2023 Ford Ranger Raptor — First Drive Impressions | Autodeal Philippines (2023)

When the Ford Ranger Raptor was first launched and introduced to the Philippines, it was a monumental model for the Blue Oval. Not only did Ford present the right truck at the right time, given the hotness of the pickup segment, but it also turned people’s heads and gave everyone an idea of what a true Ford Performance pickup should be like.

The T6 platform has held up over the years, but now in its newest incarnation, The T6.2, new life is breathed into the daring pickup truck, enough for us to recommend it if you don’t yet have it.

When the T6.2 generation of the Ford Ranger launched in the Philippines, we were floored by how good it looked. After picking up our jaws from the floor, our imaginations went wild with the prospect of a Ranger Raptor. We scoured the launch grounds only to find that there was no Raptor in sight. Ford was hush-hush about the performance pickup truck until the Blue Oval’s team cheekily displayed it at the 2023 Manila International Auto Show earlier this year.

The front was too high for us to see, while the rear was clearly a chunkier and buffer version of the standard Ranger. It was only until the launch of the new Ranger that we got to get a good look at the pickup truck in all its rugged glory. Again, our jaws fell to the floor, and we had to pick them up.

Without delving too much into the particulars of the specs, LEDs all around the front, rear, and the side repeaters on the mirrors, 17-inch alloy wheels, 285/70/17-sized BF Goodrich trail tires, metal underbody protection, and even headlamps that go with the flow of your drive. The features are familiar because they come with the standard Ranger Wildtrak, but there’s more than meets the eye here. A wider, raunchier, and more present Ranger is what the Raptor is, and here we thought the T6.2 generation couldn’t get any better.

It’s interesting to note that the previous accent theme that went on was Red, but now that’s all changed in favor of a very fluorescent orange. The new accent color on the interior meets well with the launch colorway of the Raptor which is Code Orange. You get a mix and match of leather and Alcantara inserts on the seats, on the dashboard, and a perforated leather steering wheel as well. The accent colors can be found on the seats, on the stitches, on the dashboard, and even on the steering wheel with a position marker at 12 o’clock. Even the climate control vents have a hit of that orange, and your passengers aren’t spared from the sporty chops as the rear seats get accents as well.

If you guessed that the Raptor would have a sportier interior, you would be right if you compared it to the Wildtrak. All things considered, however, the accents are done just right in our opinion, enough to keep you a little more excited, but not too much that you’re blinded by the colors.

We said it in our Ranger Wildtrak review before, but we’ll say it again, the Ranger nameplate presents the best infotainment screen in the segment, currently. The large portrait-orientated infotainment system comes in at 12 inches, while the gauge cluster comes in at 12.4 inches. Combined, that’s about 25 inches, or two rulers worth of diagonal screen real estate. The effect is the same as the standard Rangers, only this time you’re met with a lot of premium additions in the form of the Ford Performance seats and the other touches in the interior that level the whole experience up. Ford also fitted the shifter of the Everest on the Ranger Raptor, which is a much better selector compared to the knob on the standard Wildtraks and mid-variants.

At the launch of the Ranger Raptor, Ford gave us an off-road test track to play around in. Before we get into the nitty gritty driving details, however, we have the mention the specifications at play here. First, we have a 2.0-liter Bi-turbo diesel engine that makes 207 hp and 500 Nm of torque mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Now, if that sounds familiar, that’s because it’s the same setup as the old Ranger. There is a bit of refinement that was done to the engine, and it feels a tiny bit stronger in the mid-range of its powerband with a lot more smoothness in tow. As it stands, however, it’s pretty much the same story when it comes to acceleration. The short test track didn’t allow us to go out on the road, so we’ll have to test that some other time.

However, off-road handling was stupendous. The 272mm of ground clearance made mince meat of the track and extreme approach angles made going over hills and inclines super easy. Ford even told us to jump the Raptor, which is something that we will never ever do with a normal pickup, but the Blue Oval was confident that its FOX shocks can take it, which it did. On top of that, traction felt great as well with the stock BF Goodrich KO2 all-terrain tires looking great and performing great on the dirt.

Ford also showcased its water-wading capabilities. The water level reached 400mm, but Ford stated that the Raptor can handle up to 800mm of wading with no problem. The electronics were also beefed up and refined over the previous generation with the hill-start assist hill-decent control, and traction control all working together well during the quick drive.

The small test proved that the Ranger has evolved to a point where minimal effort is required to look like a pro. The dirt is where the Ranger Raptor shines, and it’s the most off-road-ready pickup in the segment today.

Picking up where the old Ranger Raptor left off, the new model reaches a new level of style and substance with the Ford T6.2 platform. It’s just a shame that the V6 didn’t make an appearance in the Philippines. We would have liked to see a 400 hp variant, but the Bi-turbo diesel engine is more than capable for Philippine roads anyway. Yes, we are disappointed, but at least the price is still in a sweet spot for the market.

At P2,339,000, you will be hard-pressed to find a pickup truck that performs better straight out of the factory. The moment that you get the Ranger Raptor, it’s trail ready and it can take a jump without any problems. Other pickup trucks will require you to buy a suspension system new wheels and tires, just to be more capable off-road. However, this is the best off-road-specific truck in the Ford stable, and it’s definitely a must-have if you want to do some gnarly stuff on the dirt. This truck is definitely the most fun you can buy straight from the dealership, and it’s still one of our number-one picks in the segment today. Hopefully, its performance will impress us on our daily commute and on a weekend drive when we do get a unit for review.