2023 Ford Ranger Raptor evaluation

The Ford Ranger Raptor is again, larger and higher than ever.

The primary-generation Raptor set a brand new commonplace for off-road efficiency from a manufacturing ute in Australia, however there was at all times an elephant within the room.

Its 2.0-litre diesel engine was a powerful technical achievement, however by no means packed the efficiency we anticipated from a Ford Efficiency product. The remainder of the Raptor was an on the spot winner within the high-vis one-upmanship stakes, however the engine was by no means greater than sufficient.

For all its discuss how well-suited the diesel engine within the final Raptor was to the job, Ford has reversed course for the second-generation automotive.

In line with Justin Capicchiano, Ranger Raptor program supervisor, prospects beloved the final automotive however wished “extra Raptor” within the new mannequin.

“The best way to do this was to alter the powertrain round,” he advised CarExpert.

Ford has mentioned bye bye Bi-Turbo and slotted a twin-turbocharged petrol V6 beneath the bonnet for extra noise and extra go, full with a variable exhaust designed to sing a tune modelled on a few of the trade’s most sonorous bent-six engines.

Past the headline change, a lot of the particulars are new on the 2023 Raptor. The suspension has been overhauled, the electronics are smarter, and the steering setup is bespoke relative to the remainder of the Ranger line-up.

The present Raptor was already the daddy in its class, however the brand new mannequin strikes the sport on once more. It’s a beast.

How a lot does the Ford Ranger value?

The Ranger Raptor is obtainable in a single spec, priced at $85,490 earlier than on-road prices. That’s up $15,000 on the common range-topper, the Ranger Wildtrak V6.

It’s additionally up on the $79,390 earlier than on-roads you’d have paid for a Raptor X on the finish of the outgoing mannequin’s life.

There’s no getting away from the truth that’s some huge cash for a Raptor, however you do get loads of efficiency on your cash…

Toyota’s most costly HiLux is $70,200 earlier than on-roads (the Rogue), though a brand new “Apex” variant will be a part of the vary in 2023 and doubtlessly bump that up nearer to the Raptor’s mark.

What’s the Ford Ranger like on the within?

The basics within the Ranger Raptor are in step with what we’ve come to anticipate from the broader line-up, albeit with loads of high quality touches to stress its place atop the vary.

The steering wheel is exclusive to the Raptor, and options magnesium paddles as a substitute of the foolish little shift buttons on the shifter within the Wildtrak, whereas the seats maintain you extra tightly than the usual items.

They’re wonderful, placing what appeared like the proper stability between bolstering and long-haul consolation on our launch drive. Coupled with the lean and attain adjustable wheel, they make the Raptor one of the crucial comfy utes cash can purchase.

Together with the seats and wheel, there are many flashes of the brand new Code Orange hero color unfold all through the cabin. It’s been used for the vents, stitching, and Raptor emblem on the base of the steering wheel, and properly matches the extra out-there character of the newest automotive.

The vertical touchscreen within the Ranger is streets forward of what you get in every other dual-cab ute. The menu construction is logical, and the sheer quantity of display actual property means key data isn’t buried. It’s potential to have your mapping, radio preferences, and local weather data on show , for instance.

The wi-fi Apple CarPlay related flawlessly, though it drains the battery quickly if you happen to aren’t hooked as much as the wi-fi charger. While you’re off-road, it options just a few screens to point out which mode you’ve chosen and the way the automotive is about up, together with two digital camera views making it simpler to position what’s fairly a large automotive in tight areas.

A bit extra processing energy nonetheless wouldn’t go astray although; the display typically lags while you’re hopping between features.

FordPass Join is commonplace on the Raptor (as it’s range-wide), and permits house owners to lock or unlock and remotely begin their automotive, verify gasoline ranges, discover the automotive, activate the outside lighting, and even verify the indications on their trailer are working.

Cupboard space across the cabin is plentiful. The central bin is deep, the door pockets have loads of room, there are two cupholders on the transmission tunnel, and the slot beneath the dashboard is large. The slot forward of the gear selector is ideal for a big McDonalds fries – no chip disaster right here, supplied you don’t spill them with the additional V6 grunt on faucet.

Rear seat area is ok, however doesn’t really feel like a lot of a step on from what was beforehand on provide. What’s new is the bench, which has been reshaped relative to the remainder of the line-up to supply extra assist to outboard occupants for when the motive force begins

Leg- and headroom are each acceptable, and the bench is broad sufficient that three tradies will be capable to journey on quick journeys with out desirous to kill one another afterwards.

The inclusion of air vents is nice, as is the fold-down central armrest with cupholders. It’s helpful for lengthy highway journeys, and for protecting warring youngsters aside.

The Code Orange flashes from the entrance carry over to the rear, and the supplies again there really feel fairly plush. Fairly than a spot for annoying apprentices, it seems like a spot to stash pampered youngsters.

Together with the requisite ISOFIX and top-tether youngster seat factors, the Ranger contains a fold-down central armrest, damped rear seize handles, and storage bins beneath the seat bases.

What’s underneath the bonnet?

Say goodbye to the Bi-Turbo, and hiya to the brand new Nano V6.

Energy within the new Ranger Raptor comes from a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 making 292kW and 583Nm, despatched to all 4 wheels via a full-time four-wheel drive system.

A part of the Nano household of engines inside Ford, the three.0 is loosely associated to the two.7-litre unit featured within the Bronco within the USA – with the emphasis on loosely, given it contains a totally different block, head, and camshafts.

It’s extra intently associated with the three.0-litre within the Bronco Raptor, though even that has a unique air field and exhaust system.

Claimed gasoline financial system is 11.5 litres per 100km, and the Raptor drinks premium unleaded. An 85L gasoline tank is commonplace, and at launch ARB received’t have a long-range possibility – though it’s possible one shall be provided quickly sufficient.

The four-wheel drive system within the Raptor is able to working in typical 2H, 4H, and 4L modes, together with a 4A setting that allows you to function with all-wheel drive on sealed surfaces. Like the broader Ranger line-up, it has a locking rear differential. In contrast to the broader Ranger line-up, it additionally has a locking entrance differential.

Ford says the automotive is designed to flatter amateurs and problem specialists, so there’s a variety of off-road assists on provide. Rock Crawl, Sand, Mud/Ruts, and Baja every pre-configure the automotive’s methods for a sure sort of terrain, whereas Path Management will hold the automotive at a set pace between 2.0km/h and 32km/h like cruise for while you’re off the overwhelmed monitor.

How does the Ford Ranger drive?

The outdated Raptor floated over the form of rutted, ruined surfaces that’d produce other utes crawling with out breaking a sweat, and the brand new automotive isn’t any totally different.

Together with some low-speed off-roading (we’ll get there), the Blue Oval arrange a brief particular stage comprising gravel, mud, grime, and a soar. The outdated Raptor – readily available to supply a baseline – floats across the lap, nevertheless it’s nearly silent all the way in which, and the doughy throttle means it is advisable to plan your inputs if you wish to agitate it.

The brand new automotive is a very totally different animal. For starters, you may hear it from miles away with the exhaust in Baja Mode. Ford says Baja is for “Off-Highway Use Solely”, nevertheless it’s off-road solely in the identical approach that household lasagne you inhaled final evening serves 4.

Customisation is on the core of what Ford has tried to do with the Raptor. Every drive mode tweaks the calibration of the ABS, stability management, exhaust, and the steering and throttle setups, together with the drivetrain, and may be additional adjusted by the motive force as they want.

Which means, for instance, you may have the automotive in its raciest Baja Mode with stability and traction management turned off, with the four-wheel drive system in 2H and the rear differential locked to show the Raptor right into a two-tonne, dual-cab drift machine.

In Baja Mode (electrical assists arrange for max assault), the brand new Raptor feels playful and alive in a approach the outdated automotive simply doesn’t. It accelerates laborious via the decrease gears, pinning you again within the seat in a approach that’ll really feel acquainted to scorching hatch house owners, and the throttle response is in one other league.

With stability management switched fully off it feels much more playful. On gravel you’re capable of path brake into corners and have the again finish hanging out, after which choose up the throttle and keep it up the slide with the exhaust barking furiously away within the background.

Carry off and the tough anti-lag system retains the turbocharger spinning for 3 seconds, so while you get again on the loud pedal there’s not one of the momentum-sapping lag you may anticipate while you step off to tuck the nostril in. You possibly can hear the system popping away, firing air into the turbo, from the surface.

The lengthy wheelbase combines with steering that’s faster and extra exact than on the final automotive to make the Raptor a giant teddy to catch when it begins sliding. With a little bit of confidence you may have it pivot gracefully between corners and begin linking slides at pace, which is hilarious in a two-tonne ute. And sure, it’ll soar.

The place most dual-cab utes fall over their outdoors entrance wheel while you tip them right into a nook, the entrance finish of the Raptor feels dialled in. The mixture of that steering, which comes courtesy of a beefed-up EPAS motor, and the subtle suspension offers the Raptor a sense of stability you received’t discover elsewhere within the ute world.

It isn’t a disappointment at decrease speeds. The Raptor waltzed via the identical off-road course we drove within the Everest, dragging itself up muddy slopes and cruising via boggy ruts with out breaking a sweat.

Its wider monitor and extra subtle Fox suspension imply it floats over lumpy floor with what seems like a degree physique, and the knobby tyres claw extra confidently into muddy surfaces. The mechanical {hardware} is all top-notch, as you’d anticipate, however there’s additionally the digital smarts readily available to get probably the most out of them.

Path Management, for instance, lets you set a pace and have the automotive keep it when you give attention to steering. It does the identical job as Hill Descent Management down slippery inclines, the place it retains an iron grip on the automotive’s momentum, and saved the automotive regular over some tough offset moguls.

After all, typically there’s no substitute for a beneficiant stab of throttle. Ford says the brand new Raptor has “the power to achieve momentum” in a approach its predecessor didn’t, we’d say you may assault obstacles with extra aptitude and fewer planning than earlier than.

When it is advisable to scale one thing steep and slippery the engine within the new Raptor has extra in reserve than earlier than, and the exhaust means you may take pleasure in pushing it in a approach you simply couldn’t with the muted four-pot within the final automotive.

Fairly than a chore, it turns laborious off-road work right into a pleasure. Making the mundane or common extra pleasing is the purpose of efficiency vehicles, and the Raptor delivers on that promise in a approach most diesel utes simply can’t.

As for on the highway? It’s each bit as polished as you’d hope.

Our time on tarmac was restricted, however primarily based on our preliminary drive the automotive builds on its predecessor’s stable foundations with a magic carpet journey. Pace bumps, tough roads, kerbs, small animals… all of them disappear with out disturbing the physique, which hovers alongside.

The extra direct steering and spectacular physique management grant the Raptor the additional sense of goal it beforehand lacked in additional mundane driving.

The Fox Dwell Valve Inner Bypass shocks are able to actively adjusting their behaviour primarily based on the place they’re of their journey, and ship distinctive physique management at the side of a relaxed, long-travel really feel while you want it. It’s not a simple factor to do.

Noise suppression is superb contemplating the large tread blocks on the BF Goodrich tyres, and the motive force assists seem like calibrated effectively, which means you may lean on them to make lengthy drives simpler. Notably, the Raptor lastly will get adaptive cruise management.

The Raptor isn’t good. For one, its 2500kg braked towing capability is down 1000kg on what you get in a Wildtrak, and the 717kg payload received’t fulfill those that want their ute to do heavy-duty work. These are the compromises you need to make with these Fox Shocks.

It’s additionally a licensed huge boy at 2028mm extensive, contemplating a daily Ranger is 1918mm extensive. That’s going to make it harder to fit into metropolis carparks, or to squeeze into grocery store parking spots. Fortunately there’s no hazard of kerbing a rim.

What do you get?

The Raptor exists in a unique world to the common Ranger line-up, so its gear checklist appears to be like a bit totally different. Commonplace equipment contains:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• 17-inch alloy spare wheel
• T285/70 R17 BF Goodrich K02 all-terrain tyres
• Distinctive grille with ‘F-O-R-D’ lettering
• Matrix LED headlights
• Auto-levelling LED daytime working lights
• Full LED tail lights
• 2.3mm metal entrance bash plate
• Distinctive Raptor twin tow hooks
• Spray-in bedliner
• Lively exhaust
• Efficiency Fox racing 2.5-inch dwell valve suspension & Watts Hyperlink coil suspension
• Electronically-locking entrance differential
• 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster
• Paddle shifters
• Full vary of selectable drive modes
• Ford Efficiency seats with embossed Raptor emblem and Code Orange accented stitching

That’s atop the next gear, which is commonplace on the common line-up.

• Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Embedded modem
• Distant begin by way of FordPass app
• Tilt and telescopic steering column
• Carpet flooring
• Driver flooring mat
• Drive modes (4×4 fashions solely)
• Rear disc brakes
• Digital handbrake
• LED headlights
• C-shaped LED daytime working lights
• Entrance-mounted tow hooks
• Rear tub illumination (pickup solely)
• Bedliner with 12V socket (pickup solely)
• Spray-in bedliner with 12V socket (tremendous cab solely)
• Twin-zone local weather management
• Satellite tv for pc navigation
• Voice assistant
• Leather-based-wrapped steering wheel
• Keyless entry with push-button begin
• Electrochromatic mirror
• Rain-sensing window wipers
• Adaptive cruise management with lane-centring and cease/go
• 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Heated entrance seats
• Eight-way electrically adjustable entrance seats
• Encompass-view digital camera
• Automated parking help

Is the Ford Ranger protected?

The final Ranger Raptor missed out on a few of the lively driver assists provided elsewhere within the line-up resulting from its distinctive design. That isn’t the case for the newest mannequin.

The 2022 Ford Ranger Raptor comes with the next commonplace security gear:

• 9 airbags
• Autonomous emergency braking
• Lane-keep help
• Lane-departure warning
• Highway edge detection
• Blind-spot help
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Reverse digital camera
• Entrance and rear parking sensors
• Adaptive cruise with cease/go
• Encompass-view digital camera
• Totally autonomous parking help

The brand new Ford Ranger is but to be crash examined by ANCAP, so it stays unrated. The outgoing mannequin obtained a five-star ANCAP security ranking, nevertheless it was primarily based on testing performed in 2015.

How a lot does the Ford Ranger value to run?

The Ford Ranger Raptor is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee.

It requires upkeep each 12 months or 15,000 kilometres, and the primary 4 providers will set you again $299 every underneath Ford’s capped-price service plan.

CarExpert’s Take

The outdated Ranger Raptor was technically spectacular, however its engine by no means lived as much as the promise of its swollen arches, stickers, and Ford Efficiency branding.

The brand new automotive rights these wrongs, emphatically.

It’s extra succesful off-road and extra polished on it, however that was nearly a given primarily based on the way in which the common Ranger drives. The large shock is how a lot enjoyable the Ford Efficiency staff has managed to extract from a dual-cab ute.

The additional energy, torque, and noise on provide from the three.0-litre V6 engine flip the Raptor right into a automotive that feels alive nearly on a regular basis.

The subsequent-generation automotive is extra pleasing to push off-road, the place it’ll climb each mountain and ford each stream with a bit extra aptitude, and you’ll play with it like an overgrown rally automotive on free surfaces. On the highway it has the identical indomitable feeling as earlier than, however there are additional layers to its character because of the engine and exhaust.

Will most house owners ever come near tapping the huge potential baked into the brand new Raptor? In all probability not. However you don’t must dig deep into its spectacular suite of capabilities to know you’re driving one thing particular.

MORE: Everything Ford Ranger