While a pickup truck is a rare scene in India, it is quite
popular in other countries. Pickup trucks are light-duty/utility vehicles with
a comfy cabin and open space for cargo at the rear with a tailgate. It is known
as ‘utes’ in Australian and as ‘bakkie’/bak/ meaning bowl or container in African
regions.
When it comes to the global market, GM, Ford, and Fiat make
the lead in pickups. In India, we have Mahindra Bolero Maxi Truck, Mahindra
Imperio etc mostly used for commercial purposes. You might have seen Isuzu
pickup once or twice but still, it’s not a common sight for Indians right now.
Of course, you don’t see small moveable houses being pulled
by pickups in India which is a common sight in the US, Australia, etc.
I think pickups are almost a cultural acceptance in
different countries and in India, owning a pickup is not as owning any other
car and you will be stereotyped as a laborer, blue-collar job person or many
more unless the pickup is an X-Class.
In the international market, you may see Toyota Hilux,
Chevrolet Montana, Izusu D-Max and many more
These types of pickup trucks are more of a trend than utility.
Looks and design
Raptor is one of the best-looking pickup trucks I have ever
seen and it is big really big, the width of the car is 7.19 feet and is roughly
more than 18 feet long. Still, if you look at the Raptor it’s such a muscular
and sporty looking truck. It is a beefed-up version standard F150 or you can
say raptor is on steroids. From any angle, when you look at it you will feel
the power and presence, this is a car you don't see in your rearview mirror
honking. I bet if you dress up properly in a macho or rugged way and go to a
party or something; when you get off this machine, I guarantee you that you'll
look the manliest man in that place. That is how much power and presence this
pickup gives out. D**n it would make a great monster truck
The headlight is big and half inverted trapezium if that's
the shape, the front grill is beautifully designed with a big Ford logo in the
middle. A functional vent in the upper quarter wheel arch which fits in the
design, power-folding side mirror just close to it with a camera integrated into
it(360-degree set). A long-running board with small mature design with Raptor
written over it.
Panoramic sunroof is of appropriate size for this vehicle.
Muscular lines running the from door handles from front to the back of the car
where you can see the taillight of the same design as the front one. In the
rear on the tailgate also you can find the big Ford logo, d*mn this machine is
full macho style; the logo covering the majority of the tailgate!! There is a
camera in the back, completing the 360-degree cam.
The all-terrain tires are good looking,17inch aluminum
wheels adding the significant bad boy look to it. The Raptor is 3 inch taller
than a normal F150. fitted with dual exhaust having a matte black finish
beautifully matches the design. The tailgate is super smooth and opens even
smoothly, with embedded steps so you can climb in easily.
If you have seen a Ford SVT Lightning in real or in movies;
chronologically, it is the predecessor of F150 Raptor.
The Raptor is unaltered for the 2020 model, yet still
benefits from updated adaptive Fox Racing dampers and minor trim changes that
were added to it in 2019. Three new paint colors grace the pallet: Iconic
Silver, Lead Foot, and Rapid Red are added to the new model.
Interior and Tech
Because it's 7 feet wide you can imagine how much space you
will get inside. It’s so big and spacious and so high up in the ground that
they have also given a handle so that people can pull themself up. The
dashboard is well planned and organized but the infotainment system is
something I feel should have been updated and the screen size should have been
made bigger. There are lots of storage places you can find and enough electric
charging points for everyone. When it comes to the seats, front seats are good
supportive Recaro seats, and seats are big enough for any size of people to fit
perfectly. Now when we go to rear seats because it is a super cab there is lots
of leg space and height is never an issue in this one even if there are 3
full-grown men at the back they might not even have to touch their shoulders and
sit comfortably. They have even given a bit of storage place below the rear
seats.
The Raptor's comfy, the laid-back interior is at odds with its
muscular exterior. It's best in base form, but available features such as
heated and cooled front seats, leather seating surfaces, & unique color
choices can add a touch of elegance. The Raptor's 5.5-foot cargo bed is
fantastic and a big advantage over its rivals and its interior spacious storage
is the best among rivals. Those needing a longer bed that's easier for loading
should consider the regular normal F-150.
The Raptor's touchscreen infotainment system—called Sync
3—is well equipped and easy to use. It supports Apple CarPlay & Android
Auto.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
The Raptor does its best to avoid passenger extinction with
fantastic crash-test ratings. While rivals have similar options for active
safety, Ford's full-size pickups offer several driver-assistance technologies.
Key safety features include:
1.Standard forward-collision warning and automated emergency
braking
2.Available lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist
3.Available blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert
Specification:
|
Base engine size |
3.5 Liters |
|
Base engine type |
V-6 |
|
Horsepower |
450 Hp |
|
Horsepower rpm |
5,000 |
|
Torque |
510 Lb-Ft. |
|
Torque rpm |
3,500 |
|
Payload |
1,000 Lbs. |
|
Maximum towing capacity |
6,000 Lbs. |
|
Drive type |
4X4 |
Performance:
Unlike other normal pickup trucks, Raptor is a sports Pickup
truck enough though it weighs more than 3 tones it can go 0- 100 kph is just
5.5 sec, for a car this big and this heavy its a great performance. The
current-gen raptor has dual turbocharged EcoBoost V6 which gives 450 bhp and
510 lb-ft of torque which is way more than what the previous-gen V8 use to
give. Yes for people who are obsessed with how it sounds now will be
disappointed, but even they can’t argue that it has way more performance than before.
To handle this much weight it still has FOX Racing Shocks suspension for
off-roading but now it also has active suspension which adjusts the stiffness
depending on the mode, which means on curvy roads you will be able to push it a
bit harder without much body roll and at the same time going offroading with
higher ground clearance absorbing all the bumps. It has 6 driving
modes
Normal
This mode is perfect to drive down a city road or highway,
smoothly sliding through loose traffic.
Sport
You can’t always use an SUV for offroading, you can but it won’t be as fun as a pickup, especially once you have driven a Ford pickup. The raptor in sports mode is a free-spirited beast that gives high throttle response and sportier steering feel.
Weather
When the path is not normal as it used to be, this mode helps you to drive with confidence in any weather at any condition possible. snow/wet mode automatically engages 4auto. Advance Trac, throttle response & the shift schedule optimizes for increased confidence in slippery slopes.
Mud/Sand
For the off-road track, this mode is your favorite, I can
tell now itself. The four high and the electronic locking differential
automatically engage for driving over loose or soft ground.
Rock Crawl
This setting is for an intense off-roading session, and low-speed rock climbing, which an SUV can barely do. Rock crawl gives confidence to the driver to place the vehicle in 4 Low, the electronic locking differential is automatically engaged & AdvanceTrac is set to the least intrusive settings for optimum rock-climbing effort. Throttle modulation and transmission response are optimized for best control experience. And if, the front camera allows the driver to see what’s right in front of the truck, and it can be kept on at speeds up to 15 mph.
Baja
This mode is when Raptor reaches the epitome of the competition. High-speed desert running, 4 high, Advance Trac is programmed to least intrusive settings, throttle map adjusts linear power & improved engine response, hardcore off-roading with greater control are some of the changes you’ll notice. Quicker shifts in transmission which hold the gear longer; keeping the vehicle in its powerband.
Baja Along with the individual AdvanceTrac settings tied to
drive modes, Raptor continues the Ford Performance tradition of letting the
driver program the system’s settings to match conditions and skill-level. The
driver can decrease traction control but keep stability control on with a
single press of the electronic stability control button; or, by holding the
button for five seconds, the driver can turn AdvanceTrac settings off.
As long as you select the right mode it will help do things
better then what you can hope for. It comes to life when you’re in Baja mode
and on smooth uneven sand or lose surface, in normal production SUV or Trucks u
would have to go slow but in raptor faster you go better it will be like
gliding over the uneven parts. It’s not just good for a straight line you can
even drift like a pro especially on a loose surface, it’s a truck purpose-built
to take out anywhere but not like a boring way but in a crazy fast way.
This truck will feel best in snow and sand or any place
where you won’t have to worry about speed because of big rocks and just slap
the accelerator and go as fast as you can, it will always give you confidence
that you can do it. Even while going off-roading it has around it has a
30.2-degree approach angle and a 23-degree departure angle and with the ground
clearance of 11.5 inches can get it through most of the big obstacles and is
also available with Beadlock capable wheels to grip on any surface.
With both 4 high and 4 Low gearboxes, along with that, it
can also be driven only as RWD when driving normally on the main road to
improve efficiency. It also has a system to help with the trailer while you
reverse it with a trailer attached, but its a feature I don’t think most will
use.
Final verdict:
It is an expensive truck, which is worth the price, this
type of trucks or more of a lifestyle than a necessity, mostly suited to those
who like to drive from a position high up the ground and to feel like the king
of the roads, not for those who want on-road performance but something of a
kick on every road and make everyone inside comfortable while doing it and
especially of road blasts.