Houston Chronicle Sunday

Ford’s popular fortified F-150 Raptor returns for 2017

- By Jeff Yip AUTOS CORRESPOND­ENT

Christmas came early when Ford shot us an email asking if we’d like to adopt a 2017 F-150 Raptor over the holidays. Does the Grinch hate Christmas? Bring it on, we replied and wasted no time making space in the garage for the gargantuan (232 inches long) lightning blue SuperCrew.

Ford has a long track record of coming up with special edition pickups like its Lightning and Harley-Davidson F-150s. But with its 2010 Raptor, tapping into the popularity of off-roading and racing, the truck maker struck gold. Ford’s truck team was stunned by the demand for the extra-wide and fortified extended-cab F-150s. Enthusiast­s with families were also quick to clamor for a crew cab version. Amid an economy reeling from the Great Recession, there was even Raptor rapture on the financial side. Ford said the initial Raptors retained about 87 percent of their value, two years out.

For well over a year, Ford’s newest over-the-top, offroad pickup has been an object of desire and the focus of intense discussion because the Raptor was put on hiatus for the 2015 model year and Ford dropping its big V8, a traditiona­l engine for a muscle truck, for a turbocharg­ed V6. The second-generation 2017 Raptor has a boatload of other changes and upgrades.

The good news is that while it’s still the intimidati­ng wild child of the F-150 family, the Raptor can be very user-friendly. (That is, once you get over the first hurdle — climbing aboard.) With a track that’s half a foot wider than the first-generation Raptor, Ford’s indelible hulk also sits higher than most factory stock 4x4s. At 21.4 inches from the cab to the ground, the good looking slotted aluminum running boards on our loaded test vehicle were definitely one of Ford Performanc­e’s best ideas.

The 2017 Raptor is available as a SuperCab or SuperCrew, but there’s one engine and one transmissi­on: a twin-turbocharg­ed 3.5-liter “EcoBoost” V6 and 10-speed automatic. Fortified with its own turbocharg­ers, intercoole­rs, dual port- and direct-injection, true dual exhausts, 32-mm thick radiator and dual cooling fans, the V6 is rated at 450 horsepower and 510 lb.-ft. of torque. The previous 6.2-liter V8 did put out more power up to about 2000 rpm, but peaked at 411 horses and 434 lb.-ft. The 10-speed has adaptive learning, magnesium paddle shifters mounted on the Raptor-specific leatherwra­pped steering wheel and can shift non-sequential­ly at low speeds to the optimum gear.

New Raptors adopt the high-strength steel box frames and high-strength aluminum bodies pioneered in the 2015 F-150. Ford said that makes the truck tougher and up to 500 pounds lighter. Ford again worked with offroad suspension specialist­s at FOX Shox and the result are shock absorbers with 3-inch canisters, 44 percent stouter than the previous shocks. Ditto for BFGoodrich, which came up with a reinforced version of its All Terrain T/A KO2 tire (LT315/70R17) tuned for the Raptor.

The Raptor now has a nifty transfer case that can provide 2H (two wheel drive) for normal driving and best fuel efficiency, 4H, or 4L and either all-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive. Also standard is a new terrain management system that lets drivers select engine, transmissi­on, braking and stability control system calibratio­ns for normal road surfaces, inclement weather, mud and sand, rock crawl or “Baja” that gives maximum performanc­e and response in the sand.

The engine is strong and the dual pipes deliver a nice throaty tone but the sound is never intrusive. The Raptor’s V6 offers bigger helpings of torque and horsepower, but keep in mind that even with the aluminum body, a Raptor SuperCrew with driver and passengers will be three tons. At least the Raptor can run on regular unleaded gas.

What’s it like inside? Darn near luxurious, unless you’re rock crawling or pre-running a desert course. The Raptor SuperCrew cabin proved as useful as it is inviting. One night, the 78.5-inch high pickup provided stadium-like seating when we piled into the Raptor for a self-guided tour of River Oaks residents’ spectacula­r Christmas lighting. On Christmas day, it was great to simply flip up the 60/40 rear seats (no latches to mess with!) and convert the Raptor into a semi-SUV to haul gifts and grub to the traditiona­l family feast. And Ford’s done a good job controllin­g wind and road noise.

Ford’s 2017 F-150 Raptor SuperCab starts at $48,860 and the SuperCrew’s MSRP is $51,845, but the bottom line skyrockets once popular options are added. Failure to exercise some restraint when ordering and you may find you’ll need a truckload of extra cash.

SuperCabs, for example, will come in around $57,000 if the 801A equipment group, 4.10 front axle, hood and body graphics and other popular options are added. SuperCrews can easily hit $68,000 if the even more extensive 802A package, forged wheels, twin-panel moonroof and other goodies are must-haves.

In addition to the aggressive styling, and functional body and suspension components baked into all Raptors, standard features include items like manual air conditioni­ng, rear-view camera with hitch assist, SYNC infotainme­nt system, cruise control, power windows, tailgate lock cloth/leather seating, eight-way power driver seat, two-way manual front passenger seat, SecuriCode keyless-entry keypad, reverse sensing system, unique Raptor trim, illuminate­d entry and — full-size spare tire with tire/wheel lock.

The prudent path to a reasonably priced Raptor is to stick to the $3,160 801A group (10-way power driver and passenger seats with power lumbar, leather seating, power adjustable pedals, power sliding rear window and privacy glass, the SYNC 3 infotainme­nt upgrade with 8-inch touch screen and two smart charging USB ports.) The extra cost graphics on the flanks, tailgate and hood are bold and tempting, but you can save some money and wear-and-tear by considerin­g a clear polymer protective film for the hood instead.

 ?? Jeff Yip photo ?? The 2017 F-150 Raptor’s diet, attention to aerodynami­cs and switch to a high-output 3.5-liter V6 and 10-speed automatic transmissi­on helped boost EPA fuel economy ratings to 15 city and 18 highway.
Jeff Yip photo The 2017 F-150 Raptor’s diet, attention to aerodynami­cs and switch to a high-output 3.5-liter V6 and 10-speed automatic transmissi­on helped boost EPA fuel economy ratings to 15 city and 18 highway.
 ?? Ford photo ?? The Raptor’s cabin is cavernous, with a center console that can swallow laptop computers or keep a tower of take-out food warm and upright. There are plenty of places to stow items as well as hook up 12volt chargers, USB devices or even a 120V device.
Ford photo The Raptor’s cabin is cavernous, with a center console that can swallow laptop computers or keep a tower of take-out food warm and upright. There are plenty of places to stow items as well as hook up 12volt chargers, USB devices or even a 120V device.

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