2020 Ford Ranger Raptor Review.

The term super truck has been more synonyms in the west with their larger hulking size, leviathan V8 engines and jacked up suspensions like the Ford F150 Raptor and Ram 1500 Rebel. Here in Asia however our size of roads only make sense for midsize pickup trucks. But there is no reason why all the characteristics mention above cannot be found on the smaller midsize truck. Ford certainly think so when they launch the Ford Ranger Raptor and yes, this one can jump as well just like its bigger F150 sibling. For me personally I have been dying to finally gets my hands behind the wheel of one and boy it was smiles all the way.

The Raptor is essentially the highest possible trim level you can get for the Ranger which also comes in lower trim level that is the XL, XLT and WildTrak. For the most part the lower trim Rangers mostly is similar to each other in terms of dimensions and suspension other than some extra features, larger engine and safety features as you go higher up the trim level. For this review I am going to solely put my focus on the Raptor because it is a rather special truck given it has a price tag of RM 211,888.00 on the road without insurance here in Sarawak. Nearly RM 65K more than the trim level below it which is the WildTrak. In fact, for most people the Ranger Raptor is more commonly call Raptor alone since it does looks somewhat more distinctive than a regular Ranger.

So, lets us start there shall we. Dimensions wise the Raptor is exactly 150mm wider and 50mm taller than the other Ranger trim level. Combine with the standard 285 mm width BF Goodrich 17-inch all-terrain tyres and off durability high performance looking bumper really give the Raptor an imposing and muscular stance on the road. Seriously if you drive a sedan and one of these suddenly shows up in your rear-view mirror best be out of its way or speed up. Up front an in your face grill with large FORD lettering dominates while the headlight is new for 2020 featuring LED projector with LED DRL as well LED lower fog lights. The lower bumper features some skid plate as well as twin tow hooks and air pockets right next to the fog light housing aerodynamics.

Towards the side there is a Raptor Exclusive aluminum sidestep as well and body decals. The fender flares, door handle and side mirror all finish in matte black for that durable look. For some reason, the roof rails on the lower Wildtrak trim is missing here which for me is rather odd. Finishing towards the rear there is again a Raptor exclusive matte black rear bumper with twin tow hooks and integrated step as well a slightly different taillamp detail. There is lock on the rear tail gate handle and the rear backup camera is smartly integrated in to the large and thick rear Ford emblem.

Of course, the Raptor is not just for looks. Under the hood is 2.0L Bi-turbocharged 4-cylinder diesel engine pushing out 213 Ps and 500 Nm of torque. Power sent to all 4 wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission and shift on the fly 4wd system. On paper this looks pretty similar to the lower WildTrak trim so what’s up with the extra RM 65K you’re asking? Well first, the 4wd system on the Raptor is a more intelligent system call the Terrain Management System with Baja mode. This system compares to the regular 4wd system which you switch from 2WD to 4WD high and low allows the driver to select 6 pre-set driving mode for different driving situation and terrain that the Raptor faces. Those modes are as bellow:

Baja Mode – For high speed dessert run.

Sport Mode – For faster throttle, shifting and sportier steering on road.

Gravel/Snow Mode – For slippery flat surfaces.

Mud/Sand Mode – For the typical soft to medium off-road situation.

Rock Mode – For heavier off-road and slow or rock-climbing situation.

Normal Mode – For regular on road use.

Secondly the Raptor gets a different suspension system with the front featuring an aluminum double wishbone with bypass Fox Racing dampers while in the rear instead of the leaf spring set up you’ll get a coil over shocks with Watt’s linkage and the same bypass Fox Racing dampers as well. With this set up the Raptor now have about 283mm of ground clearance with an impressive 32.5 degrees approach angle and a class leading 850 mm water wading. There is also a huge bash plate underneath the car that is 2.3mm thick to protect and absorb all impact during off roading.

Third, the inside has also given some additional Raptor exclusive trims and styling. At the centre of the dashboard there is an 8-inch touch screen SYNC 3 infotainment system that support both Apple Carplay and Android Auto compatibility as well as in board navigation. That system is also hooked up to 6 speakers and 2 USB ports. The dashboard features soft touch leather surfaces up top finish with blue stitching compare to the orange stitching on the WildTrak. Other notable features include a perforated leather wrap steering wheel complete with a red centering strip at the top of the steering wheel as well as a Raptor logo, a large magnesium paddle shifter, 8 way powered driver seat, 6 way power front passenger seat, alcantara leather seats and a 4 inch TFT screen in the middle of the speedometer.

The front seats of the Raptor are also heavily bolstered making for a sporty and supportive driving position indeed. Out back there is decent amount of head and leg room the angle of the rear seats better than some of the pickup trucks. You’ll get an additional universal power outlet located behind the centre console. Some of the things that I am complaining are 1 touch auto up and down feature for the driver window only and the lack of rear air vents for RM200K car. Standard safety feature on the Raptor after the 2020 update now include AEB, lane departure warning with assist, forward collision warning, trailer sway control, rollover mitigation on top of the 6 airbags as well ESC with TCS. Blind spot monitoring however is still missing.

Now on the fun part, driving the Ford Ranger Raptor. From behind the wheel the first thing that surprise me was how agile and maneuverable this large truck is considering how tall and large it is. The electronic power steering is pleasantly light and offer some feedback. The suspension set with coils in the rear also makes the Raptor much more comfortable than a regular truck. Seriously it feels like driving a SUV. Of course, that awesome Fox Racing dampers really come into play the moment I went over a large bump on the road. The Raptor was able to maintain its stability and comfort. That same set up also allows for the Raptor to have good handling when the road curves. Power from the bi-turbo engine is good with a lot mid-range torque but I keep imagining if only the Raptor had a twin turbo V6 or small block V8 engine option it would really make this truck the ultimate super truck. The 0 to 100km/h time of 10.5 seconds is fast for a truck but yeah slow for anything else that has performance in mind.

Finally, the Ford Ranger Raptor be had with few colour options. They are Absolute Black, Artic White, Conquer Grey and Ford Performance Blue. That last colour option is new for 2020 replacing the previous Lightning Blue. All Raptors comes with 3 years or 100,000km whichever come first warranty. The Ford Ranger is definitely one of the best cars I’ve ever driven. Secretly I’m a major fan of this vehicle. Surprisingly here in Sarawak you’ll see more Raptors than the cheaper Wildtrak. Don’t belief me? Ask your local Ford Dealer salesman when you can. They sold more Raptor ever since the launch. With that statement alone, this truck is indeed a special one. Hands down.