Ranger Double Cab now offered as two-seater

While it can often seem that the latest breed of pickups serve more as a lifestyle accessory than anything practical, there are definitely still trucks being put to use as actual commercial vehicles. It’s a section of the market that Ford would like a greater share of, so it has created this: the Ranger Double Cab 2-seat Wildtrak. The UK’s best-selling pickup for the past nine years – Wildtrak is said to be ‘by far the most popular’ version with customers – now with more storage located behind its rear doors. Same look, same choice of diesel or plug-in hybrid petrol power, just with half the seats. 

Beyond the obvious storage benefits (it’s a lot easier to keep tools dry in the covered bit of a truck), there’s another advantage to permanently taking out the rear pew and putting a very permanent bulkhead in: the fiscal one. While Ford is understandably keen to point out that it doesn’t provide tax advice, it does highlight that the modifications employed for the 2-seat mean it’s now a truck explicitly engineered for lugging stuff around, so it ought to mean that ‘eligible customers should be able to claim 100% plant and machinery allowance and apply the flat rate company van benefit-in-kind (BiK).’ Which sounds very close to tax advice to us – and obviously at the kernel of the newcomer’s appeal.  

To give it its due – and this being a Ford Pro creation, too – there’s a little more to it than just yanking out the seats and closing the doors with a wink. You’ll note the rear windows are gone in place of aluminum panels, and the storage area that’s been created in the absence of the bench is kitted out with anchor points and a heavy-duty floor. So whatever can be squeezed behind the front seats will be absolutely fine, assuming it weighs less than 225kg. And away from prying eyes, perhaps most importantly. Ford reckons the rear is ‘an ideal storage area for toolboxes, dog cages, or anything that fits through the door aperture.’

But that’s kind of it. Ford is proud of the Ranger’s versatility, with everything from a diesel manual double cab up to a Raptor in the lineup to cater for buyer demand, so it makes sense to introduce a variant that avoids the crackdown on rear seats while offering more storage space. It makes sense that it will be popular, too: additional versions of the Double Cab 2-seat are going to follow if a Wildtrak is a little too fancy (or not fancy enough) for requirements, so expect prices for this one soon. Ford suggests this ‘testament to our dedication to provide a Ranger for everyone and every use case, and our commitment to keep evolving the Ranger lineup to provide solutions that work hard for our hard-working customers.’ Hard-working taxpayers, take note.