I finally got my seat time with the 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor, a high-performance off-road variant of the Ranger that other countries have been enjoying for years. With the redesign of the mid-size pickup for 2024, I’ve taken it on a complete week of life from the city to the trail to see how it stacks up.
To start with the 2024 Ford Ranger has a substantial redesign from the last generation that gives it a completely new exterior skin, interior design and a substantially upgraded chassis. Wheelbase is slightly longer and track is wider. This is the baseline before we go all Raptor.
Checking this box makes it the most expensive Ford Ranger you can get. As tested our player here is $59,045. It’s an extrovert with a signature Raptor F-O-R-D letter grille is book-ended by projector LED headlamps and C-Clamp daytime running lights.
A unique steel bumper has robust tow hooks and below it is a rugged high-strength steel bash plate. Additionally there are skid plates under most of the other powertrain components for protection. Extra wide fenders and rear flanks house larger 33-inch BFGoodrich all-terrain KO3 tires mounted to unique 17-inch wheels. Beadlock capable wheels were optioned on ours.
Track is some 3.5-inches wider and it sits 2-inches higher for a total ground clearance of 10.7-inches. Approach angle is 33 degrees, departure 26 and break-over angle is 24 degrees – all greatly improved of the base Rangers.
At the front are exotic looking forged aluminum upper and lower control arm. Rear suspension ditches the leaf springs for long-travel trailing arms for the solid axle and a Watts linkage for ultimate location control.
Coil springs are found at all four corners and as are adaptive FOX 2.5-inch “live valve” internal bypass shocks. It’s all bolted to a significantly upgraded frame with reinforced front frame rails, shock towers and brackets as well as the suspension mounting points.
I have come to appreciate over time how Ford tunes their Raptor models with the Fox shocks. They offer a deft and predictable handling characteristic on the road and highway that’s more of a street tune. When set to hit the trail they change the game to a more compliant and soft tenor that you need. It’s a great all-around solution I enjoyed.
Now the most powerful mid-size pickup truck in its class is the high output 3.0-liter twin turbocharged EcoBoost V6 with 405 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. It’s 10-speed automatic transmission and electronically controlled four-wheel drive system send power through both front and rear locking differentials.
It puts power down quite nicely and the active valve exhaust system can be tuned up to mass chaos to wake up the neighbors. On the highway and around town the transmission works near perfectly. In 4WD Low the power curve is excellent for crawling around on the trail. Having the locking front and rear differentials is always a nice tool.
Much like it’s bigger F-150 Raptor brother, the Ranger Raptor gets a sport steering wheel with magnesium paddle shifters and the trademark centering stripe. Nicely leather trimmed Ford Performance sport seats with lots code orange accents were supremely comfortable. They were heated but not ventilated.
In the end I really liked the truck. It’s well built and feels solid. It feels its price. Compared to the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 and Toyota TRD Pro it’s in the same ballpark when it comes to off-road capability but its more powerful V6 is a game changer. Styling however is much more conservative than the Chevrolet and Toyota.
