Ford Ranger Super Duty Review: The Ultimate Work-and-Play Tow Vehicle?

The Ford Ranger Super Duty can tow a 4.5-tonne caravan, haul nearly two tonnes and tackle serious off-road country. Add a tub cover or canopy, however, and this steel-capped workhorse can also become a surprisingly practical family tourer. Is it the ultimate all-purpose Australian ute—or simply overkill?

In the caravanning and boating landscape in Australia the Ford Ranger has fast become a popular go to vehicle. It was held back somewhat in the past due to its towing weight capabilities.

With American trucks and other well known brands playing harder in the 3.5 – 4.5 tonne space its no real surprise to see Ford launch the Ranger Super Duty to help keep there growth momentum happening.

The first thing you need to know about the new Ford Ranger Super Duty is that it isn’t simply a Ranger with bigger tyres, a snorkel and a gym membership.

Ford has taken Australia’s most popular ute and rebuilt much of what sits underneath it. The chassis, suspension, axles, driveshafts, brakes, cooling system, wheels and tyres have all been strengthened for heavier work.

The headline figure is a 4,500kg maximum braked towing capacity—a full tonne more than a regular Ranger. It also has a 4,500kg Gross Vehicle Mass, an 8,000kg Gross Combined Mass and payload capacities stretching as high as 1,982kg, depending on the body style.

Those are serious numbers. But this is Drive Stay Play, not Dig, Drill and Pour Concrete, so we’re more interested in what happens after the tools are packed away.

Can the Ranger Super Duty tow a large caravan, boat or camper during the holidays, carry work gear during the week and still function as a normal vehicle when there is absolutely nothing hanging off the towbar?

Surprisingly, the answer may be yes.

Is the Ranger Super Duty Still Australian?

Ford stopped manufacturing cars in Australia in 2016, but many Australians have never completely stopped thinking of Ford as one of our own.

There is also a legitimate Australian connection here. The modern Ranger was developed by an Australian-led team and the Super Duty was engineered around the demands of people working and travelling in some of the toughest conditions on the planet.

The result is a ute wearing an international Blue Oval passport but speaking fluent Australian.

It has already attracted international interest, with Ranger Super Duty variants being introduced across Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, South Africa and Europe. Ironically, despite borrowing the famous Super Duty name from Ford’s enormous American trucks, this particular Ranger isn’t being offered in the United States.

Apparently, the Americans already have enough big trucks. Who knew?

Why Is Everyone Talking About It?

Plenty of dual-cab utes claim to work hard and play hard. The Ranger Super Duty has arrived carrying enough hardware to suggest it actually means it.

Under the bonnet is a specially calibrated 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel, producing 154kW and 600Nm. It is paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and full-time four-wheel drive.

That power output is lower than the 184kW produced by the V6 in a regular Ranger. That may look like Ford has misplaced a few kilowatts, but the Super Duty has been tuned for durability, cooling and sustained performance under heavy loads—not winning traffic-light drag races.

Ford then adds:

• Front and rear locking differentials
• 33-inch all-terrain tyres
• Eight-stud wheel hubs
• Heavy-duty suspension, axles and brakes
• Steel underbody protection
• A fully sealed snorkel
• Up to 299mm of ground clearance
• An 850mm wading depth
• A massive 130-litre fuel tank
• Tow/Haul, Mud/Ruts, Sand and Rock Crawl driving modes
• Onboard Scales and Smart Hitch technology

Ford even tested it with more than 600kg of mud packed around the chassis. Most of us become annoyed when there is enough mud to hide the number plate.

One Ute, Three Different Lives

The Ranger Super Duty’s real appeal isn’t simply what it can tow. It is the number of different jobs one vehicle can potentially perform.

1. The weekday workhorse

In Single Cab, Super Cab or Double Cab Chassis form, it can be fitted with a tray, service body, toolboxes or a specialised commercial conversion.

Payload reaches as high as 1,982kg in the Single Cab Chassis, although the weight of the tray, accessories, occupants and cargo must all be deducted from that figure.

For farmers, builders, civil contractors, emergency services and regional businesses, it provides something previously requiring a heavily modified ute or a much larger truck.

2. The weekend toy hauler

This is where the Super Duty becomes particularly interesting to Drive Stay Play readers.

Its 4,500kg maximum braked towing capacity opens the door to large caravans, substantial boats, horse floats, heavy camper trailers and off-road recreational equipment that would exceed the limits of a conventional dual-cab ute.

The 130-litre tank, full-time four-wheel drive, locking differentials and off-road protection also make sense for travellers heading beyond the bitumen.

It doesn’t merely tow the holiday—it helps you reach the part of the country where the holiday becomes interesting.

3. The everyday touring vehicle

Choose the Double Cab Pick-up, fit a lockable tonneau cover or canopy, and the Super Duty can become a secure family touring vehicle.

The tub can swallow camping equipment, bikes, fishing gear, wet beach towels, inflatable paddleboards or everything a family somehow decides it needs for two nights away.

Ford offers factory canopy options, in-bed drawers and a digital rear-view mirror. A well-designed canopy conversion could turn the Super Duty into a formidable touring setup with a fridge, battery system, storage, rooftop tent or compact kitchen.

Remove the caravan or boat and you can still take it on an ordinary driving holiday. You don’t need to be towing 4.5 tonnes every time you leave the driveway—just as owning an Akubra doesn’t mean you need to muster cattle on the way to Woolworths.

What Do We Love?

We love that the Ranger Super Duty provides an alternative to the enormous American pickups increasingly appearing on Australian roads.

It offers comparable 4,500kg towing capacity to some full-sized trucks but retains the familiar Ranger cabin, controls and dealer network. It is still a sizeable machine, but it is easier to imagine navigating regional towns and holiday parks in one of these than in something requiring its own postcode.

The Double Cab Pick-up carries a payload of up to 1,697kg, which is significantly more than many recreational dual-cab utes. That extra capacity matters once you add passengers, a canopy, drawers, a fridge, recovery equipment, a bullbar and the towball weight of a caravan.

We also like the towing technology. Smart Hitch can help estimate towball weight, while Onboard Scales provide an indication of how much payload has been added. There is also an integrated trailer brake controller, Pro Trailer Back-up Assist, trailer-light checking and blind-spot monitoring with trailer coverage.

Inside, it still feels like a modern Ranger rather than a truck with a steering wheel borrowed from a council bus.

The cabin includes a 12-inch vertical touchscreen, SYNC 4, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation, wireless phone charging, dual-zone climate control and a 360-degree camera.

That camera isn’t just a nice extra. In a vehicle more than two metres wide with a 13.6-metre turning circle, it may prevent several awkward conversations in shopping-centre car parks.

What Would We Like to See Improved?

The Ranger Super Duty is enormously capable, but enormous capability comes with several compromises.

The first is price.

The Double Cab Pick-up begins at approximately $93,990 before on-road costs, while the more touring-friendly Super Duty XLT Pick-up costs around $99,990 before on-roads and options.

Add a canopy, drawers, touring accessories and on-road costs, and you can wave goodbye to $110,000 surprisingly quickly.

The second issue is performance. With 154kW moving a vehicle weighing around 2.8 tonnes before passengers or luggage, the Super Duty is not fast. Independent testing has recorded a 0–100km/h time of more than 14 seconds.

That won’t matter while towing a large caravan up the Hume Highway, but don’t buy one expecting Ranger Raptor acceleration. The Super Duty builds momentum rather than hurrying. Think freight train, not greyhound.

Fuel consumption is another consideration. Ford does not publish an official combined figure because vehicles in this weight class are not required to provide one. Independent unladen road tests have generally reported figures around 11–12L/100km, but heavy loads, off-road driving and towing will push consumption considerably higher.

Then there is its physical size. The Double Cab Pick-up is approximately 5.45 metres long, just over two metres wide excluding mirrors and almost two metres high. It will fit into many normal parking spaces—but there may be some breathing in and pulling your stomach in as you squeeze out the door.

The heavy-duty suspension may also feel firmer when the vehicle is empty. This is a ute designed to perform with weight aboard, so anyone who never intends to tow or carry anything substantial would be better served by a regular Ranger.

Can It Really Tow 4,500kg?

Yes—but the number requires some explanation.

The Ranger Super Duty has:

• Maximum braked towing capacity: 4,500kg
• Gross Vehicle Mass: 4,500kg
• Gross Combined Mass: 8,000kg

The Gross Combined Mass is the maximum legal combined weight of the loaded vehicle and loaded trailer.

Therefore, if the trailer genuinely weighs 4,500kg, the Ranger itself cannot also weigh its full 4,500kg. To remain under the 8,000kg GCM, the vehicle would need to weigh no more than 3,500kg at that time.

Passengers, luggage, accessories, the canopy and towball download all count toward the vehicle’s weight and payload.

In other words, the Ranger Super Duty can tow 4,500kg, but you cannot automatically fill the vehicle to its maximum while doing it. Owners should calculate their complete travelling setup and confirm it over a weighbridge.

The upside is that the Super Duty provides substantially more room to work with than most conventional utes. Its 4,500kg GVM and strong rear axle rating give caravan and boat owners far greater flexibility when distributing people, equipment and towball weight.

It still doesn’t make the laws of physics optional, but it gives them a considerably larger paddock to play in.

Ford Ranger Super Duty – Key Specifications

• Vehicle type: Heavy-duty four-wheel-drive ute
• Body styles: Single Cab Chassis, Super Cab Chassis, Double Cab Chassis and Double Cab Pick-up
• Seating: Two, four or five, depending on body style
• Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel
• Maximum power: 154kW at 3,250rpm
• Maximum torque: 600Nm at 1,750rpm
• Transmission: 10-speed automatic
• Drivetrain: Full-time four-wheel drive
• Maximum braked towing capacity: 4,500kg
• Gross Vehicle Mass: 4,500kg
• Gross Combined Mass: 8,000kg
• Maximum payload: Up to 1,982kg in Single Cab Chassis form
• Double Cab Pick-up payload: Up to 1,697kg
• Fuel-tank capacity: 130 litres
• Wading depth: 850mm
• Ground clearance: Up to 299mm
• Tyres: LT275/70 R18 all-terrain
• Wheelbase: 3,270mm
• Double Cab Pick-up length: Approximately 5,447mm
• Width excluding mirrors: Approximately 2,035mm
• Turning circle: 13.6 metres
• Touchscreen: 12 inches
• Smartphone connectivity: Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Safety: Nine airbags, autonomous emergency braking, intelligent adaptive cruise control, lane assistance, blind-spot monitoring with trailer coverage, front and rear parking sensors and 360-degree camera
• Warranty: Five years, unlimited kilometres, subject to Ford’s warranty conditions

Payload varies by body style and specification. Accessories, trays, canopies, occupants, cargo and towball download reduce the remaining payload._

The Verdict

The Ford Ranger Super Duty will be complete overkill for plenty of people.

If the heaviest thing you tow is a garden trailer and your idea of off-roading is mounting the kerb outside school, buy a regular Ranger and spend the difference on several excellent holidays.

But for someone who works from their ute, tows a substantial caravan, boat or camper and wants one vehicle capable of handling family touring as well, the Super Duty makes a compelling argument.

Fit a tray and it is a serious commercial workhorse. Choose the Double Cab Pick-up with a tonneau cover and it becomes a practical everyday ute. Add a canopy, storage and touring equipment and it can transform again into a long-distance adventure vehicle.

That three-way versatility may be its greatest achievement.

The Ranger Super Duty isn’t especially quick, cheap, small or frugal. It doesn’t pretend to be. What it offers is the ability to carry more, tow more and travel further without forcing its owner to maintain separate vehicles for work, family life and holidays.

It is a steel-capped work boot you can wear to the campsite—and, if you find a large enough parking space, to the supermarket as well.

For the right owner, this may be the most complete work-and-play tow vehicle Ford Australia has ever created.

Sources: Ford Australia Ranger Super Duty (opens in a new tab), Ford Ranger Super Duty specifications (opens in a new tab), Ford Super Duty payload guide (opens in a new tab) and independent Australian road-test reporting.

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