Battle of the bakkies: A Shark or a Ranger?

All the comparisons surrounding the BYD Shark 6 since its release have been with the Ford Ranger Raptor based purely on the power outputs of both vehicles. 

On paper, the Shark 6 edges it out, thanks to the 1.5 litre turbocharged petrol engine that works with two electric motors to provide 321kW of power and 650Nm of torque, while the three-litre twin-turbo V6 of the Raptor pushes out 292kW of power and 583Nm of torque. 

It’s actually given BYD great confidence in the South African market. On the N3, just before Marlboro Drive, there’s a billboard that reads “BYD Shark vs who?”

But the Ford Ranger Platinum offers a very different experience to the Raptor. It emphasises comfort, technology and refined style with its chrome accents and high-quality materials.

The Shark, on the other hand, tries to give the best of both worlds. 

We are throwing performance out of the window for this comparison and focusing on comfort and luxury; ride quality; presence and value for money. 

Comfort and luxury

This was the second month that I had the Ranger Platinum and the comfort that I felt driving this bakkie was unmatched, even by bakkies in the Ranger line-up. 

It almost spoils you and makes it difficult to sit in another bakkie without looking for all the features that you get from the Ranger Platinum. Quilted leather seats, which are both heated and ventilated, a 12-inch portrait infotainment screen seamlessly integrated into the dashboard and very easy to use, premium materials across the dash and on the door panels and the hidden door handles which add to the clean look. 

The Ranger Platinum has ambient lighting which the Shark lacks.

But, the interior is where the BYD Shark 6 excels. It provides larger and sportier seats than the Ranger, which are also heated and ventilated, but I did find that the seat cooling function in the Ranger was more effective. 

The Shark does well at combining a luxurious look with some rugged aesthetics on the interior. The gear shifter and the buttons below it are fighter jet-esque, and the 15.6-inch infotainment system, that can be rotated automatically to either landscape or portrait, along with the digital cluster, give off a very luxurious feeling to the driver and passenger. 

Both vehicles have features like wireless charging; full, advanced driver-assistance systems and 360-degree cameras. 

The Shark comes with an electric tailgate and vehicle-to-load function which allows the vehicle to power external devices, tools or appliances using its high-capacity power points. You could actually power a toaster from the back of the bakkie, if you needed to.

While the Ranger has a manual tailgate, the bin comes with an electric cover that the Shark misses out on.

It’s very difficult to pick a winner in this category, because both have such pleasing interiors and both vehicles are so well put together and extremely comfortable. 

However, it’s the small things that matter and the Shark’s centre console is just too clean and that is why I am going with the Shark in terms of comfort and luxury. 

Ride quality

This is where it gets interesting. The Ford Ranger Platinum uses a 3-litre V6 turbodiesel engine that is paired to a 10-speed automatic gearbox. 

It’s simple. You can expect fuel consumption to be between 9 to 10 litres/100km. 

The Shark, as said before, combines twin electric motors with a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine and uses a 29kWh battery that is meant to produce up to 100km of electric range. 

We’re not going into power figures, because the Shark wins that with ease, but I found myself doing some long trips while I had it on test because I was moving from Springs to Linbro Park and when the battery is depleted, you are left with a 1.5 litre turbocharged engine and a bakkie that weighs over 2.7 tonnes. 

If I charged the vehicle overnight, I found it smooth and my fuel consumption figures were very low, but if the battery dropped below 30%, the fuel consumption would jump above 9 litres/100km. 

When the battery level dropped, I found the car slightly sluggish, but when it had sufficient battery levels, it was swift, smooth and didn’t even feel like driving a bakkie. 

When it came to road imperfections, the Ranger did better, thanks to the larger tyres, but on the highways, the pure power of the Shark and the instant torque that is delivered helped it pip the Ranger. 

Since they are both bakkies and should be comfortable both on and off-road. The Ranger offers more off-road features like 4L and 4H settings.

4L provides maximum torque and power at very low speeds, engaging the front and rear wheels through a special transfer case gear ratio for challenging, low-traction environments. This setting is ideal for situations like steep off-road hills, deep mud, rocky terrain, or heavy loads where you need significant power and control.

4H is for loose or slippery surfaces like gravel, sand, or mud and also engages all four wheels. 

The Shark doesn’t have those settings, but it does have mud mode, sand mode and snow mode to provide its off-road capabilities. 

While the electric motors are meant to make up for the lack of low-range or high-range gear systems, the Ranger is better suited to rough terrains and that’s why on overall ride quality, it has to go to the Ranger Platinum.

Presence

The Ranger’s road presence is unmatched. It’s difficult for any South African to say that they have not been tailedgated by a Ranger on the highway and forced out of the fast lane. 

But the BYD Shark also eats up the road. Like the Ranger Platinum, it also has exceptional styling with the light strip across the back just giving it that extra edge. 

Don’t get me wrong, the exterior of the Ranger Platinum is very polished and stylish. But with the Shark, it was the first time that I noticed heads turn for a bakkie. I was even stopped by nurses at The Glynnwood hospital in Benoni, simply because they found the bakkie so beautiful, they wanted to know more. 

It’s just that we don’t see enough on the road as yet. 

But, I have no doubt that the Shark will be a favourite on South African roads once consumers are satisfied with its durability and reliability.  Based on this, I’m going to have to crown the Shark the winner in this category. 

Value for money

The Ranger Platinum is priced at R1  150 000, while the BYD Shark 6 sells at R959 900. 

Many will look at it and say the Ford is overpriced since the Shark offers the same amount of technology, features, has more power and essentially has lower running costs because it is a plug-in hybrid. 

However, Ford has already established itself in the market with the Ranger being a nationwide favourite, while BYD has just entered, so it only makes sense for them to come in lower than their competitors. 

Both vehicles are excellent value for money, and while the BYD Shark should cost over R1 million, it doesn’t and that’s why it also wins in this category.

The Shark has all the power and technology, but comfort wise,
the Ranger is up there with it and offers more for the off-roader