Ford Raptor X 2021

Exterior:

The Raptor X differentiates itself from a normal Raptor with the addition of some aggressive twin stripe racing decals, finished with a carbon-fibre twill texture that runs from the hood, onto the roof, and down to the tailgate. Couple that with the red outline, this car has an aggressive and sporty look on the road. The extended leg sports bar stretching across the truck bed also helps accentuate the truck’s ruggedness. Otherwise, the truck itself is similar to the Raptors we are used to, by far the tallest car on the Thai market with some of the most impressive tires to come from the factory. The Raptor X uses massive 285/70 R17 all-terrain tires, meaning you can take this thing anywhere – no road, no problem. Both front and rear fenders of the Raptor are wider than the Ranger, giving the car some extra ‘muscle’ to accommodate the chunky tires underneath. 

Interior:

Following the red accents and decals on the outside of the car, the traditional blue stitching seen inside the older Raptors has been replaced, in favour of a more aggressive red stitching. This ties the outside in nicely with the inside and is a welcome change. Much of the interior is similar, with some notable updates to the current Ford Sync UI. With a 12V socket charger and 3 USB ports, the Raptor X offers ample charging opportunities and even includes a very useful USB port right behind the rear-view mirror housing, perfect for a dash-cam. The front seats of the Raptor X offer good support and have a distinct pseudo-bucket seat look, with the words ‘Raptor’ embroidered onto the seatback. The rear seats are similar to that of the outgoing Raptor model, albeit the red stitching. Overall, the interior is an enjoyable and comfortable place to be for long drives.

Performance:

The Raptor X is powered by a 2-litre turbo-diesel which produces 213 horsepower. With the weight of the car being over 2 tons, you can’t help but wish there was little bit more. In Sport mode it has passable acceleration, but sadly still one of the slowest in the pick-up sector. However, this car begins to shine when the road ends. The massive FOX off-road suspension on all 4 corners of the truck give the Raptor X some incredible capabilities off-road. It can take massive bumps with absolute ease. Speed-breakers simply don’t exist anymore – that in and of itself is a luxury that more than makes up for the value of the car. With the chunky off-road tires, it handles with poise and confidence on loose surfaces. Selectable drive modes, and selectable drive to 2H, 4H, and 4L mean it is capable in all applications. It also features a lockable rear-diff, so if you’re stuck you can get yourself out of nearly any situation. The Raptor X can also wade up to a maximum height of 80cm, so traversing streams or small rivers is no issue whatsoever. I love this car on the road because of it’s sheer size and height, you are sitting above most other cars and can literally see over them. With size also comes respect in the traffic, and that is a useful thing to have when you are driving on Thai roads. I love this car off the road because of everything it can do, the possibilities and the joy are endless. Furthermore, I can confidently say that I’ve pushed this car as hard as it’ll go off-road, and never once has there been any issue – electronically or manually. Truly built Ford tough.

Improvements:

For me it has to be the power. This car needs a minimum of 100hp more for it to be interesting on the road. As it sits now it is far too underpowered, although it can be fun during the rainy season when the roads are more slippery.