Quick Spin: 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor

2021 Ford F-150 Raptor 4×4 Supercrew

Class: Large Pickup Truck

Miles Driven: 258

Fuel Used: 17.3 gallons

Real-world fuel economy: 14.9 mpg

Driving mix: 65% city, 35% highway

CG Report Card
Room and Comfort	A
Power and Performance	A
Fit and Finish	B
Fuel Economy	D+
Value	C+
Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide's impressions of the entire model lineup.
Big & Tall Comfort
Big Guy	A
Tall Guy	A
Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. "Big" rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, "Tall" rating based on 6'6"-tall male tester.
Drivetrain
Engine Specs	450-hp 3.5-liter
Engine Type	Twin-turbo V6
Transmission	10-speed automatic
Drive Wheels	4WD

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 15/18/16 (mpg city/highway/combined)

Fuel type: Regular gas

Base price: $64,145 (not including $1695 destination charge)

Options on test car: Equipment Group 801A ($6150), Power Tech Package ($1995), Raptor Exterior Graphics Package ($1075), Raptor Carbon Fiber Package ($995), 17-inch forged aluminum wheels ($1895), ToughBed spray-in bedliner ($595)

Price as tested: $78,545

 

Quick Hits

The great: Muscular powertrain; mucho-fortified off-road suspension provides rough-terrain capabilities and an absorbent on-road ride

The good: Raptor gets distinctive high-performance styling cues inside and out that make it identifiable at a glance; redesign brings many of the impressive new features of the rest of the F-150 lineup, such as Pro Power Onboard integrated generator

The not so good: Steep option prices drive up the bottom line; fuel economy; extra-long, extra-wide dimensions make close-quarters maneuvering difficult

More F-150 price and availability information

 

CG Says:

If you have driven one new Ford F-150 crew-cab pickup haven’t you really driven them all? Not if it isn’t the high-performance Raptor off-roader, you haven’t.

When the current-generation F-150 bowed for 2021, Consumer Guide tested a 4-wheel-drive XLT SuperCrew with the new PowerBoost hybrid engine, but it is a different breed of cat—or whatever creature the Raptor is. The latter popped up as a midyear addition to the line with a muscular twin-turbo 3.5-liter Ecoboost V6, a fortified chassis with Fox-brand shocks and a 5-link rear suspension, and optional 37-inch off-road tires. Given the Raptor’s late introduction, a Code Orange Metallic ’21 was still making the rounds of the automotive media in CG’s neck of the woods well after the new year and that’s what formed the impressions reported here, though the 2022 is essentially unchanged. Indeed, the real news for the year is the planned midseason arrival of a Raptor R with a big-output V8 engine to challenge the Ram 1500 TRX.

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Inspired by desert-racing trucks, the third-generation Raptor is equipped to kick sand with 450 horsepower at 5850 rpm and 510 lb-ft of torque at 3000 revs. While our late-winter urban trial didn’t entail any of that kind of activity, it was still quite clear that this truck likes to get up and go. The active-valve dual exhaust expels a nice rumble and the 10-speed automatic transmission prudently and smoothly marshals power. Just don’t expect miracles from the 36-gallon gas tank. Our test, run in 65 percent city-type driving, averaged out to 14.8 mpg—fractions shy of the 15 city mpg that the EPA estimates it should get. (Highway operation is pegged at 18 mpg and combined driving should go at a rate of 16 mpg, say the feds.)

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The Raptor’s rough-and-tumble look and sound belie a pickup with gentle-giant manners on pavement. You can probably thank pliable suspension settings helpful for welcoming dune-jumping trucks safely back to earth for an unexpectedly soft on-road ride. Steering in the “Comfort” setting is almost sedan-easy. (“Normal” and weightier “Sport” are the alternatives.) There wasn’t a lot of tire noise from the standard LT315/70R17 all-terrain rubber on the test truck. These tires have a 35-inch outside diameter but a Raptor 37 option provides 37-inch tires that hike ground clearance to 13.1 inches from an even foot.

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To help drivers cope with whatever surface they may find themselves on, there are seven selectable terrain modes including “Baja” and “Rock Crawl.” New Trail Control allows 1-pedal driving (via the accelerator) to manage the delicate balance of braking and acceleration needed in certain off-road situations.

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With delivery, the base price for a 2022 V6 Raptor is $70,370, a pretty fair jump from the $65,840 charged in ’21. (With options, the tested truck reached $78,545.) The Raptor stands out from the rest of the F-150 line with its own black grille with large block letters spelling “FORD,” black fender flares, specific vented hood, cast-aluminum running boards that ease entries and exits, trimmer bumpers designed to increase approach and departure angles to obstacles, and chassis skid plates. Standard bolstered front seats feature a mix of leather with wide-rib cloth accents on cushions and backs. The leather-wrapped steering wheel includes an orange centering mark to help drivers keep front wheels straight and “stick the landing” when pounding over harsh terrain.