2023 Ford Bronco Raptor
Starting at $85.375
Highs - Rock-crawling, desert-flying capability; 4500-pound tow rating; the 418 bucking broncos under the hood.
Lows - Fuel mileage is not its forte, ultra-wide stance fills up road lanes and parking spots, begs for the F-150 Raptor's hairier turbo V-6.
Verdict - An off-road predator with surprising versatility.
What's New for 2023?
The Bronco Raptor carries on mostly unchanged for the 2023 model year save for a new Azure Gray Metallic Tri-Coat exterior color option and revised stereo options for customers who don't have a need for the 10-speaker B&O system.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
Bronco Raptor: $85,375
The Bronco Raptor is offered exclusively in the four-door body style and a single trim level. Standard equipment includes a beefy EcoBoost V6 powertrain, a stout drivetrain comprised of a 10-speed automatic and 4.7 axle ratio, and all of the off-roading goodies required to endow this flare-fendered machine with masterful off-road prowess. A powerful B&O audio system is standard and utilizes 10 speakers, including a sub-woofer. Buyers can elect to delete the subwoofer and downgrade to a system with reduced functionality or fewer speakers, which earns them a credit of $100 to $665 depending on which they choose. We'd elect to keep the more premium sound system so we can indulge in aural delights when we aren't ripping through sand dunes or slogging through mud bogs. We'd also stick with the standard seats which are covered in marine-grade vinyl and the standard rubberized flooring as they make cleaning out the cabin much easier.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
Ford didn't put a V-8 in the Bronco Raptor, but it did manage to stuff a 418-hp twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 that makes 440 pound-feet of torque under the hood. The engine pairs exclusively with a 10-speed automatic transmission and an advanced four-wheel-drive system that works in concert with selectable G.O.A.T. (Goes Over Any Type of terrain) modes. The Bronco Raptor also has an even beefier suspension setup than the standard version to best handle powering over sand dunes or jumping through the air, and it has a much wider track that's set up for better high-speed stability. The Raptorized Bronco is equipped with Fox adaptive dampers from the F-150 Raptor as well as standard 37-inch BFGoodrich K02 all-terrain tires. It's rated to tow up to 4500 pounds too. During our initial test drive, we were impressed with the Bronco Raptor's off-road prowess both when bounding over bumpy terrain at speed and while crawling through rocky passes with the low-range gearing engaged. While the twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 doesn't have the same shove as the F-150 Raptor's boosted 3.5-liter, it had enough punch to hit 60 mph in 5.6 seconds at our test track.
