2026 Ford Ranger and Everest updated as bi-turbo diesel axed
Ford has discontinued its lauded 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel engine from the Ranger and Everest line-ups as part of an MY26.5 update that also brings tweaked styling and improved technology.
The bi-turbo engine was available on selected Ranger and Everest models, but Ford confirmed at a media event last week the it had been discontinued for good.
In its place will be a revised version of Ford’s single-turbo 2.0-litre engine matched to the 10-speed automatic transmission that debuted around the same time as the bi-turbo.
The bi-turbo, a German-developed engine tested and calibrated by Ford Australia engineers for its use in the local Ranger, won plaudits from the motoring press on launch for providing similar power and torque outputs to the old 3.2-litre five-cylinder diesel while cutting fuel consumption and improving throttle response.
Ford Australia marketing director, Ambrose Henderson, said there was a “whole raft” of reasons for the decision to permanently drop the bi-turbo in favour of the revised single-turbo diesel, but he identified “global footprint rationalisation” as a key driver.
“This is an engine and a powertrain that can be used across Transit and Ranger and they have that global commonisation of the footprint,” he said. “It then allows things like the [new] chain drive, the injection system, and quality is really forefront of everything we do.”
Australia was also the primary market for the bi-turbo engine, so it no longer made financial sense for Ford to continue producing given the V6 was the more popular choice.
“As Ford globally looks to increasing emissions controls, and development costs, and all those things, you’ve got to have a singular four-cylinder diesel drivetrain that’s available across our commercial vehicles globally,” he said.
Engineering changes to the 2.0-litre single-turbo diesel include an updated fuel injection system and a timing chain, although outputs remain the same at 125kW and 405Nm – a far cry from the bi-turbo’s 154kW/500Nm.
The main difference for MY26.5, however, is that all models now use Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission rather than the ageing six-speed which used to service the single-turbo 2.0-litre turbo diesel.
Minor styling and technology updates introduced for MY26.5 mean the Ford Ranger and Everest lineups look a lot different from those of even a couple of years ago.
The 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel engine continues and is now available on all spec levels of the Everest and Ranger pickups, while Ford’s 12-inch vertical touchscreen is standard on entry-level models.
The Everest is available with two powertrains, the 2.0-litre turbo diesel four-cylinder and 3.0-litre single-turbo diesel V6.
The Ford Ranger lineup features both those engines, as well as the 2.3-litre plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol exclusive to the Raptor model.
Open Road will publish reviews of the updated Ford Ranger and Everest in the coming days.
Ford Everest pricing
- Active 2.0-litre – $60,000*
- Active 3.0-litre V6 – $66,990
- Sport 2.0-litre – $68,990
- Sport 3.0-litre – $76,990
- Tremor 3.0-litre – $79,990
- Wildtrak 3.0-litre – $79,990
- Platinum 3.0-litre – $83,490
Ford Ranger pricing
- 2.0-litre cab chassis range starts at $37,130
Double cab pick-up range
- XL 4x2 – $42,000*
- XL 4x4 2.0-litre – $51,400
- XL 4x4 3.0-litre – $57,900
- Black Edition 2.0-litre – $53,000*
- Black Edition 3.0-litre – $60,000*
- XLT 4x2 – $52,990
- XLT 4x4 – $67,990
- Wolftrak – $73,000*
- Tremor – $75,090
- Wilktrak – $75,090
- Platinum – $80,890
- Raptor – $90,690
*Denotes drive away price, all other prices listed are before on-road costs.
