Why the Ford Raptor is the best recreational vehicle out there
2017 Ford F-150 Raptor (Photo Credit – Pras Subramanian)
2017 Ford F-150 Raptor (Photo Credit – Pras Subramanian)

I know what you’re thinking. So the baja-busting, off-road monster known as the Ford (F) F-150 Raptor is the best recreational vehicle for suburban (and some urban) weekend adventurers? Overkill you say? Well, hear me out.

The hulking brute may seem like a bit much, but don’t let that deter you from thinking it’s anything but super capable, and gasp, actually comfortable.

Let’s begin in upstate New York, where if you’ve been paying attention, is where New Yorkers are now headed for the summer (as opposed to the oh-so played-out Hamptons). The Hudson Valley-Catskills region has become the weekend vacation land du jour for Manhattanites, but it also turned out to be a fertile proving ground for our Raptor test drive.

Before diving into the test, we need to note some changes for 2017’s model. Compared to the last F-150 Raptor, the 2017 version is 500 pounds lighter than before because it’s got an aluminum body combined with a steel frame.

2017 Ford F-150 Raptor (Photo Credit – Pras Subramanian)
2017 Ford F-150 Raptor (Photo Credit – Pras Subramanian)

Add to that an all-new Torque-on-Demand four-wheel drive transfer case, 3.0 inch FOX Racing Shox and a 3.5L EcoBoost V6-engine pushing out 450 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque, and you have the recipe for the new Raptor.

The Raptor also comes with custom 17-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain K02 tires. These beefy, baja-racing inspired tires initially gave me pause as my girlfriend and I were going to embark on two-hour highway drive, but I soon discovered we had nothing to worry about.

BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A tire (Photo Credit – Pras Subramanian)
BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A tire (Photo Credit – Pras Subramanian)

Driving upstate

Driving the Raptor around the streets of Manhattan was a little hairy given how massively huge this thing is, but it proved quite nimble to maneuver even in the tightest of spaces. The optional 360-degree overhead view helped out tremendously.

Once on the highway, despite being on massive knobby tires, the ride was smooth. There was no harsh ride or loud noises coming from the tires—you would have thought you were driving in a sprightly Ford Focus.

The Raptor in Times Square (Photo Credit – Pras Subramanian)
The Raptor in Times Square (Photo Credit – Pras Subramanian)

Now to that engine. Give it a little gas and you hear it roar to life, with the added bonus of that turbocharger whine kicking in. Paired with a 10-speed gearbox that Ford is now using with the F-150, shifting was smooth, not jerky, and the auto-transmission didn’t seem to have to hunt too much to find the right gear. Oddly, the Raptor comes with column-mounted paddle shifters. I honestly had no use for these given the circumstances, but I guess it’s nice to know they are there if you need that level of control.

Some critics have noted the 3.5L EcoBoost wasn’t powerful enough for a vehicle weighing over 5,700 pounds. I initially had this concern, but soon discovered that once you put the Raptor in sport mode (one of six modes in the Raptor’s Terrain Management System), the truck seemed to come to life with faster throttle response and the ability to hold gears longer. Now there power Raptor fans have been aching for.