FORD has been doing it tough in the light commercial ute segment with the long-running Courier, suffering from a lightweight name and a lightweight reputation. But that all changes with the new Ranger, which was launched at the start of 2007 with a bolder look and a pair of modern new turbo-diesel engines that give it the guts and looks to make some inroads into Toyota’s runaway HiLux, Holden’s Rodeo, Nissan’s Navara and even Mitsubishi’s Triton. Compared to the old Courier, the Ranger is more powerful and offers increased towing ability but maintains a one-tonne-plus payload across the range.