Ford Ranger PHEV wins the International Pick up Award, milestone moment or simply a well timed hybrid
The plug in hybrid Ford Ranger has taken the 2026/27 International Pick up Award, the fourth Ranger to do so in fifteen years and the first hybrid ever to claim the title.
Ford has reason to celebrate. The Ranger PHEV is the first hybrid to win the IPUA at all. The jury tested it on Bulgaria’s rough terrain and praised its electric driving ability, efficiency and the fact that the hybrid setup does not dent towing strength or off road capability. On paper it offers no compromises.
Jarlath Sweeney, chairman of the award jury, highlighted the model’s class leading performance and its lighter thirst for fuel. Ford talks up innovation and reminds everyone that the Ranger has led European sales for a decade. Fair enough, although the segment is hardly overcrowded, which makes any leadership slightly more relative.
One of the Ranger PHEV’s more useful additions is Pro Power Onboard, which allows tools to be powered directly from the vehicle. It is a tidy solution for those who work where extension cables do not reach.
The award confirms that hybrid power has reached the working pickup segment. Yet the more interesting question is not the trophy but whether a PHEV pickup can genuinely satisfy tradespeople, off roaders and the regulatory push for electrification across Europe. The accolade gives Ford momentum, but the real test will come when the Ranger PHEV faces a proper working day rather than a judge’s checklist.
