SPYSHOTS: 2022 Ford Ranger gets Maverick front end, plug-in hybrid powertrain with 367 PS and 680 Nm

After ten years on the market, the Ford Ranger T6 is finally being put to pasture soon. In its place will be a new Ranger set to debut next year, and our spy photographers have caught the next-generation pick-up truck out and about undergoing testing.

As you can see, the Ranger’s mostly agreeable – if a little anonymous these days – design is being given a complete shakeup, with the front end looking very similar to that of the recently-revealed unibody Maverick. Visible through the camouflage are the large C-shaped LED headlights and daytime running lights, matching the size of the massive octagonal grille.

The wing mirror-mounted indicators are also slimmer than before, while at the back, the ornate LED taillights look very similar to those on the latest Isuzu D-Max. As you’d expect from a pick-up, there will be a range of sport bar options available, including the streamlined version from the current Wildtrak model.

The new Ranger is expected to usher in a new era of electrification, with CarExpert reporting that a plug-in hybrid model will be offered alongside the usual range of petrol and diesel engines. This variant is expected to pair a 2.3 litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol mill with an electric motor to deliver a whopping 367 PS and 680 Nm of torque, plus an impressive fuel consumption figure of 3.0 litres per 100 km.

Also available will be the carryover 2.0 litre twin-turbo four-pot diesel, as well as a new 3.0 litre turbocharged V6. On the petrol side, the Ranger is likely to utilise the 314 PS/542 Nm 2.7 litre turbo V6 from the new Bronco, which utilises the chassis of the outgoing model.

The availability of these powertrains will likely depend on the market, with Southeast Asia and Australasia due to receive the diesel mills. The plug-in hybrid model, on the other hand, will likely be offered in Europe, built at Ford’s Pretoria plant in South Africa, while the petrol V6 is expected to be a North America exclusive.

The new Ranger should also feature a bunch of new technologies, including the latest SYNC 4 infotainment systems with 12- and 15.5-inch touchscreen options (the latter likely to be a vertical display, as per the electric Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning) and an optional 12-inch digital instrument display.

Advances in active safety tech is also expected. The current Ranger pioneered several driver assistance systems in the one-tonne pick-up market, such as autonomous emergency braking and adaptive control, so expect the new one to come with all the latest features. The new Ranger will be developed in collaboration with Volkswagen, sharing its underpinnings with the next-generation Amarok.