Skip advert
Advertisement

Ford F-150 Raptor

Firebreathing pick-up offers genuine thrills

Overall Auto Express rating

5.0

How we review cars
Find your next car here
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car
Advertisement

This is an impressively engineered, eye-opening version of America’s big-selling F-150 pick-up that feels indestructible, looks wonderfully aggressive and is blisteringly fast. It would look completely out of place in the UK, but the world would be a worse place without the Raptor. And if we lived in the Nevada desert, we’d want to drive nothing else!

Advertisement - Article continues below

“Crazy.” That’s how one of the Ford Raptor’s engineers described this range-topping version of the firm’s F-150 pick-up truck before we got behind the wheel in the Nevada desert this week.

And he wasn’t wrong.

Once America’s best-selling vehicle, the F-150 has had to adapt, as US drivers swap cubic capacity for mpg. To keep interest alive, Ford has upped the excitement on offer. As a result, this is oneof the most insane vehicles we’ll drive this year. It looks more Baja racer than roadgoing pick-up, with similar go-anywhere ability. Under the bonnet lies a Ford Special Vehicles Team-tuned 5.4-litre V8 producing 310hp (an even bigger 6.2-litre version is on the way), and it drives the rear or all four wheels via a centre differential.

There’s nothing politically correct about the F-150 Raptor SVT, which offers 17mpg at best. We tried it out on a tough and dusty off-road course, where we were encouraged to tackle jumps, humps, ruts and dusty divots at speeds of up to 60mph.

And the Raptor soaked up the abuse with ease. It was completely unstoppable.

Our car came with Ford’s £500-a-corner Fox Racing Shox to tackle the bumps, along with 12-inch springs at the front and rear. It may be old-school technology, but it certainly works!

What’s most impressive, though, is that Ford’s SVT team has set the Raptor up to be as compliant on normal roads as a standard F-150.

And despite its incredible off-road talents, the Raptor is a stock production model that costs only $43,000 (£25,000) in the States. It’s totally irrelevant over here  – but that doesn’t stop us from wanting one

Skip advert
Advertisement

Our latest car deals

Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen Golf

RRP £27,565Avg. savings £2,749 off RRP*Compare Offers
Omoda 5

Omoda 5

RRP £25,235Avg. savings £1,836 off RRP*Compare Offers
Nissan Juke

Nissan Juke

RRP £23,500Avg. savings £4,311 off RRP*Compare Offers
Toyota Yaris Cross

Toyota Yaris Cross

RRP £26,155Avg. savings £2,485 off RRP*Compare Offers
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Car Deal of the Day: new MG4 long-range EV for a ridiculously low price
MG4 - front cornering

Car Deal of the Day: new MG4 long-range EV for a ridiculously low price

The MG4 is one of our favourite EVs on account of its sheer value for money. It’s our Deal of the Day for 11 December
News
11 Dec 2024
ZEV Mandate to spoil Christmas for 1,000s of petrol and diesel car buyers
Nissan Cube

ZEV Mandate to spoil Christmas for 1,000s of petrol and diesel car buyers

Got an ICE car on order? Don’t bet on collecting it before the New Year…
News
10 Dec 2024
Car Deal of the Day: Kia Sportage SUV is stunning value at just £260 a month
Kia Sportage - main image

Car Deal of the Day: Kia Sportage SUV is stunning value at just £260 a month

The Kia Sportage is a top-selling car and it’s easy to see why. It’s our Deal of the Day for 10 December
News
10 Dec 2024