2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor

For 2010, Ford has introduced a truly vicious version of its best-selling F-150 pickup truck.  It’s called the SVT Raptor, and the name says it all.  This dedicated off-roader is armed to the teeth with serious chassis upgrades, big power, and a sinister look.  The result is an all-terrain high-performance truck that’s built to rip through the sands of the iconic Baja 1000.  But can a predator like this hold up to the grind of the everyday commutes?

It was Ford’s Special Vehicles Team-SVT for short-that brought us the thrilling, supercharged F-150 SVT Lightning a decade ago.  Now Ford’s in-house tuners take racing caliber truck performance off-pavement, with the molten orange-black splatter-painted 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor. Sure, it’s based on the F-150 pickup, but for starters, the sand-swallowing Raptor has a seven-inch wider track as well as unique body panels from the A-pillar forward.  And did we mention a whole lot more aggression?

The black, in-your-face mesh grille is branded with Ford from headlight to headlight.  Under it is a unique Raptor bumper, and below that, an effective skid plate. Functional air vents and extractors fit the raised hood and chunky fenders, while black wheel flares underscore massive BFGoodrich 35-inch-high all-terrain tires.  And the fender arch cut purposefully exposes the shocks and suspension bits for a pure hardcore look.

Running boards, rear bumper hooks, and shiny dual side exhaust pipes finish a ready-for-battle appearance.

Right now, 4X4 Raptor power is the F-150’s 5.4-liter V-8 with 320 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque. But hold on, the main event arrives midyear, with a new 6.2-liter V8 with 411 horsepower and 434 pound feet of torque. Still, our 5.4 truck, with a six-speed automatic, and part-time two-speed four-wheel drive, laid the power down handsomely.

A new Off-Road Mode alters the throttle mapping and shift points, and the Electronic Locking Rear Differential is driver controlled. 

To meet the Raptor’s primary aim of high performance off-roading, SVT also had to make key chassis mods for one seriously beefed-up suspension. The double-wishbone front-end gets longer upper and lower arms, a new tie rod, and sturdier half-shaft joints.  At the rear, the F-150’s Hotchkiss-type leaf spring solid axle.  Together they provide a very usable 11.2 inches of wheel travel up front, 12.1 in the rear. Add to that FOX Racing Shox with internal bypass that stiffens as they travel, reducing the chances of bottoming out.

The Raptor also includes the F-150’s AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control, Hill Descent Control, Trailer Sway Control, and an integrated Trailer Brake Controller. We were super impressed with the Raptor’s comfort level over harsh ground.  The setup absorbs impacts from rocks and ditches with ease, making a heavily rutted and washed-out trail seem no worse than a back road.  And the faster you go, the smoother the drive. Gearing is excellent at low trail speeds and pulls hard on even the steepest inclines.  And throttle response in “off-road mode” is just right. 

Unlike regular full-size trucks, the Raptor is very agile and has enough articulation and tight turning angle to make a driver feel like they’re in a much smaller unit.  Whether it be sand, rocks, mud, high water, or loose dirt, the Raptor muscles its way through with a high degree of composure.

Once we got a feel for what the Raptor could do in the wild, we headed for smoother ground.  At the track, our tester scored a 0 to 60 of 8.6 seconds, and ran the quarter mile in 16.5 seconds at 87 miles-per-hour.  Our 5.4 Raptor sprang off the line and pulled strong throughout the rev band.  Shifts are quick and the engine sounded good and mean. Imagine what the 6.2 will be like.

We were not surprised that track handling also scored well. It still understeers and rolls like a big truck, but overall response was excellent.  Some of that due to steering gear that is very well-weighted with a direct feel.

Braking comes from four-wheel ABS-equipped vented discs.  Halts from 60 to 0 averaged 138 feet, with little fade.  An okay performance for a heavy truck, but it could be shorter.

The comfortable off-road ride continues on-road as well. Almost plush is our take, and most unexpected. Despite all its on- and off-road hardware, Raptor is more than capable of routine daily driver tasks.

The Raptor comes only as a five-passenger SuperCab with a five-and-a-half foot bed. With the orange accent package, the interior is just as eye-catching as the exterior.  Raptor design elements are carried through to the dash, center stack, and console. And, there is an auxiliary switchboard to make customized aftermarket lighting easy to install.

Supportive front seats mix leather and cloth.  And the black leather-wrapped steering wheel has an orange strip that acts as a directional cue for extreme driving maneuvers.

Our tester was loaded. Besides the standard Ford SYNC, it had extras like navigation and a welcomed rear-view camera. With rear-hinged access doors, the split-fold vinyl rear bench is expectedly short on legroom. But, the space is perfect for keeping bulk, like racing gear and a clean set of clothes, high and dry.

Base price for the Raptor is $38,995.  That’s about a $12,000 jump over the Base F-150 SuperCab. So the Raptor isn’t cheap, but then, for a loaded pickup, not that expensive either. And no F-150 comes close in distinction. 

If you Google Raptor, you’ll probably come up with a flesh-eating dinosaur and a fierce fighter jet.  We think the 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor embodies the same intensity in its mission to master high-speed off-road action.  This truck is fast, furious, highly capable, and impressively street worthy.  It may have been made for the sands of Baja, but it’s ready to conquer the daily grind as well.