Marketers love to promote pick-up trucks as a versatile, go-anywhere, carry-anything vehicle. While that’s true if you want to carry something like a bicycle or furniture, pick-up trucks are quite terrible at carrying smaller items like a tool box.

The next time you come across a pick-up truck, imagine reaching into back of the rear deck to reach a locking box or grabbing a bag behind, and you will understand why the Thais love low-rider 4x2 pick-up trucks.

Unless you have hands as long as Yao Ming, you are going to have to do some gymnastics, either to climb into the deck by pulling yourself up and over the open tailgate, or step onto the rear tyres and balance yourself on it to reach into the back of the deck.

The new T6.2 generation 2022 Ford Ranger however, has a really simple but effective solution for this problem. It’s called a Rear Box Step and it’s basically a footwell for you to step on and pull yourself up to reach into the deck.

Also read: All-new 2022 Ford Ranger launched in Malaysia - 6 variants from RM 108k, Wildtrak from RM 168,888

Since it’s a flat surface, it’s a lot easier (and safer) than stepping on a tyre.

Ford says this is just one of several examples of how it understands pick-up truck users better than other carmakers. Other examples include depression points on the tailgate that serve as clamp pockets for work tools, a bedliner with a wider surface area so it’s more comfortable to kneel on, as well as a 12V / 1600 W power socket on the deck.

Pritika Maharaj, Global Program Manager for T6 platform products say this feature is the result of Ford spending many hours observing how customers use their trucks.

Pritika is also a proud Ranger owner herself and being a petite person of average height, she is very aware of the need for a better solution so customers can reach into their locking box behind.

“It is honestly my favourite feature! I can’t use the box, I can’t even see it, whereas with the step, it just opens it up.”

“We’ve always done surveys to get feedback, but customers don’t always know what they want. You got to watch and see how they use their vehicles and say ‘Hang on, that doesn’t look right’ and come out with those ideas, and that’s an example of solutions that genuinely came from watching customers scrambling to their box and access it.”

The Rear Step Box feature is only available on the WildTrak variant, which sells for RM 168,888.

Other Ranger variants are priced as below:

• Ranger XL (MT): RM 108,888
• Ranger XL (AT): RM 113,888
• Ranger XLT (MT): RM 124,888
• Ranger XLT (AT): RM 129,888
• Ranger XLT Plus (AT): RM 142,888

Also read: A Ford Ranger EV is coming, not ruled out for Malaysia - current T6.2 generation platform future-proofed

As before, the new generation 2022 Ford Ranger is imported from Thailand.