Ford Ranger Raptor

Step inside the Ford Ranger Raptor, and you will be surprised by its unique style. Every bit of it is designed to give an excellent off-road experience. Ford had paid special attention to make the cabin airy and premium. Mirroring the gigantic appeal of the outside, the interior too feels large and attention-seeking. The cabin is finished in an all-black theme along with an elongated centre console, thus ensuring everything in the Ranger Raptor makes you feel ‘in power.’

The steering wheel is slightly different from what is seen in the Ford cars. It comes with buttons for audio, Bluetooth and cruise control. Also, making the steering wheel more performance-oriented are the magnesium paddle shifters and red centering strip that helps the driver monitor tire direction, thus making turning and cornering easy.  

The centre console houses a wide 8-inch color touchscreen infotainment system, which is gradually becoming a norm in the pickup segment as well. This system comes integrated with Ford’s renowned SYNC 3 Voice Connectivity System. This system keeps the driver and passengers entertained, connected, and on track. It uses 10,000 natural voice commands to play music, make calls, and change the cabin temperature. Further, it is very intuitive thanks to the swipe and pinch-to-zoom functionalities. 

Other features that add on to Ford Ranger Raptor premium feel include leather upholstery with contrast stitching, 8-way power-adjustable driver seat with lumbar support, heated front seat, smart keyless entry, rear AUX, rain-sensing wipers, dual-zone automatic climate control, and auto on/off headlamps.

Pickup trucks are known to have a muscular stance that most of the time is the result of its humongous dimension. With the styling part usually not cared about. However, the case is different for the Ford Ranger Raptor. It is designed with utmost precision with the sole aim to trap the onlookers in the very first meet. Unlike the available options in the market, the Raptor has a distinct personality of its own. It is more of a lifestyle vehicle than just a commercial pickup. Without a doubt, the new Raptor carries an intimidating stance which is a must-have trait for a car-hailing from its segment.

The Ranger Raptor shares its frontal design with none of the Ford vehicles. It gets decorated in a unique silhouette that’s shout-out-loud its arrival. The signature front grille with Ford written in bold capital letters steals the show. Paring with it perfectly are the sharp headlamps that come with its set of dedicated contour lines. These High-Intensity Discharge headlamps come integrated with LED Daytime Running Lamps to spruce in some premium-ness to the frontal view. The LED fog lamps come with air-curtain ducts, adding in aerodynamic touch. The metal skid plates on the front bumper, further add to its hulk-like persona.

Moving on to the sides, the Ford Raptor gets traditional pickup truck appeal.  However, the Ranger tries to maintain its enormous appeal thanks to the black window surrounds along with matching ORVM with turn indicators. Added in the side package are sizeable 18-inch alloy wheels. The black garnish on the fenders and door handles make the Ranger Raptor look much more premium than its sibling, the Ranger. 

At the rear, the Raptor has got a considerable loading bay, which ends up in a smoothly designed rear tailgate. What, however, attracts the most is its vertical taillight and Raptor all-black moniker written in an appealing font style. 

The Ford Ranger Raptor, unlike all the other pickup trucks currently available in the Philippines market, is meant to provide a super plush ride quality. Its premium package is not limited to looks and further extends to the excellent ride and handling experience. Making things fall in place is the race-bred suspension system tuned with 2.5-inch FOX Racing Shocks that delivers 30% more wheel travel compared to the Ranger. Making the Raptor, the riding beast that it claims to be a significant role played by 2.3 mm thick high-strength steel which is designed to absorb impact from almost any off-road event. With a suspension setup of independent SLA at the front along with a rear multi-link solid axle with Watt's linkage, the Raptor feels stable. 332 x 32 Vented Discs do brake duty at the front and 332 x 24 Vented Discs at the rear.

The Ford Ranger Raptor is being offered with only one engine option – a four-cylinder 1996cc diesel engine. This engine is tuned to produce 213 PS at 3750 rpm along with a peak torque of 500 Nm at 1750 to 2000 rpm. This mill is optimized with a fuel management system known as the turbocharged direct common rail diesel injection. Thanks to which Ranger Raptor fuel economy rests at 12 kmpl along with a C02 emission of 212 gram per kilometre. Doing transmission duty is the segment-first 10-speed automatic system that assures quicker gear changes and improved acceleration.

The Ford Ranger Raptor comes with Terrain Management System that offers six pre-set driving modes - Baja, Sport, Weather, Rock Crawl, Mud/Sand, and Normal. All of which enable the Raptor to conquer any terrain at just a turn of a dial. The Baja mode is the most talked-about addition; it dials down traction, optimize-speed desert running, and improves responsiveness. Other elements adding to the performance aspect are Raptor’s 33-inch all-terrain tire,  283 mm of ground clearance, and 850 mm of water wading capability.

Being a premium pickup truck, the Ford Ranger Raptor covers all the essential safety features. It can be said that between the Ranger and Ranger Raptor, the latter is the safer option. The list of safety features for the Ranger Raptor is a bit long and includes -  dual front, curtain, and front side airbags, Belt reminder (driver and front passenger), Dynamic Stability Control incorporating ABS, Emergency Brake Assist, Hill Descent Control, Hill Launch Assist, Lane Keeping Aid with Lane Departure Warning, Load Adaptive Control, Park Sensor, Rear-View Camera, Roll Over Mitigation, Traction Control System, Traffic Sign Recognition, Trailer Sway Control, and a few more.  

The 2020 Ranger Raptor, in a true Ford fashion, is one perfect vehicle. Not only the Raptor impresses you with its bold exterior and premium inserts, but the cabin also is just a step ahead and does not lack the modern as well as contemporary bits which are usually not seen in the segment. Undoubtedly the engine feels powerful with the typical indestructible feel, reliability as well as the go-anywhere ability. All these attributes make the Raptor a desirable or shall we say a lifestyle pickup.