Greta Thunberg would probably hate it, but we don’t care. We absolutely love it, and we’re delighted to have been let loose in it.
We’re talking about Ford’s rip-snorting all-conquering top-of-the-range Ranger Raptor double-cab 4×4 pick-up powered by a V6 petrol engine with almost 300hp on tap.
Perhaps we ought to repeat that. A near-on-300hp V6 petrol lump – not a diesel, and a world away from woke and worthy zero-emission battery-electric or hydrogen fuel cell technology.
That makes it something of a paradox given that the Big Blue Oval constantly harps on about the environmental virtues of its electric Transit and the other electric vans it is progressively rolling out.
So, is Ford trying to have it both ways? Well, what do you think?
It clearly recognises that there is a demand among fleet operators in particular for electric vans because it wants to cut its CO2 footprint and show its customers that it is environmentally responsible. It is also conscious that government-invoked penalties will clobber manufacturers that fail to increase the percentage of zero-emission light commercials they sell to 100% between now and 2035.
At the same time Ford is well aware that there is a healthy demand for well-specified head-turning 4×4 pick-ups among a coterie of buyers who are more interested in out-and-out performance on- and off-road than what does or does not come out of the exhaust pipe.
The Raptor goes a long way towards meeting that demand.
If the V6 petrol power pack is just too much for you, then bear in mind that the four-door five-seater Raptor is also up for grabs with a 210hp 2.0-litre diesel. It too offers a decent level of performance but burns less juice.
Fitted with Fox adaptive shock absorbers, the petrol V6 we tested comes with a variety of different selectable off-road driving modes; Sand, Rock Crawl, Mud/Ruts and Baja. The on-road modes are Normal, Sport and Slippery.
Buttons on the steering wheel allow you to alter the stiffness of the suspension, the amount of steering assistance you get, and even the sound of the exhaust.
If the Raptor has a drawback (aside from the price and its fuel consumption) then it’s the meagre gross payload capacity it offers, at just 676kg. If you are a business then you will be unable to reclaim the VAT because the figure falls below the all-important 1.0-tonne gross payload threshold, although we suspect that this is unlikely to deter many Raptor-enthused business buyers.
Unusually therefore all the prices we are quoting for the Raptor include VAT.
Load bay
The tailboard drops down horizontally to reveal an LED-illuminated load area protected from minor damage by a plastic lining and graced by half-a-dozen cargo tie-down points set into the sides. Other features include a 400W 12v/240v power socket.
Our Raptor was equipped with an electrically-operated load cover; an extra-cost option in a package that includes a roll bar.
Interior and equipment
Leather-trimmed seats with orange stitching and inserts and a ‘Baja’ logo come as part of the deal, and we love the big 12in touch-screen that dominates the centre of the dashboard.
Unlike so many screens of its type, it is easy to use, and even a technological dinosaur like the writer can master it in a few short minutes. It is a model of clarity, and we like the idea of using it to access the owner’s manual digitally.
That said, we’re nonetheless pleased to see that a separate set of knobs is used to control the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
The screen controls the DAB radio – the 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo system is little short of excellent – and the satellite navigation system. Other features include wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, and there’s a handy smartphone dock at the bottom of the dashboard with USB sockets.
The seemingly-endless selection of onboard kit includes keyless starting; an electric parking brake; front and rear parking sensors; electric windows; a heated windscreen; power-operated adjustable exterior rear-view mirrors which fold in electrically, and driver, front passenger and side airbags.
Front- and rear-view cameras aid low-speed manoeuvring, and offer the ability to see how close individual corners of the vehicle are to obstructions. The system provides a birds-eye view of everything surrounding Raptor too.
The heated front seats are remarkably comfortable, providing ample support in all the right places. The height of the heated, leather-trimmed, steering wheel can be altered as can the height of the driver’s seat, which boasts ten-way electric adjustment. So does the front passenger seat.
In-cab storage facilities include a lidded and lockable glovebox with a shelf above it, bins in the doors, and a lidded compartment between the front seats with a tray just under the lid. The compartment conceals a 12v power point. The console between the seats plays host to a pair of cup-holders and you will find a slot for your sunglasses just above the windscreen.
Turning to the three seats in the back, the passengers closest to the doors get to enjoy a reasonable amount of legroom. Space for the middle passenger is restricted however, and the centre seat is likely to be somewhat uncomfortable on a long journey.
At least it has the advantage that the middle section of the seat back can be pulled down if the seat is unoccupied and turned into a table for the other rear passengers to use.
Items they can all use are the 230V power socket and the USB ports in the back of the console between the front seats.
Every time we stopped and switched the engine off a warning came up on the touch-screen advising us to check for the presence of rear passengers. We always did – but nobody was there.
Maybe it’s a safety or security measure. Spooky all the same.
Onboard driver assistance and safety systems include ABS, Electronic Stability Control, and Roll Stability Control. Traction Control System is fitted, and can be switched off.
Provided too are Active Park Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control with Lane Centring, Collision Mitigation System and Hill Descent Control. The Blind Spot monitoring system takes the presence of any trailer being towed into account and our truck came with an integrated trailer brake controller.
Our demonstrator’s 17in black alloy wheels were shod with BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 285/70 R17 tyres. A pressure monitoring system keeps an eye on their health.
Powertrain
Delivering 292hp at 5500rpm and 491Nm of torque at 2300rpm, the six-cylinder twin-turbo engine is married to a ten-speed automatic gearbox. So is the 2.0-litre diesel, which delivers 500Nm of torque despite its smaller capacity.
To engage four-wheel-drive you twist a dial between the front seats with four different settings.
Stick with 2H and you’ll stay in two-wheel-drive while 4L puts you into 4×4 mode ready for some muddy off-road work. 4H does the same, but gives you access to a set of low-ratio gears.
4A is there if you need to engage four-wheel-drive to negotiate a slippery conventional road surface.
Driving
We can only applaud the Raptor’s on-highway handling. Push it hard into a bend and it just hangs on in there, showing no desire to hurtle through a hedge unless you do something really foolish.
Its ride is remarkably smooth too. It seems to shrug off potholes and other highway defects, insulating the driver from the worst of the shaking and juddering they induce.
Performance? Hit the accelerator pedal and you fly thanks to huge dollops of power delivered seamlessly by the ten-speed auto box, yet at the same time the V6 is very biddable.
Drop down to a miserable 20mph on a Welsh suburban road and keep a light touch on the loud pedal and Raptor burbles along quite happily. You never feel that it’s straining to go a good deal faster, even though you may be.
We stayed in Normal mode most of the time with the occasional foray into Sport. That gives you faster accelerator response, slightly better handling thanks to a stiffer suspension system, and a louder exhaust note. Incidentally, we can’t help but love the twin rear exhausts.
Everything the engine does, it does quietly. It never sounds harsh, and seems to be completely unstressed.
If you want to switch from automatic to manual mode then all you need to do is press a button on the side of the transmission lever then use paddles on either side of the steering column to go up and down the box. If you’re not familiar with this approach to changing gear then it can feel a little bit awkward initially, but you soon get used to it.
Off-road the Raptor is king – no question about it. Herefordshire is better-known for mud – usually very wet, gloopy mud – than it is for sand, so we opted for the Mud/Ruts setting.
Our truck squelched through the stickiest patches we could find without missing a beat.
Baja mode is probably better-suited to the dry, trackless wastes of Arizona than it is to the fields of rural England. Under those conditions it would give you insane levels of on-road performance plus a very loud exhaust note – the Raptor’s exhaust note can be altered from quiet to, er, rather noticeable.
Baja triggers an anti-lag system. If you lift off the accelerator then it keeps pressure in the turbos so you get an instant response when you hit the loud pedal again.
There are grab-handles on the A- and B-pillars so most of the passengers have something to hang onto if the off-roading gets rough. A hefty metal bash plate and steel bumpers help protect the truck from damage.
Operating
Service intervals are set at one year/12,500 miles. Admittedly that’s short, but that’s no bad thing if the truck is having to endure the sort of hammering that can be dished out by intensive off-road use.
Under those circumstances regular workshop visits can make sound sense so that any damage can be dealt with.
At three years/60,000 miles the warranty could stand to be a little more generous given the vehicle’s high price.
You can switch the anti-idling system designed to help you save fuel on and off. We left it on most of the time, but we’re not sure how much impact it had on the fuel consumption.
We averaged a, painfully-high, 21.5 mpg. As it happens that was marginally better than the woefully-meagre WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure) official figure of 20.5mpg.
The LED headlights, tail-lights and daytime running lights should last for ages and its good to see a spare wheel is provided. Bash a rock and rip a tyre’s sidewall wide open and an inflator/sealer will be of no help whatsoever.
Ford Ranger Raptor V6 petrol pick-up
Price £60,664
Price range £57,064-£60,664
Gross payload 676kg
Load length 1544mm
Load width (min/max) 1,200mm/1,584mm
Load bay height 529mm
Loading height 860mm
Gross vehicle weight 3,130kg
Braked trailer towing weight 2,500kg
Cost per mile tbc
Engine size/power 2,956cc, 292hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 491Nm @ 2,300rpm
Gearbox 10spd automatic
Fuel economy (combined WLTP) 20.5mpg
Fuel tank 80 litres
CO2 315g/km
Warranty 3yrs/60,000 miles
Service intervals 1yr/12,500 miles
Insurance group 42E
Price as tested (inc VAT) £64,144
Options
Metallic paint £720
Decal pack £600
Electric load area cover plus roll-over bar £2,160
Rivals
Isuzu D-Max
Price range (ex VAT) £23,924-£51,324
Gross payload 1045-1205kg
Braked towing weight 2500-3500kg
Engines 164hp 1.9 diesel
Verdict: It’s a hardy workhorse with plenty of kit and a more-than-competent off-road performer, and Isuzu deserves high praise for its stress on onboard safety systems. The lack of power lets it down however, and the manufacturer should give some thought to offering a beefier diesel as an alternative to what is on offer at present. One suspects however that it is a lot more interested in developing a battery-electric model.
Toyota Hilux
Price range (ex VAT) £27,777-£60,187
Gross payload 1000-1030kg
Braked towing weight 3500kg
Engines 150hp 2.4 diesel, 204hp 2.8 diesel
Verdict: The biggest improvement made to the Hilux recently is the advent of a 200hp-plus diesel which has given it a power boost. The engine’s arrival was accompanied by a restyled exterior, a reworked interior and some well-judged mechanical changes. With a reputation for being virtually unbreakable, the Hilux is not lacking in comfort. Second-hand values are healthy, and we’re big fans of Toyota’s approach to warranty.
Volkswagen Amarok
Price range (ex VAT) £33,990-£48,410
Gross payload 842-1103kg
Braked towing weight 3420-3500kg
Engines 170hp, 205hp 2.0 diesel, 240hp 3.0 diesel
Verdict: The Amarok has the same platform as Ford’s Ranger, but the styling is different, and a V6 petrol engine is nowhere to be seen. Sold solely as a 4×4 double-cab, it builds on what the previous Amarok had to offer. As is usual with VW, onboard safety is at a high level, so is build quality – all VWs give you the impression that they’ve been carved out of a solid block of steel – and the warranty and servicing package provided is impressive.
The Final Verdict
Design 9/10 – A stack of clever features make it an extraordinarily-effective off-roader.
Cabin 9/10 –A well-designed working environment with one of the best touchscreens.
Ride 9/10 – Tackles the umpteen defects in Britain’s Third World highway network with aplomb.
Refinement 8/10 – The engine is commendably quiet and never sounds harsh.
Load area 6/10 – Poor payload capacity and towing capacity is below the magic 3.5 tonnes.
Handling/performance 10/10 – Both are utterly superb, with no defects that we can detect.
Engine/transmission 10/10 – An outstandingly-well-matched combination that delivers on everything.
Standard equipment 9/10 – It’s got virtually everything a discerning 4×4 double-cab pick-up purchaser wants.
Operating costs 6/10– Fuel consumption is the main drawback here, but petrol means no AdBlue refills.
What Van? subjective rating 8/10 – Ford could sell the V6 Ranger Raptor with the slogan: “The truck you always promised yourself.” OK, it’s not perfect – but we’d have one tomorrow.
Overall Rating = 84/100