A little over two years down the track Ranger has been facelifted to give it an even more rugged look. At the same time Ford has improved the features lineup, has made some mechanical modifications and, most importantly of all, has added an additional model to the lineup. These upgrades were necessary to help the Ranger keep up with the pack in what is one of the most competitive of all market segments in Australia.

 The appearance changes have been cleverly penned to give the Ranger a family likeness to the big Ford F Series pickups. Though the F Series isn’t sold in nearly as many countries as its smaller brother, light-truck buyers love to associate themselves with tough commercials. And everyone in the global automotive industry knows of the Ford F Series, a model that's, believe it or not, frequently the number-one selling vehicle on the planet.

Ford Ranger now comes with a bright three-bar radiator grille with the word RANGER boldly integrated into the upper bar. Sitting outside the grille is a pair of air intakes that add even more visual width to the frontal area. To our eyes the lower section of the front end, that within the bumper-bar area, doesn’t have quite the same integrated tough look as previously, but perhaps it will grow on us. The new shape of the headlights certainly works well and the higher bonnet adds to the aforementioned tough appearance.

Inside there are revisions to the style of the trim as well as a new range of materials, resulting in a fresher look.

But there's more! The biggest news for the 2009 Ford Ranger is the addition of a new model called the Wildtrak. This hero model is very much an entrant in the burgeoning sports-ute market and features the 3.0-litre engine,18-inch alloy wheels, a sports bar, roof rails, door mirrors with integrated side-turning repeater lights and puddle lights (to illuminate the ground at your feet at night), as well as ‘Wildtrak’ decals to let others know that your new Ranger is something special.

The tray has an integrated bed-liner with a fascinating roller-shutter arrangement. A 12-volt power outlet is part of the rear package.

As befits its working heritage, the Ford Ranger only comes with turbo-diesel engines. One of 2.5 litres, the other 3.0. Both engines use the latest in twin-cam, common-rail design for maximum efficiency. The 2.5-litre engine generates 105 kW at 3500 rpm, with up to 330 Newton metres of torque, the peak starting at just 1800 rpm. The 3.0-litre engine has 115 kW, and 380 Nm, also at 1800 rpm.

The 3.0-litre Ranger comes with the choice of five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission, the 2.5-litre only comes as a manual.

Ford Ranger buyers can select between 4x2 or 4x4, pickup or cab chassis, and three cab sizes: single, extended (Super Cab) or dual (Crew Cab). Not all combinations are available so check with your Ford dealer to see the ones that suit your needs.

The automotive world changes remorselessly. Ford's marketing people are well aware that light trucks are often regarded as fashion items these days. To quote Paul Gibson, the chief designer of the Ranger, “We know that today’s truck buyer is likely to own a flat-screen TV or an espresso coffee machine. We’ve executed the design of the new Ford Ranger with the same attention to detail as you'll find on high-end products”.

It will be interesting to see what percentage of these buyers will hanker after having a new Ranger pickup in their driveway. In the meantime, tradies looking for a working vehicle that's designed to take plenty of abuse will like what they see, and what they get, this latest Ford Ranger. Ranger goes on sale in Australia in its new format towards the middle of the year and we will carry out a full drive report as soon as possible after its introduction.