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The 2026 Ford Ranger PHEV adds hands-free highway driving and trailer theft detection in Europe – along with design tweaks – but Australian details are yet to be confirmed.
Ford Ranger owners can now drive hands-free on the highway and be alerted in real-time if a trailer has been stolen from their ute – but the features are not currently available in Australia.
The 2026 Ford Ranger Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) made its public appearance at the Brussels motor show last week, ahead of first customer deliveries in Europe in May.
However, a Ford Australia spokesperson said there is "no news to share regarding any updates to the Ranger PHEV at this time".
In Europe, the Ranger PHEV has gained Trailer Theft Alert, a new feature borrowed from the Ford F Series, triggering the vehicle's alarm – and sending a smartphone notification – if it detects a trailer plug has been disconnected without authorisation.
Trailer Theft Alert joins other trailer-assistance features available in the Ranger and Everest, including blind-spot monitoring accounting for the added length of a trailer, a 'Haul' drive mode, a remote light check, an integrated brake controller, and Pro Trailer Backup Assist.
"Trailer Theft Alert is not currently offered in Australia for Ranger or Everest," the Ford Australia spokesperson added.
The Ranger PHEV has also gained Ford BlueCruise in Europe, which is standard on the newly added Platinum and optional on the Wildtrak.
BlueCruise allows for more advanced, hands-free 'Level 2' autonomous driving on certain motorways in the US, Canada, Europe and the UK, with the technology also offered in the Mustang Mach-E and other models.
It is enabled by a new driver-detection camera inside the Ranger's cabin to ensure drivers keep their eyes on the road.
Similar to its diesel counterpart, the Ranger Platinum PHEV adds quilted black leather upholstery with grey stitching, a gloss-black front fascia and grille surround, and a new Acacia Green exterior colour.
The Platinum PHEV retains an aerodynamic-focused 18-inch alloy wheel design, rather than the diesel's larger 20-inch wheels.
Other changes to the 2026 Ranger PHEV mirror the diesel with black exterior trim replacing chrome or grey finishes across the range, a new Ignite Orange exterior colour for the Wildtrak, and updated, flat-design Ford badging.
Also new to the Australian market in 2025, the Ford Ranger PHEV was outsold by the more affordable BYD Shark 6 (18,073) and GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV (1371).
Australian details on the 2026 Ford Ranger PHEV will be shared closer to its expected launch, with local timing currently unconfirmed.
Jordan is a motoring journalist based in Melbourne with a lifelong passion for cars. He has been surrounded by classic Fords and Holdens, brand-new cars, and everything in between from birth, with his parents’ owning an automotive workshop in regional Victoria. Jordan started writing about cars in 2021, and joined the Drive team in 2024.
