When the first generation of the Ford Ranger Raptor launched into the market, Ford Philippines had a hit on its hands as the off-road-ready pickup truck came quickly flying out of showroom floors with buyers clamoring to get a unit.

Fast forward to 2023, and the next generation of the pickup has entered the Philippine market with similar fanfare. However, in other markets, the Raptor is available with a twin-turbo V6 under the hood that offers more power than what the previous 2.0-liter bi-turbo diesel engine would offer.

It now raises the question, is this latest generation of the off-road-ready pickup truck still worth it even without the powerful new engine?

As tough-looking as ever

On the outside, the Ranger Raptor exudes the Ford Built Tough tagline with its muscular wheel arches, wider stance, and knobby off-road tires. It's a rugged truck, even with a new front similar to the one found in the regular Ford Ranger Wildtrak model, but with a different grille.

As a top-spec model, it gets all the goodies of the Wildtrak, including its C-clamp LED headlights and LED tail lights, but with the addition of over fenders and off-road tires. It's still as menacing as ever, especially at night when the pickup looks larger than it really is. It's an overall tougher package with a modern twist. 

A familiar interior

The inside of the Raptor is very similar to that of its regular ranger counterparts. Still, it comes with a different set of power leather seats with the Raptor logo and other Ford Performance goodies. It also comes with red accents on the seats and the air vents.

Like its Wildtrak sibling, the Ranger Raptor also gets a massive 12-inch portrait-style infotainment system that comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also has fun features such as a sketch pad, Tik Tak Toe, and, funny enough, a calculator.

But where the pickup shines is its many off-road modes, which help fine-tune the vehicle's handling to suit the road conditions better. 

The good old 2.0-liter Bi-turbo

While the Ford Ranger Raptor is available in other countries with a twin-turbo V6 motor under the hood, the Philippine market gets the old, reliable bi-turbo diesel from the previous generation. It means the pickup truck still produces 210 PS and 500 Nm of torque and is still mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels.

It's decent power, but the Raptor doesn’t feel as spritely as it once did in its previous iteration. The pickup was designed with the V6 in mind, and the bi-turbo diesel was just an afterthought. 

However, for fuel economy, you are looking at about 7 to 10km/l in the city and around 12 to 16km/l on the highway, which is decent. After all, it wasn’t built with fuel economy in mind, as its primary focus was to be a rugged, off-road-ready vehicle.

An improvement in handling

The Raptor is on the heavier side, as you can feel the weight on the vehicle when you bring it to a corner. There is a fair bit of body roll present, but the suspension takes care of that quickly, with the grippy tires helping as well.

If you go into 4 Auto, which it does by default when you enter Sport mode, the car's feel lightens up, and it feels more spritely and more willing to take on a corner. This is the mode to be in, as it feels the most responsive compared to what the previous Raptor had to offer when it was in Sport mode.

The suspension is still as good as ever, with its Fox racing shocks ready to take almost anything on, including the truck lane along C5. You can tell that the suspension works well, thanks to its articulation, as only a few road imperfections make their way into the pickup's cabin.

Taking the Raptor off-road is a confidence-inspiring experience as the vehicle is stable, and grip is present thanks to its multiple drive modes. You can feel the computer doing its thing to give you as much grip as possible while reigning in power from the 2.0-liter motor.

Verdict

While the Ranger Raptor isn’t the king of power in its segment (the Toyota Hilux GR-Sport has taken its crown away), it's still a pickup truck worth getting, thanks to the many features that it offers. Its 2.0-liter bi-turbo engine is still strong enough to handle the much larger body, and its power delivery is still as smooth as ever.

However, given the recent additions of safety features such as adaptive cruise and emergency braking to the Raptor, it slowly starts to blur the lines between it and its Ranger Wildtrak counterpart. Regardless of that, priced at Php 2,339,000, it's still a competitive pickup truck for what it offers, especially if you like going off-road often. 

It may not have the much sought-after V6 under the hood, but the 2.0-liter bi-turbo still gets the pickup truck going quickly with its smooth shifting and power delivery. The chassis may have gotten heavier, but if you aren’t attacking corners at speed, you won’t notice it, as the vehicle is still a fun and compliant daily driver.

Still, if you want an imposing daily driver with a menacing road presence, then the next-generation Ranger Raptor is the vehicle for you.