Timeless Joy: Rediscovering Fun Through the Years

2025 Jeep Gladiator Mojave vs. 2025 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road Double Cab 4×4 vs. 2025 Ford Ranger Supercrew 4×4 Raptor: Midsize pickups, full-size costs.

This week: 2025 Ford Ranger Supercrew 4×4 Raptor.

Price: Begins at $55,720

Common perspective: Car and Driver appreciates the “speed, well-tuned suspension,” and that it “maneuvers well on narrow trails.” Disappointments: “off-road tires diminish grip, anticipate significant price increases.”

Advertisement’s message: “Versatile and capable, from pavement to path. Mud cover optional.”

Truth: So enjoyable on the road, it’s acceptable if you never venture off-road.

What’s different: The Ranger Raptor stands as the high-performance variant of the midsize Ford pickup, featuring its own larger engine and bigger dimensions, and Ford emphasizes it’s more proficient than ever.

Prior experience with a Ranger XLT revealed that Ford knows how to transform a compact pickup into an exhilarating ride.

Rivals: Besides the Gladiator and Tacoma, other competitors include the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, Honda Ridgeline, and Nissan Frontier.

On the pavement: The Ranger Raptor found itself in a challenging spot in my driveway, necessitating a tricky turnaround to begin. Almost immediately, I realized the four-door shortbed truck needed a broad turn for navigation.

“This might not be ideal,” I mused, singing “Turn around, bright eyes” throughout the process. Would this be a total eclipse of the truck as a delightful cargo carrier?

Yet, as soon as I propelled the Ranger Raptor out of the driveway, adjusted the steering, and cruised onto our road, I swiftly cast aside that Bonnie Tyler drama. More so than its two rather enjoyable rivals, the Ranger Raptor enhanced the fun quotient to 11.

A brief excursion for dinner with Mrs. Passenger Seat along some rural roads and Route 322 left me eager for a drive afterward, and off we ventured, navigating through narrower paths, winding around challenging mountain cuts adjacent to Brandywine Creek, and then accelerating on the straights.

Seventeen-inch wheels and tires were among the limited options, so be attentive to those during your test drive.

Parking this beast head-on in a space proved as daunting as expected from that initial driveway encounter, but the sheer enjoyment of everything else rendered that minor setback forgivable. Just utilize the rearview camera and reverse in.

I hadn’t realized until nearly the close of the week that the Ranger Raptor includes a Sport mode and other driving configurations. I genuinely believed Normal mode offered just the right blend of enjoyment and smoothness; Sport felt somewhat too jarring with its turns and shifts. The automatic all-wheel-drive mode also aided in reducing some of the understeer on turns and skids on steep halts.

Off the pavement: Engaging 4-high and 4-low for more intense off-roading was straightforward — just press the button for the level of aid desired.

Accelerating: The Ranger Raptor also offers exhilarating acceleration. The 3-liter EcoBoost six-cylinder engine produces 405 horsepower. It propels the vehicle to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds, according to Car and Driver. Now we’re making progress; the other two took over 7 seconds.

Transmission: The 10-speed automatic transmission employs a T-bar shift lever instead of a joystick or Ford’s infamous dial, but the electronic control enables skipping past the intended gear. Perhaps practice will lead to improvement. Once more, the performance allows any imperfections to be overlooked.

Driver’s Position: The Charming Mrs. Passenger Seat labeled her spot as “really nice,” although some may find the wings a bit intrusive on their personal space. The seats appeared angular and sharp initially, causing me concern, but I never ended up feeling uncomfortable.

The array of steering wheel controls first seemed overwhelming, but operating them was never too complex.

The gauges consistently defaulted to a minimalist view, yet there’s ample information available when adjustments are made.

Companions and belongings: Tall Sturgis Kid 4.0 found the back seat spacious and pleasant, without any complaints, which took me by surprise.

The seat bottom lifts up as a single unit, and there are small storage compartments below.

Towing peaks at 5,510 pounds in the Ranger Raptor, which is lower than the standard Ranger’s 7,500 pounds; payload capacity maxes out at 1,375 pounds. The Gladiator excels in all aspects here.

Hooks were conveniently positioned, even after the bed was loaded with the usual amount of tree branches and other debris, a contrast to the other trucks.

Enjoy some music: The sound system delivered the right auditory experience for the journey, slightly heavy on the bass but overall pleasant. I’d rate it an A.

The display featured an impressive 12-inch vertical screen.

Temperature control: HVAC controls are located at the bottom of the screen, leading to a cumbersome method for temperature adjustments and other changes.

Luckily, actual buttons and dials are situated just beneath the screen, making modifications much simpler, despite questioning the rationale behind duplicating controls so closely.

Fuel efficiency: I averaged roughly 17 mpg as I zipped around Chester County, slightly better than the other two competitors.

Manufacturing location: Wayne, Mich.

Build quality: The Ranger receives a 4 out of 5 reliability score from Consumer Reports, ranking highest among its competitors not only in this evaluation but across the category.

In conclusion: There appears to be virtually no boundary to the enjoyment you can experience in a Ranger Raptor. The competitors may perform better as a truck, but this one brings a smile every time.