Long-Term Test: When the tires get worn and the factory warranty runs out, that’s where we come in. Car and Driver is your source for the 40,000-mile evaluation. 2017 FORD F-150 RAPTOR Arrival: Apr/2017 for ignoring its even greater size (6.4 Departure: Jun/2018 Inches wider and 13 inches taller than a = conventional Ps0 4x4 SuperCrew) and ‘Three tons of flying fun. _by Josh Jacquot thirstiness (46 mpg versus 19 mpg com binedwith thelower-output3.5iterV-6) ‘balancing those burdens with virtues { the Ford Paso Raptor were a geographical feature, it lke, say, the ability to fly, land gracefully, \wouldhave the honorificGrandbeforeitsname.Likethe and drive home. Try that in any other Grand Canyon or the Grand Teton, the Raptor is a three-ton vehicle without wings. Its par- national treasurethatdeservestobebilledassomething _posefullooks, which show off Foxremote- substantially ore significant, moreconsequentialmore, reservoir dampers under huge fenders, ‘well,grandthana mere truck The Raptor's significance don't hut, either. That it does all this liesinhowitinvertsthe traditional notion ofthepickup, without any hint of brodazer foolishness turning i fom a utility vehicle into a plaything. True, furcherincreasesits appeal trucks have been more than beasts of burden for years, Thoughts payload and tow ratings are growing quieter and more comfortable as they trans- compromised relative to a conventional formed into fanily vehicles. But, igo, there's enough functional pickup the Raptors ajumperand «dune runner here © sult most needs, Our Raptors that can also haul and tow and do just ‘Rants &RaveS 8000-pound tow rating is 2700 pounds abouteverythingelbe trucks do. Grandit a, G2 "346k * —lowerthan thatofthe equivalent 5044 isjaswediscoveredduringthe gmonths “Sisilslvials_ SuperCrew equipped withthe 7shp Bo ‘and 40,403 milesitwas inour care. “KCCoWll Boost liter V-6 and 10-speed auto- Almost everyone needs atrucka few seatekisteng mati. The Raptors 1200-pound payload timesayear Some peopleevenbuythem j,,j°b@'Tia"24 —capactyisalso830 pounds ower than that forthosefewoccasionsthentoleratetheir "deri io the truck’. Its soft, long travel suspension size and fuel economy forthe sake of, SESI28019 sagsunder the tongue weight imposed by image. Butthe Raprormakesastrongease iiteSith ago0o-poundcartriler Whenvre towed ‘witha bed flo spare parts andtools, its nose pointed skyward and the steering ‘went light and loose in a way a normal Pago's wouldn't. Nose n-th air stance ade the truckcapaly yanks round two and half tons of weekend fun thanks 0 the EcoBoost’ss10 pound fet of torque andthe 0-speed automates towing alt bration. And if you're not towing all the time, maybe looking a che clouds when youdo sna dal breaker Heavilyoutted our 2017 apr 4x4 Supercrew tallied $64,800 (base price 853140) Standardequipmentincidesthe 480-hp twin turbocharged 3st V-6, 1o-sped automatic with pad shifters, and 4.103 electronically controlled Tock ingrear differentia. Ourbigticketoption ‘was the $9345 equipment group 802A, Which ads the Torsen fron differenti Syne 3 infotainment system, «trailer brake controller, remote start and more. (082 . can aNDORWVER, oor/20181 ‘Wealsooptedforthe $116517-inch forged- aluminum beadlock-eapabie wheels, $495 spray-in bedliner, and $375 tailgate step for easier access to that lofty bed. The heated steering wheel added iss; heated rear seats were $125, Tt probably won't shock you to learn ‘that we warmed quickly to the Raptor's ‘torque, Sprayed with snow orgravel—the Raptor doesht diseriminate—the roads around GID headquarters are forever Scarred. But we also came to appreciate ‘the truck’s finer points. So reads the log book: *No one does initial throttle response ona boosted engine eter then Ford, Toe in just a millimeter or two and the 35liter already feels awake, even before the turbos come online.” ‘The 10-speed transmission’s merits wore less obvious It faded into the back ground during freeway eruising and skipped multiple gears ata time during downshifts, but it incleganely slammed home aggressive second- and third-gear shifts duringaround-town driving Ie'snot the smooth, responsive master of cog swapping that ZPseightspeedisina Ram, ‘And many of us gave up using its paddle shiftersinanysituation shor of our most aggressive driving. Even then pickingthe gear that appropriately matched cornering speed was @ contest among as many as tree candidates. Tenis just too many for toggling gears yourselE The Raptor's six drive modes—Nor smal, Spore, Weather, Mud/Sand, Baja, and Rock Crawl—do merit existence. Each ‘mode determines things like the rea-dif- ferential setting and throttle and trans- mission mapping. Baja and Mud/Sand modes select high-range all-wheel drive automatically, while Rock Crawl prompts ‘the driver to shift into low range. On its surface, the automatic shifting feels ikea convenience measure, but in practice, it means thetransfer case shifts with much more frequency than it might ifdoing so required more of the driver. Baja mode provides su cient loosening of the reins to enjoy the Raptor's 13.0 inches fants 8 ves Thacase wih which atspeed none ine Rises seus Gkiomratofa of frontandsg9 inches ofrear wheel travel at ur western Mich uate gan proving grounds, lso known as Silver Lake Sand Dunes I \asthere that one driver was moved to write: “Experiencing this thing forthe first time inits element will rearrange the minds of traditional ruc folk.” The Raptor also rearranged its share of gravel roads n north cern Michigan, whereit proved far more comfortableat speed than as890-pound truck shouldbe easily luring drversto link gravel comersin sideways glory lides. Again, thelogbookattests to the truck’spotency: "If ouhave the nerveto forget aboutits consid ‘erable size and mass, this truckis planted enough to toss around likeabigeally car?” ‘Atte Raptor's 10,000-mileservice, the dealernoticed oil onthe back of our af pekupsoniyit srs ie ogacay he Raptor stn ony aston So Service Timeline: truck's ir filter. He changed the filter, Waitforit. anithe problem—presumablyaresult ‘of the pov crankcase ventilation ey, 0- Rests 0-Dnage0- Monee » Senate 8: iRaEh ‘systemearying lint the intake — eed 2a 207 wenpers.20 —_oacontaris;200 Boeacercriso — SMaimos onder Danae eanr Staaten ne fooerecntt” —patimesnohaongs, arecteeh iaealar es Ec” Ea een, SB June 23,2007, fepocestheengines Tepes the cabin ard 19,2018 ese te ‘ere Gionearines 310 Seasbarmes ve eee peta Renate eset fete Sowa $268 aie ' ' Y rt