2025 Ford Ranger Raptor 2.0 Bi-Turbo: Defense against the ‘dark arts’
In the wildly popular “Harry Potter” series, there exists a rather startling core subject in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
“Defense Against the Dark Arts” was required for students from first to fifth year – it taught how to counter harmful magic (Dark Arts), ranging from the “Unforgivable Curses” to “He Who Shall Not Be Named.” Practicing the Dark Arts was particularly dangerous because of the physical and moral corruption it brought upon people.
Although “Harry Potter” is a fascinating work of fiction, its lore continues to represent today’s problems. Instead of “Death Eaters,” we have yet another cabal of corrupt government officials (in connivance with corrupt private contractors) who may have plundered billions of pesos in public funds for “ghost” flood-control projects.
Instead of ghastly ghouls, our lives are threatened by ever-rising floods that besiege our homes and streets, even after just a few hours of heavy rain. And instead of magic wands and spells, many have turned to more realistic ways to keep going when the tides roll in.
One option is the lifted pick-up truck like the 2025 Ford Ranger Raptor 2.0 Bi-Turbo – a vehicle that would have been hilariously impractical in congested cities like Metro Manila decades ago, but somehow fits in brilliantly today.
Big brute
Size matters in the world of pick-ups and this spawn of the “Blue Oval” doesn’t disappoint.
The rather svelte body of the regular Ranger has been morphed into a creature with an unmistakable presence – enormous fender flares house blacked-out, 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in huge 285/70 series BFGoodrich K02 all-terrain tires, making the Ranger Raptor taller and wider than most unmodified production vehicles.
Complimenting these generous dimensions are the metal side steps (to help you mount this beast), a blacked-out front grill with giant “FORD” lettering, C-shaped LED daytime-running lights, hood vents and shortened bumpers that aid off-road driving by increasing the approach and departure angles.
You can haul lots of stuff in the Ranger Raptor, too, thanks to a bed measuring 1,420 millimeters long, 1,564 millimeters wide and 540 millimeters tall. Nifty things like LED bed lights, standard plastic bedliner and a 230-volt plug mean this big Ford is ready for adventures into the jungle, concrete or otherwise.
Sporty cabin
There’s a reason Ford Philippines has garnered a strong following with the Ranger – it offers pick-ups with spacious and well-appointed interiors, instead of an Azkaban prison cell.
While antiquated rivals like the Toyota Hilux and Nissan Navara are seas of black and scratchy plastics, the Ranger Raptor happily combines style, comfort and hardiness. Splashes of orange perk up the subdued ambiance of the black leather upholstery, while soft-touch suede accents on the dashboard and door cards tell everyone that you’re in the flagship Ranger.
The electrically adjustable front seats offer good support, while the 12-inch, portrait SYNC4A touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is clear and reasonably easy to navigate (something the BYD Shark DM-O can learn from). Separate controls for the strong, dual-zone climate-control system are likewise welcome.
Safety-wise, the flagship Ranger gets nothing less than the best – seven airbags, ISOFIX child-restraint anchors and a full active-safety suite with life-saving features like Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go and Lane Centering, Autonomous Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Reverse Brake Assist and Evasive Steer Assist.
Relentless poke
The driving experience is where the Ranger Raptor 2.0 Bi-Turbo really comes its own.
I normally wince at the idea of driving a pick-up truck because I would have to deal with an unforgiving ride (especially in the Hilux), heavy steering, ponderous handling and lackluster acceleration. But I thoroughly enjoyed every trip I made in the Ranger Raptor, which is essentially a “factory special” that is built to go fast on rough terrain.
This is thanks to standard Fox shock absorbers, toughened aluminum control arms, long-travel springs and a revamped Watt’s Link rear end. Adjusting the locking rear differential and four-wheel-drive system is just a matter of choosing from seven driving modes, namely Normal, Sport, Slippery, Rock Crawl, Sand, Mud/Ruts and Baja.
Put another way, the Ranger Raptor has been set up like a pick-up truck that is ready to take on a rally stage, which greatly appeals to me as a racing driver. No rut or pothole could unsettle the composure of this mighty machine, akin to the steely nerve of Professor Albus Dumbledore when faced with the worst of the wizarding world.
Meanwhile, the well-weighted steering and strong brakes (that have a slightly spongy pedal) allowed for surprisingly easy control on tarmac. But the sheer size of this pick-up makes parking in tight spaces challenging, although this is somewhat alleviated by the clear 360-degree camera and effective parking sensors.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the Ranger Raptor’s 2.0-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve inline-4 twin-turbodiesel engine – 207 horsepower and 500 Newton-meters of torque feel just right, especially when paired with the 10-speed automatic transmission. However, the gearbox occasionally struggles under full throttle.
Even through this is a four-wheel-drive pick-up equipped with all-terrain tires, the fuel economy is quite impressive. We got 7 to 10 kilometers per liter in the city and 14 to 17 kilometers per liter on the expressway.
The new norm?
The 2025 Ford Ranger Raptor 2.0 Bi-Turbo’s off-road credentials are uncertainly unimpeachable, but it was its on-road manners that really surprised me.
Instead of driving a wayward broomstick up in the air, I felt fully in control of something that was seemingly unstoppable. With 272 millimeters of ground clearance and 850 millimeters of water-wading capability, I feared no storm and no obstacle, even when the path was lined with asphalt that hides “ghosts” underneath.
At P2,468,000, the Ranger Raptor’s closest rival is the rather belated Toyota Hilux GR-S at P2,460,000. And while the BYD Shark DM-O Premium offers good value and fabulous performance at P2,298,000, it just doesn’t drive as well as the big Ford.
Until we finally vanquish real-life practitioners of the Dark Arts (as Harry Potter did with “He Who Shall Not Be Named”), vehicles with exceptional capabilities like the Ford Ranger Raptor will continue to have a place beyond their niches.
But the silver lining is here is – this king is on our side.
