2019 Ford F-150 Raptor Test Drive Review: Nothing Else Like It
By the mid-late 2000s, Ford finally realized that although the on-road performance of the F-150 SVT Lightning was incredible, the sports truck's dynamics were handicapped simply by the fact that it was a truck and not a lightweight, low to the ground, unibody chassis coupe. Why not, then, play into the bodystyle's strengths by building a performance pickup that could be taken straight from a dealership to a Baja race without having a single tweak made to it? And thus the F-150 SVT Raptor was born. Its first-generation laid the model's foundation by giving the F-150 the most crucial features needed to turn it into a Raptor: rugged off-road looks, a powerful engine, and most importantly, a suspension system that could take a beating without flinching. And then, just when the F-150's masculinity was coming into question after Ford released its 13th-generation with an aluminum body and a range of downsized and turbocharged engines, the Blue Oval took each of these new ingredients, dropped the "SVT" affix, and somehow made the Raptor exponentially better.
What's the Price of the 2019 Ford F-150 Raptor?
The cheapest model bearing the F-150 Raptor badge is the SuperCab (extended cab) configuration Raptor, which carries a base MSRP of $52,855 excluding options, taxes, licensing, registration, and a hefty $1,595 destination charge. An extra $2,985, or $55,840 all in, the range-topping Raptor is the SuperCrew with the crew cab configuration. Prices are set at a dealership level, however, so bargains can be found if you're willing to shop around.
Since our tester was not picked off the bargain lot, it carries a sticker price of $73,555 including destination. Bumping its price up was a somewhat astonishing $16,120 worth of options. The most expensive was the $9,365 802A package, which makes the Raptor easier to live with using a 360-degree camera, towing helpers like a trailer backup assist and tow monitoring, a 4.10 front axle with a Torsen diff, LED box lighting, and more. Following it was the Raptor technology package, exterior graphics package, tailgate step, carbon fiber package, a set of 17-inch forged aluminum wheels, and more.
2019 F-150 Raptor Exterior
Dimensions
| Wheelbase | Height | Max Width |
|---|---|---|
| 145.0 in | 78.5 in | 86.3 in |
2019 F-150 Raptor Performance
Handling and Driving Impressions
To get to the root of what makes the Raptor so great, you have to get its Fox shocks thumping up and down as if they were jogging in place within the wheel wells. That means finding an unpaved trail with long straights, plenty of rocks, uneven surfaces, and if you can swing it, a dozen or so jumps. Thankfully, the Arizona Sonoran Desert where our Raptor drive went down has plenty of that. So after seesawing the steering correctly wheel while heading south on the winding state road 83, relishing the throttle's readiness to tackle steep roads in Sport mode over the city-appropriate Normal mode, we eventually found the perfect trail on which to unleash the Raptor. If you didn't already know, the Raptor is a highly variable truck that can switch up its throttle response, shift timing, and steering stiffness, as well as traction and stability control programs to best suit the surface its on. Mud/Sand, Weather, and Rock Crawl modes are for the type of Terrain a Jeep Wrangler can handle. Baja mode goes a step further. Activate it while a few miles of wrinkled clay-like earth lies ahead, and all it takes is a deep stab of the throttle to get the Raptor up to highway speeds. Paradoxically, the faster you go over bad roads, the smoother the Raptor feels. By the time we hit 80 mph, the Raptor's electronic systems were helping lay the power down in such a way that kept the truck stable while the nine-stage Fox shocks were providing such a soft pillowy ride that the chaos going on at the wheels felt distant.
And then it's there, a three-foot mound of clay arcing steeply towards the sky. It would be insignificant in most other scenarios, but not one in which almost 6,000 pounds of Raptor are rushing its way. You don't feel the Raptor's body load up as the frame squats towards the wheels, but soon after you're in the air, quickly learning what it feels like to be on a roller coaster that has come off its tracks. And then something curious happens. Just as you're expecting to hear a slam as the stray items around the cabin float up to indicate the truck has started its descent, you're laid on the ground softly, as if the Raptor had thruster rockets blasting the ground to cushion the fall. It's addicting enough that it just has to be attempted again. And then again….and again. And by the time you find the paved road again at the end of the day, the Raptor glides back onto it without any hit at the abuse it just underwent. With steering and throttle once again in calmer modes for civilized driving, the engine's buzz burps up a few gears and the Raptor goes back to being a regular truck with a tad too much body roll and an angry outfit.
2019 F-150 Raptor Interior
2019 F-150 Raptor Trunk and Cargo Space
Warranty
| Basic | Drivetrain | Corrosion | Roadside Assistance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Years / 36,000 Miles | 5 Years / 60,000 Miles | 5 Years / Unlimited Miles | 5 Years / 60,000 Miles |
Verdict: Is the 2019 Ford F-150 Raptor A Good truck?
The F-150 Raptor isn't just a good truck, or even a great truck. No, the F-150 Raptor blows past those metrics and ranks as a masterpiece - one of rare vehicles that the car-loving community absolutely has to drive at least once in their lives. Being the sole entrant in a segment of its own creation (the Ram Rebel and Silverado Trail Boss are simply not designed to do what the Raptor can do), Ford could have stayed lazy and made the Raptor merely adequate. It did no such thing. Instead, it gave it all the modern comforts and amenities that a full-size family SUV has, enough towing capacity for weekend warriors to bring their dirt bikes or sand rails along, and an absolutely rabid style of munching up horrible roads where a Wrangler is usually needed, but at speeds that seem unfathomable. And once the revelation is made that Ford stiffened the frame and toughened the suspension so that the Raptor can jump its way to happiness, there's no turning back from loving this truck.
What Ford F-150 Raptor Model Should I Buy?
Since the Raptor is a truck that can pull off many tasks and do so marvelously, our ideal spec would cut no corners. It would be a SuperCab variant with all of the goodies our test truck had loaded on, sans the carbon fiber interior package. The only option to add, just for kicks and because it really does look good, is the dual pane panoramic moonroof. Yes, that makes our ideal Raptor an expensive truck, but its combination of capability and comfort when fully spec'd is hard to find anywhere else in the industry.
2019 Ford F-150 Raptor Comparisons
2019 Ford F-150 Raptor vs Ram 1500
The Ram 1500 is one of the F-150's chief rivals, with strong towing ability, impressive payload capacity, and a whole lot of all-American presence. But is it worth considering over a Ford F-150 Raptor? Well, with coil-spring suspension, the Ram is one of the most comfortable pick-ups in the segment, and it boasts an ultra-refined interior, too, vastly outstripping the more utilitarian feel of the F-150. The Ram also has a huge 12.3-inch touchscreen compared to Ford's eight-inch setup. Both boast a high level of specification and high levels of available safety, and on-road, the Ram 1500 would be the outright pick. But if you plan on going off-road, nothing can touch the F-150 Raptor. It's a trophy truck for the road, essentially, meaning it's capable on-road but untouchable off-road, especially with up to 13.9-inches of wheel travel and Fox internal bypass shocks. So it comes down to your needs, if you'll spend most of your time on-road, buy the Ram, but if you've got an adventurous spirit, the Raptor will always come out trumps.
2019 Ford F-150 Raptor vs Ford F-150
Do you really need a Raptor, or will any of the other F-150s be enough truck for you? Previously, if you wanted the cream of the crop performance-wise, you had to buy a Raptor, but for 2019 the high-performance EcoBoost V6 has been dropped into the Limited-trim F150 too, meaning you get all the performance of the Raptor on-road, plus versatility in the form of various cab styles and bed lengths. The Limited also equips far more luxury, with high-quality leather as well as heated seats, navigation, and a whole lot of standard safety tech. You get a fair bit of off-road capability with 4x4 and a low-range gearbox. But what you don't get is the ground clearance and suspension travel offered by the Raptor, and the Raptor is cheaper than a full-spec F-150. Ultimately, if you're not going off-road every weekend, then you really have no need for a Raptor, but you'll still wish you'd bought one of you drive anything else.