REVIEW | The Ford Ranger Raptor is a sports car with a load bay

There’s something liberating about not having to swerve for potholes.

The Ford Ranger Raptor’s high-profile 285/70 R17 BF Goodrich all-terrain KO2 tyres whisk without incident over these ubiquitous rim-denting traps.

Compared to the regular Ranger bakkie, the Raptor’s chassis is reinforced to handle punishing off-road conditions and the suspension has 32% more travel in front and 18% more at the Watt's link rear, with ground clearance a towering 272mm. Like its predecessor, the vehicle rides on Fox dampers, but they are now more hi-tech, with position-sensitive damping that adapts to driving conditions.

Being able to cruise comfortably over rough turf is one of the primary reasons to spend R1.1m to buy Ford’s burly new bakkie. Being able to do it with the power and sound of a sports car is another.

With nearly double the engine output of its 2.0l turbo diesel forerunner, the new petrol-powered twin turbo V6 Raptor, in terms of straight-line performance, feels much like a Ford Mustang with a load bay.

When I drove the newcomer at its media launch in the Namibian sand dunes earlier this year, I reported that it felt like a vehicle that could chase the 0-100km/h sprint in about six seconds.

The prediction was largely confirmed when the vehicle arrived at our Joburg offices for a road test recently and we took it for high-performance testing at Gerotek. Our Vbox showed it reeled off the 0-100km/h sprint in a hot hatch-like 6.7 seconds, making it the quickest bakkie we’ve tested and easily outgunning the second fastest: the last-generation VW Amarok turbo diesel V6 with its 8.1 seconds.

With anti-lag technology and paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission with steering-mounted paddle shifters, the big Ford leaps forward with a ballsy feel every time you touch the accelerator. Whether sprinting, overtaking or anything in between, the Raptor feels like a big dog straining at the leash. It is a marvel of engineering to get a 2.4-tonne bakkie to move with such uninhibited zeal, and it sounds like a sports car too. With the exhaust set to its sportiest mode, the Raptor makes a deep-throated roar that would sound at home on a Nascar oval.

When not wishing to upset the neighbours, the tailpipe theatrics can be toned down at the press of a button.

There are also modes that change the suspension and steering settings, all selectable on the steering wheel, and the driver’s favourite combo can be stored and called up with a single button.

There are several off-road driving programmes, including a setting named after the Baja 1000 off-road race in Mexico that puts this bakkie’s engine, transmission and stability control into full-attack mode. Baja is the setting I used most when chasing through Namibia’s dunes at high speed, a playground that was perfectly suited to this vehicle's talents.

The added power and Baja mode make the new Raptor considerably more playful than the previous model, and the fun can be further ramped up by being able to switch off the stability control if you wish to slide it sideways like a rally car and your insurance is fully paid up. In the previous Raptor, it could be only partially disabled.  

The new Raptor is loud and livid. In terms of performance, it fully backs up its aggressively sporty styling, which projects a powerful presence through a tall stance, pumped-out wheel arches and bold, black Ford lettering on the grille.

The big Ford takes to rough trails like a mountain goat, thanks to locking front and rear differentials, selectable 2H, 4H and 4L modes, and a dial between the front seats that can be used to select Slippery, Rock Crawl, Sand and Mud/Ruts modes. We put the vehicle through nearly every type of off-road surface we could think of and it handled them all without breaking a sweat.

The Raptor makes a comfortable daily driver with its bump-soaking suspension, spacious cabin and fully-loaded list of comforts. The jet fighter-inspired seats provide good comfort and support, and there’s plenty of legroom all about.

Infotainment is handled by a huge 12-inch centre touchscreen with Apple and Android wireless smartphone connectivity, and there are charging ports for front and rear passengers, and a 400W inverter that provides 240V power to the load box in conjunction with a 12V socket.

Parking this wide hulk is a challenge, but cameras and sensors make the task less stressful. A 360° camera system with split-view display provides the driver with a live top-down view of everything about the vehicle.

The wide, chunky tyres make a bit more road noise than regular rubber, but otherwise the big bakkie is refined and there are no exterior noises that warrant cranking up the premium 10-speaker 660W Bang & Olufsen audio system.

One downfall of the new Raptor is its thirst. The old diesel-powered version averaged about 10l/100km, but its petrol-powered replacement quaffed more than 22l/100km when driven in high-adrenaline mode and 14.9l when driven with restraint. It never came close to the factory-claimed 11.5l figure.

For those who can afford the R1,149,700 price and the fuel costs, the new Ranger Raptor is a game changer. Some may find it too loud and lewd for their tastes, but image aside, it is simply the fastest and most off-road-capable bakkie there is.

TECH SPECS

Capacity: 3.0l

Power: 292kW

Torque: 584Nm

TRANSMISSION

Type: Ten-speed Auto

DRIVETRAIN

Type: Selectable 4WD, low range transfer case

PERFORMANCE

Top speed: N/A

0-100km/h: 6.7 seconds (as tested)

Fuel Consumption: 11.5l/100km (claimed), 14.9l/100km (as tested)

Emissions: 262g/km

STANDARD FEATURES

Navigation, adaptive cruise control, auto on/off lights, Matrix LED headlights, LED daytime running lights, glare-free high beam, rain sensor wipers, climate control, USB A&C ports, touchscreen infotainment system, 360° parking camera, terrain response mode, tyre pressure monitor, hill descent control, lane keeping assist, seven airbags, wireless smartphone charger

COST OF OWNERSHIP

Warranty: Four years/120,000km

Maintenance plan: Optional eight years/165,000km

Price: R1,149,700

Lease*: R25,236 per month

* at 11.25% interest over 60 months, no deposit

Ford Ranger 3.0 V6 EcoBoost double cab Raptor

WE LIKE:  Styling, performance, off-road ability

WE DISLIKE: Fuel thirst

VERDICT: A sports car with a load bay

MOTOR NEWS star rating

*****Design

*****Performance

**Economy

****Ride/handling

*****Safety

****Value For Money

****Overall

Competition

Volkswagen Amarok 3.0 TDI V6 double cab Aventura, 184kW/600Nm — R1,105,000