2023 Ram TRX or a 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor?

Past testing indicates that the work undertaken to beef them up for off-road punishment has, in fact, made them more capable and comfortable on-road as well. Both have significantly improved cabins, not just in terms of comfort and ergonomics, but also in terms of inclusions. And, both have drivelines that in very different ways prove more is not just more, it’s also better.

The argument goes that you don’t really ‘need’ either a Raptor or a TRX. A regular Ram 1500 or a Ranger XLT, for example, would do everything the respective buyer wants. But, I’d argue the Raptor and TRX buyer wants more than just the run from A to B. Dual cabs like these are statements. Even if you do use them the way their makers intended.

Few vehicles of any kind have the current street presence and credibility of either a Ford Ranger Raptor or Ram TRX. Spend any time in either and you need to get used to people looking at you, wherever you are, at any time of the day or night. That both are so capable in their respective ways is a bonus.

In their own way, though, both are incomparable, so why compare them here? Because we can, because it’s fun, because our conclusion will probably start more arguments than it settles.

There’s a price to pay for capability and exclusivity at this end of the performance spectrum, and it’s here where the TRX and Ranger Raptor divert pretty wildly. The starting price for the 2023 Ram TRX is $209,950 plus on-road costs, which is a hefty chunk of money, but few – if any – trucks even in the US can properly take the TRX on head-to-head.

It’s also worth taking some time out to explain why there is such a canyon between the Ram 1500 TRX list price in the US of US$80,000 and the Australian RRP of AUD$209,950 before on-road costs. The US$80,000 base price for the Ram 1500 TRX in the US excludes sales tax, so adding US$8000 in round numbers delivers a starting point of US$88,000 before dealer delivery and registration fees. At today’s exchange rates, that’s AUD$132,000.

However, that’s a stripped-out Ram 1500 TRX missing some features fitted as standard in Australia. The like-for-like price for a Ram 1500 TRX in the US is closer to AUD$150,000. Then there is the engineering investment in excess of AUD$10 million to recoup – plus the cost of about 500 unique, locally developed parts to be installed – and you end up with AUD$209,950 before on-road costs by the time it reaches showrooms.

When the Ram 1500 TRX arrived in Australia last year it was listed from AUD$199,950 plus on-road costs. But with a queue of customers around the block, limited vehicle availability, and increasing logistics costs, Ram Trucks Australia increased the price of the Ram 1500 TRX from 1 January 2023 by $10,000.

Because the prices of the previous-generation model crept up continually as curtains drew to a close, the gap between new and old Raptor isn’t as big as you might think. Don’t get me wrong, $85,490 plus on-road costs is still a lot of money for a four-wheel-drive ute, especially before you factor in on-road costs.

This does get you an all-you-can-eat Ranger experience, with Ford not offering any kind of option pack on the Raptor. It sits a long way above the $70,190 list price of a double-cab Ranger Wildtrak V6 – the highest step in the range before the Raptor.

Competition is a tough one to nail down, because truth be told, the Ranger Raptor doesn’t really have any true competition. Nissan’s much cheaper Navara Pro-4X Warrior could be mentioned, but so could the bigger and significantly costlier Ram 1500 TRX.

On one hand, the Navara Pro-4X Warrior can’t match the Raptor’s prodigious performance, and on the other the TRX absolutely monsters the already impressive Ranger Raptor, with 523kW and 882Nm to its name.

Nothing – not even a 300 Series LandCruiser or Nissan Patrol – can compare to the cabin comfort, space and amenity of a full-size US pickup. Yes, that’s because they are physically bigger, but it’s also because they feature such clever packaging and storage solutions.

First off, the step up into the TRX is a hefty one thanks to the increased ride height. Once in, though, you’re sitting in a driver’s seat that’s more like your favourite lounge chair. It’s supportive, too, which it will need to be given the performance on offer. TRX also gets a heated steering wheel. 

The centre console is more like a storage safe than a console, there are clever places to stow smartphones, and charge them, as well as bottle and cupholders that actually work for larger keep cups and the like. The way that Ram has integrated mobile phone storage is especially clever.

The front seats are heated and cooled, and electric adjustment means you’ll find it easy to get comfortable no matter how tall you are. As you’d expect of the high-riding nature, visibility is excellent in all directions.

Into the second row, and it’s limousine-like in terms of passenger leg and head room. You’ll effortlessly carry three adults across the back row, with the outboard seats also heated back there too. Plenty of charging on offer for devices via USB-A and C ports, as well as air vents and cupholders.

The large windows in the back seat of the Ram mean passengers back there also get strong visibility in all directions. 

TRX gets a 767kg payload, or a bit less with the optional sunroof, but it’s fair to say this model will be more about towing than load-hauling for most buyers.

Dimensionally, the interior of the Ranger Raptor is the same as a standard double-cab Ranger. That being said, there are some important changes and updates in the Raptor.

The seats – with a design inspired by where pilots park their tush in a F22 Raptor fighter jet – are much bigger and more prominent, with a mixture of leather and Alcantara-like materials used on the deep and bolstered seats, whose design will help through fast corners, bumps and jumps.

For the first time, Ford has put Raptor-specific seats in the back as well. These have additional bolstering, as well as a similar theme of colours and materials.

Code Orange motifs continue throughout the cabin, most prominently around the air vents and Raptor-specific steering wheel. This steering wheel gives you some of the additional chassis controls, along with some meaty sections to guide your hand placement, and (of course) that 12 o’clock marker. There are some extra touches that raise the Raptor above a top-spec Ranger or Everest, such as the Alcantara-like materials on the glovebox.

Overall, the interior of the Ranger Raptor feels quality and fit-for-purpose. There are additional pop-out cupholders below the air vents, and an additional glovebox. USB-A and USB-C power outlets hide near the wireless charging pad, and the centre console is a decent size. Of course, it’s an experience that is mostly dominated by the two huge digital displays. More on those later.

One of the Ram DT’s strong points – regardless of model – is the quality of the cabin improvements. Chief among them, the infotainment system.

The vertically mounted, 12.0-inch touchscreen is clear and easy to use, and works neatly in regard to being positioned the same way most of us look at our mobile phones. It’s quite intuitive in other words. It runs the familiar Uconnect system, and also features specific TRX performance content. 

You get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, proprietary satellite navigation, and the ability to split the screen into separate menus so that you can have different things going on at once, and the fact that Ram has also provided regular buttons is a strong point. The driver’s display is a good one, and there’s nothing difficult about any of the controls or functionality, despite how much technology there is within the system.

Along with the larger 12.0-inch infotainment display, the Ford Ranger Raptor is set apart from other Rangers by the inclusion of an impressive and crispy 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.

Between these two big screens, the user has just about everything they could want: wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, native navigation, remote start and location services (via the FordPass app), digital radio and an uprated sound system.

The cluster in front of the driver can display live navigation, along with loads of technical and mechanical readouts for when you want to get nerdy. The digital cluster can also be customised according to your own mix of information.

The infotainment display is good as well, with a good mixture of complexity, features and ease of use. There are plenty of menus and options to lose oneself in, but a few permanent buttons on top can bring you back to the core areas.

Even though the display is huge, Ford did manage to squeeze in some physical (dual-zone) climate-control buttons at the bottom, along with an all-important volume dial. It helps, simply because these buttons and dials are easier to operate on the move in comparison to a screen, although the climate controls are doubled-up on the display as well.

The 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system is standard for Australia, along with easy-to-decipher steering wheel controls, voice recognition, and a configurable driver’s display between the gauges. If you’re familiar with other 1500s in the DT range, you’ll be prepared for the TRX’s system.

The Ram TRX hasn’t been tested by ANCAP, but it is equipped with a comprehensive suite of safety equipment. It’s classed as a heavy-duty vehicle, or a light truck in other words, and it’s outside of ANCAP’s testing regime for the moment.

Unlike when the first Raptor lobbed in Australia – which was missing some safety equipment that a standard Ranger enjoyed – Ford has given this new Raptor both barrels in terms of safety equipment.

The rest of the Ranger line-up has a full five-star ANCAP rating, but despite having the same level of safety inclusions, the Ranger Raptor is unrated by ANCAP because its structural differences are yet to be individually assessed.

First up, there’s a full suite of airbags. Standard also are an electronic park brake, stability control, ABS, traction control, EBD, trailer-sway control, hill start assist, Park Sense assist system, rear-view camera, 360-degree surround-view camera, forward collision warning with active braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-path and trailer detection, lane-keep assist, pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, rain-sensing wipers and adjustable pedals.

The shopping list of safety gear is worth running through in this case: autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning and lane-keep assistance, automatic headlights and high-beam, 360-degree camera, front and rear parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring, and intelligent speed limit assistance.

Blind-spot monitoring can also be calibrated to suit your trailer, and the Raptor is also smart enough to have a crack at parking itself. Although, I can’t say I put that to the test. 

Another important safety feature for a four-wheel drive is the inclusion of twin recovery points, both front and rear. More four-wheel drives should have these as standard fitment.

It’s fair to say you’re not buying a Ram TRX if value is a key consideration. However, value doesn’t factor in emotion, connection, or aspiration – all key drivers that drive why we buy the cars we buy. And on those measures, the TRX delivers spectacularly.

To be fair, we speculated that the starting price would be significantly north of 200 grand before final pricing was revealed before the initial TRX launch, given the cost of the ‘regular’ US pickup range in this country, and the extra work required to ensure the TRX satisfies our sometimes archaic ADRs. Even at the current starting price, Ram Trucks Australia has a waiting list.

There’s no claimed fuel-use figure available, and with a testing loop that was 60:40 highway:urban, the TRX returned 17.5L/100km, which isn’t as thirsty as I suspected it might be. Around town, it will creep up to 20L/100km.

The TRX gets a shorter warranty than we’d like at three years/100,000km. Five years is the new standard, especially at this price point. There’s no capped-price servicing and you’ll need to have your TRX serviced every six months or 10,000km.

Despite the high-performance nature of the Ranger Raptor, the petrol-based powertrain works out to be a cheaper vehicle to maintain than a diesel-powered Ranger. Ford quotes $299 per visit for the first four visits, which will cover four years or 60,000km.

It’s quite cheap, but regular high-speed off-roading will probably require some additional maintenance and service of the Raptor’s high-end suspension system.

Insuring a Ranger Raptor – using our regular parameters – under a comprehensive scheme comes in at $2296.84 for one year. This is based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

Significantly more power, a good dose of extra torque, and a 0–100km/h dash somewhere around half of the previous Raptor. It’s safe to say that fuel consumption will be higher.

Against the old claim of 8.2 litres per 100km, Ford claims a figure of 11.5L/100km for the new Raptor on the same combined cycle.

We weren’t able to spend enough time in a single vehicle to get a solid indication of fuel economy, but we’d hazard a guess that meeting that 11.5 figure would be… A challenge.

One thing to note here is with higher fuel consumption figures and an 80L tank, the Ranger Raptor has a lower driving range in comparison to most other four-wheel drives out there.

For those that might be considering longer off-road journeys in a Raptor, there currently isn’t any option of a long-range tank confirmed to be on the horizon for the petrol-powered Raptor. However, Australia’s abundant and resourceful aftermarket industry could come to the rescue.

And while 95RON and 98RON unleaded fuel is recommended for the Ranger Raptor, Ford confirmed that it is capable of operating happily (with reduced power outputs) on standard 91RON fuel. This is because the Raptor was developed for regions with poor fuel economy, and the vehicle adapts its tuning and timing for lower-octane fuel.

It doesn’t read the fuel, like an aftermarket E85 system, but determines how the fuel is combusting and then adjusts the engine timing to suit.

The numbers, even on paper, are staggering. Keep in mind also that Stellantis didn’t just jam a Hellcat engine into a stock 1500 either, there’s a lot that’s going on beneath the skin.

Still, the numbers make for impressive reading for starters. 523kW (just past the 700hp mark in the old money), 882Nm, 0–100km/h in a claimed 4.5 seconds, and a quarter-mile slam in just 12.9 seconds. Think about the types of cars that used to boast 12-second quarters not too long ago. 

All that from a truck that tips the scales at 3057kg if you option the sunroof. To say the performance is monumental is an understatement. Does it ‘feel’ fast? Yes, but not with the savagery you might expect.

It’s actually quite refined and well-behaved, but there’s a constant reminder that endangering your licence is one errant lean on the accelerator pedal away. You don’t have to drive it that way, though, and that’s the enjoyment of an effortless big V8.

In testing, we matched that 0–100km/h claim, too, on the standard tyres, at factory pressures, doing nothing more than accessing the standard launch-control system. It’s easy to use as well, if you do get to the track and want to test it out.

The TRX is as quick in the real world as it is on paper. To put that into perspective, the TRX would give plenty of fast SUVs a run for their money, and it feels rapid when you launch it from a standing start.

The 6.2-litre, supercharged Hemi V8 engine is a masterpiece of power and torque generation. Crucially, it’s mated to a clever and robust eight-speed Torqueflite automatic, which makes easy work of sending the power to the Goodyear all-terrain tyres.

If you leave the drive system in 4WD Auto, it works out what it’s doing and when seamlessly. The cacophony of sound when you nail the throttle is irresistible. It’s one of the great V8 engines, with a beautiful combination of supercharger whine and exhaust note. 

Despite how quick the TRX is, there’s a refreshing lack of urgency or skittishness when you’re behind the wheel. The drive experience is insulated, refined and comfortable. On regular roads around town, it rides effortlessly over bumps and potholes, testament to the quality of the Baja suspension that lurks beneath.

The frame itself is reinforced for this performance application, and the suspension is designed to flex and bend repeatedly over harsh terrain. The 35-inch-tall tyres assist with the ride height and bump absorption, but the key is the Bilstein remote-reservoir dampers and suspension package that allows for 330mm of travel front and rear.

The Ram TRX doesn’t steer or feel like a sports car, of course, but it’s more nimble than you would expect, sharper and more responsive, too, and it handles the urban road network with ease. 

On the highway, it rolls into a relaxed cruise, and despite its performance potential, this is where it makes the most sense. Out on our highway network, sealed or unsealed, exploring the countryside, the TRX is in its element. Big truck for a big country might sound like marketing spin, but it really does love the highway miles.

It would take weeks to dissect and explain the changes that take a regular 1500 into TRX territory, but the improvements that make it a beast off-road have also made it more capable and comfortable everywhere else. Crucially for me, every time you take the TRX for a drive, you feel like you’re behind the wheel of something special. As you should for the outlay, but as it should be given the nature of the vehicle itself.

One important thing to note here is the difference in the development process in comparison to the last time around. The first-generation Raptor – a raging commercial success for Ford in Australia – was referred to by Ford engineers as a ‘proof of concept’, whose release followed the Ranger by some seven years.

That means the Raptor’s design was somewhat hemmed in by the existing boundaries of the Ranger platform. Although, it must be said Ford did go to lengths not seen before – in Australia at least – for a high-performance ute.

This time around, the story reads differently. The new Ford Ranger, Everest and Raptor – along with the corresponding suite of ARB accessories – began development at the same time, and were lockstep through the engineering and validation processes.

That means important elements and design milestones of the Ranger development process affected the Raptor program and vice versa.

As much fun as the old Raptor was, the 2.0-litre diesel engine was a vailant but ultimately underperforming powertrain. The simple fact that a higher mass and taller tyres made the Raptor slower than a standard Ranger tells the story.

The suspension was the undoubted star of the show, where the powertrain had to simply do its best to keep up. It did okay, truth be told, but there was undoubtedly room for improvement.

But boy, oh boy, the new Raptor is a different story. The 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V6 is a completely different beast with 292kW and 583Nm, which equals 85 per cent more power and 16.6 per cent more torque.

This engine is powerful and responsive, with an impressively meaty midrange that it is happy to constantly plunder for pace. Twin turbochargers – one for each bank of three cylinders – feed compressed air quickly and without complaint, and with little wait for boost pressure to build up.

When you’re hammering hard, the engine responds well and makes all of the right noises. However, when you’re cruising around town at a slower gait, it’s a happy and relaxed plodder. Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde, you could say.

When we were able to unleash the Raptor on an off-road track, the so-called Nano V6 proved to be a wonderful and capable companion. With the old four-banger in similar circumstances, you’ll loathe getting on the brakes, simply because it takes quite some time to build that momentum back up once again.

You had to hold that old diesel at a near redline whir in order to develop the kind of power you need to exit a corner with any kind of alacrity.

But with this new V6, it’s a different story. It punches with near-explosive anger at times, and is helped as you roll between throttle applications through an anti-lag system. And the brakes get much more of a workout because (a) you’re going faster and (b) you can quickly pick the pace up once again with a few big throttle applications.

Straight-line performance is a huge improvement – somewhere in the region of halving the old Raptor’s 0–100km/h time – and rolling performance feels like a similar stride forward.

It’s a crucial part of the major step-change that this Raptor embodies. It’s angrier, more capable, faster and more fearsome. And while it’s certainly less forgiving than the old model (simply because it’s much more powerful), it’s still playful and happy off-road in the right circumstances.

Part of the change in character – as you twist the dial towards more aggressive driving modes – comes from the active exhaust system. Controllable valves in the exhaust system, located immediately after the main muffler, take the sound from mostly mild to moderately wild.

It’s a noise that Ford worked hard on getting right, and I think it is impressive. There is a unique tone to it, with a rewarding howl when the Raptor is working hard under load.

The loudest and most aggressive exhaust mode is called Baja, and comes with a warning that it’s only intended for off-road use. In other words, it’s probably too loud for road use. Somehow, I doubt many buyers will respect this.

But worth noting, it’s not loud and obnoxious. And it sounds a hundred times better than a straight-piped four-cylinder diesel engine – of which there are many on the road – and which I maintain is a crime against humanity.

An unsung hero of this whole set-up is the steering, which uses different components to the rest of the Ranger range. It’s still electrically assisted but feels different, more connected, and nicely suited to the application. The old Raptor – for reference’s sake – used the same hardware but was tuned differently with a slightly slower rack ratio.

This steering feel is more beneficial on-road and off-road, with additional response and liveliness in comparison to the old model.

The big thing I like about this Raptor is the fact that it feels very cohesive overall. It’s not just a big engine and some fancy shock absorbers, although they are important parts to the overall recipe.

But that suspension – like the engine – needs a special shout-out. Gliding over a rough dirt racetrack, which was only cut in by Ford by driving through the long grass, is a special experience.

Running at a high pace, the Raptor dances playfully but with balance and purpose between big applications of brake and throttle. Ruts, whoops and wallows are handled beautifully, even at a very high pace.

Get the car really out of shape, and a safety blanket of stability control catches you and brings you back in. Get it right, however, and you can slide into corners under brakes and power out of the other side with a swinging tail, and rooster tails of earth eliciting a gigantic smile. 

Braking hardware is unchanged from the previous-generation Raptor, which hasn’t got much room to grow underneath the 17-inch alloy wheels. Instead, Ford looked to eke out some additional threshold performance through updating and improving the ABS braking system. It worked well for us on a handful of hot laps around a 2km off-road track, although I can’t say we truly torture-tested the braking system.

Other parts of the car – like steering, ride quality and the interior – don’t feel left behind in this Raptor. It works well together as an overall package, which is important.

I did experience a technical problem in one of the vehicles I was driving on an off-road loop, which started by misfiring and spluttering after driving through some mud. My vehicle was the only one to have such an issue, which surfaced after leaving the vehicle to sit for around 15 minutes.

The misfire – between 1500 and 2000rpm – was accompanied by a request to “service vehicle soon” and a spanner symbol on the dashboard, and losing things like selectable driving modes. Although, I was still able to move between high and low-range, as well as selecting locking differentials.

The problem was fixed by restarting the car (along with opening and closing the door), and was eventually traced to mud that got into a wheel sensor at the back. It was cleaned, and the vehicle with the problem continued on without any perceivable issues for the rest of the day.

On-road, the Raptor continued to impress. Perhaps it’s no surprise, because the old Raptor had a great soft and wallowing nature on-road, which yielded a wonderful ride quality you’d normally never associate with a four-wheel-drive ute.

This time around the nature of the car has changed noticeably. It’s not as soft and wallowing any more, which was a one-dimensional character trait of the old Raptor that personally I loved.

The ride quality is still very good, and better than your regular four-wheel-drive ute. There is more connection and communication going on with this model, however. It feels more acutely dialled in and responsive, particularly through the steering and (elephant in the room) the powertrain.

Having more adjustability allows the Ranger to further drive home this advantage on-road, increasing the damping rates and firming up the suspension, along with adding a solid dose of responsiveness through the powertrain.

A 2.5-tonne high-riding four-wheel drive, complete with all-terrain tyres and a low-range transfer case, is never going to compete with a hot hatch through the twisties for corner speed, responsiveness, agility and general delight. But, this big off-road bruiser is more enjoyable and capable on the right patch of road than it should ever have the right to be.

It steers dutifully and with a genuinely nice feel, up to the point where mass takes over and it starts to understeer. But up to that point – driven within its limits – there is a much wider scope of on-road performance on offer.