June 23, 2019June 25, 2019

2019 Ford Ranger – Experience

2019 Ford Ranger – Experience

We all know the saying, ‘Built Ford Tough” and we’ve seen that proven in the Raptor and F-series, but can the new Ranger live up to this? I take the new 2019 Ford Ranger on an epic journey through the back roads of the Whistler valley to find out if little brother has what it takes.

Photo Credit – Mike Markov

Our journey begins in Richmond, BC, with a tour around the different available models. I have to say the styling is very sharp; it is a similar shape to the F150 but proportioned down perfectly to create an all-new vehicle. With three different trim levels, XL, XLT, and Lariat, and surprisingly no stripped-down base model with a hand-cranked window lever and a bench seat here. All very similar models with a few added features make this Ranger good at all price levels.

Driving through city traffic, the Ranger is quick to accelerate and very easy to stop which I learned first-hand having to brake hard as a driver decided to turn left in front of me with no signal, oh yes did I mention I was in Vancouver? After a short time later, we were through downtown and into Stanley Park. The Ranger is equipped with a 2.3 Litre EcoBoost 4-cylinder turbocharged engine and a 10-speed automatic transmission. The engine produces 270 horsepower and generates 310-pound-feet of torque.

The first stop on the trip is the Sea to Sky Gondola, which if you have never been before it is a must see when traveling highway 99. Incredible views of Howe Sound, Squamish, and the surrounding Coast mountains. There are plenty of things to do at the top; a restaurant with a large deck to sit out and take in the views, some hiking trails, a suspension bridge, and even rock climbing. Word of advice make sure you’re well hydrated first before attempting the rock climbing, especially on a hot day. You don’t want to be hanging off a rock only to find your head spinning and heat exhaustion taking over, which was a situation I unfortunately found myself in, adding insult to injury by having a toddler pulling on my pant leg asking me to leave the playground.

Back on the road and heading through Squamish on the way to Whistler, this highway has gone through many upgrades leading up to the 2010 Olympics, and I was amazed how quick it is to reach Whistler. The hotel for the night is the Nita lake lodge which is very different from a typical hotel you would find in the village; this luxury lodge is just 5 min away from the village nestled next to Nita Lake with beautiful views of Whistler Mountain. This resort has world-class dining, and the staff are exceptional. Morning brings on great anticipation, as today is the day we get to take the Ranger out off-roading.

A short drive away I find the entrance to the Callaghan Valley which leads to the many forest service roads that first cut through this valley. Plenty of new growth forest throughout and some of the trails are covered in brush making it tight for a full-size truck to get through but manageable with this mid-size truck. Traversing the switchbacks, the elevation gain becomes apparent, and the views are incredible. Some steep sections with a lot of loose rock. I switched on the terrain management system and selected the gravel function. The choices are; gravel and snow, mud and ruts, or sand. Each mode alters transmission gearing, throttle response, and steering control to help navigate the terrain. This is very similar to the Ford Raptor and provides excellent traction without wheel hop or loss of control. The road had a few sections that were washed out from the melting snow. The hill decent feature allows the truck to control the braking so you can concentrate on steering and avoiding obstacles as it descends some 28-degree hills. The Ranger I was driving featured a rear differential lock that came in handy when I noticed one wheel hanging in midair. After a long day of four wheeling it was nice to be back down and back on the pavement. The transition from off-road to the pavement is quite an effort for most vehicles and to have the ability to provide firm but agile suspension off-road, and a smooth, comfortable ride on the road was seamless in the Ford Ranger.

It looks like little brother might even have a few tricks that big brother doesn’t know about. The 2019 Ford Ranger, Ford tough certified.

Key Features

Models
- XL – Starting at $30,596
- XLT – Starting at $35,139
- Lariat – Starting at $41,389
Fuel Efficiency
- 11.8L/100km City
- 9.8L/100km City
Engine
- 2.3L EcoBoost
- 270hp
- 310ft/lbs. torque
Towing
- maximum 1650-lb. payload
- 7,500-lb. tow ratings
Optional FX4 Offroad package, with Terrain Management System and Trail Control

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2019 Ford Fusion Energi – Roadtrip

Jared Syrenne

2019 Ford Fusion Energi – Roadtrip

After taking the 2019 Ford Fusion - Energi on an extended road trip around BC. Our conclusion; Ford is providing some much needed relief at the pump

The new Fusion Energi is projected to offer an electric-only range of 40 km, which is an almost 20% improvement on previous generations. Ford’s engineers have accomplished what all our bosses regularly ask of us; do more with less, in the form of a new 9.0-kilowatt-hour battery with higher energy capacity, and no change to the physical size of the cell.

With the highway robbery that happens at a gas station these days, it’s great to see manufacturers offering more fuel-efficient technologies. The week we had the new Ford Fusion Energi coincided with the unaffordable $1.60+ a litre gas prices in Metro Vancouver. So, we decided to put this car through the paces and take it on an extended road trip to put the fuel savings to the test. In our previous experiences, we have found that the PHEV, fits more closely with our lifestyle, as we often must use the vehicle beyond the capabilities provided by an all-electric car. (Unless you have access to the proper charging infrastructure)

With the 20-degree weather, we had this spring; it was a perfect time to do an extended trip up the Fraser Canyon. Leaving the house with the sunrise, we left the valley and headed out to Hope. Here in the shadows of the mountains, we filled up the car and our stomachs to get ready for our little adventure. Driving north through the canyon is a sight that is quite amazing, with steep vertical mountain cliffs, twisting highways with dark tunnels, and lush wet green forests; you see the BC that I picture in my head.

Upon leaving the canyon, you exit the Trans-Canada and turn off on to the Cariboo highway leaving the mountains behind as the landscape slowly turns to the rolling pasture land for the cowboys. Much of this highway follows the route of the original Cariboo Wagon Road, which in the early 1800s was a critical part of BC’s gold rush history. There were many neat little historic markers dotted between the small rustic farming and logging communities. A sad thought throughout the trip was seeing the devastation caused by the recent terrible wildfire years. There were many times where on one side of the highway was a green forest, and out the opposite window, the view was kilometers and kilometers of charred stumps with not much else.

Our first day ended in Williams Lake, which presented us with one of our most surprising insights of the trip. But to get that I should first start with, a few months ago, we were visited by some family from Saskatchewan. They loved seeing so many electric cars driving around Vancouver, but lament the fact that without the proper infrastructure, they couldn’t see many people in their community adopting to them anytime soon. When they said this, I agreed and thought that made sense, however now after this trip; I think I might disagree! Most Canadian cities provide access to power for their block heaters! When we parked at our hotel in Williams Lake, we were surprised to see each stall had a wooden post with 120v power access. Now while it won’t solve all the world’s problems at once, this does seem like something that might actually give those more electric resistant places a leg up in terms of charging infrastructure. The power required to start your cloud spewing diesel truck in the dead of winter, might also just help speed up the adoption of a greener alternative. In our situation, it provided us with a free 40kms! (one full charge of the Ford Fusion Energi).

After another day on the road and a night in Quesnel, we were on our way home. Having never driven the 99 through Lillooet, we decided to take the scenic route and turned west just before Cache Creek. Boy were we happy that we did that, Highway 99, must be one of the most beautiful drives in BC. I thought the canyon was stunning but, on the way home we were pulling over what felt like every 30 minutes to try and take in the breathtaking view. The twisting mountain pass must have also been one of the quietest, as we must have only seen a dozen vehicles as we drove through the emptiness between Lillooet and Pemberton. The only thing we regretted about the detour (and we did regret it at the time,) was after a late lunch in Whistler; we arrived in North Vancouver just in time for the horrible Friday rush hour traffic.

After all, was said and done, we had spent almost 24 hours and drove nearly 1500 km’s in the Ford Fusion. Having carefully tracked our fuel receipts, we calculated that we spent only $150 on the gas for the entire trip, stopping in 100-mile House both ways. The onboard computer gave us a trip average of 5.7l/100km, which was pretty impressive real-world numbers.