- Ford New Zealand has announced it will be dropping the popular 2.0-litre biturbo diesel from the Ranger and Everest.
- It will be replaced with a revised version of the single turbo 2.0-litre diesel four from the Transit van.
- The 3.0-litre diesel V6 will also be made more widely available across the Ranger and Everest model ranges.
Ford has dropped something of a bombshell on the local ute market with the announcement that the popular 154kW/500Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder biturbo diesel engine that has been a mainstay of the Ranger and Everest SUV line up since the demise of the 3.2-litre five-cylinder diesel turbo in 2022 is itself being shelved in favour of a 2.0-litre single turbo diesel engine.
The single turbo engine is currently seen here in the Transit Custom where it produces 125kW and 390Nm, but is also seen in the entry level Ranger XL in Australian where it produces 125kW/405Nm, while South Africa and Thailand get the Ranger with a 132kW/420Nm version. All of which are significantly down on the 154kW/500Nm of the current biturbo variant.
Ford hasn't released any further detail about the version that will appear in the Ranger and Everest here, other than to say it has been been upgraded with a new fuel injection system and timing chain for "improved durability and performance, giving customers a proven, capable and affordable powertrain option."
While the single turbo Ranger in Australia uses a six-speed automatic transmission, Ford NZ says the 10-speed automatic other Rangers get will still be standard across the entire range.
Balancing out the loss of the biturbo engine, Ford also revealed that the excellent 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel engine will be available across more Ranger and Everest models, but has yet to confirm the exact line up.
The just released 2.3-litre petrol plug-in hybrid models will remain unchanged, while the forthcoming Super Duty uses a revised version of the turbo diesel V6 so isn't affected. Ford did reassure that the Ranger Raptor's 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 will remain unchanged, but nothing was said of the diesel version of the Raptor that used the standard 2.0-litre biturbo.
"By focusing on the newly updated 2.0L turbo diesel and expanding the availability of our popular 3.0-litre V6, we're giving customers more access to the power, torque, and refinement they love, whether they're on the job site or heading out for a weekend adventure" said Mathew Slade, Marketing Director, Ford New Zealand.
While there is no mention of why Ford has rationalised its engine line up, it is likely strongly influenced by both the impending stricter Euro 7 rules and Australia's move to adopt Euro 6D regulations and the WLTP protocols on the 1st of December this year.
Ford says full details of the revised lineup will be shared in late 2025 with first arrivals expected mid-2026.