Ford Ranger Raptor 2026 Review

From its initial launch price of $85,490 plus on-road costs (+ORCs), the Ford Ranger Raptor will now set you back $90,690 (+ORCs). Part of this is your typical inflationary pressure, but the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard will make life very difficult for the Raptor going forward.

Put simply, when any light commercial vehicle emitting more than 180g/km CO2 in 2026 attracts a financial penalty and the Raptor emits 262g/km, you can see the problem. And the regulations only become stricter going forward.

It’s the most expensive medium dual-cab you can buy in Australia – as opposed to full-size utes like the F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado – but it’s also one of the best equipped.

Dynamic matrix LED headlights, heated and eight-way power adjustable front seats, leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, auto lights and wipers and an auxiliary switch bank are all standard, with only the Platinum featuring more gear than the Raptor.

On the safety front, there’s nine airbags, adaptive cruise control with stop & go functionality, blind spot monitoring with trailer coverage, autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist and departure warning, intelligent speed assist with speed sign recognition, rollover mitigation, trailer sway assist, tyre pressure monitoring, front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree camera.

Infotainment is handled by a 12.0-inch portrait touchscreen with AM/FM/DAB radio, wireless smartphone mirroring, embedded modem, FordPass app connectivity, in-built satnav with one-year complimentary connected services, voice control and it plays through a 10-speaker premium B&O stereo.

There is wireless phone charging and five other USB ports spread around the cabin for device charging, as well as a pair of 400W sockets, one in the rear of the centre console and another in the tray.

A drop-in tough bedliner is standard as well tray illumination, but the Raptor misses out on the regular Ranger’s side steps (thanks to the exhaust location) and there’s no aluminium moveable tie-down rails, though there is a quartet of points. A powered roller shutter can now also be added for $3900.

Speaking of options, any colour other than white attracts a $750 surcharge.

But the real highlight of the Ranger Raptor is the mechanical upgrades. The headline act is the 292kW/583Nm 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6, which can drive either the rear or all four wheels through a 10-speed automatic gearbox.

There are larger brakes, revised steering, adaptive Fox shock absorbers, a new rear suspension setup, front and rear locking diffs, steel underbody protection, a stronger frame, Baja and Rock Crawl drive modes and BF Goodrich All-Terrain tyres wrapped around the 17-inch alloy wheels. It’s a big upgrade.

A five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty is offered and servicing for the first five visits is a very reasonable $1596 (including brake fluid) with intervals of 12 months or 15,000km.

Just as your spouse is unlikely to be perfect, but may be perfect for you, the 2026 Ford Ranger Raptor isn’t perfect. However, for its intended purpose there isn’t much room for improvement.

It starts when you step inside and are met with a cabin that is clearly differentiated from a regular Ranger. The seats are better, there’s a bespoke steering wheel with unusual buttons on it, large paddle shifters and flashes of orange trim.

I’ve always wished that these matched the exterior paint colour, but apparently that would be a nightmare in terms of production complexity. If you really wanted the interior bits to match, it’s probably possible through the aftermarket.

Start the engine and a rasp erupts from the dual exhausts that is unlike any other modern ute. The Raptor’s sound is contentious, but for me it’s all about context. If my Ferrari or Lamborghini sounded like this I’d be disappointed; as far as dual cabs go I think it’s pretty good.

From the first turn of the steering wheel it’s clear that there’s a very different mechanical package underpinning the Raptor. There’s a greater sense of connection, accuracy and control.

A degree of ultimate ride comfort has been sacrificed compared to its ultra-cushy predecessor, but this is in part due to the extra control required by almost doubling the horsepower and halving the 0-100km/h time (around 6.0sec if you’re curious).

The twin-turbo V6 has ample grunt, enough to freely spin the rear tyres in the first five or six gears on a slippery surface. There’s little point revving it right out (peak power is produced at 5650rpm) so you’re better off rifling through the 10 closely-stacked ratio in the auto gearbox.

On the road the Raptor is admirably composed, with a better ride and less body shake than any other dual cab, but its cornering credentials are handicapped by the off-road rubber. A Volkswagen Amarok Aventura TSI452 on highway tyres is the pick for tarmac handling.

However, head beyond the bitumen and the Raptor has no equal. On fast gravel roads it is incredibly agile given its 2479kg heft and its ability to rotate under brakes on the way into a corner and under power on the way out is uncanny – it sounds like an absurd comparison, but it really is like a giant Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.

If you want to tackle rougher stuff there are few more capable vehicles in standard guise thanks to 272mm of ground clearance – 38mm more than a regular Ranger – the All-Terrain tyres and locking diffs at both ends. It’s not unstoppable, but it’ll go further than just about anything else.

Nothing comes for free, however, and almost every element of the 2026 Ford Ranger Raptor’s capability comes at a cost. Unsurprisingly, a 2.5-tonne vehicle with almost 400 old-school horsepower isn’t exactly frugal.

Not only does it have a sizeable thirst, but it also has a significant appetite for tyres when driven hard and the brakes work very hard, too. If you want to enjoy the Raptor to its fullest, you’d best set aside a decent budget for consumables.

As good as the BF Goodrichs are off road, their aggressive tread pattern does struggle on wet tarmac and drivers will need to account for significant stopping distances in an emergency situation.

Finally, the Raptor’s unique mechanical specification does take a toll on its practicality, with a maximum braked towing capacity of 2500kg. But that’s the price you must pay; if it had the traditional dual cab rear-end that allowed for a 3500kg limit, it wouldn’t be able to handle the way it does.

Given the popularity of the 2026 Ford Ranger Raptor, if you’re interested in this super ute you’ve probably already bought one. It’s been a smash hit and for good reason; we’ve said it before but will say it again, it’s a landmark vehicle that completely reset the bar for a performance dual cab.

Price rises are always unfortunate but given its capabilities it remains a bargain. To illustrate this point, the Ranger Raptor was driven on exactly the same test roads as the $300,000+ Land Rover Defender OCTA (itself a very impressive vehicle) but the Ford was better in almost every respect: traction, handling, agility and equal in braking.

Just as Australia’s much-missed performance utes were essentially coupes with really big boots, the Ranger Raptor is like an off-road racer that happens to be able to carry the family and tow the boat (as long as it’s not too big).

The bad news is, the new regulatory environment means its price is only going to go one way, so get in now while you still can.

2026 Ford Ranger Raptor at a glance:
Price: $90,690 plus on-road costs
Available: Now
Powertrain: 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol
Output: 292kW/583Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 11.5L/100km (ADR combined)
CO2: 262g/km (ARD combined)
Safety rating: Unrated

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