Ford Ranger Gets Upgraded Tech for 2026, Expands PHEV Line-Up
Ford has announced a raft of tweaks and updates for its best-selling pick-up truck, the Ford Ranger, including an expansion of its plug-in hybrid line-up.
Already the dominant force in the pick-up truck sales charts across Europe, the latest generation Ranger is currently mid-way through its life cycle.
As such, Ford has given the Ranger a spruce ahead of 2026 to coincide with the recent launch of its new award-winning plug-in hybrid model.
Marking the first move towards electrification for the model, the Ford Ranger PHEV mates an 11.8kWh battery with a 2.3-litre petrol engine for up to 26 miles of range on electric power alone, plus vastly improved economy and emissions figures that lower its Benefit-in-Kind tax bracket.
For 2026, Ford is expanding the PHEV’s availability across the range to include existing trim levels that were omitted from the line-up at launch. It means the high-end Platinum and Limited trims can now be specified with as a PHEV.
Hands-free Driving Introduced
Also new for 2026 is Ford’s BlueCruise technology, which makes the Ford Ranger PHEV the first pick-up truck in Europe to offer ‘hands-off, eyes-on’ driving.
BlueCruise is an advance driver-assistance that allows for hands-free driving on pre-mapped sections of the road using a combination of adaptive cruise control and lane centring. Ford refers to it as ‘hands-off, eyes-on’ because it uses cameras in the truck to monitor whether the driver is remaining attentive while BlueCruise is engaged.
BlueCruise will be made standard on Ranger Platinum PHEV and an option on Ranger Wildtrak PHEV trims.
Subtle Restyle
From the outset, the Ford Ranger remains largely unchanged from the current model, which has found favour among buyers for its muscular profile and executive design touches.
For 2026, however, Ford has introduced a handful of new design touches, notably the choice of Ebony Gloss Black, Asphalt Matt Black and Dark Chrome finishes on exterior elements.
Meanwhile, Ford has ditched the grey colourway in favour of two brand-new paint choices, Acacia Green and Orange Metallic, available on selected models.
Order books for the updated Ford Ranger open in December 2025 before deliveries begin in May 2026.
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