Ranger Raptor… loving it so far!

Had my Ranger Raptor for about a month now, and it’s been an awesome truck. A few minor gripes here and there, but nothing major. Now I’m starting to put together a build list for camping trips!

I had one for almost two years (Australia), and it was a great all-around truck. I’ve got an F-150 Raptor with the 37 package now, and I actually miss the Ranger’s agility and handling.

Mai said:
I had one for almost two years (Australia), and it was a great all-around truck. I’ve got an F-150 Raptor with the 37 package now, and I actually miss the Ranger’s agility and handling.

What do you mean by agility and performance? The F-150 smokes the Ranger in a straight line. It’s not even close. Same engine as an Explorer.

@Dare
Dino numbers say my F-150 is actually slower, especially with 37s. The Ranger isn’t fast, but it’s nimble and handles way better. It just feels more fun to drive, especially in tight areas. Performance isn’t just about straight-line speed.

@Mai
That’s why I was asking why you mentioned both agility and performance.

Dare said:
@Mai
That’s why I was asking why you mentioned both agility and performance.

Man, you really don’t like the Ranger, huh? According to Car and Driver, the Ranger Raptor is only 1/10th of a second slower 0-60 than the F-150 Raptor, and it’s 1/10th quicker from 50-70 mph. And it’s obviously more nimble. Maybe get your head out of your ass? :joy:

@Sage
I’m not hating on the Ranger—I just don’t think it makes sense to call it a Raptor. You lose 2,000 lbs of towing, a chunk of fuel efficiency, and it costs $25K more than a base Ranger… all for a little more speed. It has the same engine as an Explorer. Doesn’t make sense to me when the base Ranger is such a great deal.

@Dare
Fair enough, but I had mine on a 17-acre property and used to take jumps with it as part of my daily commute. Couldn’t do that with a base Ranger. For me, it was totally worth it.

Beautiful truck!

What are the minor gripes? Curious if they’d be dealbreakers for me. Also, how are the seats? Haven’t been able to sit in one yet.

Presley said:
What are the minor gripes? Curious if they’d be dealbreakers for me. Also, how are the seats? Haven’t been able to sit in one yet.

Seats are fantastic. I’m 6’5” and do a lot of long drives—no discomfort so far, unlike my old Bronco.

My biggest gripe is that a lot of the off-road controls are on the infotainment screen instead of physical switches. Also, Apple CarPlay sometimes loses volume and needs a reset. The rain sensor for the wipers can be finicky. And I really wish the center console had a factory lock.

Oh, and a manual transmission option would’ve been nice! But overall, I love the truck—really solid for the price.

@Luca
How’s the power delivery? Do you have to floor it to get moving like in the Tacoma?

Presley said:
@Luca
How’s the power delivery? Do you have to floor it to get moving like in the Tacoma?

Nope, it moves fine without having to floor it. It’s actually really responsive.

Presley said:
What are the minor gripes? Curious if they’d be dealbreakers for me. Also, how are the seats? Haven’t been able to sit in one yet.

For me, the biggest concern is reliability. The engine hasn’t been proven as much as the bigger Raptor’s, and you’re dealing with a pretty big truck that still has less space inside.

Presley said:
What are the minor gripes? Curious if they’d be dealbreakers for me. Also, how are the seats? Haven’t been able to sit in one yet.

I also had a Bronco before this, and my family has an F-350 Tremor. The Ranger Raptor is definitely the most nimble of the three. Rides better than the Bronco and is quicker.

Seats are comfy, but they’re not ventilated. Sync 4 has its quirks like in every other Ford. Interior is small but doesn’t feel cramped—just more compact.

My biggest issue? Rear under-seat storage is tiny. I can fit a few straps and a hitch, but compared to an F-150 or Super Duty, it’s basically useless. Also, the whole rear seat is one piece, so you have to lift it all up just to access that small storage area.

Lack of physical buttons isn’t as bad as some vehicles, but I really think drivetrain functions (like lockers) should have physical controls. Also, the fuel tank is small. There’s an aftermarket 35-gallon replacement for around $2K, and I’m seriously considering it.

Other than that, no regrets—glad I waited instead of getting a 2023 Ranger Tremor. Next up, I’m adding a headache rack so I don’t have to haul loads with the tailgate down.

I’ve got a 2021 Ranger Tremor, but if they had released this sooner, I’d be driving one instead! What kind of MPG are you getting? I drive aggressively and average 15.6 MPG over 70 hours of driving.

@Chen
Yeah, I’ve got a heavy foot too… averaging 15 MPG.

Luca said:
@Chen
Yeah, I’ve got a heavy foot too… averaging 15 MPG.

Lmao, so it’s not just my driving! My dad swears I’d get way better mileage if I slowed down, but I doubt it. The way I see it, the MPG difference between this and a full-size Raptor isn’t huge, so why not go for it?

Nice! I took the Raptor stickers off my bed sides—looks way cleaner without them.