I've driven enough Ford trucks to be able to really understand the enormous popularity of the F150 pickup and the entire Ford F-Series. Incredibly enough, the F-Series has been the bestselling truck in the USA for almost fifty years in a row. That's a lot of trucks. More importantly, that's an enormous amount of experience in designing, building, and delivering trucks that have buyers come back again and again.
While trucks offer a lot of utility, either a long, functional truck bed or a shorter bed and handy crewcab with more interior space, performance is often the trade-off. I mean, seriously, who expects a pickup truck to have enough oomph to push you back in your seat when you accelerate from a stop? Enter the excellent 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor edition. The Raptor series adds that missing performance piece and when I had an opportunity to drive a Ford Ranger Raptor for a week, you can bet I said yes!
The company supplied me with a Supercrew 4x4 Raptor with a 128" wheelbase, powered by a 3.0L EcoBoost engine and 10-speed automatic transmission. Shelter Green with Ebony leather-trim seats:
You can see the "Raptor" decal on the back portion, but notice also the metal running boards, the skid plate, and big, chonky tires. It's a big truck, no way around it, though still small enough that it's easy to park at the hardware store or trailhead.
The interior details are surprisingly luxurious. Didn't pickup trucks used to be bare-bones and entirely utilitarian? It's definitely been a while since that was the case, based on what I've been driving for the last few years.
Yes, that is indeed a 12" touchscreen that dominates the center portion of the dashboard, though Apple CarPlay and Android Auto only utilize about 60% of the overall screen, with the very top bar and lower controls part of the Ford system. I was unable to figure out how to have it be all map for better navigation, but that might well be an owner hack that's squirreled away somewhere on the Internet. Maybe ChatGPT can find it!
What really pops with the interior design are the red accent color elements. From stitching on the seats and gearshift to the portion on the front of the seats to the bold colors outlining the climate control vents, it turns a dull black interior into something that looks quite luxurious.
There's a trend in user interface design where companies are stepping back from all-touchscreen interfaces and returning to dedicated, individual controls. Ford is definitely in this camp too, as can be seen by the wealth of buttons on the steering wheel crossbar:
Notice also that there are paddle shifters. On a pickup truck. Thank you, Raptor edition!
The main display offers a lot of information with a rather traditional design. For once, though, a tachometer might well be useful if you opt to use the paddle shifters instead of relying on the automatic transmission. I have to admit, I had some fun with the paddle shifters on a quiet road.
Which brings us to the drive experience. It's really great, one of the best trucks I've ever driven. Lots of power that's nicely balanced with the shift points on the transmission (there's a sport mode if you want to be a bit more aggressive). It smoothly went from zero to 60mph, both at impressive speed in sport mode with the pedal fully to the proverbial metal and plenty fast enough with a more Zen approach to driving. Just as impressive, I had four adults in the truck with me while we were on a local highway with a 75mph limit. It drove quite easily at 80mph and even with those big, knobby tires, the interior was quiet enough that we could converse during the journey.
In an era where so many internal combustion engine-powered vehicles end up being somewhat underpowered to offer superior fuel efficiency, it was also great fun to drive. When we were testing some of its performance capabilities, my son (who owns a Toyota Tacoma TRD) and I were grinning. Not a common experience with vehicles in this class, for sure.
But... the cost of this performance is that it doesn't get very good mileage. Mostly driving conservatively, I averaged 16.5mpg across maybe 350 miles of driving. Add a boat or trailer to the back - towing capacity is 5500 pounds - or fill up that truck bed with gravel or lumber - bed capacity is 1400 - and that'll drop down a good 15-20% or even more, which means you'll need to be budgeting your fuel costs.
Back to the truck itself, however. The center console has a very comfortable shifter that echos classic in-line designs of the past:
The big knob on the right is the drive mode control: rotate the outer portion to choose normal, sport, or various terrains. The inner portion offers 4x4 buttons: 2H, 4H, 4L, and 4A. The closer button lets you access some of the many safety features on the vehicle, including hill mode (with my favorite graphic of all automobiles I've driven).
The front portion of the center console offers a Qi wireless charging spot - that works, even on bumpy terrain - along with both USB-C and USB-A charging options. Front and center, not tucked away.
The Ranger also has a series of AUX buttons, toggle switches just above the rear-view mirror on the top of the vehicle:
These are used for aftermarket accessories like off-road lights, winches, air compressors, reverse load lights and more. If you're someone who is planning on tricking out your Ford Ranger Raptor, you'll find these are hugely helpful!
Mid-size pickups with crew cabs (Ford calls it a Supercrew) commonly have 5-foot beds. The Ranger has exactly that:
This model included the Toughbed spray on liner, which I would get every time with a modern pickup truck. It would be sad to see a metal bed dinged and dented from everyday use, which this prevents (and looks cool too). The truck bed also has two quite handy power outlets:
There really is quite a lot to like with the 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor, from its exceptional power to its comfort and flexibility, offering space for five adults and a luxe design to boot. There were precious few hiccups or issues I experienced, with perhaps the worst being that at times Apple CarPlay didn't work correctly with the Ranger's entertainment system. A problem with the just-released iOS 18, or an issue with the vehicle electronics? For that to be the only issue is remarkable.
In the end, the Ford Ranger is already a very good small to midsize pickup truck, and the addition of the Raptor package with its improvements in performance and slick trim make it a keeper and a must-test-drive for anyone in the truck market.
2024 Ford Ranger Raptor Supercrew 4x4, powered by a 3.0L EcoBoost engine and 10-speed automatic transmission. BASE PRICE: $55,620. Options included: 17" grey aluminum wheels, LT285/70R17 tires, floor liners, raptor graphic, keyless entry keypad, and bedliner. AS DRIVEN: $58,555.
Disclaimer: Ford loaned me the Ranger for a week in return for this candid writeup. This article originally appeared on PlanetDave.com with the title You Can't Go Wrong with the 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor.
