Design | Consolation | Tech | Efficiency | Security | Gas Financial system | Pricing | Verdict
Followers of old-school American muscle could weep and gnash their enamel on the introduction of contemporary, electrified powertrains, however regardless of protestations on the contrary, there’s possibly by no means been a greater time to be a supercharged V8. For at the very least one other few years, blown eight-cylinder engines aren’t simply the purview of muscle vehicles, showing in family-sized SUVs to desert-ready supertrucks.
It’s the latter class that’s piqued my curiosity most currently. The Ford F-150 Raptor has been a fixture of high-speed off-roading since its debut in 2010, however for the second technology, it ditched the V8 in favor of a downsized and twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6. That transfer left some fanatics chilly, however fortunately, Ram dropped the legendary Hellcat 6.2-liter V8 below the hood of the TRX, a wide-body, long-travel model of the 1500 pickup. The Raptor all of a sudden had some firm, a rival whose supercharged, 702-horsepower engine observe evokes much more hoonery than the highly effective, however aurally challenged, Ecoboost V6.
The Blue Oval quickly returned volley with the 2023 F-150 Raptor R, which additionally will get a coronary heart transplant courtesy of a muscular company sibling – on this case, the supercharged 5.2-liter V8 from the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. With 700 hp below the hood, the Raptor R is down (barely) on the TRX, but it surely compensates with 400 fewer kilos of physique fats. With almost equivalent floor clearance and wheel journey, choosing a winner from solely a spec chart is all however unimaginable. To find which of those dinosaur-themed monster vehicles is the perfect, I’ll need to go hit the dust.
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Design
Ford: Alterations between the common F-150 and the off-road Raptor are huge – a wider observe, vented entrance fenders, flared bedsides, a chunky new hood, and extra. However going from Raptor to Raptor R is a much more delicate affair. Actually, the one modifications are a singular, vented hood; Code Orange tow hooks; an R grille badge; and an 8 motif on the bodyside graphics denoting the prodigal cylinder depend’s return.
Though I want Ford would have differentiated the flagship bruiser only a bit extra, the Raptor R nonetheless seems nice. Particulars like aspect clearance lights that float above the wheel arches give the design some sophistication, and the F-150 additionally seems leaner than most full-size vehicles, with an even bigger greenhouse and stepped entrance home windows that enhance visibility and impart old-school vibes. The Raptor-spec modifications look tacked on – I’m unsure why it will get each wheel arch flares and wider fenders, and the hood vents are too plasticky – however the Ford nonetheless has some main presence.
Inside, the usual F-150’s enticing design carries over with little in the best way of modifications. Amongst them are fashionable, normal Recaro entrance bucket seats (which add to the expertise), in addition to Raptor R–particular fake carbon fiber sprint accents (which detract from it). A budget-looking appliques are just one side of the Raptor R’s cabin that really feel misplaced in a $110,000 car. Harsh plastic seams abound, notably on frequent contact factors just like the door seize handles and heart console.
Ford offsets the unlucky supplies decisions with some neat particulars, just like the American flags that reveal themselves on the sprint ends each time the entrance doorways are open. And the Raptor-specific graphics for the digital instrument cluster are enjoyable and assist the motive force really feel like they’re getting their cash’s value.
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Ram: Subsequent to the F-150’s plastic cladding and loud bodyside graphics, the Ram 1500 TRX nearly seems delicate. The trim-specific headlights dovetail into the widened entrance fenders seamlessly, and the bedsides are blistered like a Ram 3500 dually, reasonably than flared with wheel arch extensions. The hood, with its well-integrated warmth extractors and cold-air consumption, can be smoother and sleeker than the Raptor R’s.
The alterations from 1500 to TRX are undeniably higher built-in than these from F-150 to Raptor, however the rounded types additionally give the Ram a extra bulbous look. It’s nonetheless aggressive and hard, however the hourglass determine gained’t be to everybody’s style, and that’s effective. Additionally certain to divide people are the TRX’s hilarious Easter eggs. Pop the hood and carry the airbox cowl to seek out the graphic of a Tyrannosaurus rex consuming a Velociraptor. And on the base of the middle console is yet one more piece of artwork depicting the king of lizards chasing down a a lot smaller raptor, mouth agape and enamel gleaming.
That spotlight to element pays dividends past foolish cartoons, nevertheless. Contained in the TRX – particularly the extremely optioned truck I drove – there’s a litany of fantastic supplies, together with padded knee bolsters, soft-touch plastics on the sprint prime and fascia, and rich-feeling leather-based and microfiber suede upholstery. The Ram feels extra claustrophobic than the Ford due to a better sprint and windowsills, however in any other case, the cabin is a nicer place to take a seat.
Consolation
Ford: The first objective of a long-travel suspension is to soak up huge bumps, a phenomenon that works as properly off-road because it does on Los Angeles’ cracked, damaged concrete freeways. The Raptor R has the smoothest experience this aspect of a Mercedes luxurious sedan, with expertly tuned progressive-rate springs and remote-reservoir Fox Racing dampers that whoomp over bumps with fluidity and stability. Give some credit score to the shocks’ Stay Valve expertise – when the suspension unloads all of a sudden, the dampers go comfortable for a second earlier than firming again up, absorbing the preliminary hit with out resorting to wallow. And the multi-mode exhaust features a devoted “Quiet” setting that works as marketed, eliminating tailpipe drone.
The F-150 Raptor R additionally has loads of house inside, with 40.8 and 40.4 inches of headroom in the back and front, respectively, in addition to 43.8 and 43.6 inches of legroom. If solely there have been as a lot house for stuff as there may be for folks. Whereas some variations of the F-150 get cavernous heart consoles, the Raptor R comes normal with the Inside Work Floor, which creates a flat house through its flip-folding armrest and stowaway gear selector on the expense of total cupboard space. I don’t assume the mini-desk is that helpful, so I’d reasonably have the larger armrest cubby.
Nonetheless, with a surprisingly easy, quiet experience and glorious visibility, the Raptor R is a genuinely nice freeway cruiser.
Ram: The Ram 1500 TRX has related suspension journey as its Blue Oval competitor, however its dampers and is derived really feel firmer than the Raptor R. Though it’s not what I’d name “harsh,” the experience is undeniably much less compliant over dangerous surfaces than the buttery F-150. The Ram’s engine is tougher to calm down than the Ford’s, with omnipresent supercharger whine and a few tailpipe rumble at cruising pace, even with the selectable efficiency exhaust in its quietest setting.
With 3.0 fewer inches of entrance legroom, the Ram feels cozier than the Raptor, but it surely’s nonetheless received loads of house – particularly since rear-seat passengers make up a few of that deficit with 1.6 inches of further stretch house. The aforementioned nice cabin supplies are one other boon, as is the large storage discovered within the entrance heart console and below the armrest cubby.
However whereas the Raptor R does its greatest to relax on a protracted journey, the 1500 TRX feels prefer it’s all the time able to brawl. That could be enjoyable at first, however the busy experience will get previous after awhile.
Tech
Ford: The Ford F-150 Raptor R comes normal with a 12.0-inch digital instrument cluster and identically sized heart touchscreen, with Sync 4 infotainment operating all of it. The infotainment show responds to the touch nearly instantaneously, and its horizontal orientation helps cut back distraction. The appropriate third of the display can both show additional data – climate, navigation directions, audio, et al – or the first app can take over the whole lot of the display. That’s particularly useful when utilizing the usual wi-fi smartphone mirroring or embedded navigation.
The digital instrument cluster is likewise very user-friendly, with a wide range of gauge shows together with a large bar-graph tachometer perform that helps the motive force crack off redline upshifts when hooning throughout open desert.
The cluster additionally will get entertaining graphics when switching between drive modes, though they don’t reply to the dash-mounted selector in a short time so it’s simple to overshoot your supposed setting.
Talking of drive modes, the Raptor R will get the identical choices as its EcoBoost sibling – Regular, Sport, Towing, Mud and Ruts, Rock, and Baja. There’s additionally a slick low-speed cruise management function, which modulates the throttle and brakes as much as a most pace of round 20 miles per hour, permitting the motive force to concentrate on choosing the proper line up a path.
Ram: The Ram 1500 TRX’s accessible 12.0-inch infotainment system was as soon as the cutting-edge amongst full-size vehicles, bringing some high-tech aptitude to the phase. However though its up to date Uconnect 5 software program remains to be aggressive, the vertical touchscreen doesn’t really feel as user-friendly because the Ford’s equally sized, horizontal unit (or the 13.2-inch system within the much less highly effective Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison).
The TRX can be lacking a completely digital instrument cluster, and whereas Luddites could reward the analog speedometer and tachometer dials, they do supply much less data than the Raptor. The Ram 1500 makes up for a few of its shortcomings with a devoted SRT Efficiency Web page perform for the infotainment, which particulars out transmission temperature, oil temperature, and different essential knowledge, but it surely’s not as simply accessible as it’s on the Raptor. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are wi-fi, to the Ram’s credit score, and there are many USB-A and USB-C ports entrance and rear.
Efficiency
Ford: On pavement, the Raptor R feels as huge because it seems, making it intimidating to drive on slim roads and down alleyways. And whereas the comfortable suspension and featherweight steering are good on the freeway and when hustling down a rock-strewn path, they erase confidence on twisty pavement. To the shock of nobody, the Raptor R isn’t a sports activities automotive, so dial again the aggression till you get onto the dust. When you do, nevertheless, all bets are off.
The additional R on the finish of the F-150 Raptor’s identify would possibly as properly stand for relentless, as a result of that’s how aggressively it pursues off-road enjoyable. Though the common Raptor will get 35-inch tires normal and 37s as an choice, the R solely comes with the meatier rubber, giving it 13.1 inches of floor clearance, 13.0 inches of entrance suspension journey, and 14.1 inches of rear suspension journey. Due to these lofty numbers (and the almost completely tuned springs and dampers), the Raptor R can deal with giant obstacles with hilarious pace – all with out jiggling the occupants round an excessive amount of.
Whereas the R has these traits in frequent with the common Raptor, the supercharged V8 provides the truck the mighty soundtrack it’s all the time deserved – in addition to 4.4-second estimated run to 60 miles per hour. That might not be all that quicker than the 450-hp V6 it replaces, however the Mustang-approved exhaust sounds way more spectacular ripping throughout the panorama than the EcoBoost’s Dyson-inspired audio.
The V8 additionally has extra instantaneous responses than the V6, due to zero lag from its supercharger. The ten-speed automated is nearly as good within the R as it’s in every other F-150, with agency shifts and a responsive guide mode that’s good for sporty driving, on or off-road.
Ram: Given the engine’s Challenger Hellcat origins, I used to be stunned that the Ram 1500 TRX was way more inspiring to drive rapidly on pavement. Sure, the extensive stance makes it as troublesome to string via visitors because the Raptor R, however the firmer suspension I decried a second in the past gives higher physique management on a canyon highway. And the heavy steering feels extra correct as properly, with the fun of supercharger whine and exhaust burble accompanying each nook exit – when’s the final time a full-size off-roader dealt with this properly on the pavement?
However as on the freeway, these attributes come again to chew the T-rex in its lengthy tail when the dust will get bumpy. The Ram handles huge obstacles with aplomb, however smaller, higher-frequency incursions jostle the truck an excessive amount of for consolation, which pressured me to again off a bit. A agency hand can be required on the wheel, because the TRX will chill over small bumps greater than the Ford. Possibly some high-speed Baja coaching would give me some appreciation for the harder-edged Ram, however at my present expertise stage, the Ford was extra enjoyable to hustle off-road.
A minimum of the TRX has the muscle to again up the outrageous tailpipe audio. It hits 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, a hair slower than the Raptor R due to its additional 300 kilos of curb weight, however the Ram remains to be no slouch in terms of going quick in a straight line.
Security
Ford: The F-150 Raptor R comes normal with nearly each function Ford affords, together with automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise management, lane-centering tech, and blind spot monitoring. Even with every little thing engaged, the extensive experience often makes itself acquainted with the lane strains, requiring a gentle hand from the motive force.
Ram: The TRX doesn’t come normal with as a lot tech, requiring a field to be ticked for adaptive cruise management and lane departure prevention. My loaded tester had all of it, however just like the Raptor R, it’s simple to float throughout the road even when paying undivided consideration to the highway.
Gas Financial system
Duking out gas financial system on this class is an instructional train, as a result of each vehicles get 10 miles per gallon metropolis and 12 mixed as rated by the EPA. The lighter Ford F-150 Raptor R ekes out 15 mpg within the freeway take a look at to the 1500 TRX’s 14, however each vehicles simply push these numbers into the one digits when pushed enthusiastically.
Worth
Ford: The Ford F-150 Raptor begins at $77,570 together with vacation spot, however the Raptor R’s 5.2-liter V8 is a part of a loaded $31,575 choice bundle that offers it a base worth of $109,145. An extra $2,195 brings the panoramic moonroof and tailgate step, with one other $595 going to a spray-in bedliner. The overall harm as examined is $111,935, an enormous amount of money whatever the efficiency on supply.
If you happen to add all of the options discovered within the obligatory Raptor R choice pack to a daily Raptor, you’re left with an $87,525 pickup – successfully making the V8 engine a $20,000 choice, albeit one which’s bundled with one other $10,000 of options and facilities. If you happen to might deduct all the posh bits from a Raptor R and are available in at below $100,000, it will be a way more interesting proposition to me.
Ram: Even for those who might get a Raptor R for lower than six figures, the Ram 1500 TRX’s $85,685 base worth is fairly interesting, particularly for folk who don’t want ventilated seats, leather-wrapped seize handles, or energetic security options. My tester was about as loaded as TRXs get, with all of these extras and extra, but its as-tested worth of $103,830 nonetheless got here in below the Raptor R.
Present a bit of restraint with choices and it is simple to push that worth down additional nonetheless. My ideally suited TRX would ditch the panoramic sunroof and metallic paint, and I might be tempted to lose out on the appealingly thick-rimmed steering wheel to be able to take away the $1,295 carbon fiber bundle. So outfitted, I am a really enticing $98,665 for a 702-horse pick-em-up.
Verdict
However the huge worth benefit, higher-quality inside, and sporty on-road dealing with aren’t sufficient to compensate for the TRX’s ever-so-slight off-road drawbacks, mainly its too-firm suspension and thumb-endangering steering kickback over bumps. The Easter eggs are enjoyable to level out to your pals, as are the sultry, bulging fenders and seductive supercharger whine that sings out any time you press the throttle. And for the primary time in historical past, $103,000 for a truck looks like a cut price (or the truth that you possibly can stroll out the door for $85,000).
However in pursuit of constructing the perfect off-road supertruck in the marketplace, Ford made the F-150 Raptor R simply as easy and polished as its V6-powered sibling whereas including a jaw-dropping NASCAR soundtrack. If something, the Raptor R’s glorious efficiency is a testomony to how spectacular the usual Raptor is, so for those who can reside with out the V8 thrills, I’d advocate the EcoBoost widebody wholeheartedly.
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However talking of coronary heart, it’s unimaginable to disregard that the Raptor R stirs mine greater than the rest on this rarefied class. Mixing almost flawless freeway consolation with almost flawless off-road prowess ends in a virtually flawless truck for these with pockets deep sufficient to afford it. The golden age of inside combustion is upon us, and we must always indulge in it so long as we are able to.