400HP AND DESERT RACE SUSPENSION. WE PUT FORD’S NEW DO-IT-ALL OFF-ROAD WEAPON TO THE TEST
400hp in a ute. Bonkers, right? And it is bonkers, but in a good way. The last Gen Ranger Raptor was an excellent 4×4. In fact, one of, if not the best dual cabs on the market. The suspension, the interior, the drivetrain; it was all very good. The new version delivers twice as much, and then some.
Sure, it’s more expensive. So is everything, right? But at least Ford is delivering huge additional value for the extra hit to the pocket. They’ve spent some serious time and money on this thing, and the end result is a truly special vehicle. One of those cars that puts a big cheesy grin on your face every time you drive it.
Styling
Objectively, there’s absolutely no faulting this car. Subjectively, however, the aesthetic of the Ranger Raptor might furrow some brows. While it’s all in keeping with Ford’s design language, it’s a big shift from the last model.
Where the outgoing Ranger Raptor was beefy, the new version is imposing. The 50mm longer wheelbase and bulkier body shell combine for more of an F150 look than Ranger. The large C-clamp design headlights continue that F-truck theme.
The huge F-O-R-D emblazoned grille is a bold statement, as is the colour palette. You can have any colour you want, as long as it’s orange, blue or monochrome. The pumped-up wheel track with wider guards to match build an aggressive appearance. A fluted bonnet and front guards add to the aggression, and the additional ride height and 33in tyres complete the visual package.
Raptor decals and badges, twin exhaust tips and Raptor-specific sidesteps are the only other external visual cues above what you’ll get in a regular Ranger. While the differences are few, and each reasonably subtle, they combine to great effect. There’s no mistaking this car – it looks fast standing still.
Inside
F22 Raptor jet-inspired seats, and matching bolstering in the rear. Signature orange accents, and the inclusion of Alcantara-like finishes. Inside the Ranger Raptor is all you’d expect and more. While not overly different from an XLT or Wildtrak, there’s a definite extra level of prestige here. There really is a high-end sports car feel. Maybe even a supercar feel; it is that good.
The tech is incredible, especially when compared to the previous model. It gets the same 12in centre display available in the regular Ranger, as well as a Raptor-specific 12.4in digital instrument cluster. Ford’s new Trail Control system was a pleasant surprise. We found it incredibly intuitive, and it really made us wonder why we haven’t seen it years ago across the 4X4 market.
There’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital radio, and a high-end set of Bang & Olufsen speakers to hear it all through. To be perfectly honest, we didn’t really pay the sound quality a great deal of attention. The exhaust note was too intoxicating.
Drivetrain
This is really the area in which the outgoing Raptor could have been better. Whilst the 2.0L diesel delivered admirable performance, it wasn’t what you’d call ‘sporty’. The 3.0L twin-turbo petrol V6 EcoBoost isn’t ‘sporty’ either. It’s much more than that. This is a bona fide road-registered trophy truck.
Mated to Ford’s 10-speed auto, and with paddle shifters fitted to the steering wheel, the Raptor can really get moving. Flick a couple of dials and get the thing into Baja Mode and you’ve got yourself a race car. The exhaust opens up, the turbo lag is reduced and the suspension responds immediately to anything you can throw at it.
At maximum attack, the engine is responsive all through the rev range. It never really feels strained, even at high revs. The exhaust barks all the right notes, but unfortunately, you never get to hear the turbos sing. In terms of straight-line performance, the Next Gen Raptor is almost twice as quick as the old girl to 100km/h. That’s not just significant, that’s incredible.
You can run hard all day as a race car, then tickle the dials back into Normal mode, and take the family out for dinner. As impressive as the almost-fearsome performance is, the fact it can operate as a well-mannered family car just as well is what is truly impressive. There’s even a Quiet Mode for the exhaust so you don’t wake the neighbours leaving for work before dawn.
But this isn’t just an offroad race car, it’s a genuinely capable 4X4 too. Factory fitted 33in all-terrain tyres, front and rear diff locks, and plenty of ground clearance see to that. Add in a wading depth of 850mm, and some tech like the Trail Camera and Trail Control and you’ve got yourself a real 4X4. Let’s not forget the factory-fitted steel front bumper, the big bash plate, the rated recovery hooks, or the optional beadlock-capable wheels.
Suspension
The iconic FOX suspension was the standout feature on the previous model. Despite the very impressive engine in the Next Gen, the suspension is again the star of the show. The Ford Performance developed FOX 2.5in Live Valve internal bypass shocks have raised the bar to dizzying heights.
Combine them with all-new aluminium upper and lower control arms, and a refined Watt’s link rear end and you’ve got yourself a trophy truck. The shocks offer increased travel over the previous Raptor, and a feature Ford is calling Bottom-Out Control. What it does is self-explanatory, but how it does it is fascinating. The computer-controlled shocks will provide maximum damping force at the last 25% of shock travel to avoid bottoming out.
This same sort of wizardry is applied upon takeoff, too. If you kick it to the firewall and launch the Raptor hard, the shocks will stiffen immediately to avoid squatting in the rear. Ultimately, this provides a much harder launch, which is all part of the Raptor experience.
So intelligent is this system, that each shock is monitored 500 times a second so it can respond immediately and provide the best possible ride. Offroad, that means that things like jumps can be negotiated with terrifying comfort. On the road, you’ll find that throwing the Raptor into a hairy corner and feeding on some throttle won’t see you backwards in the nearest ditch. You’ll simply negotiate the corner as you would in a high-end sports car – with a minimum of fuss. Confidence-inspiring really feels like an understatement. This car has to be driven to be believed.
Real-world proficiency
The Next Gen Ranger Raptor is a near-perfect 4X4. It’s not a tow tug, or a regular tradie ute. But if you use it for the purpose intended, there is nothing in the same stratosphere on the market today. Ford has designed and built the Raptor to be an off-the-shelf offroad warrior. Without a glance at the aftermarket, you can drive this humble dual cab out of the dealership, and over a jump. And it’ll still be under warranty.
The road manners are almost as impressive as the offroad ability. You could comfortably buy a Raptor as a family car, and not even know you’re sitting on 400hp. The driver aids and safety features actually make the Raptor a realistic option as a family car, along with the obvious versatility a dual cab provides. The in-cab comfort is unparalleled by any other dual cab, and honestly, it’s better than almost every other 4X4.
If you’re stronger-willed than we are, you can achieve fuel figures of 11.5L/100km. That’s not good, that’s exceptional. Remember we are talking about a 292kW, 583Nm twin-turbo petrol engine in a commercial vehicle weighing over 2.4t. The problem with that is self-control. Once that exhaust starts singing, you almost feel obliged to feed the V6 a bit more fuel.
As a low-range, rock-climbing 4X4, it’s the most capable dual cab ute on the market, save for the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon. As a high-speed dirt-slinging rally car, it’s the most capable dual cab ute on the market, save for the RAM TRX. The fact that it genuinely competes on both fronts puts the Ranger Raptor in a class of its own. The fact that it’s the cheapest of all three is mind-blowing. You can have one in your driveway for around $95,000 drive away, and if you order today it’ll be ready next June.
What Ford has essentially done here, is dipped its toe into performance utes with the PX3 Ranger Raptor. They got more than a nibble in response, so they’ve gone all-in on this one. It’s an absolute Swiss Army Knife of a car – it can do it all. We asked Ford if they’d do an Everest Raptor, and the answer was a definite maybe. Apart from us, who’d like to see that?
