Yet it was on more technically challenging terrain that the Ranger Raptor impressed most. Hitting a big bump at speed proved the truck can fly and-more importantly-land without undue drama. Sensors monitor wheel travel at each corner, so the Raptor's brain knows when its tires have left terra firma, at which point it stiffens the dampers to their firmest setting to brace for impact. The Ranger has 10 inches of wheel travel at the front and 11.4 inches at the back, which is less than the F-150 Raptor, but the engineering team says that the smaller truck's dampers work harder. It feels like a smaller version of the F-150 Raptor, slower but more wieldy and yet equally adept at tackling serious bumps at speed. There's also a Baja mode that's so noisy it comes with a dashboard admonition that it is only for off-road use.ĭriving the Ranger Raptor on a demanding off-road course quickly proved where its heart truly lies. The Raptor's exhaust has four different modes, including Normal, Sport, and a new Quiet setting for low-key departures. Selecting Sport mode improved responses but also added artificial weight to the electric power steering and introduced a droning exhaust note. The transmission's blunt reactions in Drive didn't help to raise confidence for passing moves, either. Ford of Europe quotes a 7.9-second zero-to-62-mph sprint. It doesn't take much enthusiasm to get the front pushing wide and the rear axle struggling for traction.Īlthough much quicker than the last-generation Ranger Raptor sold in Europe-which used a four-cylinder diesel engine and required more than 10 seconds to reach 60 mph-the new one still feels some way short of being fast. The Ranger tracks straight and doesn't wander, but although it feels stable at speed it has little appetite for tighter corners. There isn't much for it to talk about given the front tires' limited ability to deliver lateral grip on asphalt. Steering weight feels heavier than in the F-150 Raptor, even in its lightest setting, but delivers little feedback. Noise insulation proved equally good at highway speeds, the Raptor's cabin staying quiet at a 75-mph cruise in Normal mode-an unexpected virtue. The Fox Racing shock absorbers vary damping force according to both wheel travel and an adaptive valve, meaning the ride at everyday speeds is plush and compliant. On-road refinement felt very impressive considering the Continental General Grabber A/T tires our truck was wearing. A rotary dial selects the drive modes and controls the transfer case, which has 2H, 4H, 4L, and 4A settings-the last automatically sending power to the front axle when required.
The Raptor's center console features a stubby shifter with a button on the side that engages manual mode-manual shifting is via the steering-wheel paddles.
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