2024 Ford Ranger Raptor review: Can you daily-drive Ford’s super-ute?

We’re all asking our dual-cab utes to do more than ever before as workhorses, adventure vehicles, family haulers, grocery getters, and more – and sometimes all at the same time.

Ford’s Ranger Raptor flagship is the model that can wear the most hats, adding sports car and Baja blaster to its list of credentials.

This gives it an even broader appeal when compared against the more tame Toyota HiLux, Nissan Navara, Mitsubishi Triton, Mazda BT-50, and Isuzu D-Max rivals – even if they are decked out in their most expensive and powerful forms.

But does the Ranger Raptor's emphasis on performance dull its usefulness in other, arguably more important, day-to-day aspects?

Instead of taking the Raptor blasting down a dirt track or jumping across sand dunes, my family and I have been living with Ford's flagship Ranger to see how it stacks up in a more mundane – but arguably more important – day-to-day setting.

Since its launch in 2022, the Ford Ranger Raptor has crept up in price, but not by a massively egregious amount.

The second-generation Ranger Raptor started at $85,490 before on-road costs a few years back, and is now listed at $90,440 – easily making it the most expensive Ranger you can buy.

To be fair to Ford Australia, the Pro Trailer Backup Assist feature is now standard on the Raptor, among other variants, but the top-dog ute is still more than double the price of the cheapest Ranger.

But then again, you don’t get all of this Raptor's party tricks in a base Ranger, do you?

On the outside, the Raptor is fitted with adaptive LED headlights, exterior zone lighting, power-folding and adjustable mirrors, side steps, a spray-in bedliner, and lockable tailgate that comes with lift assistance.

But inside, there’s dual-zone climate control, rear air vents, and rear privacy glass to keep all occupants happy, as well as a leather steering wheel and shifter, keyless entry, push-button start, heated front seats, leather and suede-accented cabin, power-adjustable driver’s seat, interior ambient lighting, five USB charging ports, rain-sensing wipers, and a wireless smartphone charger to make life a bit more convenient.

There’s also a 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster that is customisable, as well as a 12-inch infotainment touchscreen with in-built satellite navigation, digital radio, and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity.

The Raptor is also fitted with 17-inch wheels wrapped in massive all-terrain tyres, meaning it's nearly impossible to kerb the wheels while parking.

This test car is also fitted with a power roller shutter, adding $3800 to the asking price, which, let’s be honest, is essential for family buyers otherwise the pram, groceries and school bags would get soaked in a downpour.

Standing the Raptor apart from the rest of the Ranger line-up are fatter front and rear guards, a bulging bonnet, and a unique Ford-stamped front grille.

The jacked-up ride height and off-road tyres also make the Raptor look like a monster truck, which speaks to the little child hiding inside all of us.

At the rear, there are also dual exhaust outlets, which sound absolutely awesome in their loudest setting.

Is $90,000 too much for a family car? Probably, it really depends on your situation.

But the Ford Ranger Raptor will do things other popular family haulers like the Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5 cannot, like blast a down a rough-shod dirt track or cart some furniture around.

The Ranger Raptor can pull double duty as a family car during the week, and an adventure vehicle during the weekend, so really it’s like two cars for the price of one – or at least that’s how I’d justify it to my partner.

The same can also be said of the the likes of the Nissan Navara Pro-4X Warrior (from $71,265 in automatic guise), Toyota HiLux GR Sport ($74,310), and Jeep Gladiator Rubicon ($87,250, all before on-road costs), but none of these rivals offer the same level of potent on- and off-road performance as the Ranger Raptor.

Of course, a family car also needs to be practical and accommodating for both front- and second-row passengers. And here in the Ranger Raptor, well there’s room to spare.

From the front seat, the Raptor provides a comfortable, even pleasant place to be thanks to these wonderfully supportive sports seats.

There are suede patches too so you don’t slide around in the leather seats, and the red accenting throughout is a nice, racy touch. Storage options are also aplenty throughout the cabin, with door pockets that will take bottles, an underarm storage cubby big enough for snacks, cupholders for coffee, and a two-tiered glovebox.

In the rear, there is also heaps of room for adults, as well as space for car seats. But keep in mind that this is a dual-cab ute, so installing a car seat isn’t as simple as it is in a hatchback or SUV.

The top-tether anchor point is behind the backrest, so you have to try and get the hook in while the car seat is blocking you from easily accessing it – it really is a test of patience.

In the back, there is also space for a bottle in the door, air vents to keep occupants cool, and a fold-down armrest.

But the best thing about using the Raptor as a family car is that because it is so high, it makes taking kids in and out of car seats an absolute breeze.

There's no leaning down and putting pressure on your back here. The kids' seats are at the perfect height for my six-foot-tall (183cm) frame to not have to bend and strain with a wriggly child in hand.

Just be mindful, though, as it can be easy to knock your legs on the side steps.

A large part of the Raptor’s appeal is the tray in the back, which will of course handle worksite tools, surfboards, and camping gear without much fuss, let alone your family's daily carry like the pram, nappy bag, and more.

With a tray measuring 1541mm long and 1578mm wide, the Raptor actually has a longer and wider bed than other dual-cab Rangers, so there’s no problem in terms of space.

But there are some compromises when using a ute tray instead of a traditional boot, such as items rattling around more than usual.

It means that when you get to your destination, the pram or groceries might not be in the same place you left them in, but at least there are tie-down points to prevent things from moving.

It is a hassle to constantly strap things down everywhere you go, though, so while the tie-down points do help the situation, it doesn't solve the problem. It can also be tricky to retrieve items from the far corners of the tray – and the Raptor's tall stance can put the tray off-limits for shorter users.

The tray also houses a 12-volt socket, letting you charge your phone while watching the kids at footy practice, or to run a portable fridge on long drives.

With a massive 12-inch infotainment touchscreen nestled in the centre stack, the Ford Ranger Raptor has all the functionality you would want out of a new car including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

But if you didn't want to burn through all your mobile data running Google Maps or Waze, the system also has in-built satellite navigation, as well as digital radio and Bluetooth audio streaming to keep occupants content.

There is also a sketch pad so you can keep the little ones in the back entertained or jot down your shopping list.

The infotainment system's software is fast and snappy, making switching between functions a breeze, but it is far from the best system I've used in a car as it can occasionally get tripped up if moving too fast across menus.

Some climate-control functions are also buried in the touchscreen, such as the heated seats, making it annoying to adjust while on the move. Most key functions are via physical buttons to save frustration.

Backing up the infotainment system is a 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster that displays information clearly and succinctly – perfect when you have a crying child in the back to contend with while also driving.

The Raptor is also compatible with the FordPass Connect smartphone app, letting owners monitor vehicle status and check location data remotely from a phone.

While the new-generation Ford Ranger line-up was awarded a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing back in 2022, the top-spec Raptor is the exception as it is unrated.

ANCAP has not given a reason for why the Raptor is not tested, but the flagship variant differs wildly from the standard Ranger line-up in terms of bodywork and suspension, and therefore crash structure.

For starters, the Raptor is wider and taller than any other Ranger, and sports a unique front end with new grille, bonnet and bumper.

Therefore, it is unclear how much of the Ranger's crash-test scores carry over to the Raptor.

For reference, the non-Raptor Ranger scored well in the adult occupant and child occupant protection tests with 84 and 93 per cent scores respectively.

The safety assist category also yielded a respectable 83 per cent thanks to a long list of active safety equipment, while the vulnerable road user protection test scored the lowest at 74 per cent.

The current crop of Ford Rangers are all equipped with a long list of standard safety equipment, and the Raptor flagship is no exception.

For starters, there is a pre-collision warning system with autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control standard across the Ranger line-up, which means the ute is comparable to many passenger cars in safety equipment.

However, the higher grades of the Ranger, including the Raptor, also score blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, lane-centring assist, traffic sign recognition, a surround-view monitor, and an upgraded adaptive cruise control set-up with stop-and-go functionality.

In my time with the car, all the safety systems worked as expected, and I especially found the surround-view monitor handy to park the large Raptor into tighter spaces.

Like all new Fords, the Ranger Raptor comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty that matches the industry standard offered by other big-name brands like Toyota, Nissan and Mazda.

However, the Ford assurance period does fall behind the likes of Mitsubishi (up to 10 years) and Isuzu (six years).

Scheduled service intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first, which again matches the industry standard.

The first five years of scheduled servicing will run owners back $2620, taking them out to 75,000km.

This compares favourably against the Nissan Navara Warrior, which will cost a total of $3305 if serviced individually for the first five years or $2975 if a prepaid maintenance plan is purchased.

However, it must be noted that the Navara's service intervals are every 12 months or 20,000km, taking the Warrior out to 100,000km.

The Toyota HiLux GR Sport has the most affordable servicing costs per visit at $290 though these fall every six months or 10,000km, tallying $2900 over five years.

To insure, the Ranger Raptor will set buyers back $1827 per year based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

This actually makes the Raptor more affordable to insure than the Toyota HiLux GR Sport ($1830) and Nissan Navara Pro-4X Warrior ($1959) despite the Ford's more potent performance.

With big power comes a big fuel bill.

With the Raptor tipping the scales at 2475kg, it’s also not exactly a lightweight, so that big V6 engine in this hefty body means the official fuel consumption figure is 11.5 litres per 100 kilometres.

In my week with the car, I averaged significantly higher at 16.2L/100km as most of my driving was in the inner city commuting to work and dropping the kids off.

This might be the Raptor’s biggest Achilles heel as a daily driver because it’s just so damn thirsty.

With an 80-litre fuel tank and a 98-octane premium unleaded petrol recommendation, it could cost upwards of $150 to fill this beast, and with the rising costs of living, can you really afford that much for fuel?

The Ford Ranger is already one of the best utes to drive thanks to its more SUV-like characteristics, and the Raptor is even better.

This is largely due to the long-travel Fox suspension fitted to the Raptor, which is designed to make this car go fast on a dirt track.

The side effect, though, is that out on public roads, the Raptor rides supremely well over bumps and potholes as that suspension can take an absolute pounding.

It means no big jolts are transmitted into the cabin, and if you’ve got a sleeping baby in the back there, the Raptor’s ride will gently rock them around as well as any crib.

The Raptor also has communicative steering, though I find the Normal setting to be a little bit much for daily use, so I switch it over to Comfort as soon as I get in.

And that’s another good thing about the Raptor: the settings for steering, suspension, and exhaust can all be individually tweaked, letting you find the perfect set-up for you.

Keep the exhaust in Quiet mode, the steering in Comfort, and the Suspension on Normal and, well, it’s basically like driving a regular ute.

That is until you hit the throttle and rouse the sonorous petrol V6 to life.

With 292kW and 583Nm at its disposal, the Raptor isn’t just quick for a ute, it’s quick full stop. There are few cars out there that can fit the whole family and also feature such potent performance.

It’s great to wring out the V6 all the way to its 6200rpm redline, and it makes coming away at the lights or speeding up to merge an absolute breeze.

Be aware, though, there is quite a bit of road, wind, and engine noise that is thrown into the cabin, so the Raptor won’t be the best mode of transport if you want something quiet and serene.

Drivers always have to keep in mind the Raptor’s hefty size, otherwise they might scratch something when going through the family-staple drive-through.

The Raptor, like its Ranger siblings, is rated to tow, but because of its petrol powertrain and off-road performance angle, it will only manage a braked capacity of 2500kg, down from the 3500kg segment standard.

Its unbraked towing capacity is rated at 750kg, and keep in mind that the payload capacity in the Ranger Raptor is also just 717kg (based on minimum kerb weight), compared with up to 966kg of some other Ranger variants, so not quite qualifying it as a one-tonne ute.

This is because the gross vehicle mass is significantly smaller at 3130kg compared with the circa-3300kg found in other Ranger variants.

Because the Raptor tips the scales at 2475kg (kerb weight), it is also heavier than any other Ranger variant.

Also keep in mind there is no tow/haul drive mode unlike other Rangers, so by Ford's own admission, if you are looking to tow something substantial, you should skip the Raptor in favour of something else.

However, there’s a tow bar with integrated trailer brake controller, and a trailer light check as standard, as is Pro Trailer Back-up Assist.

For off-roading enthusiasts, there’s an off-road screen that can tell you the pitch and yaw of the vehicle, as well as hill descent control, a locking rear differential, and front and rear recovery hooks.

While you can technically live with the Ford Ranger Raptor every day, the real question is should you?

It’s expensive, it’s thirsty as heck, and without a traditional boot, your gear just ends up everywhere.

Yes, there is enough space to accommodate a family, and yes, it is really fun to drive, but there are more important things to look at for a family car like safety, fuel economy, and ease of parking.

Look, don’t get me wrong, my family and I have had a blast in the Ranger Raptor over the last week, but would I buy one? Not as my primary family car.

Despite being extremely popular at launch, supply of the Ford Ranger Raptor has freed up over the last few years.

However, the best bet to see if one is available near you is to contact your preferred dealer.

There are also examples of the Ranger Raptor available on Drive Marketplace, along with other Ford models, found here.

To stay on top of all the latest Ford news, check out this link here.