Back in 2024 at the annual SA Car of the Year testing, the Ranger Raptor was a finalist. The Ford SA PR man suggested to jurors they should view it with the keen eye of a performance car. At the time it felt like a vague declaration but now as we live with it, I might argue there’s some merit to the conviction.
Every inch of the bakkie, from the muscular styling of a large and aggressive grille, extended wheel arches and twin-big bore exhaust ports markets performance of a varied kind, and that’s perched high on thick and knobby 17-inch BF Goodrich all-terrain rubber. Add a 4x4 system, Fox dampers and diff-locks and you have a civilian Baja truck.
The turbocharged 3.0l V6 engine that produces 292kW and 584Nm is another racy item that bellows with menace. It’s paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission with shorter and sharper ratios than regular Ranger cousins. I’ve had to start afresh and learn it after many stints with diesel-powered Ranger derivatives, which I’d become adept at shifting for more efficient driving.
More sports car vibes are channelled by the shapely and bolstered bucket seats with electric operation, and covered in leather with bright red accents. The multifunction steering wheel with perforated leather sections is another stylish hub of motorsport accoutrements, including shift-paddles, an R-mode button for customisation of the suspension and steering and configuring the bi-modal exhaust system.
At speed the Raptor displays good composure and traction with neater than average cornering ability if you consider the high centre of gravity and large off-road biased rubber. But these are rare moments when giving it horns because of the nearby conversation starter — fuel consumption.
There’s no Eco mode in the Raptor, and Ford claims 11.5l/100km on average. That’s exactly what I’m achieving, and should the Sport and Baja modes lure you into an enthusiastic driving style as envisioned, it’ll binge at an alarmingly high rate above he 15l/100km mark while rapidly emptying the contents of the 80l tank, or in other words R1,749 worth of 95 unleaded.
Exceptional driving comfort is a contrasting feature, though. The Fox shocks and ample rubber will soak up literally any surface imperfection you can throw at it, daring you to even think of not stopping for humps. It’s also a genuine long-distance cruiser, with active cruise control and lane-keeping assist as standard fitments.
It also matches adventurist spirits, with the underpinnings allowing for exploring uncharted gravel roads or even pathways that disappear behind forests or hills, or tackling high-level off-road obstacles. It’s also capably useful as a load lugger, but can it fly, though? Yes, momentarily, as Ford has built the suspension to withstand regular, rather than extreme, yumps.
Is it a performance car as Ford imagines? To be honest, it is, and much more.
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