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The Bronco Raptor can be your capable road truck during the week and a dedicated desert racer on weekends.
Off-road SUVs are the top choice for adventurous folks because they extend all the capabilities of a standard SUV even beyond the open road. These vehicles have taller doors and a greater ride height, as well as large cabin spaces and shorter sills that eliminate the need for drivers and passengers to bend and stoop as they would in sedans. Thanks to their off-roading abilities, these vehicles make rock climbing look easy. And a majority of them can handle just about anything you throw at them. A great example is the 2022 Bronco Raptor, which lives up to every promise Ford made when it first debuted.
Known as the world's first Ultra4 Racing-inspired SUV, the Ford Bronco Raptor brings some impressive features to the table and has been so dramatically improved that it hardly resembles the mainstream model. Under the hood is a larger twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 engine that gives the Bronco Raptor greater power and torque than the standard Bronco. The Raptor HOSS 4.0 race-ready suspension, the largest 37-12.5-inch all-terrain tires, a fully-boxed, high-strength steel frame, and other features set the Bronco Raptor apart from the standard Bronco when equipped with the optional Sasquatch Package. The Bronco Raptor is a capable road truck during the week and a dedicated desert racer on weekends.
The Raptor is well worth more than its price of around 68,500. Orders of the Ford Bronco Raptor began in March 2022, and it was pretty much sold out by July. Now, Ford is no longer taking orders for the customized 2022 Bronco Raptor, but you can buy one from the dealer lot.
Here are some of our favorite features of the powerful Ford Bronco Raptor.
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With a 3.0-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 engine and an automated 10-speed transmission that shifts quickly and smoothly, the Bronco Raptor commands a lot of authority on the road. The Bronco Raptor borrows this engine from the Ford Explorer ST but received a few tweaks to allow a peak power output of 418 horsepower and 440 pounds-feet of torque.
Additionally, the handling and steering are noticeably better than the standard Bronco. The Bronco Raptor boasts a dramatically improved suspension with more robust parts taken from the F-150 Raptor, updated steering components, higher rigidity, and noticeably wider track widths of 73.2 inches up front and 73.6 inches at the back, making it broader than the standard Bronco. Ford Performance chose an upgraded solid rear axle with a semi-float Dana 50 Heavy-Duty AdvanTEK and a 9.25-inch ring gear.
The F-150 Raptor's brakes, which are also used on the Bronco Raptor, perform a commendable job of smoothly stopping this SUV. This is impressive considering that it weighs over 5,700 pounds. With all the modifications made to make a Bronco into a Bronco Raptor, the vehicle's maximum towing capacity has increased by 1,000 pounds to an impressive 4,500 pounds. Take that, Subaru Forester Wilderness!
You’ll find the Raptor’s throaty rumbling and harmonic V8 much more enjoyable than the forceful downshifting and automatic throttle blips that come in the Sport drive configuration. The manufacturer also has enhanced the 4x4 system, adding three modes and a stronger clutch that handles high-performance off-road racing better, racking it up against the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392.
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First glance of the exterior, and you’ll know that the Ford Bronco Raptor isn’t like your average Bronco. To begin with, the Bronco Raptor's body is about 10 inches wider than that of the base Bronco, which is the same width as the F-150 Raptor, or almost as wide as a typical highway lane. As a result, it has three amber lights, which are frequently needed on vehicles this wide. It does take some effort to prevent one of those 37-inch BF Goodrich K02 all-terrain tires from rolling over the dashed white road lines. To accommodate the increased dimensions and comply with regulations, Ford modified the quarter panels and made the fender flares wider.
But despite the size, the Bronco Raptor is just as simple to maneuver on the road as its smaller siblings, partly thanks to the parking sensors and surround-view camera. Additionally, the Bronco Raptor has a special grille with more openings for increased air intake.
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The Ford Bronco Raptor’s cabin design largely resembles the standard model, but with splashes of a Code Orange shade on the steering wheel, rotary dial, door netting, and dashboard vents. Sitting in the center of the dash is a massive 12-inch touchscreen display, which runs Ford's Sync 4 system and supports both wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You'll also notice a neatly-designed 12-inch digital cluster with many features unique to the Bronco Raptor, such as customizable gauges.
Heated seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, remote start, keyless entry, a surround-view camera system, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking are all standard features on the Raptor.
There is also a plethora of optional packages, including the $2,495 leather-trimmed replacement, a $1,725 carbon fiber trim pack, and the special $2,695 Lux Package, which includes a 10-speaker audio system, adaptive cruise control, a heated steering wheel, navigation, dashboard-mounted USB ports, and wireless device charging.
Wilfred Nkhwazi is a screenwriter, actor, and sports car enthusiast from Blantyre, Malawi. He has written 2 feature films and a thriller trilogy. Wilfred is pursuing an Electric Car Technology program and spends a lot of his time writing for hotcars.com, penning down fast whips, celebrity collections, and everything else in-between. When he isn't writing, he loves to take long drives around the city, make music, and drink hot chocolate.