Pickup trucks were designed to haul and go through rough terrain, often with minimal creature comforts.

But many buyers want the toughness of a pick-up with the panache and toys of an executive sedan. Hence, the top-of-the-line Ford Ranger Raptor and the Toyota Hilux GR-S were born.

The Hilux used to battle with the previous-generation Ranger Raptor, which trounced the Toyota as the baddest pickup on the block.

But there’s a new Ranger Raptor, packing even more goodies than before. Assuming for a moment that the big Ford is already available in the Philippines today, how would the Philippine-spec Hilux, with its Gazoo Racing bits, fare?

We find out in this edition of the AutoFun Philippines Spec Showdown!

Outsized

If you’re the pick-up buyer who thinks that size matters, go with the Ford.

The Thailand-specification Ranger Raptor is longer, wider, and taller than its Toyota rival, helped by its huge wheel arches and bigger tires.

In the style department, these two trucks take different approaches.

The Toyota Hilux GR-S, with body-colored cladding, gloss-black trim, and larger 18-inch alloy wheels, offer a sleeker appearance. This is emphasized if you get one in red.

Meanwhile, the Ford Ranger Raptor is all business – from the enormous front grill to the chunky off-road tires, it looks ready to take on any terrain. 

I'll side with the Blue Oval on this one.

Plush cabins

Those who remember pick-ups from the 1990s know how spartan and dreadful the interiors were.

At best, power windows, air-conditioning, a radio, and rear seats seemed like afterthoughts. At the time, being cargo in the truck bed seemed more comfortable.

But nowadays, you get a cabin that cossets, along with every bell and whistle. This is particularly important when paying past ₱2 million for a pick-up.

For looks, the Toyota uses red accents, in line with the official colors of the Gazoo Racing motorsports division.

The Ford, meanwhile, uses liberal amounts of orange on the seats and dashboard to create a sporty feel.

Again, I would pick the newer Ranger Raptor, which has an awesome 12-inch touchscreen nicely integrated into the dash.

Twin-turbo options

Pop the hood of the Thai-spec Ranger Raptor, and you will find one of two options, both of which are twin-turbocharged.

The Hilux GR-S wades into battle with its trusty turbodiesel engine, which gets more power in its latest iteration.

Nonetheless, whichever engine the Ranger Raptor gets, it is more powerful than the Toyota.

Safe as can be

Pick-ups have extremely solid ladder frames that allow them to handle rough terrain and heavy loads.

Another consequence of this is that these can handle crashes quite well, although perhaps not as well as a unibody car with dedicated crumple zones.

The Ford Ranger Raptor and the Toyota Hilux GR-S are equipped with active-safety suites that help owners keep their behemoths from plowing into cars, pedestrians, and other stationary objects.

Fierce battle ahead

The Ford Ranger Raptor and Toyota Hilux GR-S prove a very compelling point – fully loaded pickups have a place in the market.

These two are the flagship versions of highly respected and well-known models in the segment, but they accomplish their goals differently.

The Toyota takes on a sporting flavor with Gazoo Racing accessories, along with Gazoo Racing-specific suspension. But the Ford takes things further, continuing the Raptor tradition of the all-out “factory special” build.

If the Hilux GR-S doesn’t follow the path of the Hilux GR Sport in Australia, it may face some trouble with the new brute from the Blue Oval.

Would you go for the Ford Ranger Raptor or the Toyota Hilux GR-S?

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