The Ford Ranger diesel option is being phased out – at least for European customers. As emissions laws worldwide continue to tighten, automakers are being forced to eliminate diesel options from their lineups, but at least one market is keeping the diesel Ranger around: Australia.
For Europe, the Ford Ranger bi-turbo diesel 2.0L EcoBlue engine was the entry level option, but it’s being replaced by the Ranger PHEV. However, according to a report from CarExpert, no such change will extend to the Ranger lineup Down Under. Ford Australia says there’s “no news” on changes to the midsize pickup’s powertrain options, signaling that the Ranger diesel isn’t going anywhere… at least, for now.
“To align with future EU [European Union] emissions regulations, Ford of Europe is introducing a number of changes to its Ranger and Ranger Raptor product lineups,” a Ford Australia spokesperson told CarExpert. “There is no news to share about changes to the Australian lineup.”
The turbodiesel 2.0L “Panther” engine was first added to the Australian-spec Ford Ranger for the 2020 model year as an alternative to the turbodiesel 2.2L “Puma” powerplant. The Panther was eventually replaced by the 2.0L EcoBlue, which is what’s available now for Aussie customers.
The decision to delete the EcoBlue option in Europe was based on Ford’s need to reduce its average fleet emissions or face hefty fines. However, that doesn’t mean a diesel option is completely off the table for European buyers, as the turbodiesel 3.0L V6 engine is still offered in that market – and Australia. In fact, that powerhouse will be offered under the hood of the 2026 Ford Ranger Super Duty, which harnesses a detuned version to comply with Euro 6 emissions regulations.
The Ford Ranger PHEV is also available in Australia, which starts out at $71,990 AUD. However, it’s quite a bit more expensive than its gasoline powered counterparts, running $8,350 more than the bi-turbo EcoBlue model.
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