Remember the old fairy tale about Hansel and Gretel, who couldn’t find their way out of the woods because the birds ate the bread crumbs they’d left to mark their trail? That was how the intrepid youngsters stumbled into the witch’s house. The Ford Motor Company promises a less stressful outcome if you find yourself similarly lost in one of their Ranger midsize pickups. Its available SYNC 3 navigation system has a new kind of “home” feature called Breadcrumbs. Activate it, and the GPS navigation system drops a virtual marking pin along your route, one per second, so you have waypoints by which to navigate your return trip without looking for actual landmarks.
The GPS-enabled Breadcrumbs feature is available on Rangers delivered with XLT or Lariat trim. It’s also offered across other Ford truck lines for rigs optioned with SYNC 3 and navigation aids. Speaking of off-road, brush-busting goodies, the Ranger can also be ordered from Ford dealers with the FX4 Off-Road Package, which combines a locking rear differential with Terrain Management System that optimizes bite in minimal traction situations.
Jim Donnelly On Wheels 