Five things we love about the 2022 Ford Ranger Raptor

The second-generation 2022 Ford Ranger Raptor takes a successful tough-truck formula and evolves it to create what is effectively a GT3 racer for the rough stuff.

The addition of a new high-output petrol V6 means the new Australian-engineered Raptor now has the straight-line muscle to match its pumped-up exterior.

There’s loads to love about the new Raptor, as we’ve covered elsewhere, but it’s also not perfect. Here are five things we love about Ford’s new Ranger hero, as well as five things we reckon could be improved.

The 2022 Ford Ranger Raptor has always looked tough and purposeful – the sort of machine that won’t shy away from any size rock or mud patch. But the first iteration was no faster than a regular Ford Ranger. Actually it was slightly slower because of the added weight of the extra Raptor gear.

Not so the second-generation super-ute. The new Raptor has a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 that makes 292kW and 583Nm, making it almost twice as powerful. Sure, there are faster cars around, but the Raptor is still quick, able to zip to 100km/h in just over five seconds.

The new V6 also brings some rally-inspired tech, including an anti-lag system for the turbos. Lift off the throttle quickly and it’ll keep the turbos spinning so that there’s boost in the system ready for the next full-throttle moment.

No showroom-spec production car copes with big high-speed hits as adeptly as the 2022 Ford Ranger Raptor. It uses race-bred Fox shock absorbers that can adjust their damping force on the move, depending on the frequency and size of the bump.

It also measured things such as the load on each corner of the vehicle and throttle position hundreds of times per second, with the aim of preparing the suspension for what’s ahead.

It works beautifully, not only reducing rear-end squatting when taking off briskly, but also controlling the car after a jump or reacting to multiple surface imperfections.

It means you can travel over just about any surface at speeds you thought were impossible. Yep, it really is that good.

Upgrades to the 2022 Ford Ranger Ranger make it a better thing when you’re doing that slow-speed off-road work that four-wheel drives are designed for.

There’s 38mm more ground clearance (for 272mm total) and better approach and departure angles (32/24 degrees for the Raptor, versus 30/23 degrees for a Ranger Wildtrak).

That means there’s less chance of snagging a bumper and if you do manage to scrape the underside there’s a much thicker bash plate to give those underbody vitals a better chance of emerging unscathed.

It also has the first local Ford application of Trail Control, which is effectively off-road cruise control. Dial up the speed you want – adjustable in single km/h increments – and the car looks after throttle and braking.

It’s not suitable in all off-road applications but can be handy when you want to focus on other things. Expect Trail Control to make its way to other Rangers in future; engineers say it just needs to be engineered with the diesel engines.

Vehicle design is all about compromise, which is why sports cars are rarely any good off-road and 4WDs are rarely any good on a mountain pass.

Yet the 2022 Ford Ranger Raptor manages the elusive double-whammy. Engineers have not only improved its on-road cred, but also improved the way it drives on the road.

Having left and right wheels spaced further apart gives it a more planted cornering poise while the coil-spring live rear axle deals better with repeated bumps.

We’ve previously had issues with the off-road-focused tyres on wet bitumen, but we haven’t had a chance to test the new model on a wet road yet.

Yes, it uses the bones of the many garden-variety Rangers, but the 2022 Ford Ranger Raptor gets a whole lot more, including a beefed-up chassis.

Front and rear wheel-arches have also been pumped out to accommodate the wider track and chunky BF Goodrich tyres. There’s also a higher ride height and rock sliders down each side, which not only look great but also brush away any thump into a rock or log.

Bonnet vents and side vents help cool the engine, reinforcing the design ethos that everything on the Raptor has a function.

That functionality flows through to the cabin, too. The front seats were inspired by the Lockhead Martin F-22 Raptor. Side bolsters are designed to provide better lateral support while also keeping you clamped when big bumps enter the equation.

The 2022 Ford Ranger Raptor’s new twin-turbo V6 will run on standard unleaded, but it needs 98-octane premium if you want to experience the full 282kW and 583Nm. And if you’re regularly enjoying all the engine has to offer it will slurp through plenty of the premium brew in the process.

Blame it on physics: when you’re asking upwards of 2.4 tonnes to get up to speed quickly you need lots of energy to make that happen.

The claimed fuel figure is 11.5L/100km, but you can expect to use plenty more than that when you’re driving the car for what it was designed for.

And of course at that rate you’ll need to carry plenty of extra fuel jerries for long outback treks like the Simpson Desert.

One of the big appeals of utes is that they can carry and haul heavy things. But the 2022 Ford Ranger Raptor doesn’t have the same muscularity as other Rangers.

Its tow capacity is down to 2500kg, for example, which is a full tonne less than other Rangers. And the payload is just 717kg – still decent, but if you load the family up you’ll likely be limited to a few hundred kilos of luggage.

There’s been loads done to the 2022 Ford Ranger Raptor to separate it from regular load-lugging Rangers. The steering wheel and front seats are unique and Ford has even changed the padding of the rear bench seat for added comfort and support.

The ‘code orange’ highlights around the cabin are also a nice touch, as are the velour-like touches on the tops of the dash and doors.

Or, at least, the front doors. Those in the rear get to rest their elbows on the same grainy plastic seen in every other Ranger.

The Blue Oval turned to audio specialist Bang & Olufsen for the sound system in the 2022 Ford Ranger Raptor. The 10-speaker system uses tweeters on the dash, a centre speaker and a subwoofer under the back seat.

On paper it looks the business, but we were left a tad cold with its audio performance. Sure, it’s crisp and clear, but we wanted more of that soft, deep bass that can really elevate a sound system. Given the muscular exterior, the Raptor certainly deserves more punch.

That said, you can always listen to the exhaust, which is one of the best-sounding V6s we’ve heard (Jaguar and Mercedes-AMG are two others that have created great-sounding six-cylinders).

OK, so it’s no V8, but with there’s enough of a snarl that adds intensity as revs rise to remind you you’ve got something special – both inside and out – even if the interior engine sound is digitally enhanced.

The brake system on the 2022 Ford Ranger Raptor employs the same callipers and rotors as the previous generation, but the new engine means you’ll find many more opportunities to use them.

They pull up brilliantly on dirt, where the anti-lock system allows skidding so those BF Goodrich tyres can dig into the dirt. But we’re not convinced they’ll deal as well with a decent bitumen thrashing – something we haven’t attempted yet.

When you’ve got something as big and heavy as the Raptor braking hard at speed, heat will start to build. During a development drive we received an overheating warning, although engineers have since told us those temperatures aren’t measured but estimated by an algorithm that looks at ambient temperature, speed and brake applications.

Engineers say they’ve since upped the warning threshold by 150 degrees. But questions remain around how well a briskly-driven, heavily-laden Ranger will perform on a spirited downhill run.