It looks like the Ram TRX finally has some competition. When Ford Motor Co. revealed its 2021 F-150 Raptor, there was a sad trombone playing somewhere in the background. We were hoping for a V-8 and got a meh V-6 instead. Today’s news, however, proves Ford still has a little fight left, and the Raptor R vs. TRX specs are an interesting read.
For giggles, we included the regular Raptor’s specs so you can see the similarities and differences.
While I’ll let the specs speak for themselves, I wanted to point out a four key takes aways.
It costs how much?
We’re certainly experiencing a little sticker shock here, because the Raptor R will have a base price of $109,145. Gulp. That’s nearly $30k more than the TRX, and we can’t quite wrap our minds around how Ford justifies this price tag. We don’t know what to say here other than, “Gulp.”
Premium fuel required
Though the Raptor R specs don’t specifically state it requires premium fuel, we guessed it would since the Ford Shelby GT500, which has the same engine, does require premium fuel. So, we asked, and Ford confirmed: The Raptor R will require premium fuel, whereas the regular Raptor with its turbo V-6 uses regular fuel.
In the Raptor R vs. TRX comparison, however, that’s a wash because TRX also requires premium fuel.
TRX still has more horsepower
I have to admit, I feel like this is a bit of a missed opportunity here. The so-called “Predator” engine delivers 760 horsepower in the GT500, but here it’s detuned to 700. Why? Why would they do that. At the very least, I’d expect 703 horsepower just to thumb its nose at the TRX. But it did not.
There better be Easter Eggs hidden somewhere on the Raptor R (like the TRX’s Tyrannosaurus Rex eating a Velociraptor on the engine cover) or I’m going to be really disappointed.
Raptor R has better ground clearance
I’m chalking the better ground clearance up to bigger tires. In the Raptor R vs. TRX comparo, you can see that standard tires on the Raptor R are 37s, whereas after doing a little tire size calculating, you can see the TRX’s are 35s. Standard tires on the regular Raptor are 35s, and the ground clearance between that and the TRX are nearly identical.
| 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor | 2023 Ford Raptor R | 2022 Ram 1500 TRX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Type | SuperCrew 4X4 | SuperCrew 4X4 | Crew Cab 4X4 |
| Base Price | $72,350 | $109,145 | $80,685 |
| Assembly location | Cleveland, Ohio | Dearborn, Michigan | Sterling Heights, Michigan |
| Engine | 3.5L twin-turbo V-6 | 5.2L supercharged V-8 | 6.2L supercharged V-8 |
| Horsepower | 450 | 700 | 702 |
| Torque | 510 lb-ft | 640 lb-ft | 650 lb-ft |
| Transmissions | 10-speed, SelectShift AT | 10-speed, SelectShift AT | 8-speed AT, TorqueFlight 8HP95 |
| Drive Modes | Slippery, Tow/Haul, Sport, Normal, Off-Road, Baja, Rock Crawl | Slippery, Tow/Haul, Sport, Normal, Off-Road, Baja, Rock Crawl | Sport, Snow, Tow, Mud, Baja, Auto |
| Front Suspension | Independent double-wishbone with coil-over shock and cast aluminum lower control arm; High-output, gas-pressurized, electronically controlled, continuously variable compression damping FOX Racing Shox, 3.1-inch damper, 0.875-inch rod diameter (standard) |
Independent double-wishbone with coil-over shock and cast aluminum lower control arm; High-output, gas-pressurized, electronically controlled, continuously variable compression damping FOX Racing Shox, 3.1-inch damper, 0.875-inch rod diameter (standard) |
Upper and lower A-arms, coil springs, Bilstein e2 Blackhawk active performance shock absorber |
| Rear Suspension | 5-link coil with Panhard rod; High-output, gas-pressurized, electronically controlled, continuously variable compression damping FOX Racing Shox, 3.1-inch damper, 0.875-inch rod diameter | 5-link coil with Panhard rod; High-output, gas-pressurized, electronically controlled, continuously variable compression damping FOX Racing Shox, 3.1-inch damper, 0.875-inch rod diameter | Five-link with track bar, coil springs, Bilstein e2 Blackhawk active damping twin-tube performance shock absorbers, solid axle |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 36 gallons | 36 gallons | 33 gallons |
| Fuel requirement | Regular | Premium | Premium |
| Fuel economy (city/hwy/combined) | 14/18/15 MPG | 10/15/12 MPG | 10/14/12 MPG |
| Cargo Box | 5 ft, 5 inches | 5 ft, 5 inches | 5 ft, 7 inches |
| Cargo Box Volume | 52.8 cu ft | 52.8 cu ft | 53.9 cu ft |
| Cargo Box Length | 67.1 inches | 67.1 inches | 67.4 inches |
| Distance Btw Wheelhouses | 51.1 inches | 51.1 inches | 51.0 inches |
| Cargo Box Depth | 21.4 inches | 21.4 inches | 21.4 inches |
| Tire Size | LT315/70 R17 (standard); 37×12.50R17LT (optional) | 37×12.50R17LT | 325/65/R18 |
| Wheelbase | 145.4 inches | 145.4 inches | 145.1 inches |
| Length | 232.6 inches | 232.6 inches | 232.9 inches |
| Height | 79.8 inches (w/ 35-inch tires); 80.7 inches (w/ 37-inch tires) | 80.6 inches | 80.9 inches |
| Width | 96 inches | 96 inches | 88.0 inches |
| Max Avail. Tow | 8,200 pounds | 8,700 pounds | 8,100 pounds |
| Max Payload | 1,400 pounds | 1,400 pounds | 1,310 pounds |
| Ground Clearance | 12.0 inches (35-inch tires); 13.1 inches (37-inch tires) | 13.1 inches | 11.8 inches |
| Aproach Angle | 31.0 degrees (35-inch tires); 33.1 degrees (37-inch tires) | 33.1 degrees | 30.2 degrees |
| Breakover Angle | 22.7 degrees (35-inch tires); 24.4 degrees (37-inch tires) | 24.4 degrees | 21.9 degrees |
| Departure Angle | 23.9 degrees (35-inch tires); 24.9 degrees (37-inch tires) | 24.9 degrees | 23.5 degrees |
| Skid Plates | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Max Water Fording | 32 inches | n/a | 32 inches |
The bottom line on the Raptor R vs. TRX
When you look at the Raptor R vs. the TRX, you can see where one might edge out the other in certain areas. But, overall, these two vehicles are evenly matched in this last hurrah for the V-8 engine.
The biggest questions I still have: How much will it cost? Will there be launch control? When is Chevy stepping up to the plate to provide its own competitor?
Hopefully we’ll be able to answer all these questions soon, so stay tuned.
For more information on the 2023 Ford Raptor R, be sure to look at our full first-look debut article.
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