Ford Bronco Raptor (US) review: 412bhp V6 dune-basher tested

Hang on, that's not a standard Bronco...

It absolutely isn’t. When Ford reinvented the Bronco for this new sixth generation it went with friendly retro styling to throw it back to the Broncos of old. The Bronco Raptor has no respect for its elders. In fact, it’s more likely to get them all drunk at the family party before egging them on to do something stupid.

In other words, it’s an absolute riot. 

Give me some details then.

The changes start in the engine bay. There’s no V8, but you do get Ford’s twin-turbo 3.0-litre EcoBoost V6 that makes 412bhp and 440lb ft. That power is sent to all four wheels through a 10-speed auto gearbox, and the standard Bronco’s chassis has been strengthened to improve torsional rigidity by 50 per cent. 

The axles are the same as the ones that Ford Performance and Dana developed for the Bronco DR race truck. They increase the track width by nearly 22cm, meaning giant arch extensions are required to cover the 17-inch wheels and 37-inch BFGoodrich tyres. Looks properly mean, doesn’t it?

The trad Raptor grille adds to the angry appearance with LED lights and retro orange daytime running lights. There’s also heavy-duty underbody protection, a burly steel front bumper, a higher-capacity clutch, an upgraded transfer case, larger-diameter inner and outer tie rod ends and Fox Live Valve 3.1 semi-active dampers. Fancy.

There’s also a new bonnet with plenty of vents to allow hot air to escape, while a new twin-exit exhaust gets active-valve tech so that you can choose when all of the good noises can also be set free.

All of those upgrades don’t come cheap mind. When Ford originally unveiled the Braptor in 2022 prices started at $69,995 (if you could find a dealer that was selling one without a mark-up). At the time of writing in 2024, you’re looking at an entry price of $90,035. Ouch.

How does it drive on the road?

As you might imagine with over 400bhp on tap, it accelerates with plenty of force. The 0-60mph sprint takes less than six seconds and once the turbos are on song it really is rather quick, even if it is a 2.6-tonne lump on off-road tyres.

Those chunky tyres do allow it to ride smoothly though, and the swish dampers mean there isn’t quite as much roll as you’d expect when you tip it into a corner. Just don’t expect Range Rover levels of refinement inside: the boxy shape means there’s quite a bit of wind noise and at higher speeds there’s plenty of road noise. But then, there’s also a standard Bang & Olufsen sound system to drown all of that out.

Gearshifts from the auto box are perfectly smooth and there are magnesium paddles behind the sports steering wheel, but really 10 speeds are too many for a manual mode to be much fun.

Is it economical?

Erm, no. In fact, you probably shouldn’t be considering a Bronco Raptor if that word is in your vocabulary. We saw an average of 12.4mpg while driving on highways and in the city. 

That’ll drop even further if you start towing of course, but you might be interested to know that the Raptor’s towing capacity is just north of two tonnes. That’s around 450kg more than a standard Bronco. 

What about when you hit the rough stuff?

This is where the Braptor really comes to the party. You get a new Baja setting added to the Bronco’s G.O.A.T. (Goes Over Any Type of Terrain) drive modes. That switches off lots of the Bronco’s safety systems and traction control while putting the exhaust into its loudest setting and sharpening up both the throttle response and gearchanges. On loose surfaces it’s massive fun. The wider track means it feels stable and secure even if things get briefly airborne. The Fox shocks soak up more punishment than they have any right too, and although there’s not too much steering feel you can still stick it in 2WD mode and do big sandy skids.

What if I don’t want to drive it like a trophy truck everywhere?

When it’s not bashing dunes, the Raptor can do rock crawling pretty impressively too. You get 33cm of ground clearance and the same amount of wheel travel up front (plus a little bit more at the rear). The approach angle is 47.2 degrees, the breakover angle 30.8 degrees and the departure angle 40.5 degrees. Seriously impressive figures.

There’s also a wading depth of just under 94cm, electronic-locking front and rear diffs and a button that’ll disconnect your front anti-roll bar from inside the cabin. Ford has struck a Goldilocks-style balance between modern tech and old-school hardware, so the Raptor will tackle ridiculously challenging trails but still requires at least a teeny bit of skill to drive off-road.

If you are looking for a helping hand, there’s Trail Control (essentially off-road cruise control), Trail Turn Assist (which brakes an inside wheel to help you navigate super sharp corners at walking pace) and Trail One-Pedal Drive (which does exactly what it says on the tin to give you greater control without needing to touch the brake pedal). 

What’s the interior like?

As standard you get a washable rubber floor and ‘marine-grade’ vinyl seats. Ford does performance seats very well and the Braptor’s are supremely comfortable. You can have leather-trimmed chairs as an optional extra, but we’d stick with the wipe-down standard trim if you’re planning on using your Raptor as Ford intended. 
 
The instrument cluster is a 12-inch LCD screen with Raptor-specific graphics and plenty of info, while the central infotainment screen is also 12 inches and gets wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Thankfully Ford resisted the temptation to throw everything into the screen, so you get plenty of physical knobs and buttons and it all feels reassuringly chunky.

Oh, and it’s worth noting that you can only have the Bronco Raptor in four-door hardtop spec, but you can still remove the roof and all of the doors if you want to give the local car wash a really tricky task after a day out off-road.

Should I actually buy one, though?

Ford may be killing off its enthusiast cars in Europe (RIP, Fiesta ST) but in the US it’s going from strength to strength. The Bronco Raptor might not have the hugely powerful and atmospheric V8 of the F-150 Raptor R, but the performance pickup is $20k more than the Bronco and, in our opinion, it doesn’t actually look as cool.

If you’ve got the space to use it – and the space to park it – the boxy, brutalist Bronco Raptor is a practical family SUV that can conquer pretty much any off-road terrain at gloriously silly speeds straight from the factory. Just remember not to add up the fuel bills.