Double cab can even entertain the children with dad jokes - what more do you need?
Being a South African male well into my forties, I find it slightly embarrassing to admit what I am about to say. I have never had the pleasure of driving a bakkie. Yes, you read correctly.
Now obviously I had ridden in one, but I have never sat behind the steering wheel in one. So when – on my annual family trip to the bushveld beauty of Dikhololo in the North West – I was offered the opportunity and I duly grabbed this chance with open arms.
This opportunity came in the shape of The Citizen Motoring‘s long-term Ford Ranger XLT double cab, which is a beautiful beast.
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But as the time for my bakkie debut drew closer, the excitement started being replaced with a slight feeling of fear. Will I be able to handle the massive size of such a vehicle? How will I park this beast? What if she is too big to fit in my driveway?
Plain sailing
Don’t get me wrong, when I first climbed into the driver’s seat, I thought to myself: “you are in trouble here”. But as I pulled away, most of those feeling went away quite quicky. Yes, it is a big vehicle, but it really does not feel like one when you moving.
Being no expert in motoring and test driving cars, I felt that the smooth six-speed automatic gearbox was right up there with some of the best I have driven. It was the kind of car that made you look forward to the journey as much as the destination.
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The ride was smooth, the acceleration was extremely effortless. It held the road with a steady calm and the 125kW/440Nm 2.0-litre single-turbo diesel offers a balanced blend of work and lifestyle utility, featuring a refined and comfortable cabin and modern tech.
Onboard entertainment
There’s a 10.1-inch centre touchscreen, powered by Ford’s latest SYNC 4A system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which seemlessly connected to all the important apps I needed straight from my phone.
My 11-year-old twins loved this feature and on more than occasion asked Google to tell us a joke and the voice of the lady duly obliged and threw up some dad jokes, which would make the corniest father proud of his work as a comedian.
The final stretch to Dikhololo is anything from smooth tar, it’s gravel and dirt. A reminder that you’re leaving the city behind and stepping into nature. This was where the Ford Ranger truly came alive. Despite only being a 4×2, the wide tyres gripped firmly, and the raised ground clearance gave us the confidence to tackle uneven ground without hesitation.
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Ford Ranger makes trip an epic one
When we finally rolled into Dikhololo, the Ranger gleamed in the bushveld surroundings, the front grill almost looked like it had a smile saying: “now this is where I belong”. Yes, Dikhololo was beautiful, but what made the holiday truly memorable was how we got there.
The Ranger didn’t just carry us; it became part of the adventure – strong, reliable, and ready for anything. This trip wasn’t just about reaching Dikhololo. It was about discovering what the Ranger XLT was built for: turning every drive into an experience worth remembering.
After eight months and 12 000km this trip was the final fling for out long-term XLT. But it will be swopped out for another Ford Ranger XLT sporting the newly-launched black styling pack.
