Words: Kyle Cassidy | Photos: Tom Gasnier
Published 21 January 2023
How does the Ford Ranger Raptor measure up against the Ram 1500 TRX?
While we didn’t have the pair together, it was literally a couple of weeks between having them both through the office, and as we practically retraced the wheel tracks of the big Ram out to the coast, we can make an informed, if informal, comparison.
Same, same but different
While they aren’t rivals on price (the TRX asking $250k) or size (the Hemi has twice the capacity of the Ford’s V6, while the Raptor could almost fit in the tray of the Ram), they are based on similar concepts, that is, desert racers you can buy off the showroom floor. It’s size that ultimately defines them, and the weight that goes with it. The Ram is a full-size pick-up, and it’s full in every meaning of the word here. The Ranger is known as a compact pick-up in the US, and that makes it more wieldy everywhere.
How do they drive?
On road the Raptor is a honed weapon, with sharp, direct steering and a more manageable chassis balance. It brakes better too. The TRX uses its immense footprint to good advantage, being stable and grippy but its steering is a tad sloppy by comparison. And when the road starts to snake, the front tyres are working much harder, the TRX succumbing to understeer more easily. Its brakes go off quicker too and are without the sensitivity of the Raptor’s.
Trucking good performance
The Ram TRX (full review here) makes the better noise with a couple more cylinders and a banshee of a blower; it’s a classic V8 rumble to the Ranger Raptor’s snarling V6 (full review here). The Hemi summons a demonic 702hp, with 882Nm of torque that just doesn’t stop flowing. Even with its weighty disadvantage, it can haul away from the Raptor in a straight line with its 0-100km/h time registering in the fours, the Raptor six flat, while it’s a second quicker on the overtake. It’s flabbergasting how quickly the TRX can haul. And both are quite shocking at sucking gas too, but the TRX takes it to another level.
Go and tow?
The Ram’s tray is massive but, like the Raptor, the off-road shockers and coils on the rear end compromise payload and towing, 743kg and 3.5 tonnes respectively, the Raptor’s figures being 655kg and 2.5 tonnes. They have off-road modes, locking diffs and the like, but the sheer size and weight of the TRX means the Raptor is the one to take on more challenging trails.
Flying high
Both take flight like they were born to it, and with those long travel shockers with extra oil capacity and tuned valving, they manage the landings with grace. They romp over rough terrain, that desert-derived suspension smoothing the worst tracks, keeping the spines of those aboard from compressing. Each has myriad drive modes, almost too many. The Ram is the better sand blaster; with its extra torque and rearward bias of its AWD, it just loves spraying the filth about.
Clean car discount
In an ironic twist, the TRX is exempt from Clean Car fees as its GVM exceeds 3500kg. But you’ll need a COF every six months, and to fill its 125L tank every week, at least. The Raptor is slightly less ravenous on Premium, but its CO2 output sees it copping a $5,175 fee on top of the purchase price.
Which one to choose?
Neither truck is what you’d deem necessary. The TRX’s price ensures exclusivity, its drivetrain a unique selling point in the class. The Raptor is superior on road, and just as much fun when it comes to off-trail tomfoolery. And you can buy two of them, and a boat, for the same money as one TRX.
| Model | Ford Ranger Raptor |
| Price | $92,990 |
| Clean Car Discount | Fee + $5175 |
| Engine | 2956cc, V6, T, DI |
| Power/Torque | 292kW/583Nm |
| Drivetrain | 10-speed auto, on-demand AWD |
| Fuel Use | 12.8L/100km |
| C02 Output | 292g/km |
| 0-100km/h | 6.03sec |
| 80-120km/h | 3.90sec (110m) |
| 100-0km/h | 42.35m |
| Stability systems | ABS, ESP |
| Safety | AEB, ACC, BSM, LDW, RCTA, ALK, AHB |
| Tow rating | 750kg (2500kg braked) |
| Service intervals | variable |
| Warranty | 5 years/150,000km |
| ANCAP rating | not yet rated |
| Weight | 2475kg (claimed) |
| Model | Ram 1500 TRX |
| Price | $249,990 |
| Clean Car Discount | Exempt |
| Engine | 6166cc, V8, SC |
| Power/Torque | 523kW/882Nm |
| Drivetrain | 8-speed auto, AWD |
| Fuel Use | 19.6L/100km |
| C02 Output | 469g/km |
| 0-100km/h | 4.41sec |
| 80-120km/h | 2.79sec (78m) |
| 100-0km/h | 40.1m |
| Stability systems | ABS, ESP |
| Safety | AEB, ACC, BSM, LDW, RCTA, AL |
| Payload | 743kg |
| Tow rating | 750kg (3500kg braked) |
| Service intervals | 6 months/10,000km |
| Warranty | 3 years/100,000km |
| ANCAP rating | not yet rated |
| Weight | 3057kg (claimed) |
