I’d heard a lot about the new Raptor and was pretty jazzed about getting one for a week. I do have to admit that when I saw it in my driveway, my first instinct was to think that I was a bit old to be cruising around in a bright orange lifted pickup with extreme graphics all over it. Once inside the truck and on the road, it was easy to forget about all things extraneous and just enjoy the ride.
The $38,995 Raptor is based on the 4X4 F-150 Super Cab with a 5.5-foot bed which means that there are several components that are shared with the base F-150. My tester came with the optional 400-hp 6.2-liter V8 that pumps out 400 lb-ft of torque and adds $3000 to the price. Power gets to the ground via a six-speed automatic transmission. An electronic locking rear differential is standard as is 4.10:1 gearing. Other options included $1950 for the luxury package, $1075 for the aforementioned graphics package and $2430 for the Nav/radio package and with a few other goodies, the total on the test truck came to a hefty $48,420.
You’ll definitely see bigger tires on some trucks but on the Raptor 315/70R17 BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A tires are big enough to improve off-road ground clearance but not so big as to interfere with suspension deflection which is 11.2 inches up front and 13.4 inches in the rear. The suspension is the key to the Raptor's capability. The F-150's track is widened by 7-inches and there are new upper and lower control arms. The lower control arms are chamfered like a skidplate, so rocks can slide underneath without hanging the truck up. The front half-shafts are longer, and sturdier than standard issue.
Though the Raptor's 4WD system is similar the base F-150, the SVT team incorporated advanced electronics to increase the Raptors capabilities. The stability control system has a sport mode that shuts off the traction control, and a full off road mode, that turns off all stability control functions and switches the ABS to an off-road setting. In full off-road mode, the electronic locking rear differential will remain locked at higher speeds. The Raptor has a hill descent control system that can match the speed you choose with the throttle, from just under 2 mph up to around 18 mph.
All the incredible technical stuff aside, it always comes down to driving a vehicle and I have to say, driving the Raptor was a lot of fun. It has plenty of punch, especially with the 6.2 liter V8, and it is very agile for in town driving. What most surprised me is just how comfortable the truck is. On city streets it’s pretty smooth, it is a truck after all, and an off-road monster to be sure but the suspension technology allows the Raptor to soak up road imperfections with ease without unsettling the driver or passengers.
I didn’t have an opportunity to take the Raptor off road, and even if I had, I don’t have the experience to get anywhere close to it’s capabilities so suffice it to say, if you’re into off-roading in a serious way but want to have a vehicle for everyday use, Ford’s Raptor can certainly fill the bill. I enjoyed it a lot and I’m sure you will too.
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