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The demise of the Fiesta and Focus in the US marked the end of Ford’s long-held but never-realized ambition to create a “world car” that could succeed in all global markets. Maybe Ford should have focused on a “world truck” instead, a niche that the Ranger seems to have achieved. The Ranger is sold in at least 180 countries. The outgoing version is the most popular pickup in Europe, where we had our first experience with the long-awaited new Ranger Raptor.
The Euro version bears a lot of similarities to the upcoming US Ranger Raptor, which we expect to see next year, with the same styling and gravity-defying suspension featuring internal-bypass dampers made by Fox Racing. Beyond the fact that the Rangers sold in Europe are built in Thailand while our version will be built in the good ol’ USA, the big difference is that the US Raptor is set to get a brawnier engine.
That’s because Europe is entering its own Malaise Era. There, the Ranger Raptor gets a detuned version of the twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 from the Bronco Raptor, the pickup’s engine throttled due to the need to meet tough new emissions standards. In Australia, where the Ranger Raptor was first launched, its V-6 makes 392 horsepower and 430 pound-feet, but in Europe, it will make 288 horsepower and 362 pound-feet. We’ll have to wait for US specs, but it seems certain that our Raptor will have at least as much power as the Australian version—and possibly the full 418 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of the Bronco Raptor. A 10-speed automatic gearbox with a two-speed transfer case, along with locking front and rear differentials, will be standard in all markets.
The new Ranger’s new metalwork sits on the same T6 platform as the outgoing truck, and the Raptor uses a reinforced version of that ladder chassis. From the front, it actually looks like a baby F-150, with LED headlights pushed into the side of the bodywork and a similarly shouted all-caps FORD grille motif. Like the F-150, it also has plastic wheel-arch extensions and a wider track. Although large by European standards, the Ranger Raptor’s 211.0-inch overall length and 79.8-inch width make it 21.6 inches shorter than the F-150 version and 7.0 inches narrower. The crew cab is the standard configuration in Europe and has a 61.6-inch cargo bed.
The addition of some microfiber panels and colored accents elevates the Raptor’s cabin above the regular Ranger, but the plastics remain tough and utilitarian. Both the 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster and 12.0-inch portrait-orientated central touchscreen are good. Ford’s SYNC 4A infotainment system works cleanly and intuitively, although we welcome the continued presence of physical controls for heating and ventilation.
The Raptor’s center console features a stubby shifter with a button on the side that engages manual mode—manual shifting is via steering-wheel paddles. A rotary dial selects drive modes and controls the transfer case, which has 2H, 4H, 4L, and 4A settings—the latter automatically sending power to the front axle when needed.
On-road refinement is very good considering the Continental General Grabber A/T tires our truck wears. Fox Racing shock absorbers vary damping strength according to both wheel travel and an adaptive valve, meaning the ride at everyday speeds is soft and compliant. Noise isolation proved excellent at highway speeds, the Raptor’s cabin remaining quiet during a 75-mph cruise in Normal mode—an unexpected virtue.
The steering feels heavier than the F-150 Raptor’s, even at its lightest setting, but delivers little feedback. There isn’t much to talk about as the front tires are limited in their ability to deliver lateral grip on the asphalt. The Ranger tracks straight and doesn’t wander, but although it feels stable at speed, it has little appetite in tighter corners. It doesn’t take much enthusiasm to widen the front and the rear axle struggles for traction.
Although faster than the last-generation Ranger Raptor sold in Europe—which used a four-cylinder diesel engine and needed more than 10 seconds to reach 60 mph—the new one still feels some way to quick. Ford of Europe quotes a 7.9-second zero-to-62-mph sprint. The transmission’s dull reactions in Drive also didn’t help boost confidence for passing moves. Selecting Sport mode improved responses but also added artificial weight to the electric power steering and introduced a droning exhaust note.
The Raptor’s exhaust has four different modes, including Normal, Sport, and a new Quiet setting for low-key departures. There’s also a Baja mode that’s so loud that it comes with a dashboard admonition that it’s for off-road use only.
Driving the Ranger Raptor on a challenging off-road course quickly proved where its heart truly lies. It’s like a smaller version of the F-150 Raptor, slower but more powerful and just as adept at tackling serious speed bumps. The Ranger has 10 inches of wheel travel in the front and 11.4 inches in the back, which is less than the F-150 Raptor, but the engineering team says the smaller truck’s dampers work better. Sensors track tire travel through each corner, so the Raptor’s brain knows when its wheels leave terra firma, at which point it stiffens the dampers to their firmest setting to compensate for the impact. Hitting a big speed bump proved that the truck could take off and—more importantly—land without too much drama.
But it’s on more technically challenging terrain that the Ranger Raptor impresses the most. Ford’s claimed 10.4 inches of ground clearance and 32-degree approach angle may not come close to the Bronco Raptor’s 13.1 inches and 47 degrees, but the pickup numbers are better than a coil-sprung Land Rover Defender 90. The Raptor also has a Rock Crawl mode that automatically maintains a crawling speed and takes it up a steep grade dry stream bed without any throttle input. The electronically locking front and rear differentials can be engaged and disengaged on the fly—though the icons that control them on the touchscreen are small and hard to find when the truck is bouncing over rough terrain.
The Ranger Raptor is smaller than its F-150 sibling, and the European version is slower, but it feels less experienced when driven hard over rough terrain. We await the arrival of our own version with great enthusiasm.
Specifications
Specifications
2023 Ford Ranger Raptor (Europe)
Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear/four-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
PRICE
Base: $72,000 (equivalent to $ UK, including VAT)
ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, iron block and aluminum heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 180 in32956 cm3
Power: 288 hp @ 5500 rpm
Torque: 362 lb-ft @ 2300 rpm
INFECTION
Automatic 10-speed
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 128.7 in
Length: 211.0 in
Width: 79.8 in
Height: 75.8 in
Passenger Volume: 99 ft3
Bed length: 61.6 in
Curb Weight (C/D estimated): 5300 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 7.5 sec
1/4-Mile: 15.4 sec
Top Speed: 111 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/city/highway: 17/17/18 (but not EPA-rated)
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