Ford Ranger Raptor

Overview

What is it?

The Raptor is to the Ford Ranger line-up what the Fiesta ST is to the, er, Fiesta. Sort of. There’s a long list of modifications and extra kit designed to transform the workaholic pick-up truck into something of an off-road monster, complete with an over-the-top exterior image that’d look right at home in, say, Utah. In Europe, it’s a harder sell. Always has been.

But if you’re going to pitch a ‘hot’ pick-up truck to the British public, the Ranger is the ideal starting place: it’s the best-selling vehicle in its class on these shores, putting the likes of the Toyota Hilux, Mitsubishi L200 and Isuzu D-Max firmly in the shade. This segment is a tough nut to crack, don’t forget. Remember the Nissan Navara-based Mercedes X-Class? That tried the whole ‘more than just a pick-up’ thing, and it didn’t work out.

Tell me about this extra kit then.

Okay, but you’ll need to cancel your plans for the rest of the day because the list is LONG. Especially on the Raptor Special Edition model tested here, which brings its own set of trim and styling upgrades for extra specialness.

Riding on ‘unique’ 17-inch black alloys and 33-inch, AT3 all-terrain tyres, you get Fox Racing shock absorbers with position-sensitive damping and widened wheel arches to accommodate the longer suspension travel. Meanwhile the track grows by 150mm, bringing the total width up to more than two metres. And that’s not including the mirrors.

There’s a front aluminium skid plate, four off-road tow hooks, all four disc brakes are ventilated, the side step is constructed from a strengthened alloy, the trailer tow pack includes a towing hitch and the load bay has a roller shutter for added security.

The list goes on, doesn’t it?

It does. Ford has included a terrain management system with six driving modes: Normal mode, Sport mode, Grass, Gravel and Snow mode, Mud and Sand mode, Rock mode and finally Baja mode, which is named after the fabled Baja 1000 race and is claimed to deliver ‘unbeatable off-road performance’.

You can toggle between two- and four-wheel drive, and there’s a low-range setting for maximum grip on the rough stuff. Magnesium paddles behind the steering wheel allow you to change ratios manually on the otherwise automatic 10-speed, and there’s a hill descent control system too. Approach and departure angles are 32 and 24 degrees, respectively, with ground clearance raised to 283mm.

As for the Special Edition model – which is built in limited numbers to ensure exclusivity – we’re talking racing stripes, black exterior features like the sports hoop, arches, bumpers and grille plus red recovery hooks. There are plenty of interior changes too: more on those on the ‘Interior’ tab above.

And I’m guessing the engine’s been tuned?

You’d be guessing incorrectly. Despite the measures taken to give the Raptor more off-road prowess the powertrain hasn’t been touched, so you’ll find the same 2.0-litre EcoBlue under the bonnet – producing an identical 210bhp and 369lb ft of torque – as you’d get in top-of-the-range Rangers.

This is the main weakness in what we’ll loosely call the ‘business case’ for the Raptor, in that it lacks the soul of something like a V6 or V8 to make the package feel like more than just an upgrading exercise; albeit an extensive one. The diesel groans rather than sings, and in this respect you never entirely escape the feeling that the Raptor’s core is a little bit hollow.

Not going to lie, that’s a bit of a downer.

It is, but don’t let it detract from the things that the Raptor does well. Bearing in mind that the standard Ranger is, in TG’s own words, ‘largely unstoppable’, it’s not a leap to imagine the Raptor being rather handy in its natural habitat without asphalt beneath its rubber. And we don’t have to: our previous experiences with the Raptor have shown that to be the case.

The Ranger Raptor is a curious one. Ford has gone all out to ensure that its off-road credentials are second to none, at least in the pick-up world, but you really need to utilise these to justify the expense over the standard machine. And with few other competitors in its home segment you wonder if the Raptor’s true rivals are actually the Defenders and Range Rovers of this world. Coupled with the fact that the engine lacks the flair and performance of its American cousin, the Raptor is a hard one to fall head over heels in love with. We still really like it though.

Driving

What is it like to drive?

On the road, it’s… interesting. The driving position gives you a commanding view ahead, but the sheer size of the thing means – on British roads at least – you’re constantly checking the pick-up’s extremities in the mirrors, with precious little margin for error. Not that clipping the odd kerb will be an issue: there’s so much sidewall the only way you’d damage the alloys is by actively trying to.

Don’t forget either that at 5,374mm long it even gulfs the S-Class, so the amount of footprint underneath you is significant to say the least. Want to do a u-turn on a mini roundabout? Don’t even think about it.

Things aren’t helped by the steering: it’s commendably light but the information it conveys is fairly vague, so you can forget the idea of attacking corners with any vigour. Coupled with the Raptor’s size, driving it is like running an egg and spoon race in that you never quite feel confident enough to go full tilt.

Doesn’t sound very Raptor-y.

Don’t get us wrong, it’s not entirely flawed. On the right road it’s perfectly possible to find the Raptor’s rhythm, it’s just that you have to go with the flow rather than dictate everything from behind the wheel. And to some degree it’s a moot point anyway, given the Raptor’s off-road focus.

Any other observations?

Of course. Those 33-inch tyres look pillowy, but the shock absorbers are set up to tackle everything from boulders to ravines, so we’re not looking at limousine levels of comfort here. The Raptor does a good job of separating bumps and jolts from the cabin, but you’ll still be fully aware of every pothole and cattle grid you happen to pass over.

And while the Raptor is no b-road hooligan, we should note that it doesn’t wallow or roll about in corners. It’s quite capable in that respect, so you and your passengers won’t dread driving down some of the twistier back lanes. Oncoming traffic might, but that’s their problem.

Good to know. Is it fast?

As we said in the overview, the Raptor uses the same 2.0-litre diesel engine that’s available on the standard Ranger. That means 210bhp, 369lb ft of torque and 0-62mph in around nine seconds. So it’s fast for a pick-up truck, but it doesn’t haul with enough punch to pin you back into your seat.

For the record, the top speed is given as 112mph. You’ll never, ever do that, but stats are stats.

Moving on. You haven’t talked about the transmission.

Ah yes, the transmission. The Raptor is fitted with a 10-speed auto, although you do have magnesium paddles at your disposal to take manual control from time to time. This is something you’ll want to do for quick blitzes down country lanes, although manual shifts are far from instantaneous.

The rest of the time you’ll let the auto do its thing. It’s pretty cumbersome in all honesty, although not quite enough to be irritating. Still, a slightly sharper response would help justify the amount of Raptor-branded features both outside and in.

Quick word on the brakes: they provide decent stopping power, although like the steering there’s little feel to be had through the pedal. This is most obvious in slower town driving, but again it’s not a dealbreaker.

Interior

What is it like on the inside?

Given that prices for the Raptor start north of £52,000 (with VAT included), the interior is… fine. There’s a temptation to think that the price tag should insist on a more luxurious approach to the cabin, but in reality Ford hasn’t forgotten that this still needs to be a tough, practical machine. So there are plenty of durable plastics throughout, although they’re mostly out of the way and mitigated by some nicer leather elsewhere.

We tested the limited-run Raptor Special Edition, which adds red contrast stitching and red accents to the sports seats, armrest, gear lever and handbrake. The instrument panel is finished in Raceway Grey, and the steering wheel gets a red notch on the wheel a là most hardcore hot hatches.

The perforated leather sports seats are extremely supportive, and the Raptor runs Ford’s SYNC3 infotainment system via an eight-inch colour touchscreen with sat nav built in. There’s a digital screen in the middle of the instrument console for readouts like fuel economy and trip mileage, although there are analogue dials for speed and revs.

Other than that you won’t be short on kit. You can count on a rear view camera, heated and powered fold back mirrors, puddle lamps, LED headlights and daytime running lights, rain-sensing wipers, a heated windscreen and rear window, privacy glass, keyless entry and start, a lane-keeping aid and much more besides.

The Raptor is a Double Cab, which means there’s a second row of seats and two additional doors through which to access said seats. Legroom isn’t overly generous but headroom is plentiful, and while you won’t get three adults back there (not happy ones, anyway) three kids will be fine.

All in all, the Raptor feels built to last, and although the interior doesn’t feel £50k special that won’t matter to most buyers. After all, you wouldn’t buy suede shoes for gardening would you?

Buying

What should I be paying?

Prices for the Raptor begin at a smidge over £52,000, while the Special Edition model amounts to just over £54,000 without options. If you’re about to ask ‘What about when I’ve deducted VAT?’, forget it: the Raptor can only take a payload of 620kg which means it falls short of the magical, one-tonne figure to class as a commercial vehicle. Sorry.

On that note, the key weight figures are as follows: kerbweight is given as 2,510kg, while the gross vehicle mass is rated at 3,130kg. The Raptor can tow a trailer weighing up to 2,500kg as long as it’s braked; unbraked is much lower at 750kg.

Bearing in mind that the standard Ranger can carry 1,177kg and tow 3.5 tonnes, you begin to realise that you’re paying a lot of money for a vehicle that is, in this regard at least, much less capable. You really need to think of it as a lone ranger (pun unintended, apologies) for hauling gear to inaccessible places. If the off-road potential is overkill, this isn’t the pick-up for you.

On TG’s impromptu test route of mixed roads on a cold January night, the Raptor returned 27.3mpg; unladen save for a pizza and a bag full of groceries from the local supermarket. With a bit more care on the throttle it might be possible to nudge that figure up to 30mpg, although the official range of 36.2-36.7mpg looks a bit far fetched.

CO2 emissions are rated at 201-204g/km, and as a diesel the first-year VED rate is eye-watering. £1,345 levels of eye-watering. After that, it’s a flat rate of £155 per annum, although in years two to six (so five in total) vehicles costing more than £40k attract an added premium of £355. So make that £510. Sheesh.

Keyword: Ford Ranger Raptor