Ford has given us the F-150 Raptor, the Bronco Raptor, and now they’re giving us the Ranger Raptor. So is this mid-size off-road focused truck just as much fun as its bigger brothers and is the best value Raptor for your money?
Performance
Engine – With the Ranger Raptor, you don’t get a big V8. Nor do you get the twin-turbocharged 3.5L V6 of the F-150 Raptor. Instead it comes with the 3.0L twin-turbocharged V6 that is also found in the Bronco Raptor. However, it produces the least amount of power among the three Raptor vehicles. In this Ranger, the engine output is 405 hp & 430 lb-ft of torque (302 kW & 583 Nm). But while that is less than even the same engine that is in the Bronco Raptor, this Ranger Raptor is significantly lighter at 2,415 kg (5,324 lbs). The Bronco Raptor and the F-150 Raptor are about 200 kg (440 lbs) heavier than this. This allows the Ranger to accelerate from a stop to 100 km/h in about 6 seconds, half a second faster than the Bronco and about the same time as the more powerful F-150 Raptor V6.
Fuel Economy – This 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor can also achieve better fuel economy than its bigger brothers. It is rated for 14.9 L/100km (15.8 MPG) in a city and 12.8 L/100km (18.4 MPG) on a highway. Ok, it’s not the best fuel economy figures for a pickup truck, but given the power, it is better than the other Raptors. I managed to average 13.8 L/100km (17 MPG) during my week with the truck.
Transmission – The Ranger Raptor utilizes the same 10-speed automatic that is used through most of the Ford family but with obvious programming changes to suit this truck. In everyday driving, the shifts are buttery smooth. To my surprise, they are still smooth even when the truck is in Sport mode with manual control via the steering wheel mounted paddle shifters. However, taking control with the paddle shifters isn’t quite as responsive as it is in the F-150 Raptor. This is most noticeable on the downshifts. But it’s not too bad.
Braking – Surprisingly, the Ranger Raptor uses the same brakes as the standard Ford Ranger. They are 12.2” front discs with floating calipers and 12.1” rear discs with floating calipers. They do a well enough job of slowing the truck down and the brake pedal feels firm throughout its travel. The limit of the braking force comes from the 33” BFGoodrich off-road focused tires.
Handling – The Ford Ranger Raptor receives 2.5” Fox Live Valve dampers to cope with rough off-road driving. In addition to the 33” off-road tires, the Ranger Raptor has 10.7” of ground clearance, an approach angle of 33°, a departure angle of 26.4°, and a breakover angle of 24.2°. The overall width of the truck is wider to accommodate the new shocks and bigger tires but it is almost 7” narrower than the F-150 Raptor. Not only does it make it a bit more maneuverable on city streets, but it’s also less cumbersome on off-road trails. Being a Raptor, this truck is equipped with front & rear locking differentials and a few different drive modes to choose from. The rear differential can be locked even if the truck is in 2WD mode but the front differential can only be locked when it is in 4LO which is totally fine.
Over the rough stuff, all of the changes to this truck in making the Raptor pay dividends. Driving through mud ruts is an absolute breeze. The Fox Live Valve Dampers are at their softest setting in Baja mode which absorb anything you drive over, or through. On paved roads, the truck doesn’t have the same responsiveness of the regular Ranger but that’s mostly due to the off-road tires. Otherwise, the dampers keep the body roll in check, the steering is light, and for the most part, the truck feels settled when driving over potholes mid-way through a corner.
Capability – Being an off-road focused truck, the 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor doesn’t have the same payload & towing capabilities as the regular Ford Ranger. It can tow up to 5,510 lbs and can carry up to 1,411 lbs. The cargo box is the same as the standard Ranger with it being 5’ in length and about 4’ wide at the wheel wells. It has a damped tailgate with a ruler built into the edge of it, there are tie downs at each corner and there are power outlets on the left side.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – Thanks to the large sidewalls of the off-road tires and the adaptive suspension, the Ford Ranger Raptor’s ride is almost like driving on a cloud. Manhole covers and potholes do nothing to spoil the ride of this Ranger.
Interior Space – The interior dimensions of the Ranger Raptor are the same as those in the regular Ranger. This means tall individuals can find a comfortable position in the front seats. Visibility around the truck is good and I particularly like the large exterior mirrors. Rear space is tight for taller individuals but at least the Ranger has more rear space than the Toyota Tacoma. The bench can be lifted to reveal some small storage compartments but the bench lifts as one piece not 60/40 like in some other trucks. Additionally, the back rests can be folded for a flat surface but the headrests need to be removed to do so. Or at the very least, move the front seats forward.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – Being a Raptor, the exhaust has a few different modes to select from. Quiet mode makes it about as quiet as a regular Ranger. Normal provides a bit of a deep tone to the exhaust but it’s not too loud. Sport turns up the volume a bit more with Baja providing the loudest exhaust mode. However, it’s not too discernible from Sport mode. Under certain circumstances, it’s possible to hear the turbocharger blow-off valves when lifting your foot off the throttle pedal. Otherwise, the cabin doesn’t let much wind noise intrude, even with the large exterior mirrors. But it does let in quite a lot of road noise from the tires. The cabin of this Ranger Raptor is not as well insulated as that of the F-150 Raptor.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – The 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor is, predictably, the least expensive vehicle of the Raptor family. It has a starting price of $77,945 CAD ($55,720 USD). There aren’t too many additional packages and options to add to it, at least for the Canadian market, as this demo truck had an as-tested price of $80,665 CAD ($57,805 USD).
Gadgets – The 2024 Ranger Raptor comes well equipped with heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, leather upholstery, 10-way power driver’s seat and 8-way power passenger seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, B&O 10-speaker sound system, wireless phone charging pad, 12” touchscreen with built-in navigation system and wireless Apple CarPlay & wireless Android Auto, a 12” digital driver display, keyless entry and push button start. One feature that the Ranger Raptor does not have is a sunroof.
The large tablet style touchscreen displays the SYNC 4 infotainment system. I find the system fairly intuitive to use as well as quick to respond to inputs. But like many updated Ford models, the climate controls are now integrated into the touchscreen which can be more distracting to use while driving. Happily, Ford has listened to their customers and critics and added redundant physical climate controls directly underneath the screen. There are knobs for the temperature as well as the fan speed but that’s all that’s required. I am very happy that at least one company has listened, hopefully more will follow such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW.
Interior Design – The Ranger’s cabin is straightforward and simple to use. It has large cup holders in the center console, a small open compartment just above the glove box, and more compartments in the doors. There is quite a bit of plastic throughout the cabin but the upper portions of the dashboard and door panels are covered in a faux suede-like material. Additionally this Ranger Raptor does not get real carbon fiber trim as the F-150 Raptor does. It does have red accents throughout the cabin including around the air vents and leather upholstery.
Exterior Design – The 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor has a wider stance than the standard Ranger. With the large “Ford” lettering on the center of the grille, it makes the truck look a bit like the F-150 Raptor. But this Ranger retains the C-shaped daytime running lights of the standard Ranger. It has Raptor side decals and a Raptor badge on the tailgate with the dual exhaust pipes finishing off the off-road look.
Safety – The Ranger Raptor is already equipped with every safety & driver aid that can be fitted to the Ford Ranger. Some of these include automatic emergency braking, blind spot sensors, adaptive cruise control with stop & go function, surround view cameras, lane keep and so on. All of these systems performed as they were designed to as I never noticed any false readings with any safety or driver aid.
Warranty – The 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor is covered by a 3 year / 60,000 km basic warranty and a 5 year / 100,000 powertrain warranty. For more information on Ford’s Canadian warranty, click here. For USA warranty information, click here.
Conclusion – While the Ford Ranger Raptor is not as powerful as the F-150 Raptor, nor as spacious, nor as capable in terms of towing, I think it makes much more sense as an off-road performance truck. At just under $78,000 CAD, it is significantly less expensive than the F-150 and the Bronco, it’s lighter than both, it’s not as wide so you won’t be scratching it against branches on trails as often, and it doesn’t feel as massive when you’re not driving it on city streets. 400 hp for an off-road ready truck? I’d say that’s a bargain. … relatively speaking.
Thank you to Ford Canada for providing the vehicle. www.Ford.ca
2024 Ford Ranger Raptor Gallery
