Ford Ranger PHEV named International Pick-up of the Year
Ford Pro has secured its fourth International Pick-up Award title in the 15-year history of the election with its newly developed Ranger PHEV.
It’s the first time that a hybrid drivetrain has been honoured by the International Pick-up Award (IPUA) jury, which are members of the International Van of the Year Award (IVOTY) group.
The election of the overall pick-up truck winner for 2026/27 was decided after an extensive on-road/off-road test programme held in Bulgaria last month.
Here, there were a number of other 4×4 Double-Cab candidates in contention for the main prize, namely Ineos, Foton and Maxus, the latter two Chinese brands, which all impressed the judging panel with their performances during the exercise.
As it transpired, Ford accumulated most marks with the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster second and the Foton V9 third.
The announcement and trophy handover was made at Solutrans 2025 in Lyon, France. On receiving the prize, Hans Schep, general manager, Ford Pro Europe said: “We are incredibly proud and honoured that the new Ford Ranger PHEV has been named the International Pick-up Award winner for 2026/27.
“Having won with the all-new Ford Ranger in 2024, we deeply value the recognition the jury has now given to the electrified plug-in hybrid model, demonstrating the consistent excellence and innovative spirit that defines the Ranger lineage.
“Pick-up customers rely on the capability of their vehicle to get the job done, and this recognition further validates that the Ranger PHEV doesn’t just match the uncompromising performance our customers expect from a Ranger – it elevates it.
“With its electrification, the Ranger PHEV delivers even more, including the innovative Pro Power Onboard feature, which transforms the vehicle into a mobile power source. This significantly enhances productivity and utility on any job site, truly making it an ultimate partner for businesses across Europe.”
On complementing the winner, one of the judges said: “The Ford Ranger PHEV competed against a diverse bunch of competitors (and good and interesting ones) for the IPUA award 2026/2027. But in the end, the Ranger proved to be the best all round and it has a smart driveline. If BEV’s not (yet) possible, go for PHEV.”