Ford Ranger

2026 FORD RANGER PLATINUM V6 4X4 — NEW ZEALAND SPECIFICATION

ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN

The Ranger Platinum is powered by Ford's 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel, the range-topping diesel engine in the New Zealand Ranger line-up. Ford New Zealand quotes 184 kW at 3,250 rpm and 600 Nm from 1,750 to 2,250 rpm. Drive is through a 10-speed automatic transmission to a full-time four-wheel-drive system offering 2H, 4A, 4H and 4L, with six selectable drive modes. This is the diesel Platinum, not the Ranger Raptor: the Raptor uses a separate 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine and shares none of this powertrain. Rightcar, the official vehicle database run by the New Zealand Transport Agency, records this grade at 2,993 cc and 184 kW with a 10-speed automatic, and publishes combined fuel consumption of 9.6 L/100 km and CO2 emissions of 254 g/km on the 3P-WLTP standard used in New Zealand. Those figures are grade-specific rather than engine-wide: other V6 diesel Ranger grades are recorded at 9.5 L/100 km and 250 g/km. The 8.4 L/100 km often quoted for this engine is a Ford ADR 81/02 combined-cycle figure measured to a different standard and is not interchangeable with the WLTP numbers above.

CHASSIS, STEERING AND BRAKES

The Platinum rides on 20-inch by 8.0-inch alloy wheels and carries a full-size 20-inch alloy spare — the largest wheel fitted to a standard Ranger. Electronic Stability Control is supplemented by Evasive Steer Assist and Post-Impact Braking. Trailer Sway Control and a Tow/Haul drive mode are provided for towing work. Ford New Zealand does not publish grade-specific suspension, brake, steering-rack or ground-clearance figures for the Platinum; published ground clearance is given only as a range across the whole Ranger line-up, so no figure is stated here. Water-wading depth is also omitted: the Ford New Zealand material quotes both 800 mm and 850 mm on the same page, and a contradicted figure is worse than none.

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES

Ford New Zealand publishes dimensions at body-style rather than grade level. For the 4x4 Double Cab Pick-Up body style that the Platinum uses, it quotes approximately 5,370 mm overall length, 1,918 mm width and 1,886 mm height on a 3,270 mm wheelbase. Seating is for five across two rows, in a four-door double cab. Ford New Zealand states that Gross Vehicle Mass, Gross Combined Mass and Gross Axle Weight Ratings for the 2026 range are still to be released, and it publishes payload only as a line-up-wide range, so neither a GVM nor a payload figure is quoted for this grade.

EXTERIOR

The Platinum is distinguished by a black grille with a unique mesh pattern and chrome accents, C-Clamp Matrix LED headlamps with automatic levelling and dynamic bending, LED daytime running lamps and LED front fog lamps. The tailgate carries silk-chrome three-dimensional "Platinum" badging, is damped with lift assistance and has a power tailgate lock. The tub is fitted with a power roller shutter, a Cargo Management System, an integrated rear box step and a 400 W power socket. A Flexible Rack System with folding roof racks slides and locks into five positions along the tub. This unit is finished in Meteor Grey, one of five colours offered on the Platinum alongside Arctic White, Shadow Black, Aluminium and the Platinum-exclusive Acacia Green.

INTERIOR AND SEATING

Front seats are 10-way power-adjustable with driver memory, and are both heated and ventilated — the Platinum is the only Ranger grade with ventilation as well as heating. Seat material is leather-trimmed; the selling listing describes the upholstery as quilted. The steering wheel is heated and adjusts for both reach and height. Climate control is dual-zone automatic, floor trim is carpet, and locking is remote central with keyless entry and childproof rear locks. Six spare accessory switches are provided for aftermarket equipment.

INFOTAINMENT AND CONNECTIVITY

A 12.4-inch configurable digital instrument cluster sits ahead of the driver — a Platinum and Raptor item, where most other Ranger grades use an 8-inch cluster. The centre stack carries a 12-inch colour touchscreen running Ford's SYNC 4 system with embedded connected navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Bluetooth. An embedded modem provides FordPass connected services, and wireless phone charging is standard. Audio is by a Bang & Olufsen premium system; no speaker count is quoted here because the Ford New Zealand grade page states eight speakers in its feature list and ten in its descriptive copy.

DRIVER ASSISTANCE AND SAFETY

The Ranger carries a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Standard driver assistance on the Platinum includes Pre-Collision Assist with Autonomous Emergency Braking and Junction Assist, Forward Collision Warning with distance alert and indication, Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Lane Keeping Alert and Lane Keeping Aid with Road Departure Warning, Blind Spot Monitoring with trailer coverage and Cross-Traffic Assist, Speed Sign Recognition, front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree camera. Passive safety comprises nine airbags — front, side, knee and full-length curtain for driver and passenger, plus a far-side driver front airbag — with ISOFIX child-seat anchorages.

TOWING AND PAYLOAD

A towbar with tow hitch and an integrated trailer brake controller is standard on the Platinum. The selling listing states a 3,500 kg braked towing capacity for this vehicle, which matches the maximum Ford New Zealand quotes for the Ranger when fitted with the Genuine Ford tow pack that is standard on this grade. Blind Spot Monitoring extends over a trailer, and the seller also lists Pro Trailer Backup Assist on this unit. Payload is not quoted: Ford New Zealand publishes it only as a 753–1,412 kg range across all body styles and grades, with the maximum achieved on a different model entirely, so no Platinum-specific figure exists to state.

Steering is right-hand drive. This vehicle is New Zealand-new, delivered unregistered with a zero-kilometre odometer.