Ford Ranger Raptor review: is this the Porsche of utes?

David Linklater
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From one motorsport-inspired machine to another: please watch your towbar.

Specifications

See All See All
Base price
$96,490
Body type
pickup
Fuel Consumption (l/100km)
12.8
Maximum power kW
292
Maximum torque Nm
583
Towing (Tonnes)
2.5
Pros
  • Grunty engine that makes silly noises
  • Suspension equally impress on-road or off
  • Everybody loves Rangers
Cons
  • Potentially very thirsty
  • Arguably a bit obnoxious
  • It's nearly $100k

We’ve talked a bit lately about how Ford chief executive Jim Farley wants the Blue Oval brand to be the “Porsche of off-road”. He’s talking in a big-picture sense of course, about long-term product planning, brand values and a desire to just do a particular genre really well in a number of different ways.

Ford Ranger Raptor.
FORD RANGER RAPTOR V6: Powertrain 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6, 10-speed automatic with automatic AWD or part-time 4WD including low-range Output 292kW/583Nm Efficiency 12.8l/100km (3P-WLTP) Size 5381mm long, 2520kg Price $96,490.

We’ve just revisited the Ford Ranger Raptor, to mentally prepare ourselves for a 2025 that’s going to be a lot about Ford’s ute (including the forthcoming Super Duty and Stormtrak plug-in hybrid models). And we’d like to suggest that this particular model is the Porsche of utes already.

Like a Porsche 911 GT3 (to give just one example), the Raptor is designed to do one specific thing very well indeed.

For the Porsche, it’s racing around a circuit on track days and doing a pretty good impression of a proper competition car, because that's kind of what it is underneath; for the Ford, we’re talking high-speed off-road antics and the ability to yump long and high, coming down softly ready for the next one. Ford entered a near-to-standard Raptor in the demanding Baja 1000 back in 2022; it finished the race and was driven home afterwards.

Ford Ranger Raptor.
Raptor looks like it means business. And it does.

Many buyers of either probably don’t use their highly specialised vehicles for their intended purpose. And that’s okay, because here’s another thing common to both: what makes them so special away from public driving environments, also somehow helps make them very rewarding on real roads.

Like a Porsche 911 GT3 (to give just one example), the Raptor is designed to do one specific thing very well indeed.

A Porsche 911 GT3 is an awesome thing to drive on the highway. The Raptor is arguably the best Ranger to drive on the sealed stuff, and not just because it has a howling twin-turbo V6. The fancy Fox Racing off-road suspension and bouncy high-profile tyres provide a highly compliant ride and the Raptor is one of a select group of Ranger models that has full-time AWD designed for high-speed on-road use (most are part-time 4WD, staying in RWD for regular road driving).

Ford Ranger Raptor.
Dual exhausts mean Raptor misses out on the regular Rangers' 'box step'.

The 292kW/583Nm petrol-V6 powertrain, fruity exhaust and adaptive suspension can be adjusted through the global drive modes or individually. It all feels a bit naughty no matter what you choose, with a subdued shriek from the V6 that can be amplified by cycling through the exhaust modes to “Baja”; that brings up a warning saying it’s “only for off-road use”. Yeah, right. It’s not that loud, but it is fun.

So much of Raptor’s credibility lies in its off-tarmac prowess, which makes it appealing to so many who don’t intend to use any of it. Us included.

The latest Raptor is now also available in biturbo-diesel form, which will be less sonorous and a lot slower, but it’ll still be loads of Ford Performance fun because the rest of the package remains the same. And you won’t be visiting your local Z anywhere near as much.

Ford Ranger Raptor.
Even the lights are all about performance; says so, right there.

You can indeed still drive the Raptor in 2WD, but we wouldn’t recommend it in the wet (at least on public roads), because all that power and those knobbly tyres do make it quite skiddy. It’s only a press of the button on-the-fly to select Auto AWD and you’re set; or at least you’re going in much more of a straight line.

The Raptor is all about fast function, but it’s also a truly luxurious ute. Just like a Porsche 911 GT3 road car is quite sumptuous. You’re getting the theme here, right? Good, we’ll stop the overbearing comparisons.

Ford Ranger Raptor.
Orange might not be too all tastes, but the rest is pretty luxurious.

Rangers in general are pretty swish inside anyway, but the Raptor has loads of leather and a lot of orange detail trim to let you know you’re driving something special. We said luxurious, not low-key.

There is some opportunity cost in terms of the Raptor’s role as an actual ute. That awesome suspension (including a unique Watts Linkage at the rear) limits its payload and towing ability, which are 750kg/2500kg respectively; a standard Ranger rates 1000kg/3500kg.

Raptor at the Baja 1000 in 2022.

So much of Raptor’s credibility lies in its off-tarmac prowess, which makes it mighty appealing to so many who don’t intend to use any of it. Us included, by the way, so we’re not complaining at all; not when it’s such a wonderfully silly and immensely capable machine on the road. Just like a… oh, never mind.

How much is the Ford Ranger Raptor?

The base price for the Raptor V6 is $96,490. Opt for the biturbo diesel at $86,990 and you could save nearly $10k and a lot in fuel; but you’ll be going a lot slower.

What are the key statistics for the Ford Ranger Raptor?

The twin-turbo V6 makes 292kW/583Nm and the 10-speed automatic drives through a fancy AWD system that can function as rear-drive, fully automatic AWD (for high-speed on-road use) or in proper 4WD mode for the rough stuff.

Is the Ford Ranger Raptor efficient?

For fuel-burn-versus-performance, perhaps. But it’s a performance vehicle at heart and you’ll be hard pressed to equal the official 12.8l/100km.

Is the Ford Ranger Raptor good to drive?

It sure is. Raptor is fast, makes silly noises and the suspension setup is not just great for rough road (or no-road) use, it’s really well-controlled at speed on the tarmac.

Is the Ford Ranger Raptor practical?

Utes are useful things, with those trays and all. But there’s compromise with Raptor compared to other Rangers, because it’s down 250kg on payload (what you can put in the tray) and a full tonne on towing: 750kg and 2500kg respectively. You also miss out on the handy "box step" of other Rangers behind the rear wheelarch.

What do we like about the Ford Ranger Raptor?

It’s already something of an enthusiast icon and a proper Ford Performance product, so it stands proud next to a Mustang. The powertrain is epic and the suspension is versatile on the road as well as off. There’s plenty of luxury inside.

What don’t we like about the Ford Ranger Raptor?

Did somebody say “obnoxious”? Yeah, there’s that. It has the potential to be extremely thirsty and it’s down on payload and tow rating compared to other Rangers, if you’re planning to use your ute as a… ute.

What kind of person would the Ford Ranger Raptor suit?

Somebody who appreciates that Ford Performance development and fine-tuning can produce an awesome go-fast ute. Or somebody who sneaks the Raptor through as a company vehicle purchase, on the premise that it’ll be working for a living.