Time is of the essence: Ford Ranger 2.3 EcoBoost Sport review

The arrival of the new Ford Ranger 2.3 EcoBoost Sport is looking smarter by the day for the Blue Oval. We test the petrol double cab ...

Aug 13, 2026 - 06:15

Time is of the essence: Ford Ranger 2.3 EcoBoost Sport review

You may recall our first drive of the Ford Ranger 2.3 EcoBoost Sport in May took place during the Southern Cape floods! It was a baptism this 4×2-only bakkie didn’t ask for, with dozens of water crossings, a flooded Swartberg Pass and Oudtshoorn cut off on one side. Nevertheless, this is the long-awaited follow-up. Dry tar, open road, no rivers to ford in the Ford. How does the new petrol derivative fair in the real world?

FORD RANGER 2.3 ECOBOOST SPORT

By far and away the best-selling double cab in South Africa, Rangers have always announced themselves with a characteristic diesel clatter on start-up. That’s not judgement, it’s a soundtrack that owners learn to love and respect for all the open-road efficiency and low-down grunt it signifies. However, the Ford Ranger 2.3 EcoBoost Sport skips all of that. And in the real world, it’s really rather pleasant. Hit the starter button and there’s, well, near-silence and minimal vibration.

On the move, the smooth linearity continues. Throttle response builds from the first squeeze, with none of the turbodiesel’s characteristic lag-then-shove. It’s quick rather than fast, delivering its 222 kW and 452 Nm without unnecessary theatre. The 10-speed automatic, sharpened for 2026, shuffles through gears decisively. Only occasionally do you hear a subtle turbo flutter when overtaking, which is a totally fuss-free affair. If you’ve only known a diesel bakkie, the refinement and ease of use of the Ford Ranger 2.3 EcoBoost Sport is a literal breath of fresh air.

WHAT ABOUT THE FUEL ECONOMY TRADE-OFF?

Of course, a still relatively heavy double cab (even though its only 4×2) with a turbo petrol engine is going to use more juice between visits to the fuel station. Ford’s claimed/combined figure for the 2.3 EcoBoost sits at 9.3 l/100 km. We took it for a leisurely drive over the Women’s Day long weekend and, in isolation, returned in the 10 l/100 km range. However, with a heavier right foot dictated by the mixed-use driving week that followed, we finally settled in the 11 l/100 km range. So, yes, in the real world the petrol drinks more, somewhere between one and a half and two litres more every 100 km.

However, given the smoothness, refinement and cheaper petrol price, that perceived gap starts to look mighty small. Timing appears ideal for uptake of the Ford Ranger 2.3 EcoBoost Sport in a diesel crisis nobody saw coming. May 2026 delivered the worst diesel shock in decades. The Strait of Hormuz disruption pushed Brent crude past $100 a barrel. Diesel jumped R6.19 a litre, more than double petrol’s R3.27 increase. Now in August 2026, at the time of writing, petrol prices have decreased by 52 cents per litre, while wholesale diesel prices increased by R1.23 to R1.38 per litre, respectively.

FORD RANGER 2.3 ECOBOOST SPORT VERDICT

So, strip away the launch-day floodwater theatrics, and the Ford Ranger 2.3 EcoBoost Sport does actually deliver something rare. It’s got everything that makes a Ford Ranger the defacto best-selling double cab in South Africa. We’re talking affordability at R839 600. We’re talking about all the brilliant semi-autonomous driving tech you’d expect in a high-end premium vehicle.

Then you combine it with a top-notch cabin and petrol-powered road manners, and there are remarkably few compromises to be had here. Time will only tell whether buyers are ready to vote with their wallets and adopt a petrol-powered double cab into their everyday lives. However, all we can report is that it is smooth, quiet and refined beyond measure. Fortune favours the brave and early adopters will be rewarded handsomely.