Review: 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
10-22-09, 05:50 PM
#1
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Review: 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
By CL member suggestion, a Review of the 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor.
http://www.fordvehicles.com/f150rapt...1033|205363816
In a Nutshell: A classic Macho-truck; well-built, super underpinnings, and surprisingly comfortable.
(Two-tone interior shown....also available monotone)
Recently we had a CL thread on Ford's new F-150 SVT Raptor truck, with a fair amount of discussion on its chassis toughness and its (supposedly) unmatched ability to tackle off-road bumps and obstacles at high speeds. Stories abounded of its ability to run at near-absurd speeds over rocks, logs, ruts, holes, etc......and still come back in one piece. Of course, being the objective person that I am, and knowing that truck owners can sometimes get carried away with both their Internet stories AND the way that they sometimes abuse their trucks, I admit I tended to be a little skeptical, and took some of this stuff with a grain of salt. Even with military trucks and vehicles built for battle conditions, such as the classic Jeeps and Hummers, tires, wheels, suspensions, shocks, and frames can only take so much impact before something gives. Classic Off-road trucks, such as the Ford 4X4 F-150, Toyota 4X4 TRD, and Dodge Super Ram, are designed, of course, for tough conditions, but at sensible, slow speeds....not like Crocodile Dundee speeding through the Australian Outback with the bad guys on his tail.
So, needless to say, I found myself in a mildly heated (but civil) debate skepticism with some other CL members, on-line, about whether this truck could actually do this kind of stuff at freeway speeds, as has been alleged, and still hang together in one piece without bolts, nuts, and bent parts flying all over the road. I simply had a hard time believing it. A couple of CL members (I won't use any names) and a well-respected CL moderator suggested that, if possible, I simply go look at and test-drive the truck myself, at higher speeds over some obstacles if possible. I agreed, though it is generally not possible to duplicate the actual conditions that the Raptor was designed for in the test-driving conditions of the D.C. Metro area here, with its wall-to-wall suburbia and freeways everywhere. In addition, local Ford dealers have not kept many Raptors in stock, as demand for it does not seem to be particularly high at the moment. However, we DO have a LOT of road repair and building construction in this area (which seemingly never stops, even in national recessions), so that provides some bumps and semi-off-road conditions.
Raptors are not very plentiful in this area, but they are not that rare either, and a local dealer had a black one in stock this morning, with a monotone black interior, that was available for a review and test-drive. So, once again.....it was into my Outback and off to the review. It turned out to be a very good experience; much better than I expected.....more on that below.
Though the Raptor shares the basic body/interior with its other well-known F-150 cousins (the F-150 series was the top-selling vehicle in the U.S. for many years), I won't go into all the details, like I usually do, about how the Raptor fits in with the other F-150 lineup. It is, of course, a highly specialized truck designed, like the older F-150 SVT Lightning, for a totally different purpose than other F-150s. The Raptor generally comes in one body/bed length, with an optional bed extender, and a third small door on the right side for rear entry/exit. One engine is offered for now, and one (?) transmission...a 5.4L Triton V8 with 320 HP and 390 ft-lbs. of torque that can also run on E85 ethanol. Believe it or not, the Ford web-site doesn't seem to list a standard (or optional) transmission for the Raptor, but my truck came with a 6-speed automatic that lacked a manual-shift gate or paddles. So, no manual transmission option seems to be in the cards for now. A larger, 6.2L V8, with 400 HP and 400 ft-lbs. of torque, and the same 6-speed automatic, will be optional for $3000, starting in early 2010.
Like I mentioned above, though this truck did have a few annoyances, I generally found it impressive and pleasant to drive. Details coming up.
Model Reviewed: 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
Base Price: $38,020
Options:
Luxury Package: $1950
Power Moonroof: $995
Graphics Package: $1075
Sony NAV/Radio Package: $2430
Tailgate Step: $350
Trailer Brake Control Lever: $230
Pickup Bed Extender: $195
Rear View Camera: $450
Destination/Freight: $975 (much higher than average freight charge)
List Price as Reviewed: $46,670
Drivetrain: 2WD/AWD/4WD/4WD Low/Lock, Longitudinally-mounted 5.4L Triton V8, 320 HP, Torque, 390 Ft-lbs,
6-speed automatic transmission, 4.10 ratio front differential, 4.10 rear electronic-locking differential.
EPA Mileage Rating: 14 City, 18 Highway (2WD)
Exterior Color: Tuxedo Black Clearcoat
Interior: Black with Black Leather seats
PLUSSES:
Super-beefy chassis/underpinnings for off-roading.
Truck exemption from Federal Gas-Guzzler-tax.
E85 ethanol-capable fuel system.
Solid, beefy running boards for entry/exit.
Suprisingly comfortable ride in the Comfort suspension setting.
Relatively torquey V8.
Smooth-shifting automatic transmission.
Fore/aft shifter motion with no zig-zag.
Excellent underhood layout.
Solid exterior sheet metal and hardware.
Nice, but not excellent paint job.
Relatively nice but overpriced body-graphics package.
Super-solid hood, doors, and rear tailgate.
Easy-Fuel System with no gas cap.
Comfortable but relatively unsupportive front seats.
Nice, multi-pattern seat leather.
Relative comfortable, roomy rear seat by 3-door truck standards.
Killer stereo sound quality.
Auxiliary console toggle-switches for added accessories.
Convient, dash-mounted, trailer-brake control.
Luxury-grade headliner and sun visors.
Nice-looking, reasonably good interior trim quality.
Beefy, comfortable steering wheel.
Sharp-looking white SVT gauges.
Complete set of matching gauges for oil pressure and voltage.
Clearly-marked buttons/controls.
Dual choice of button/touch-screen climate controls.
Huge national Ford dealer network for service/repairs.
MINUSES:
Guzzles fuel.
Slow steering response.
Spongy brakes.
Porposing low-speed motions while braking.
Awkwardy-high brake pedal location.
Inconvienient step-on parking brake.
No locking gas-filler door.
Dated ignition switch.
Front seats lack some side support.
Rear seat entry/exit only on right side.
Tilt-forward front headrests uncomfortable for big, tall people.
Tilt but no telescoping feature for the steering column.
NAV package does not include a standard rear-view camera; it is extra cost.
Hard-surface dash and upper door panels.
Overpriced body-graphics package.
Only 4 exterior colors....but two of them are nice.
Relatively short cargo bed limits load length (the bed-extender helps).
Substantially higher-than-average freight charge.
Not many in stock (yet) at dealerships.
EXTERIOR:
The Raptor's exterior styling, as you walk up to it, though sharing general styling cues with other short-bed F-150's, is obviously slanted toward the Macho end of the truck spectrum, with virtually no chrome, medium gray-metallic painted fender-arches, beefy off-road-oriented wheels/tires, a flat-black grille, hefty ground clearance (with even heftier running boards), and a number of small red/yellow exterior running lights. The paint job was typical Ford truck.......good but not exellent, though the black metallic on my test vehicle (as with other Ford trucks) seemed to show slightly more orange peel than with other, lighter colors. Only 4 exterior Raptor colors are offered (on a $46,000 truck?).....black, white, bright blue, and orange. I'd probably go with the blue myself. A splotted-graphic decal pattern is offered for the rear fenders (and doesn't look bad), but, IMO, is somewhat overpriced at almost $1100. The two adequately-large outside mirrors, like most Ford trucks, have somewhat thin-feeling plastic mirror housings, but the hardware assembly under them that they swivel and lock on seems solid and durable. The hood, doors, and tailgate (especially the tailgate) feel heavy and rock-solid. The bed length, as previously stated, is rather short, but the optional ($195) flip-over bed-extender helps a lot if you are going to carry longer things, and, at that price, is a bargain. The rear fender sheet metal didn't seem quite as solid as the doors/tailgate or the inside of the cargo area (no matter, it is inside where the cargo rests), and the cargo bed liner seemed to be a durable composite material....it wasn't listed as a separate option, and did not seem to be dealer-applied/installed, either. And.....wonder of wonders.....a REAL spare tire and wheel. That is something we should see on all vehicles that don't have run-flat tires. And even run-flats are ususally only good for 50 miles or so.
The chassis/suspension, of course, is the big ad feature on this truck, so I got down on my hands and knees, then down on the ground, to take a look under the truck and see for myself (see also my posted images). Underneath, this truck has it all...off-road tires/wheels, massive skid plates, high-rate leaf springs, big thick drive shafts, a heavy-duty live rear axle, dual SVT racing-grade shocks on each rear wheel, extra bracing on the ladder-frame, high approach/breakover/departure angles......you name it, it's got it. This appears to be a true off-road truck, if there ever was one, short of a Hummer itself.
UNDERHOOD:
An excellent job underhood. The big, heavy, solid hood opens up and is held by two nice gas struts.....no cheap prop rod. A nice insulation pad helps out with some of the noise/vibration....but this engine is not library-quiet (more on that later). This is a big compartment, and the longitudionally-mounted 5.4L Triton V8 fits in nicely, with planty of room to spare. There are no annoying plastic engine or component covers to get in the way (the Ford designers seem to know that many F-150 owners do their own service underhood), and there seems to be enough room left over for the big 6.2L V8 coming next year to fit in with no problem. There is plenty of open space all aound the engine to reach things, and even the oil filter is even accessable from above. The only potential problem underhood is that the truck is so tall in front that even guys my size, standing on the ground, had to strain to reach over the front radiator sill. Many owners will probably have to stand on a step-up to reach over that high sill.
INTERIOR:
Basically the same as with other F-150s.....but with some unique SVT and sport-oriented trim/equipment. Overhead, the headliner and sun visors are well-done in nice plush materials, with no sign of cost-cutting. With the tall roof, There is plenty of headroom front and rear, of course, even for tall people, and even under the sunroof housing (hey, an F-150's gotta fit those cowboy hats). Legroom, front and rear, is generally pretty good. The rear seat is pretty comfortable by 3-door pickup standards (which often are second-rate). The rear seat, of course, is accessable only by a smallish back-door on the right....there is no left rear door, as the Raptor does not offer a full-4-door model. The right-front door must be opened before the rear door can be released...and done in reverse to close it; an awkward set-up, but common on a lot of pickups. The front seats are comfortable, but don't provide much side support, although, of course, F-150s are not hard-cornering sports cars. The multi-pattern black leather seats (two-tone orange/black seats are an option), have nice, smooth leather and a nice feel to them (better than on some big-buck European cars, I might add). There are power-adjusters, left and right, for almost every seat function...except one, the headrests. And that's too bad, because the one uncomfortable feature is how the tilt-forward, non-adjustable head-restraints press the rear shoulders/neck of big, tall people, no matter how you adjust the seat-rake (the Ford Flex, several weeks ago, had the same problem). Ford should consider using the lever-inertia-weight system for headrests that its own subsidiary Volvo (and Saab) developed.....Ford, if they choose, has the rights to that system, and can use it in their own vehicles if they choose.
The nice, white-faced, sport-oriented SVT primary gauges are different from most other F-150s, and are clear and easy to read, although I personally find black-faced gauges with white markings a little easier to read at a glance. Four smaller matching white circles, above the two main ones, record oil pressure, voltage, coolant temperature, and fuel level......a nice touch. Oil pressure and voltmeters are something that you don't often see anymore....that's something else I'd like to see standard in all vehicles, without the idiot lights. The upper-dash and door-panel surfaces look nice but are mostly hard, grained plastic. The carbon-fiber-like trim on the console and center-dash looked and felt nice.....but was not Audi-slick. There appeared to be some leather inserts in the door panels, with chrome door handles (about the only chrome on the vehicle). The steering wheel was big, beefy, well-shaped, and comfortable to hold, though I would have prefered three spokes instead of four.....Ford seems to have this thing with four-spoked wheels on almost everything they produce. The stereo sound was a real killer ......THE best stereo I have ever seen in a factory-stock truck, bar none. Yes, the Lexus LS460 Mark Levinson system was better, but then not by that much. Combine this stereo with James Brown hollering and screaming his classic soul/funk tunes, and you've really got something. The bass could actually make the whole interior vibrate. The stereo buttons, like most of the others, were well-marked and easy to read, and the NAV screen had a fairly easy-to-use touch-screen function that could be used for the stereo, if desired. Most of the interior hardware was well-done and reasonably solid, and most of the controls were well-marked and easy to use. Four solid, auxiliary toggle-switches line the center-console for wiring and use with aftermarket gear/accessories like spotlights, winches, running lights, snow plows, etc..... The control for the optional trailer-brake is a dash-mounted lever, and an adjacent rotary switch controls the 2WD/4WD transfer case. The heavy, solid steering column has a manual lever for tilt, but does not telescope. The foot-operated parking brake is not, IMO, as nice to use as a console pull-up lever, but, in this case, is not quite as awkward to use as some other foot-operated ones are, because the large interior gives your left knee and foot some room to lift and press it down.
CARGO AREA/TRUNK:
N/A....already discussed in the EXTERIOR section.
ON THE ROAD:
Start up the 5.4L Triton V8 with a key/fob and an old-fashioned side-column ignition switch. The engine fires up smoothly, but with some audible exhaust noise. This is a pretty hefty powerplant, with some 390 ft-lbs. of torque, and, even with the weight of a heavy, off-road truck like this, can give you a good shove in the back, especially in the lower gears. Exhaust noise is audible on the road, too, not just idling. This is an SVT product, of course, so apparantly the engineers did not want to make it library-quiet like a Lexus RX350. The larger 6.2L coming next year will offer 80 more HP but, if the figures are right, just 10 more ft-lbs. of torque (which is far more important in a vehicle like this than HP). So, I personally don't see much reason to wait and spend more (some $3000) for the 6.2L, as it only offers minimally more torque.....and acceleration.
The 6-speed automatic was smooth, quiet, and unobtrusive......Ford has made enormous gains recently in transmission smoothness, where not too long ago their units tended to be somewhat unrefined and firm-shifting. It lacks a manual-shift gate or paddles, but does have grade-control braking and the anti-roll-back feature useful for starting on edges and steep grades. An off-road feature button reprograms it further for rugged use. The shift lever works smoothly, and has a nice fore-aft shift motion that eliminates the annoying zig-zags. More and more vehicles are finally getting rid of that zig-zag, which was introduced as a "safety" feature, designed to keep drivers from accidentally hitting the wrong gear, but, in actuality, it became more of a nuisance than anything else.
Steering response, like most Ford trucks, was rather slow, with rather ponderous handling, and the big, beefy suspension/chassis, in the on-pavement setting, offered a ride that was much smoother than I expected from the truck's Macho image and off-road ads....many 4X4 F-150s are notoriously uncomfortable on bumps. The smoother-than-expected ride (and the high center of gravity) did provide some body roll, but was manageable. The off-road settings, of course, firmed things up a bit.
Wind noise was well-controlled, as was road noise on most paved surfaces.......surprising, with coarse, off-road-oriented tire tread. The brakes, like those on many Ford/GM trucks and SUV's, were weak and spongy in the first couple inches of pedal travel, though they bit a little more if you put your foot into it. The brake pedal was very high and somewhat awkwardly-placed. My big size-15 clown shoes did not hang up much on the underside of the brake pedal going from gas to brake, because the brake pedal was far enough to the left to prevent that, but you had to lift your foot quite high off the gas to get it on the brake pedal.
THE VERDICT:
I did not, of course, get a chance to try it out on any really rough, off-road stuff at higher speeds, as that is generally not possible in this area, especially on dealer test-drives.....and I wouldn't want to beat up a brand-new truck anyway, simply out of respect for the dealership. For what this truck can do off-road, you'll have to consult a truck-test magazine or the Internet owner blogs....on that part, I'll defer to them. Even with the Hulk-Hogan chassis/underpinnings, though, I will still be surprised if it can hit large obstacles at freeway speeds, as advertised, without bending or damaging something. So, to some extent, I'm still a skeptic, but I'll admit that the underpinings are indeed beefy and impressive, and just because I didn't have a chance to do it myself doesn't mean that the truck is not capable of it. I AM impressed, of course, by the surprisingly good ride comfort that the suspension and noise isolation gave on road, in its more civilized setting, though you have to live with some body roll.
And, outside of the off-road capability, it is also a nice truck in many other ways too....you don't have to go out in the boonies to enjoy it. It is generally well-built with quality materials, easy to work on underhood if you are tall enough to reach over the tall sill, has a killer stereo for your favorite music or shows, comfortable seats, roomy interior, and, with the cargo-bed extender, reasonable carrying capacity. But it is not cheap....those nice materials and beefy components, of course, cost money. My test truck ran over 46K list, and, even then, it was missing some options like, for instance, the two-tone interior. But such is the price of big, powerful, off-road capable trucks. While they are not the most expensive vehcles on the road, in general, you gotta pay to play.
http://www.fordvehicles.com/f150rapt...1033|205363816
In a Nutshell: A classic Macho-truck; well-built, super underpinnings, and surprisingly comfortable.
(Two-tone interior shown....also available monotone)
Recently we had a CL thread on Ford's new F-150 SVT Raptor truck, with a fair amount of discussion on its chassis toughness and its (supposedly) unmatched ability to tackle off-road bumps and obstacles at high speeds. Stories abounded of its ability to run at near-absurd speeds over rocks, logs, ruts, holes, etc......and still come back in one piece. Of course, being the objective person that I am, and knowing that truck owners can sometimes get carried away with both their Internet stories AND the way that they sometimes abuse their trucks, I admit I tended to be a little skeptical, and took some of this stuff with a grain of salt. Even with military trucks and vehicles built for battle conditions, such as the classic Jeeps and Hummers, tires, wheels, suspensions, shocks, and frames can only take so much impact before something gives. Classic Off-road trucks, such as the Ford 4X4 F-150, Toyota 4X4 TRD, and Dodge Super Ram, are designed, of course, for tough conditions, but at sensible, slow speeds....not like Crocodile Dundee speeding through the Australian Outback with the bad guys on his tail.
So, needless to say, I found myself in a mildly heated (but civil) debate skepticism with some other CL members, on-line, about whether this truck could actually do this kind of stuff at freeway speeds, as has been alleged, and still hang together in one piece without bolts, nuts, and bent parts flying all over the road. I simply had a hard time believing it. A couple of CL members (I won't use any names) and a well-respected CL moderator suggested that, if possible, I simply go look at and test-drive the truck myself, at higher speeds over some obstacles if possible. I agreed, though it is generally not possible to duplicate the actual conditions that the Raptor was designed for in the test-driving conditions of the D.C. Metro area here, with its wall-to-wall suburbia and freeways everywhere. In addition, local Ford dealers have not kept many Raptors in stock, as demand for it does not seem to be particularly high at the moment. However, we DO have a LOT of road repair and building construction in this area (which seemingly never stops, even in national recessions), so that provides some bumps and semi-off-road conditions.
Raptors are not very plentiful in this area, but they are not that rare either, and a local dealer had a black one in stock this morning, with a monotone black interior, that was available for a review and test-drive. So, once again.....it was into my Outback and off to the review. It turned out to be a very good experience; much better than I expected.....more on that below.
Though the Raptor shares the basic body/interior with its other well-known F-150 cousins (the F-150 series was the top-selling vehicle in the U.S. for many years), I won't go into all the details, like I usually do, about how the Raptor fits in with the other F-150 lineup. It is, of course, a highly specialized truck designed, like the older F-150 SVT Lightning, for a totally different purpose than other F-150s. The Raptor generally comes in one body/bed length, with an optional bed extender, and a third small door on the right side for rear entry/exit. One engine is offered for now, and one (?) transmission...a 5.4L Triton V8 with 320 HP and 390 ft-lbs. of torque that can also run on E85 ethanol. Believe it or not, the Ford web-site doesn't seem to list a standard (or optional) transmission for the Raptor, but my truck came with a 6-speed automatic that lacked a manual-shift gate or paddles. So, no manual transmission option seems to be in the cards for now. A larger, 6.2L V8, with 400 HP and 400 ft-lbs. of torque, and the same 6-speed automatic, will be optional for $3000, starting in early 2010.
Like I mentioned above, though this truck did have a few annoyances, I generally found it impressive and pleasant to drive. Details coming up.
Model Reviewed: 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
Base Price: $38,020
Options:
Luxury Package: $1950
Power Moonroof: $995
Graphics Package: $1075
Sony NAV/Radio Package: $2430
Tailgate Step: $350
Trailer Brake Control Lever: $230
Pickup Bed Extender: $195
Rear View Camera: $450
Destination/Freight: $975 (much higher than average freight charge)
List Price as Reviewed: $46,670
Drivetrain: 2WD/AWD/4WD/4WD Low/Lock, Longitudinally-mounted 5.4L Triton V8, 320 HP, Torque, 390 Ft-lbs,
6-speed automatic transmission, 4.10 ratio front differential, 4.10 rear electronic-locking differential.
EPA Mileage Rating: 14 City, 18 Highway (2WD)
Exterior Color: Tuxedo Black Clearcoat
Interior: Black with Black Leather seats
PLUSSES:
Super-beefy chassis/underpinnings for off-roading.
Truck exemption from Federal Gas-Guzzler-tax.
E85 ethanol-capable fuel system.
Solid, beefy running boards for entry/exit.
Suprisingly comfortable ride in the Comfort suspension setting.
Relatively torquey V8.
Smooth-shifting automatic transmission.
Fore/aft shifter motion with no zig-zag.
Excellent underhood layout.
Solid exterior sheet metal and hardware.
Nice, but not excellent paint job.
Relatively nice but overpriced body-graphics package.
Super-solid hood, doors, and rear tailgate.
Easy-Fuel System with no gas cap.
Comfortable but relatively unsupportive front seats.
Nice, multi-pattern seat leather.
Relative comfortable, roomy rear seat by 3-door truck standards.
Killer stereo sound quality.
Auxiliary console toggle-switches for added accessories.
Convient, dash-mounted, trailer-brake control.
Luxury-grade headliner and sun visors.
Nice-looking, reasonably good interior trim quality.
Beefy, comfortable steering wheel.
Sharp-looking white SVT gauges.
Complete set of matching gauges for oil pressure and voltage.
Clearly-marked buttons/controls.
Dual choice of button/touch-screen climate controls.
Huge national Ford dealer network for service/repairs.
MINUSES:
Guzzles fuel.
Slow steering response.
Spongy brakes.
Porposing low-speed motions while braking.
Awkwardy-high brake pedal location.
Inconvienient step-on parking brake.
No locking gas-filler door.
Dated ignition switch.
Front seats lack some side support.
Rear seat entry/exit only on right side.
Tilt-forward front headrests uncomfortable for big, tall people.
Tilt but no telescoping feature for the steering column.
NAV package does not include a standard rear-view camera; it is extra cost.
Hard-surface dash and upper door panels.
Overpriced body-graphics package.
Only 4 exterior colors....but two of them are nice.
Relatively short cargo bed limits load length (the bed-extender helps).
Substantially higher-than-average freight charge.
Not many in stock (yet) at dealerships.
EXTERIOR:
The Raptor's exterior styling, as you walk up to it, though sharing general styling cues with other short-bed F-150's, is obviously slanted toward the Macho end of the truck spectrum, with virtually no chrome, medium gray-metallic painted fender-arches, beefy off-road-oriented wheels/tires, a flat-black grille, hefty ground clearance (with even heftier running boards), and a number of small red/yellow exterior running lights. The paint job was typical Ford truck.......good but not exellent, though the black metallic on my test vehicle (as with other Ford trucks) seemed to show slightly more orange peel than with other, lighter colors. Only 4 exterior Raptor colors are offered (on a $46,000 truck?).....black, white, bright blue, and orange. I'd probably go with the blue myself. A splotted-graphic decal pattern is offered for the rear fenders (and doesn't look bad), but, IMO, is somewhat overpriced at almost $1100. The two adequately-large outside mirrors, like most Ford trucks, have somewhat thin-feeling plastic mirror housings, but the hardware assembly under them that they swivel and lock on seems solid and durable. The hood, doors, and tailgate (especially the tailgate) feel heavy and rock-solid. The bed length, as previously stated, is rather short, but the optional ($195) flip-over bed-extender helps a lot if you are going to carry longer things, and, at that price, is a bargain. The rear fender sheet metal didn't seem quite as solid as the doors/tailgate or the inside of the cargo area (no matter, it is inside where the cargo rests), and the cargo bed liner seemed to be a durable composite material....it wasn't listed as a separate option, and did not seem to be dealer-applied/installed, either. And.....wonder of wonders.....a REAL spare tire and wheel. That is something we should see on all vehicles that don't have run-flat tires. And even run-flats are ususally only good for 50 miles or so.
The chassis/suspension, of course, is the big ad feature on this truck, so I got down on my hands and knees, then down on the ground, to take a look under the truck and see for myself (see also my posted images). Underneath, this truck has it all...off-road tires/wheels, massive skid plates, high-rate leaf springs, big thick drive shafts, a heavy-duty live rear axle, dual SVT racing-grade shocks on each rear wheel, extra bracing on the ladder-frame, high approach/breakover/departure angles......you name it, it's got it. This appears to be a true off-road truck, if there ever was one, short of a Hummer itself.
UNDERHOOD:
An excellent job underhood. The big, heavy, solid hood opens up and is held by two nice gas struts.....no cheap prop rod. A nice insulation pad helps out with some of the noise/vibration....but this engine is not library-quiet (more on that later). This is a big compartment, and the longitudionally-mounted 5.4L Triton V8 fits in nicely, with planty of room to spare. There are no annoying plastic engine or component covers to get in the way (the Ford designers seem to know that many F-150 owners do their own service underhood), and there seems to be enough room left over for the big 6.2L V8 coming next year to fit in with no problem. There is plenty of open space all aound the engine to reach things, and even the oil filter is even accessable from above. The only potential problem underhood is that the truck is so tall in front that even guys my size, standing on the ground, had to strain to reach over the front radiator sill. Many owners will probably have to stand on a step-up to reach over that high sill.
INTERIOR:
Basically the same as with other F-150s.....but with some unique SVT and sport-oriented trim/equipment. Overhead, the headliner and sun visors are well-done in nice plush materials, with no sign of cost-cutting. With the tall roof, There is plenty of headroom front and rear, of course, even for tall people, and even under the sunroof housing (hey, an F-150's gotta fit those cowboy hats). Legroom, front and rear, is generally pretty good. The rear seat is pretty comfortable by 3-door pickup standards (which often are second-rate). The rear seat, of course, is accessable only by a smallish back-door on the right....there is no left rear door, as the Raptor does not offer a full-4-door model. The right-front door must be opened before the rear door can be released...and done in reverse to close it; an awkward set-up, but common on a lot of pickups. The front seats are comfortable, but don't provide much side support, although, of course, F-150s are not hard-cornering sports cars. The multi-pattern black leather seats (two-tone orange/black seats are an option), have nice, smooth leather and a nice feel to them (better than on some big-buck European cars, I might add). There are power-adjusters, left and right, for almost every seat function...except one, the headrests. And that's too bad, because the one uncomfortable feature is how the tilt-forward, non-adjustable head-restraints press the rear shoulders/neck of big, tall people, no matter how you adjust the seat-rake (the Ford Flex, several weeks ago, had the same problem). Ford should consider using the lever-inertia-weight system for headrests that its own subsidiary Volvo (and Saab) developed.....Ford, if they choose, has the rights to that system, and can use it in their own vehicles if they choose.
The nice, white-faced, sport-oriented SVT primary gauges are different from most other F-150s, and are clear and easy to read, although I personally find black-faced gauges with white markings a little easier to read at a glance. Four smaller matching white circles, above the two main ones, record oil pressure, voltage, coolant temperature, and fuel level......a nice touch. Oil pressure and voltmeters are something that you don't often see anymore....that's something else I'd like to see standard in all vehicles, without the idiot lights. The upper-dash and door-panel surfaces look nice but are mostly hard, grained plastic. The carbon-fiber-like trim on the console and center-dash looked and felt nice.....but was not Audi-slick. There appeared to be some leather inserts in the door panels, with chrome door handles (about the only chrome on the vehicle). The steering wheel was big, beefy, well-shaped, and comfortable to hold, though I would have prefered three spokes instead of four.....Ford seems to have this thing with four-spoked wheels on almost everything they produce. The stereo sound was a real killer ......THE best stereo I have ever seen in a factory-stock truck, bar none. Yes, the Lexus LS460 Mark Levinson system was better, but then not by that much. Combine this stereo with James Brown hollering and screaming his classic soul/funk tunes, and you've really got something. The bass could actually make the whole interior vibrate. The stereo buttons, like most of the others, were well-marked and easy to read, and the NAV screen had a fairly easy-to-use touch-screen function that could be used for the stereo, if desired. Most of the interior hardware was well-done and reasonably solid, and most of the controls were well-marked and easy to use. Four solid, auxiliary toggle-switches line the center-console for wiring and use with aftermarket gear/accessories like spotlights, winches, running lights, snow plows, etc..... The control for the optional trailer-brake is a dash-mounted lever, and an adjacent rotary switch controls the 2WD/4WD transfer case. The heavy, solid steering column has a manual lever for tilt, but does not telescope. The foot-operated parking brake is not, IMO, as nice to use as a console pull-up lever, but, in this case, is not quite as awkward to use as some other foot-operated ones are, because the large interior gives your left knee and foot some room to lift and press it down.
CARGO AREA/TRUNK:
N/A....already discussed in the EXTERIOR section.
ON THE ROAD:
Start up the 5.4L Triton V8 with a key/fob and an old-fashioned side-column ignition switch. The engine fires up smoothly, but with some audible exhaust noise. This is a pretty hefty powerplant, with some 390 ft-lbs. of torque, and, even with the weight of a heavy, off-road truck like this, can give you a good shove in the back, especially in the lower gears. Exhaust noise is audible on the road, too, not just idling. This is an SVT product, of course, so apparantly the engineers did not want to make it library-quiet like a Lexus RX350. The larger 6.2L coming next year will offer 80 more HP but, if the figures are right, just 10 more ft-lbs. of torque (which is far more important in a vehicle like this than HP). So, I personally don't see much reason to wait and spend more (some $3000) for the 6.2L, as it only offers minimally more torque.....and acceleration.
The 6-speed automatic was smooth, quiet, and unobtrusive......Ford has made enormous gains recently in transmission smoothness, where not too long ago their units tended to be somewhat unrefined and firm-shifting. It lacks a manual-shift gate or paddles, but does have grade-control braking and the anti-roll-back feature useful for starting on edges and steep grades. An off-road feature button reprograms it further for rugged use. The shift lever works smoothly, and has a nice fore-aft shift motion that eliminates the annoying zig-zags. More and more vehicles are finally getting rid of that zig-zag, which was introduced as a "safety" feature, designed to keep drivers from accidentally hitting the wrong gear, but, in actuality, it became more of a nuisance than anything else.
Steering response, like most Ford trucks, was rather slow, with rather ponderous handling, and the big, beefy suspension/chassis, in the on-pavement setting, offered a ride that was much smoother than I expected from the truck's Macho image and off-road ads....many 4X4 F-150s are notoriously uncomfortable on bumps. The smoother-than-expected ride (and the high center of gravity) did provide some body roll, but was manageable. The off-road settings, of course, firmed things up a bit.
Wind noise was well-controlled, as was road noise on most paved surfaces.......surprising, with coarse, off-road-oriented tire tread. The brakes, like those on many Ford/GM trucks and SUV's, were weak and spongy in the first couple inches of pedal travel, though they bit a little more if you put your foot into it. The brake pedal was very high and somewhat awkwardly-placed. My big size-15 clown shoes did not hang up much on the underside of the brake pedal going from gas to brake, because the brake pedal was far enough to the left to prevent that, but you had to lift your foot quite high off the gas to get it on the brake pedal.
THE VERDICT:
I did not, of course, get a chance to try it out on any really rough, off-road stuff at higher speeds, as that is generally not possible in this area, especially on dealer test-drives.....and I wouldn't want to beat up a brand-new truck anyway, simply out of respect for the dealership. For what this truck can do off-road, you'll have to consult a truck-test magazine or the Internet owner blogs....on that part, I'll defer to them. Even with the Hulk-Hogan chassis/underpinnings, though, I will still be surprised if it can hit large obstacles at freeway speeds, as advertised, without bending or damaging something. So, to some extent, I'm still a skeptic, but I'll admit that the underpinings are indeed beefy and impressive, and just because I didn't have a chance to do it myself doesn't mean that the truck is not capable of it. I AM impressed, of course, by the surprisingly good ride comfort that the suspension and noise isolation gave on road, in its more civilized setting, though you have to live with some body roll.
And, outside of the off-road capability, it is also a nice truck in many other ways too....you don't have to go out in the boonies to enjoy it. It is generally well-built with quality materials, easy to work on underhood if you are tall enough to reach over the tall sill, has a killer stereo for your favorite music or shows, comfortable seats, roomy interior, and, with the cargo-bed extender, reasonable carrying capacity. But it is not cheap....those nice materials and beefy components, of course, cost money. My test truck ran over 46K list, and, even then, it was missing some options like, for instance, the two-tone interior. But such is the price of big, powerful, off-road capable trucks. While they are not the most expensive vehcles on the road, in general, you gotta pay to play.
Last edited by mmarshall; 10-22-09 at 05:58 PM.
10-22-09, 09:46 PM
#2
I was surprised that SVT moved their F-150 edition away from the super sporty side (Lightning) to the intensely off-road spectrum of the market. I'd definitely wait for the new line of engines to come out before looking at one.
10-23-09, 06:43 AM
#3
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
First, the Lightning, unlike the rival Dodge Ram SRT-10 and Silverado SS, was basically a dragster and not much else. As I see it (and apparantly the Ford SVT people came to the same conclusion), there was little sense to making an image truck like the Lightning that not only didn't have a 4X4 option for bad weather or off-roading, but the engineers would not even allow towing with. In addition, the short bed couldn't carry much either. All three trucks, to an extent, but particularly the Lightning, were basically just image machines for those who wanted to make-believe that they were driving in the NASCAR Truck Craftsman Series. While these trucks did have, of course, beefed-up suspensions to give them at least some modicum of handling with their high centers of gravity and inherent tipsiness, the handling still was not what you would have expected from a sport-sedan. So, basically, they were single-purpose trucks.The Raptor, of course, not only has a fair amount of power, but the ability to combine ride comfort, off-road ability (depending on suspension's setting) all-weather sure-footedness, cargo hauling (with the bed extender), and trailer-towing. In other words, it is a high-performance truck that you can actually buy and USE.
Second (if the figures are correct), while the 6.2L coming next year will have 80 more HP, the actual torque figure is only 10 more, at 400 ft-lbs. In a truck, for several reasons, torque is generally a far more important figure than HP...especially for tow ratings, low-speed acceleration, and the ability to tackle off-road obstacles. So, with only 10 more ft-lbs (and a $3000 price) I question the need and wisdom of opting for it.
10-23-09, 07:09 AM
#4
Lexus Test Driver
But with this truck they get that special edition ride with function. Its good for the winter, tow, off road, people will use this as their personal and business truck. It really is a more practical, impractical vehicle.
10-23-09, 08:20 AM
#5
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
I am not. I loved the Lightning and the SS GM put out.
But with this truck they get that special edition ride with function. Its good for the winter, tow, off road, people will use this as their personal and business truck. It really is a more practical, impractical vehicle.
But with this truck they get that special edition ride with function. Its good for the winter, tow, off road, people will use this as their personal and business truck. It really is a more practical, impractical vehicle.
10-23-09, 01:12 PM
#6
Pole Position
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As usual good review Mike 
.. But i might have missed it, but did you mention the front of the truck? What do you think of the big Ford logo on the front? I still think it makes the truck look like a toy.
.. But i might have missed it, but did you mention the front of the truck? What do you think of the big Ford logo on the front? I still think it makes the truck look like a toy.
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10-23-09, 02:55 PM
#8
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks. 
Yes. I mentioned that it shares the body and general styling with other short-bed F-150s, but that there was a big flat-black grille in front. The Ford letters are implanted in the flat-flack grille, sport-style. I myself am not a fan of flat-black body/trim parts, but it is considered part of the sport scene.
I agree with you, BTW, at least to an extent......that embedded flat-black Ford lettering in the grille DOES make it look somewhat juvenile.
On the truck I tested, there were also a couple of small yellow (amber) lights embedded in the lower part of the grille.....not part of the regular headlight/parking light system.
But i might have missed it, but did you mention the front of the truck? What do you think of the big Ford logo on the front? I still think it makes the truck look like a toy.
I agree with you, BTW, at least to an extent......that embedded flat-black Ford lettering in the grille DOES make it look somewhat juvenile.
On the truck I tested, there were also a couple of small yellow (amber) lights embedded in the lower part of the grille.....not part of the regular headlight/parking light system.
10-23-09, 03:00 PM
#9
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks.
Are you sure you want to spend an extra $3000 for what will (probably) be only 10 more ft-lbs. of torque?
This truck, with the 5.4L, is expensive enough as it is....my sample listed for well over 46K, and had some pretty healthy power.
I can't wait for that 6.2L V8 to be available for this truck!
Are you sure you want to spend an extra $3000 for what will (probably) be only 10 more ft-lbs. of torque?
This truck, with the 5.4L, is expensive enough as it is....my sample listed for well over 46K, and had some pretty healthy power.
Last edited by mmarshall; 10-23-09 at 03:04 PM.
10-24-09, 12:29 PM
#11
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
found my fave car image - this Raptor! 
10-24-09, 09:10 PM
#12
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
After examining the undercarriage/chassis/frame myself, I have little or no doubt that this truck will do at least some of those kinds of off-road stunts.......at sane speeds. How fast it can ultimately do them, of course, and still remain in one piece, without shedding a trail of bent/broken parts, remains to be seen...that is the topic of not only a number of Internet stories, but a CL thread as well. I started out as a skeptic, and after reviewing the truck, I am somewhat less of a skeptic now.....but I admit my test-drive with it was rather limited, and it was not possible to duplicate the kind of extreme off-road conditions and impact speeds this truck was (supposedly) designed for. That's something that will probably have to be left to 4X4 and truck magazines.
