2023 Ford Ranger Raptor First Impressions Review | Philkotse Philippines

After teasing the public at the 2023 Manila International Auto Show (MIAS), Ford Philippines has now officially launched the next-gen Ranger Raptor.

Priced at Php 2,339,000, and equipped with the familiar 2.0-liter bi-turbo diesel engine, the 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor aims to continue its strong market appeal in the country. Ford has given the Ranger Raptor the usual ingredients to entice Filipino truck enthusiasts, which is having a rugged and imposing stance.

But, beneath its brute demeanor, the next-gen Ranger Raptor is equipped with features that make it a smart pickup truck. Here’s Philkotse’s 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor first impressions review.

The new Ranger Raptor comes with a surefooted and bold exterior design, which arguably makes it the most intimidating-looking pickup truck in the Philipines. It may have borrowed some styling cues from the Ranger Wildtrak but the Raptor hits differently, especially when you see it in the metal.

The 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor comes with an imposing stance

The large black front grille with the embossed FORD lettering gives the truck a commanding presence. It complements the LED headlights as well as the C-shaped LED daytime running lights, making it appear like it’s a single piece. The bumper further adds to the next-gen Ranger Raptor’s muscular finish while the silver-colored skid plate gives the right amount of ruggedness.

Beefy all-terrain tires

The prominent wheel arches with black cladding are also a nice touch as it makes the Ranger Raptor appear to be flexing and flaunting its muscles. Add to that the beefy BF Goodrich all-terrain tires, the 17-inch black alloy wheels, and the Fox shocks, you can clearly see that the new Ranger Raptor is a machine that’s ready to go anywhere.

The next-gen Ranger Raptor from the back

The Ranger Raptor’s rear looks almost the same as the Wildtrak but it does come with tow hooks. I do wish that the rear side step board design was also carried over to the Ranger Raptor for added functionality and easier access to the bed.

Step inside the 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor and you’ll be greeted by a familiar-looking dashboard layout. It looks the same as the next-gen Ranger Wildtrak from the portrait infotainment touchscreen, center console, and wireless charging pad, among others.

It comes with orange interior accents

But the Ranger Raptor comes with an Everest-like gear shifter, which looks more premium as compared to the lever type seen on the Wildtrak. Red Orange accent, or Code Orange as Ford calls it, dons the Ranger Raptor’s cabin, which can be seen on the steering wheel, aircon vents, stitching, and seats. While it adds exclusivity to the Raptor’s interior, I don’t find the Code Orange trim that attractive. Well, it can look nice when you opt for the Ranger Raptor in orange exterior paint.

The leather seats are integrated with suede material, and all have good bolstering. It’s worth noting that the front seats come with a 10-way power adjustment, which will help you find your preferred driving and seating position easier.

The 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor also comes with auxiliary switches, which are the same as the previously offered Ranger FX4 Max. This feature will come in handy, especially when you want to put more accessories such as additional lights on the Ranger Raptor.

Rear seats

Rear seats offer seating for up to three individuals, and passengers at the back get aircon vents.

Another thing that makes the next-gen Ranger Raptor a well-rounded truck is its amount of tech and safety features. Aside from the 12-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the Ranger Raptor is equipped with a 360-degree camera, 12.4-inch digital gauge cluster, seven airbags, a terrain management system with seven drive modes, hill launch assist and rollover mitigation, hill descent control, rear differential lock, among others.

The 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor is also integrated with advanced driver-assist technology which includes adaptive cruise control, lane centering, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot information system, lane departure warning, and active park assist, among others. Take note that these advanced driver-assist techs were not available in the old Ranger Raptor.

The 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor is powered by the carry-over 2.0-liter bi-turbo diesel engine that puts out 207 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque. The engine is connected to a 10-speed automatic transmission, and this truck comes with paddle shifters.

Powered by a 2.0-liter bi-turbo diesel engine

I drove the next-gen Ranger Raptor around a specialized off-road track in Arca South, Taguig. The track’s main goal is to showcase the Ranger Raptor’s capability in driving through rough road surfaces.

The Blue Oval brand’s new truck quickly showed its capability right off the bat as I drove through the unpaved road from zero to around 50 km/h. It did a pretty decent job of minimizing the rather harsh road condition, resulting in a pleasant ride.

Ready for some off-road adventure

At the end of the brief straight line was a small hill, which was intentionally placed to boast the Ranger Raptor’s driving prowess. The hill sent the Ranger Raptor for a bit of a hang time, with the tires not touching the road surface. The said scenario was expected but what surprised me the most was the landing–it was smooth, confident, and surefooted. The next-gen Ranger Raptor’s Fox shocks and suspension tuning absorbed the impact well, which could have been a hard touchdown.  

It can handle tough terrain with ease

The Ranger Raptor also showed its off-road prowess as I drove through huge potholes and uneven road surfaces. The truck passed through the harsh terrain with confidence and ease, without giving you second thoughts on whether or not it can drive through it. You have to give credit to the Ranger Raptor’s suspension tuning as it helps the truck drive through harsh terrain with ease.

The 360-degree camera was abundantly used on the off-road course. It has the same crisp image quality as the camera fitted on the next-gen Ranger and Everest. The camera eliminates the blind spots brought upon by the limited driver’s vision due to the off-road track’s layout.

The next-gen Ranger Raptor's 360-degree camera

Aside from that, the 360-degree comes with dynamic guidelines that adjust depending on your steering input. This combo gave me assurance and certainty that I am pointing the steering wheel in the right direction despite the limited or hampered view from the front, side, and rear.

Climbing steep inclines is also not a problem for the next-gen Ranger Raptor even though the pressure I applied on the accelerator pedal is conservative. It can also crawl its way down a steep drop efficiently. The hill descent control allows you to have a surefooted approach, giving you the confidence to dive in nose first.

2023 Ford Ranger Raptor

Priced at Php 2,339,000, the next-gen Ford Ranger Raptor is more than just an imposing truck. Unlike the previous version offered in the Philippines, the new model now comes with advanced safety and tech features that arguably make the Ranger Raptor a more well-rounded pickup truck. Well-rounded in such a way that it’s better equipped for both on- and off-road drives, a factor that could further expand the Ranger Raptor’s market appeal.