs to allows extensive and prolonged off-road use. The leaf springs have been tuned for greater compliance offroad, as well. to Coil springs are mounted up front. The FX4 MAX rides on custom-designed BFGoodrich all-terrain tires, mounted on 17-inch alloys. The tires feature a tread optimized for rough surfaces, as well as tougher sidewalls.
The Ranger FX4 MAX certainly looks the part of a go-anywhere truck. Up front is the unmissable FORD grille. A full-length tubular sports bar in matte black and body-mounted side step with non-slip finish are functionally decorative additions to the design.
Ranger FX4 MAX also has an upgraded interior. Leather seats with carbon accents and Miko suede inserts look great, particularly with the embossed model branding. Sport pedals, all-weather front and rear floor mats, and Black Alley inserts in the doors and instrument panel lend a distinctive look.
There’s something new on top of the dashboard—the auxiliary switch pack, unique within the Ranger lineup to the FX4 MAX. The switch pack allows easy and convenient control of accessories that can be mounted and connected to the truck. A model-specific 250A alternator supports the power requirements of these accessories, without over-reliance on the Ranger’s battery. The switch pack is also used on Ford’s top-selling F-Series pickup.
The FX4 MAX would fare well as a daily driver, thanks in part to its updated cabin. An 8-inch touchscreen controls the audio and secondary features. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, smart keyless entry, and Sync voice command system all increase the ease of use. Safety features include electronic stability control with roll-over mitigation, traction control, hill launch assist, hill descent control, and backup sensors.
The Ranger FX4 MAX 4×4 starts at P1,758,000.
