2022 Ford F-150 Raptor Review: All Roadrunner, No Coyote

Design | Comfort | Technology | Performance | Safety | Fuel Economy | Pricing | FAQs

As a resident of suburban Los Angeles, I’m not exactly the target demographic for the 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor. Measuring a broad-shouldered 86.6 inches wide, the Raptor isn’t a great pick for two-lane city streets with parking on either side. Plus, its EPA-rated 15 miles per gallon combined makes for a hefty fuel bill – more now than ever. And yet, Ford’s brawniest F-150 appeals to that devil on my shoulder like few other vehicles can.

That’s because as soon as you point it toward the dirt, many of those quibbling complaints disappear like so much dust under the optional 37-inch tires. And let’s not forget that, at its core, the Raptor is still an F-150, with excellent onboard technology, a spacious and comfortable cabin, and a few neat productivity features that make doing truck stuff easier. As a city-bound commuter, the thirsty F-150 Raptor isn’t ideal, but it can make getting out on the weekends a lot more fun than a hybrid econobox.

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• Exterior Color: Code Orange
• Interior Color: Black
• Tire Size: 37 Inches

The 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor carries on with mostly the same visual verve as previous Raptor models. It’s 6.7 inches wider than a standard F-150, with that added breadth evident in the swollen fenders. The grille bears a wide Ford script instead of the company’s blue oval, and the daytime running lamps and accent lights up front are amber instead of cool white. Like the recently introduced Bronco Raptor, the off-road F-150 requires forward, side, and rear clearance lights due to its prodigious width.

My tester featured the Raptor 37 package that bundles beadlock-capable 17-inch wheels, 37-inch tires, specially tuned shock absorbers, and brash “Raptor 37” bedside and hood graphics. Combined with not-so-subtle Code Orange paint, the F-150 Raptor certainly stands out.

The cabin is much less outrageous, dressed up as it is in formal black leather. There are a few lively orange accents on the dash vents, as well as a 12 o’clock stripe on the steering wheel, and some Raptor embossing livens up the seatbacks and center console. The Raptor 37 package also includes low-gloss carbon fiber accents on the dash and shifter. Otherwise, this is the same purposeful F-150 interior we know and love.

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• Seating Capacity: 5
• Seating Configuration: 2 / 3
• Cargo Capacity: 52.8 Cubic Feet

The crew cab Ford F-150 is a very spacious vehicle from the outset, with head- and legroom that could shame many full-size luxury cars. The Raptor adds special front seats that are aggressively bolstered, yet well padded and comfortable, and the carryover rear bench is sized for adults, with plenty of thigh support and a good (though fixed) backrest angle.

Another tick in the Raptor’s favor is an incredibly cushy suspension. Evidently, long-travel shocks are as good for on-road ride as they are for desert running. The F-150’s Fox Racing shocks with Live-Valve technology make hundreds of adjustments a second, giving the truck a way smoother ride than expected. There’s a good amount of tire thrum from those massive 37s, but otherwise, the F-150 Raptor makes as good a luxury car as it does a desert roadrunner.

• Center Display: 12.0-Inch Touchscreen
• Instrument Cluster Display: 12.0 Inches
• Wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto: Yes

When the F-150 Raptor was redesigned last year, one of its biggest enhancements was to the technology suite. Now standard on every Raptor is a 12.0-inch center touchscreen and a digital instrument cluster of the same size. What’s more, both are extensively reconfigurable and very easy to use. Wireless smartphone integration is standard, and Ford will offer over-the-air updates to the Sync 4 infotainment system to keep it current.

The F-150 Raptor also offers the Pro Power Onboard generator system, though it’s limited to the 2.0-kilowatt output in this application – good for camping out in the woods, though probably not enough to power a house or run a job site. My truck wasn’t equipped with it, but we’ve tested Pro Power Onboard before and come away impressed.

• Engine: Twin-Turbocharged 3.5-Liter V6
• Output: 450 Horsepower / 510 Pound-Feet
• Transmission: 10-Speed Automatic

The standard Raptor offers 14.0 inches of front and 15.0 inches of rear suspension travel, as well as 12.0 inches of ground clearance. Opting for the 37-inch tire package shuffles those numbers around a bit, with less suspension travel (13.0 inches up front and 14.1 inches in back), but an additional 1.1 inches of ground clearance. That makes the package a better fit for rock crawling but not quite as adept at high-speed running.

No matter, as the 2022 F-150 Raptor is a brilliant, stable off-roader. Its width is a liability in tight confines, but most of the high desert trails within a day’s drive of Los Angeles are tailor-made for the well-balanced Raptor 37. Many thanks go to those slick shock absorbers, which work with four-corner coil springs to provide more predictable and progressive performance than the outgoing Raptor’s leaf-sprung rear axle.

A high-output EcoBoost 3.5-liter V6 provides the Raptor’s muscle, with 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet. As with most turbocharged Fords, there is some lag that can make inching over obstacles a challenge, and the Raptor’s super-Dyson exhaust note doesn’t inspire a whole lot of emotion. The multi-mode system does sound better in its throaty Baja setting, but the Raptor R’s rumored supercharged V8 will solve that issue further. If you keep the engine boiled up – a cinch thanks to chunky paddle shifters that command a responsive 10-speed transmission – there’s a whole lot of thrust to go along with the Raptor’s peerless off-road poise.

• Driver Assistance Level: SAE Level 2 (Hands-On)
• NHTSA Rating: Five Stars
• IIHS Rating: Top Safety Pick

The 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor comes standard with full-speed adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assistance, and myriad other active safety features to keep the wide ride in its lane and well-spaced from other cars. The systems are easy to use and work together well, making it a bit less intimidating to drive the Raptor around town. Blue Cruise, unfortunately, is not coming to the Raptor (for now).

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awards the F-150 crew cab a Top Safety Pick award, while the government gives it five stars for crashworthiness. The Raptor in specific hasn’t been tested, but it likely performs as well as lesser F-Series.

• Efficiency: 14 City / 16 Highway / 15 Combined
• Range: 390 Miles

• Base Price: $69,905 + $1,795 Destination
• Trim Base Price: $71,700
• As-Tested Price: $82,080

The sky is blue, water is wet, and modern pickups are expensive. The 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor starts at $71,700 with destination included, and my tester is a much dearer $84,495 with all the options included. Among those is the 37-inch tire package, which includes the rolling stock, custom shock tuning, and some interior and exterior dress-up.

The package alone costs $5,250, but it also requires the $4,755 Raptor High equipment group that includes a high-performance audio system, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, a Torsen limited-slip front differential, the Interior Work Surface console desk, and more. That means if you tick the box for 37-inchers, you’re effectively ballooning the Raptor’s price by $10,005. Woof. Some other bits, like a panoramic sunroof and power-operated tailgate, make up the rest of the difference.

Eighty-two grand may be a lot of cash for a truck, but that’s just the cost of off-road business nowadays. The Ram TRX starts at $80,685 and includes more power (but not appreciably better all-around performance), while Chevrolet’s Silverado 1500 ZR2 starts at $70,095 at the time of writing, exchanging less suspension travel and ground clearance for a trail-appropriate narrow body.

F-150 Raptor Competitor Reviews:

• Chevrolet Silverado 1500 ZR2: 9.0/10
• Ram 1500 TRX: 8.5/10