Now that we know the mechanical specifications of the 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor, details about its twin-turbo V-6, and how its suspension is upgraded, what about its price? If you figured “somewhere close to the 470-hp Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392,” pat yourself on the back—the Bronco Raptor starts at $69,995, a few thousand bucks shy of the V-8-powered Jeep. Now, let’s see how it stacks up with that SUV and its other competitors. For fun, we’ll also include the Bronco’s bigger brother, the F-150 Raptor, just to get a sense of how the two Blue Oval-built, high-speed off-roaders compare. Especially since both utilize high-output, turbocharged V-6 engines under their hoods and Ford says the Bronco can do everything the F-150 can.
What Are You Getting for $69,995?
Just as a refresher, here’s what you’re getting when you opt for the 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor. Underhood is a 400-hp-plus twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 bolted to a 10-speed automatic transmission. From its two-speed transfer case (selectable as Auto, four-high, and four-low), the driveshafts lead to two Dana differentials that have selectable lockers and a 4.70:1 ratio. The front is a Dana 44 with an 8.3-inch ring gear while the rear is a Dana 50 with a 9.25-inch ring gear.
The suspension has extended the travel over the standard Bronco with 13 inches in the front and 14 inches rear with Ford’s “H.O.S.S. 4.0” suspension system. The motions of those 37-inch BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrain tires are controlled by a set of 3.1-inch diameter Fox Shox dampers with “Fox Live Valve” electronically controlled valve adjustments and an internal bypass design.
This new longer-travel suspension, plus improved axles and larger tires, required new flares to keep the tires properly covered. Unique to the Raptor, those fenders increase the Bronco’s width by 8.6 inches (to 73.6 inches versus 65.0 inches); ground clearance increases by 4.8 inches (to 13.1 inches, from 8.3) over the base Bronco four door. The Raptor touches don’t stop there with a unique hood, Rigid auxiliary lighting, amber daytime running lights on the LED headlights, and a heavy-duty modular steel front bumper with tow hooks and removable end caps.
You also get Raptor reminders inside with new selectable G.O.A.T modes, exclusive Performance View on the 12 inch cluster, paddle shifters, bolstered seats, Code Orange trim, and low-gloss carbon fiber accents. This is all in the Bronco Raptor’s “High Package” option, the only one currently available with the “Lux Package” coming some time later. Overall, the Bronco Raptor looks to be a decent bit of kit for the money but let’s look at some other models to be sure.
So, How Does It Compare to the 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor?
While it’s not a competitor, we should also look at the F-150 Raptor just to get a sense of where Ford was going when it packaged the Bronco Raptor together. They are two different vehicles, to begin with, so someone going in looking at a full-size F-150 pickup probably doesn’t have a smaller Bronco SUV in mind. With the High Package version, it rings in a $73,220 and comes with a 3.5 liter turbocharged V-6. It also comes with a 10-speed transmission with 4.10:1 axle ratios with electronic lockers.
One huge difference separates the two Fords’ suspension designs and standard tires. Since the F-150 Raptor is built off the F-150, the rear suspension is a leaf spring design. Don’t get us wrong, it’s a suspension system that works better than decently and is especially great for towing and load handling. However, when it comes to a performance suspension, the leaf springs start to show their limitations when the axle needs to move. As it travels through its movements, the axle moves forward and aft as the leafs stretch and compress. When not moving at the same rate, this can create some interesting dynamic characteristics and that’s not great for handling. Leafs also tend to be much stiffer than coils as the suspension compresses, leading to coils—like those on the Bronco Raptor—being better at “soaking up” the bumps in their entire travel versus a leaf pack that gets progressively stiffer through its up travel.
The F-150 Raptor also comes standard with “only” 35-inch BFGoodrich KO2 All-Terrain tires, which are, again, great at what they do. It’s just that you just can’t beat the increase in tire size for off-roading that the Bronco Raptor has with its 37s (which are available on the F-150, but not standard). You can also see this in the ground clearance between the two Raptors with the F-150 at just 12 inches with the Bronco at 13.1. This is despite the F-150 Raptor having a tad bit more travel than the Bronco at 14 inches front and 15 inches rear (13 front and 14 rear for the Bronco Raptor). However, again, these are just two different classes of vehicles and not really worth comparing as competitors. Let’s look at who the Bronco Raptor is competing against.
2022 Toyota Tacoma and 4Runner TRD Pro
We’re lumping the Tacoma and 4Runner TRD Pros together here, as they’re mechanically similar. It’s also almost unfair to compare them to the Bronco Raptor as they are both way cheaper and also tuned for a different off-road mission. At $49,885 (Tacoma) and $53,635 (4Runner), the TRD Pros are more for those who want to get more out of their rigs general off-roading capabilities than those seeking hardcore desert running. As such, the TRD Pros aren’t much different from their TRD Off-Road counterparts save for the former’s Fox shocks and metal skid plates. At 9.4 inches (Tacoma TRD Pro) and 9.6 inches (4Runner TRD Pro) of ground clearance, they aren’t going to be able to go everywhere the Bronco Raptor will.
This is even more evident with its five-speed automatic transmission in the 4Runner TRD Pro. Even with an additional gear in the Tacoma TRD Pro’s transmission, the Toyotas share a lethargic 3.5-liter V-6 that simply doesn’t hold a candle to the power of the Bronco Raptor’s twin-turbo V-6. Ford claims the output of the Raptor’s engine to be above 400 hp. Toyota’s V-6s put out a measly 278 hp, and their torque hits relatively high in the rev range.
2022 Chevrolet Colorado ZR-2
Yes, you can still buy the Colorado ZR-2. You can even get this pickup with a diesel engine. Ever since it debuted in 2016 as the ultimate midsize off-roading machine, the world of off-roading has evolved quite a bit. Once impressive, the Chevy’s 31-inch factory tires are now swamped by 35- and 37-inch offerings. What was once unique in the Colorado’s DSSV shocks is now standard for any high-performance off-roader and further improved with internal bypasses and electronic adjustments. Same with the ZR-2’s e-lockers, high-clearance bumpers, hill assist, and other stand-out features.
However, at $45,740 for the gasoline version and $49,065 for the diesel, the ZR-2 is a bargain compared to the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro. The biggest leg up for the ZR-2 is the diesel option which neither Ford nor Toyota offer. While it may only have 181 hp, it has a monstrous 369 lb-ft of torque out of the 2.8 liter turbocharged I-4.
That might give the leg up over the Bronco in this instance, but the ZR-2 will struggle in the rocks thanks to its smaller tires and “only” 8.9 inches of ground clearance and 8.6 inches of front and 10 inches of rear wheel travel. It’s just not going to be as capable as the Raptor in the rocks nor will it be as fast with its eight-speed transmission behind the gas engine or the six-speed behind the diesel.
2022 Jeep Wrangler 392
Now we come to the only similarly sized and priced hardcore off-road vehicle (albeit with a V-8 under its hood): the Jeep Wrangler 392. For some people, it’s going to be hard to argue against anything with an engine with a 392-cubic-inch displacement spitting out 470 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. Ford will be hard pressed to deliver anything close to that power from the Bronco Raptor’s V-6. Then there is the legendary off-road capability of the Wrangler that’s built in from over 80 years of existence. Just how on Earth might the Ford Bronco Raptor beat this? Modern technology, that’s how.
Let’s start with the main drawback to the Wrangler’s design: a live front axle. For slow crawling along the rocks, a live front axle is just fine. If you’re going high-speed running in the desert, such an axle is a weakness, as keeping the vehicle pointed straight on a bumpy, undulating surface becomes harder and bump steer becomes an issue. Even Casey Currie built an independent-front-suspension version of a racing Wrangler when he went competed in the Baja 1000 with the Trophy Jeep.
The ring gears are also a bit of an upgrade with the Bronco Raptor, as well. The Wrangler 392 uses Dana 44s front and rear with 8.5-inch ring gears in each end. While the front Dana 44 of the Bronco Raptor uses an 8.23-inch ring gear, the aft Dana 50 is much larger at 9.25 inches. The Wrangler 392 also makes due with a lower ground clearance versus the Raptor with a 10.3 inches between the ground and its lowest point on the 392 versus the Raptor’s 13.1 inches, thanks to its mere 33-inch-tall tires. Even with its rubber, the Jeep still won’t make up the difference a set of 37-inch tires makes on the Bronco.
We haven’t even gotten to the biggest issue with the Wrangler 392: its price. At $76,690 to start, it’s no bargain. Whether it seems worth the premium over the $69,995 Bronco Raptor likely depends on what you plan to do with it as much as the V-8 under its hood. You’ll get much better sound outta the Jeep, but better desert-bashing capability and nimbleness from the Raptor. We can’t wait to compare these two in a proper test to find out which is better.
The Competition Needs To Step Up
As we can see from the Bronco Raptor, the off-road space is only heating up and Ford has come out of the box with a truly capable and impressive machine, at least on paper. If everything holds true to the production version and in the real world, any automaker that claims to have the ultimate off-road vehicle will have a very tall mountain to climb if they want to equal what the Raptor is coming with. If they can deliver that for less than seventy grand like Ford has, all the more power to them.
Keyword: Here's How Much the 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor Will Cost