2024 Ford Ranger Wildtrak X Introduced

Ford introduces a new, more hardcore off-road Wildtrak called Wildtrak X. Filled with Raptor-like mods to toughen up for the tough stuff, it also had an upgraded driveline and cargo tray. A short-lived special edition, it was on sale for about a year between 2023 and 2024 before returning for MY2025.

Ford responded to the Raptor’s success and popularity – and complaints of the high price – by adding what is to all intents and purposes and mini-Raptor. The Wildtrak X undercuts the Raptor by $12,000 but also has a pretty impressive specification.

Building on the Wildtrak’s MY2023.5 spec, the X was only available in the four-cylinder bi-turbo but added a lot of off-road focussed improvements to rival the range-topping headline-grabber.

This is a story about the Australian-delivered MY2024 RA Ford Ranger Wildtrak X released in March 2023 and for vehicle production from March 2024. Production ceased later that year after the allocation was exhausted. It returned for MY2025, again in limited numbers.

The Wildtrak X adds to the Wildtrak’s already high specification, introducing the new Flexible Rack System as standard. The spec also includes much of what you’ll find in the Wildtrak Premium Pack as well as a fistful of bespoke features.

This means a ten-speaker B&O-branded audio system and Matrix LEDs.

Unique to the Wildtrak X is a set of Bilstein position sensitive dampers, some off-road assistance features, a wider track and higher ride height. Along with lots of Wildtrak X badging. Like, everywhere.

The cabin gets a decent going over. Front seats are a mix of fake leather and Miko suede while Terra suede covers the instrument binnacle, glovebox, door trims and console rails. Wildtrak X is splashed across the glovebox, seats and floor mats. You also get the larger 12.4-inch digital dash from the Raptor and Platinum.

Items in bold indicate difference to Wildtrak specification.

• Carpet flooring
• Leather steering wheel
• Leather gear shifter
• Dual-zone climate control
• Power front windows
• Power rear windows
• Keyless entry and start
• Ten-speaker B&O stereo
• Terra suede trim
• “Cyber Orange” stitching
• Electrochromatic rear vision mirror
• 12.0-inch LCD central touchscreen
  • Sync 4A software
  • Satellite navigation
  • DAB+ digital radio
  • Voice assistant
  • Remote start with FordPass app
  • Wireless Apple CarPlay
  • Wireless Android Auto
• 12.4-inch digital dashboard
• Leather-accented Wildtrak X seats with Miko suede
• Wildtrak embroidering on seat backs, upper glovebox and floor mats
• 8 way power adjusted front seats
• Heated front seats
• Ambient lighting
• Pull-out cupholders
• Front and rear floor mats

The Wildtrak X’s appearance is significantly different to the rest of the range and builds on the Wildtrak’s vibe. There’s an exclusive grille, the Flexible Rack System (when fitted), higher ride heigh, one-inch smaller wheels and Wildtrak X badging on the tailgate and front doors.

Many exterior elements are also blacked out including mirrors, roof rials and doorhandles and the raised RANGER lettering on the bonnet.

Items in bold indicate difference to Wildtrak specification.

• 17-inch alloy wheels with General Grabber all terrain tyres, including spare
• Wildtrak X grille with mesh and Cyber Orange stripe
• Wildtrak moulded sports bar
• Power roller shutter
• RANGER raised bonnet lettering in black
• Integrated brake controller
• Puddle lamps
• Zone lighting
• Steel bash plate
• Two front-mounted tow hooks
• Cast aluminium side steps
• Matrix LED headlights
• Auxiliary LED lights
• C-clamp daytime running lights
• LED taillights
• LED front fog lamps
• Steel underbody protection including transfer case
• Tow bar
• 4×4 locking rear axle
• Cargo
  • rear box lighting
  • drop-in bedliner with 12-volt socket
  • additional securing points at front of load box
  • box capping to protect metal on the box with integrated fixing points
  • integrated rear load box access step behind rear wheel
  • tailgate with lift assist
  • power tailgate lock
  • cargo management system
  • blacked-out tie-down rails and roof rails
  • Flexible Rack System

The 2022 Ford Ranger scored five ANCAP stars in 2022. This rating will expire in 2028 unless Ford re-tests the vehicle beforehand.

Ranger’s high score is due in part to the front centre airbag that helps prevent head clashes in a side impact for front passengers, which also explains the absence of a front bench-seat option.

• 9 airbags, including
  • front centre airbag to prevent head clashes in a side impact
  • knee bags for driver and passenger
• Collision mitigation
  • forward autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
  • lane keep assist
  • lane departure warning
  • road edge detection
• Blind spot warning
• Reverse cross-traffic alert
• Reversing camera
• Front parking sensors
• Rear parking sensors
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Active Park Assist 2.0

The high level of specification leaves just a few options for the Ranger Wildtrak X and given it’s a special edition with everything thrown at it, your only choice is one of five colours. And to that end, Ford added Cyber Orange after dropping Sedon, Blue Lightning and Absolute Black. Whichever colour you choose, it’s free.

Strikethrough text indicates colours available on Wildtrak but not Wildtrak X.

• Arctic white – solid – $0
• Absolute black
• Shadow Black
• Meteor Grey
• Aluminium
• Blue Lightning
• Sedona Orange
• Cyber Orange

The Wildtrak X’s twin-turbo four scored a mild upgrade for compliance with the Euro VI light truck emissions standards. This resulted in a slight loss of power to 150kW. Also of note is the switch to full-time all-wheel drive for the turbo four, a system previously reserved for the V6 turbodiesel

The increased specification of the Wildtrak X saw an increase in kerb weight to 2432kg (based on the MY2022 figures supplied at launch).

The Ranger is capable of towing up to 3500kg of braked mass and Ford specifies a maximum towball download of 350kg.

Keep in mind that whatever you load on the towball comes off your payload. Subtract the load on the towball from each model’s payload to ensure you stay within the legal gross vehicle mass.

The Wildtrak X’s kerb weight is 2432 and the payload rated at 918kg. Subtracting the 350kg download leaves 568kg which is useful if approaching marginal.

This means you will have to be careful loading the tray with cargo if you’re running a full cabin of people.

Trailer coverage is a part of the Ranger Wildtrak’s blind spot monitoring system. This detects you have a trailer and adjust its detection to include the extra length. This means an object travelling both beside the Ranger and the trailer will trigger an alert.

It works by punching in the dimensions of your trailer in a profile in the SYNC system. It will accept trailers up to 2.4 metres wide and 10 metres long to ensure safe operation when changing lanes.

You can also consult the checklist in the SYNC system and the trailer light check function can ensure all your trailer lights are working.

Wildtrak X comes in for some significant changes. Front and rear track are wider by 30mm and ride height rises to 260mm from 234.

The 2024 Ford Ranger Wildtrak X is fitted with a locking rear diff as standard. Steel underbody protection is in place and an integrated braking controller is also standard. Unlike the rest of the four-cylinder range, the Wildtrak X has the full-time four-wheel drive system previous reserved for the 3.0-litre V6 diesel and petrol Rangers.

Starting from the ground, the Wildtrak X has 265/17 R General Grabber All Terrain tyres on new 17-inch wheels. The standard dampers have been replaced by Bilstein Position Sensitive dampers which Ford says improve both on and off-road manners. Ford credits this flexibility to End Stop Control Valve (ESCV) technology.

The dampers themselves are of a monotube design with an external nitrogen reservoir.

Ford also says the retuned suspension means the Wildtrak X doesn’t require a lift kit.

The Wildtrak X has the usual six driving modes as standard, with Normal, Eco, Slippery, Tow/Haul, Sand and Mud/Ruts. On top of that are three extra modes – Trail Turn Assist, Trail Control and Rock Crawl.

Rock Crawl speaks for itself and is inherited from Ranger Raptor for use in low-range on difficult terrain. It locks the rear diff and significantly alters the throttle and transmission calibration.

Trail Control operates at up to 32km/h and is cruise control for off-road. The driver can take their feet off the throttle and the Wildtrak X will take care of keeping a steady pace. This is also inherited from the Raptor.

Trail Turn Assist is a very clever, brake-based turning system. As long as you’re dribbling along at under 19km/h, the Wildtrak X will lock an inside rear wheel to create a sort of four-wheel steering effect and reduce the turning circle by up to 25 percent.

So if you’re turning a sharp right, the right wheel locks creating drag and helping the nose come around a bit more. It’s loosely related to a system McLaren used on its F1 cars in the 1990s before it was banned.

The Tow/Haul mode made its debut on the RA Ranger, intended to optimise gear shift timing to maintain power while climbing and to provide engine braking on descent.

In addition to the driving mode selections, the Wildtrak X has Off Road screen as standard. The off-road screen offers the view from the front-mounted camera for extra visibility, particularly directly in front of the car. The camera view has overlaid guidelines to assist with navigating around obstacles.

The screen also shows steering angle, vehicle pitch and roll, driveline torque split and electronic diff indication.

The RA Ford Ranger’s tub is larger, now accommodating a Euro-sized pallete, which is a result of Ford’s collaboration with VW for the Amarok.

Access to the tub is via drop-down tailgate, which is undamped. On the way up, however, is a lift assist system. Wildtrak X keeps the powered roller shutter cover for the load bay as well as blacked-out rails. The moulded sports bar is gone, however.

The Wildtrak X debuts Ford’s Flexible Rack System. This consists of a sliding load rack with five different positions over the bed. There are also folding roof racks that store inside the rails when not required. Ford says you need neither tools or help to operate either. This system is a hefty $2800 on other Rangers.

As with other Rangers, there is a step or footplate to the lower side of the tub to allow step-up access to the load area.

The tub also features various lights, a 12-volt power outlet and partition slots and a drop-in bed. The Wildtrak comes with zone lighting and the Cargo Management System as standard.