2022 Ford Ranger: Power Stroke V6 headlines engine line-up

UPDATE, July 2022: New Ford Ranger review – it's here at last

The new 2023 Ford Ranger is now on sale in Australia, and the local media launch has been run. The Wheels and 4x4 Australia teams have both driven the new Ranger, and you can find their stories at the links below.

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UPDATE, April 7, 2022: Australian pricing for the new 2022 Ford Ranger has now been revealed. Get the full details at the link below.

UPDATE, February 22, 2022: New Ford Ranger Raptor revealed!

The new 2022 Ford Ranger Raptor has been unveiled at last, and we've got a comprehensive rundown on everything you need to know. Catch our stories and big reveal video at the links below.

Original reveal story follows

2023 Ford Ranger revealed

The 2022 Ford Ranger has been unveiled ahead of its launch mid next year, with four engine options being announced.

But while Ford has released pictures and provided a general overview of the Ranger, many of the details remain a mystery.

Three diesels and one petrol option will be available when the ute goes on sale, along with three transmissions, but it’s not clear which powertrains will be offered to Australian buyers, nor has the carmaker disclosed power outputs.

We do know both the 3.2-litre and 2.2-litre diesel Duratorq engines have been discontinued.

Headlining the new engine line-up is a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel Power Stroke V6 – the very same engine offered in the US-market F-150, until it was quietly removed from the F-Series in July to help differentiate the large pick-up from its mid-sized sibling.

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Also announced was the familiar 2.0-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder diesel engine, with entry-level Ranger models set to receive the single-turbo 2.0-litre diesel four.

Yet to be confirmed for Australia is a 2.3-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder EcoBoost engine – exclusively available to the North American market in the outgoing Ranger.

Ford has teased the Ranger Raptor, with what sounds like a turbocharged petrol V6 – all but confirming earlier rumours the performance variant will borrow its powertrain from the US-market Ford Explorer ST. You can read more by clicking here.

3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6

The 2022 Ford Ranger will make its debut with a new 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 Power Stroke engine, expected to be coupled with the 10-speed 10R80 automatic transmission already used in Ford’s line-up here and in North America.

When fitted to the F-150, the V6 produced 185kW and 600Nm, and though performance figures for the engine haven’t been announced for the upcoming ute, Ranger Global Program Manager Pritika Maharaj says the new six-cylinder has undergone special development for the new model.

“While the V6 is proven in the field, we treated it just like a brand-new engine for Ranger, so we did a lot of application, calibration, and validation work to make sure it would meet the needs of Ranger customers.”

It’s not known whether this means the V6 will be massaged to offer greater levels of performance than when it was fitted to the F-150, but given the engine is down 5kW on the Volkswagen Amarok’s V6 – with the next-generation Amarok set to be based on the Ranger – it’s plausible a new tune will see some additional power extracted.

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Regardless of the Power Stroke’s exact numbers, the engine is enough to get an F-150 to 100km/h from a standstill in roughly eight seconds, and should provide a noticeable improvement to the previous Ranger’s 0-100km/h sprint time.

The model’s current performance flagship, the Ranger Raptor, takes more than 10.5 seconds to reach 100km/h thanks to its 157kW and 500Nm. Even in F-150 tune, the new V6 would deliver an 18 per cent increase in power and 20 per cent increase in torque.

“When you drive a Ranger with the V6 turbo-diesel, it will feel like a much bigger truck. It sounds different from the moment you press the start. It feels refined and tough at the same time, with effortless acceleration thanks to its endless power and torque,” Maharaj said at the unveiling.

2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel

Continuing in the new model is the 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel four-cylinder engine, currently available as an option on the outgoing Ranger.

Exactly which models the engine will be available in will be announced closer to launch in 2022, but as the V6 takes over as the flagship engine, it’s possible the bi-turbo takes the place of the discontinued 3.2-litre five-cylinder as standard-fit across mid-range and Wildtrak variants in Australia.

In its current guise, the bi-turbo produces 157kW and 500Nm, and is expected to continue to be mated to the 10-speed automatic transmission.

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2.0-litre turbo-diesel

While unfamiliar in Australia, a 2.0-litre single-turbo diesel four-cylinder engine is expected to be offered in South Africa and selected Asian markets as it is currently, available with either a manual gearbox or the optional 10-speed automatic.

It’s not clear yet whether entry-level variants will be fitted with the single-turbo engine in Australia, as a replacement for the axed 2.2-litre Duratorq.

The 2.0-litre would be a fitting upgrade, however, with the engine producing 132kW and 420Nm in overseas markets – compared with 118kW and 385Nm of the 2.2-litre.

2.3-litre turbo-petrol

Likely to be offered as an entry-level powertrain in North America, the 2.3-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder EcoBoost engine is available locally as the more economical option in the Mustang range.

The choice of a 2.3-litre EcoBoost and a 3.0-litre Power Stroke would position the Ranger snugly between the smaller Maverick and larger F-150, giving North American buyers a distinct hierarchy of pick-ups in the Ford range.

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Drivetrains and transmission

For the first time, upper variants of the new Ranger will be available with full-time four-wheel drive.

More details will be announced closer to the model’s launch, but drivers will have the ability to choose ‘4A’ on the console-mounted 4WD selector, allowing the vehicle’s computers to choose the best level of traction whether on the highway or in off-road conditions.

A more traditional part-time four-wheel-drive system will also be offered.

Three transmissions have been chosen for the 2022 Ford Ranger – a 10-speed automatic, a six-speed automatic, and a manual with either five or six forward gears.

Ford has yet to confirm which engines and variants will be matched to which transmissions, but the continuation of the 6R80 six-speed auto found in the outgoing Ranger means it may be matched with either the 2.3-litre EcoBoost, or the entry-level 2.0-litre single-turbo diesel engines.

The specially-developed MT88 is a version of the seven-speed gearbox found in the US-market Ford Bronco, but will be offered in the Ranger with either five or six speeds. It’s likely the five-speed version will be reserved for commercial-oriented Ranger models, while the six-speed will be offered on higher grades.

It’s expected the majority of Australian Ranger owners will experience the company’s 10R80 10-speed automatic transmission, as fitted to the current model.

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More to come

As Ford has been light on details about the new Ranger, it could suggest the vehicle is still undergoing its final phase of development – given the worldwide issues with the semiconductor shortage, shipping delays, and the expensive lockdowns in Victoria – where many of Ford’s Australian engineers reside.

Full pricing and specification of the 2022 Ford Ranger will be announced closer to the ute’s local launch in the middle of next year.