The downsides to the Raptor

The new Ford Raptor has created quite a buzz among both truck and 4X4 enthusiasts. Much of this buzz has been praise but the critics have been vocal as well. The new Raptor is lacking in several areas. These include affordability, power, towing capabilities and size.

First off, the price of this behemoth is astronomical. At a base price of $38000, this truck is outside the price range of most people. Fully loaded, this truck can cost over $45000. In today’s struggling economy, the wisdom of Ford’s executives must be questioned. How did they justify spending the funds to develop such a niche market truck and how do they expect people to afford it?

The standard engine for the new Raptor only puts out 310 Hp. This most underpowered $38000 truck on the market. Dodge and Toyota both have 5.7 L V8s that are putting out more than 380 Hp.

The lack of power coming from Ford’s 5.4 L engine is exacerbated by the extra weight that the Raptor has been loaded down with. The Dodge Ram has a curb weight of just over 5000 lbs; where as, the Raptor weighs in at nearly 6000. This, along with the suspension being tuned for Baja off road racing, leads to the Raptor having a max payload capacity of only 1020 lbs and a max towing capacity of only 6000 lbs. The Dodge Ram has a payload capacity of 1420 and towing capacity of 10000 lbs. This lack of towing capabilities makes this truck nearly useless for most ranchers and anyone else who uses their truck for actual work (which includes the majority of Ford’s customer base).

Since this truck isn’t useful to those who need it for work, then one might assume that it would be good for a city boy who just likes to go offroading on the weekends. This city boy would run in to a problem with the Raptors size. At an enormous 86.3 in wide, this truck is wide enough that federal safety standards require it to have extra marker lights. This extra width can make the truck difficult to maneuver and a monster to park.