2021-2023 Ford F-150 Raptor test drive review

I wasn’t a truck person until I drove an F-150 Raptor a few years ago. And even then, I don’t know that I’m so much a truck person as I am a Raptor person. The experience of first driving a second generation 2017 Raptor was so impactful that I’ve been eyeing them ever since. In fact, they’re one of the most searched vehicles on KSL Cars, and I’m sure I am a part of the reason.

Photo by Ford

Since the third generation came out in 2021, I’ve been dying to get behind the wheel of one. The second generation was so fun, so cool, so comfortable and confidence-inspiring, I could only imagine how good the new generation was with its coil spring rear suspension, trombone loop exhaust, much improved interior and optional 37-inch tire package. Sure, the engine was the same as the last gen, but it was already so fun that I didn’t really care — and neither should you.

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Well folks, I finally drove one — and it was amazing. The subject of my refreshed addiction was a 2022 model in Code Orange with the 801A luxury package, the 37-inch tire performance package and the Alcantara Recaro seat package — just like the one you see in all the promotional materials. I was smitten and found it to be even more charming, luxurious and fun than the previous gen.

Because there was only a little variation between the 2021-2023 model years, this review will serve to speak to all three, using the 2022 I spent time with as the example. Read on for why the Ford F-150 Raptor is still one of the most incredible trucks on the market. 

Price and value 

It’s crazy how you could get a brand new F-150 Raptor in the low to mid-$50,000 range only a few years ago. Naturally, as with everything else, the Raptor has ballooned in price. The MSRP range for the 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor started at $72,350 and could be optioned to over $90,000. Our tester originally stickered for $87,835 and had almost all the options for the 2022 model year. 

As optioned, a Raptor with the same options would total well above $91,000 in 2024. The F-150 Raptor is available in one trim only, but it has many options and packages that add a myriad of luxury and convenience features. Just some of the included standard features include:

• Five-link rear suspension

• Dual exit valved exhaust

• 36-gallon fuel tank

• LED headlamps

• Cast aluminum running boards

• Fox live-valve shock

• Skid plates

• Trailer sway control

• 35-inch tires

• 12-inch touch screen

• Wireless Apple CarPlay

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Absent on some 2022 models and most 2023 — but present on ours — was a heated steering wheel (as part of the 801A equipment group package), ambient lighting and a Torsen differential. All are nice to have, and if you’re considering buying a used Raptor, we’d highly recommend searching for one with those options. You will thank yourself the next time you’re off-road or leaving home in cooler temperatures.

Our tester included the 801A package which includes an 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo, a wireless charging pad, a 360-degree camera, integrated trailer brake controls, navigation and more. Our tester also included a $2,195 moonroof and tailgate package, a $995 Pro Power onboard generator, a $595 spray-in bedliner and the $5,250 Raptor 37 Performance package, which includes 37-inch tires and unique 17-inch forged aluminum wheels. 

Photo by Ford

At nearly $90,000 new, the Raptor is not your grandpa’s farm truck. It’s expensive, but after driving it, we can understand why we see so many on the road. The F-150 Raptor is essentially four vehicles in one: a truck, a Baja bomber, a sports car and a luxury cruiser. So yes, while expensive, we feel the price is justified. 

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Warranty coverage is average, with Ford offering a three-year, 36,000-mile limited warranty and a five-year, 60,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Performance 

As more of a sports car guy, the Raptor’s performance is astounding to me. It defies physics, and it handles, accelerates, rides and off-roads in seriously impressive ways. The only downside is towing and payload capabilities. But other than that, this truck is darn near perfect. 

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Engine 

While we all bemoan the loss of a V8, the Raptor’s familiar 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 is nothing to shake a stick at. It’s quick, powerful and sounds good. It produces 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque, which is more than enough for the average person to have a lot of fun with. It does tow reasonably well, but serious haulers will want to look elsewhere.

Fuel efficiency 

High-performance trucks that weigh 6,000 pounds and produce this much power are never bound to produce Prius levels of fuel economy. The 2022 Raptor with 35-inch tires is rated at 15 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway. With 37-inch tires, the 2022 Raptor is rated at 14 mpg in the city and 16 mpg on the highway. 

During our 500 miles of testing, we averaged nearly 17 mpg, which we were happy with. Those aren’t terribly impressive numbers, but you’ll be having so much fun, you probably won’t really care.

Photo by Ford

Drivetrain 

While we didn’t have time to do any Baja jumping during our time with the Raptor, we did get to experience its four-wheel drive in some snow, and it performed very well. The four-wheel drive system is excellent and kept us in control, even in very slippery circumstances.

There are also several different drive modes you can select, depending on the terrain. The V6 is tied to a 10-speed automatic transmission that shifts well most of the time, but with 10 speeds, it does shift a lot and can feel a little clunky at times. 

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Another cool feature that 2022 models brought was the “R” mode button. This feature allows you to fully customize your driving experience, including the exhaust note, suspension firmness, steering wheel feel and throttle response.

Acceleration and handling 

Great care has been taken by the folks at Ford Performance to hone the Raptor’s chassis and suspension dynamics, and it shows. The F-150 Raptor is an enormous vehicle, but it doesn’t drive like one. In fact, it’s more akin to a sports car in its handling. It defies physics, logic and belief. Acceleration is likewise riotous.

Car and Driver clocked the Raptor going 0-60 mph in 5.2 seconds, which is plenty quick for most drivers. The best thing about the truck’s acceleration isn’t the speed, though — it’s the sound. The new active valve exhaust is truly raucous when you want it to be and gives the truck serious Nissan GT-R vibes under harder runs. It’s quite loud in Baja mode (which we love), but don’t stress; there’s a quiet mode for those early mornings so you don’t wake up the neighbors. 

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Photo by Ford

Braking 

The braking felt strong, but with so much weight to carry, we almost wish the brakes were a tad stronger. The Raptor comes standard with braking technology like forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking.

Interior comfort and convenience 

The F-150 Raptor’s interior is downright luxurious and a very nice place to spend time, even for up to five adults. There’s ample room for everyone, with tons of space, legroom and room to stretch out. It would be an excellent road trip vehicle and we loved every second spent in it. 

Seats

Every seat in the Raptor is comfortable, but especially the front seats. Our tester had the optional Recaro seats, and it’s no exaggeration to say they’re some of the most comfortable and supportive seats we’ve ever sat in. A note: For 2021, the Recaro seats were all blue, including the leather surrounds and inserts. In 2022 the Alcantara was also blue, but the leather surrounds were changed to black. 

Additionally, the heated functionality in the front and rear was some of the best we’ve ever felt. The seats get very toasty, which was much appreciated on colder mornings. Three kids easily fit across the back and even three adults will be fine as long as it’s not a long road trip.

Climate control 

The Ford F-150 Raptor heated up on frigid mornings faster and hotter than any other vehicle we’ve tested. It’s very impressive. The rear seat vents are always appreciated, and the heated steering wheel was likewise very warm.

Cargo space and cabin storage 

The current generation F-150’s interior cargo space and cabin storage is very accommodating and practical. Dads, take note — this actually would be a pretty great family vehicle, if you don’t mind climbing up several feet to strap kids into their child seats. 

There’s a large center console, two glove compartments, large door pockets and tons of storage in the rear of the cabin with the rear seat folded up. And of course, having a truck bed is always super useful. 

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Photo by Ford

Infotainment system 

Whoever designed the F-150 Raptor’s dash did an excellent job. It looks very nice, with a sensible, horizontal feeling to it. There are all the physical buttons you want and need, and the 12-inch touchscreen is perfectly integrated and looks extremely high definition. Ford’s Sync 4 works really well and is easy to use. 

The wireless Apple CarPlay worked well and was simple to connect, but it did cut out intermittently. Overall, the infotainment system is excellent and sounds excellent with the optional 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo.

Exterior appearance and functionality 

The Raptor’s styling has always been one of its most unique and beloved traits. From its 6-inch wider body to the massive tires, wheels, fender flares, lights, Ford lettering grille, graphics and tailgate lettering, the F-150 Raptor might just subjectively be the coolest looking truck on the road. It’s super eye-catching and gets a lot of compliments. Overall, we love the look and can’t get enough of it.

Our tester was finished in Code Orange, a special Ford Performance color no longer available for 2024 models. But Ford also offers several other eye-catching colors for the F-150 Raptor, including Azure Gray Metallic, Avalanche, Rapid Red, Oxford White, Iconic Silver Metallic, Antimatter Blue Metallic, Agate Black Metallic and more depending on the model year.

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Bed 

Every F-150 Raptor comes with a bed length of 5.5 feet. It’s super usable and made even more practical with its sprayed-in bedliner, bed lamps and optional power tailgate and tailgate step. Our tester also included an optional $995 2-kilowatt on-board generator which can power small appliances — a TV or mini-fridge — or tools such as a reciprocating saw.

Towing capacity and payload

The Raptor isn’t really made for towing, but it is rated for 8,200 pounds. Payload is likewise not especially impressive; it can handle up to 1,400 pounds. 

Photo by Ford

Wheels

The $5,250 Raptor 37 Performance package our tester was equipped with was a pricey but worth it option. The package includes sharp looking, forged 17-inch aluminum wheels, which would have been several thousand dollars if bought separately. 

The package also includes, as the name implies, 37-inch BF Goodrich all-terrain tires — and they’re awesome. Not only do they add ground clearance and make for better approach and departure angles, but they’re also very capable and handle pretty snowy conditions without any drama. Between the cushy Fox suspension and the thick sidewall tires, the Raptor’s ride quality is one of the best in the business. 

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Lights and turn signals 

As with other vehicles this pricey, the LED lights in the front and rear look sharp and provide plenty of illumination. The Raptor specific side marker and grille amber lights look awesome, especially at night, and let other drivers know that there’s a huge rig coming. The daytime running lights look awesome too, with the bold, sideways “L” shaped amber lighting that lluminates the top and outside edges of the headlamps.

Cameras and side mirrors 

The $4,755 801A package is worth it, even just for the 360-degree camera package. This is a huge vehicle, and we can’t stress just how helpful having cameras at every angle of the truck was for parking and maneuvering in tight spaces. The side mirrors are well styled and provide a good view down the sides of the truck. We especially liked their low placement relative to the driver; they don’t obscure your view at all.

Front and rear windshield

The F-150’s windows are enormous and so easy to see out of. The panoramic moonroof was likewise very impressive and let in a lot of natural light. It’s definitely an option that felt worth the money.

Safety

Another feature of the F-150 Raptor was just how safe it is. In ratings and feel, this is one of the safest and most robust vehicles we’ve been in. There’s a lot of safety technology here and several airbags, including Ford’s Safety Canopy system. The F-150 Raptor earned an overall five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and was named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. 

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Features 

The F-150 Raptor pretty much comes fully loaded with all the latest safety tech. A few of these features include:

• Forward collision warnings

• Automated emergency braking

• Blind spot monitoring

• Rear cross-traffic alert

• Lane departure warning 

• Lane keeping assist

Awards and ratings 

The Ford F-150 and F-150 Raptor are beloved by many. Just a few of the awards it has received include:

• Four Wheeler Magazine’s Pickup Truck of the Year award

• The 2021 North American Truck of the Year Award

• Edmund’s top-rated truck of 2021

• Motor1 Star Award for Best Truck

• 9/10 Car and Driver rating

• Car and Driver Editor’s Choice award

Photo by Ford

Final impression

The 2021-2023 Ford F-150 Raptor is one seriously cool, fun, luxurious and overall excellent truck. It all comes at a steep price, but given how highly capable it is of nearly everything but towing, the price seems justified. It’s great to drive on- and off-road and is perfectly happy being a luxury cruiser commuter if that’s what you want it to be. It’s clear the folks at Ford Performance have thoroughly and finely crafted a super truck they can be proud of, and the result is a truck that feels truly special and unique. It’s the rare vehicle that checks almost every box and plays all of its roles extremely well. Just go buy one, you won’t be disappointed — and if you are, call me. I’d be happy to take it off your hands. 

A note on model years: 2022 seems to be the sweet spot for the 2021-2023 model. The 2021 models with the 37-inch package included an all-blue interior. For 2022, it’s a largely black interior for the 37-inch package, save for blue Alcantara inserts on the Recaro front seats and rear seat. 

Most 2022 models also retained nice features such as a heated steering wheel and ambient lighting, both of which are sadly absent on most 2023 models. The 37-inch package is also purportedly rare for 2022 and especially 2023 models, so that should give a slight bump in resale value, should you spring for one with that package.

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FAQs 

Is the Ford F-150 Raptor fun to drive? 

The Raptor is so much fun. It offers sports car levels of giggles and sounds amazing to boot. Handling is exceptional, and it’s very fast. Off-road fun is likewise hilarious, with the truck handling jumps, ruts and dusty trails like it is nobody’s business. In short, the Raptor is probably the most fun to drive truck on the market. 

Is it good for families?

Actually, yes! There is a ton of rear seat space, legroom and storage cubbies for all your stuff. You could even fit three child seats across the back if you needed. Sure, the fuel economy isn’t amazing, but you’ll be having so much fun, who really cares?

*KSL Cars does not endorse any vehicles. The views or opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not reflect the views or opinions of KSL.com or its employees.

About the author: Having owned everything from a DeLorean to an E46 BMW M3 and a Toyota Land Cruiser, Jason Bell is a lifelong car enthusiast who loves sharing his passions as a teacher, automotive journalist and social media manager. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press where he serves on the Board of Directors. Contact him at jasonbellcars@gmail.com.