2026 Ford Ranger updates bring wider V6 availability, new Wolftrak special

The Ford Ranger is receiving updated styling, more standard tech and safety gear for model year 2026.5 (MY26.5), as well as new Wolftrak and Black Edition variants and wider V6 availability.

The updated MY26.5 Ranger lineup brings minor exterior changes to the hugely successful current generation – introduced in 2022 – with gloss and matte black details inside and out where chrome or grey was previously used.

There’s a new Ranger Wolftrak, a special edition positioned between the Ranger XLT and Tremor, available only with the 184kW/600Nm 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 engine, 10-speed auto, four-wheel drive and pickup body style, with a ‘long legged’ sports bar, lime green accents, 17-inch Asphalt Black alloy wheels, and an exclusive Traction Green exterior finish.

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At $70,990 before on-roads, the Wolftrak is $600 cheaper than the previous Ranger Sport which has been dropped as part of the update.

The MY26.5 Ranger update also sees the Black Edition – previously a limited-run offering – become a full-time model, priced at $59,990 and exclusively in dual-cab pickup configuration with the V6 diesel and four-wheel drive.

They add to a Ranger lineup which sees V6 power offered on all model grades, including the entry-level Ranger XL for the first time.

The V6 replaces the previous 2.0-litre Bi-Turbo four-cylinder diesel axed earlier this year – likely due to emissions – as a second engine choice on work-spec Rangers.

It supplements the single-turbo 125kW/405Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel, now equipped with a 10-speed auto, which remains the standard powertrain kicking off at an unchanged $37,130 before on-roads.

Increases earlier this year mean the base Ranger still costs more than the new-generation Toyota HiLux, which is due in showrooms this December from $33,990 before on-roads in manual guise and $35,990 in automatic.

A manual transmission hasn’t been available in Ranger since the current generation went on sale.

Upgrading from rear-wheel drive to four-wheel drive adds $8470 to the list price of the Ranger XL, with the V6 only offered with four-wheel drive.

The V6 costs $6500 more than the equivalent spec XL 2.0-litre 4×4, but the bigger engine also brings 17-inch alloy wheels with all-terrain tyres, rear disc brakes, an ‘e-shifter’ and selectable drive models for the additional outlay.

Standard equipment in the Ranger XL now includes a larger 12-inch touchscreen and dual-zone climate control, with dual-cab versions fitted with rear air vents, while all cab/chassis Rangers come with the added driver assist tech (DAT) ‘bar’.

This brings a digital reversing camera and rear parking sensors, reverse brake assist, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross traffic-alert.

It also brings Ford’s ‘trailer coverage’ feature, enabling full functionality of the DAT systems while towing.

Above the entry-level XL, the Ranger XLS is now available in dual-cab/chassis guise only, and exclusively with the V6 engine.

Further up the chain, the XLT double-cab/chassis now comes with heavy-duty suspension as standard, while V6 versions of the XLT and Wildtrak feature a roof-mounted auxiliary switch bank.

Ranger Wildtrak also comes with a new Ignite Orange ‘hero’ colour, a fresh 18-inch alloy wheel design and standard matrix LED headlights, with the cabin also now fitted with a 10-speaker B&O sound system as standard.

The Platinum, meanwhile, is $800 cheaper than before and offered in a new Acacia Green exterior paint colour choice.

No changes were announced for the flagship Ranger Raptor, the only model grade not to offer 3500kg towing due to its coil-spring rear suspension set-up. Ford also hasn’t confirmed any MY26.5 pricing or specification changes for the recently launched Ranger PHEV (plug-in hybrid).

The changes are also accompanied by updates to the Ranger’s SUV spin-off, the Ford Everest.

The Ranger was the best-selling vehicle in Australia in 2023 and 2024 and made up two-thirds of Ford Australia’s total sales, making it critical to the company’s ongoing success.

The updated ute joins a raft of recent new or updated rivals, including new generations of the Toyota HiLux and Nissan Navara, the latter twinned with the Mitsubishi Triton and scheduled for launch in Australia early next year.

The latest Ranger update comes as Ford Australia is about to introduce the first versions of its Ranger Super Duty, with 4500kg braked towing rating, to take on the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series. First customer deliveries commence in December.

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