Ford Mustang vs Ford Ranger

What's the difference?

Having driven the latest example of the Mustang GT, I hope Bill Ford is true to his word and keeps the V8-powered Mustang for as long as possible. It isn’t the most razor-sharp sports car or the most powerful muscle car, but it offers the kind of driving thrills and enjoyment that have made the car an icon.

The price increase is steep but the new technology inside drags the Mustang into the modern era and will add more youth appeal to a car that is largely unchanged in concept for the past 60 years.

But now that I’ve driven it in the USA and France, I can’t wait for it to finally reach Australia.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

The Ford Ranger Raptor is a purpose-built adventure ute. It is comfortable to drive on-road and very capable off-road. 

It’s a high-end, high-performance ute with a V6 engine, an upgraded suspension set-up and drive modes aimed at making it a built-for-purpose adventure machine.

It is, however, laser-focused on doing one thing supremely well – driving at speed on unsealed surfaces – and that means it falls short in a few other areas. 

It's day-to-day drivability is less than ideal because of its size and fuel consumption and it lacks some potential as a touring 4WD because of its payload and the fact its towing capacity is below the industry standard.

But those factors aren't going to sway someone who is truly keen for the fun and thrills of driving a Raptor. 

While this is considered a ‘new generation’ Mustang, the reality is this is more of a major overhaul than a complete, blank sheet redesign. As such, there’s a lot of carry over to the design, but that’s not to say there aren’t some significant changes.

For example, it’s still clearly a Mustang in its silhouette, sharing that with the sixth-generation model it replaces, as well as the now-iconic 1960s Fastback models, but the details are noticeably different.

To try and create more differentiation between the GT and EcoBoost models, Ford has designed unique front ends for each. Both are characterised by a strong horizontal line across the front of the more angular grille that meets the new ‘tri-bar’ daytime running lights.

The EcoBoost has an upper grille similar in size to the out-going model, the GT is a much larger upper section which incorporates a pair of ‘nostrils’ as well as a bonnet vent - both of which are functional for cooling and aerodynamics.

Down the sides Ford has lowered the beltline and created a more defined rear fender ‘shoulder’ that helps create the impression of a wider car. 

At the rear the famous ‘tri-bar’ lights remain and there are unique diffusers for each model, with the EcoBoost running two exhaust tips and the GT getting quad pipes.

But it’s inside where the biggest design changes have happened. The retro-inspired cabin of the sixth-generation - which features shiny silver plastic toggle-like switches and round air-con vents - has been overhauled.

The iconic ‘double brow’ design to the dashboard, which dates back to the original 1964 Mustang, has been dropped and replaced with a pair of digital screens. There’s a 12.3-inch display for the digital instrument cluster and a 13.2-inch multimedia touchscreen.

This change is designed to appeal to a younger audience but also allows for greater customisation and variety of displays, with Ford developing six different instrument panel options depending on the setting the driver chooses.

The primary three are the 'Normal', 'Sport' and 'Track' modes, which have been inspired by the GT supercar and the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV, while there’s also a 'Calm' setting, providing only the necessary data, such as speed, in a simplified format.

The final two have been created to tailor to fans of the brand’s 1980s ‘Fox Body’ Mustang, with digital versions of its round analogue dials in both a ‘Day’ and ‘Night’ mode, with the former using white graphics and the latter getting retro green dials.

The Raptor is 5380mm long (with a 3270mm wheelbase), 2208mm wide, 1926mm high and it has a listed kerb weight of 2473kg.

This ute has been engineered – and marketed – as a high-performance off-road vehicle, so, in line with that it has a wide stance (with a 1710mm wheel track front and rear), big wheel arches, chunky side-steps and substantial tyres (BFGoodrich K02 high performance all-terrains, 285/70R17 on 17-inch alloys).

The Ford Performance Seats are embossed with the Raptor logo and there’s Code Orange accented stitching on the trim – so there’s Buckley’s chance of forgetting you’re in a Raptor.

The Raptor is one of the more distinctive-looking utes in a mainstream market flooded with vehicles of very similar appearance and, in terms of overall design, it easily takes on the likes of the Nissan Navara Warrior and Toyota HiLux GR Sport, if not besting them.

The sixth-generation Mustang copped a lot of criticism for its interior look and feel, and while it certainly wasn’t at European levels of quality it was more affordable than any European V8-powered coupe.

The introduction of the new digital displays certainly adds a more premium impression to the cabin when you get inside, but you can still see a lot of the previous generation in this model, in particular the doors and centre console.

It’s pretty practical, for a sports car, with a pair of cupholders and a lidded centre console box for small item storage. 

One noticeable issue with the screens is the control virtually everything to do with the multimedia, including the air-conditioning, so trying to make small temperature adjustments is more complicated than just pressing a physical button. 

Not surprisingly space feels very similar to the outgoing Mustang with supportive and comfortable seating up front that made long stretches behind the wheel feel easy, which is nice for a sports car.

As for the rear seats, they remain incredibly tight for space and are better for soft item storage rather than squeezing people into.

Despite the largely carried over body and interior, the boot is slightly smaller than the previous model, with the coupe measuring 376 litres compared to the 408 litres offered previously. 

The Raptor’s interior is spacious but has a welcoming cosy feel and (despite Raptor logos and Code Orange stitching throughout) the cabin retains a low-level, cool atmosphere.

All controls are easy enough to operate – a lot of functions are accessed and adjusted via the 12-inch multimedia touchscreen and sometimes you have to repeatedly jab your finger at the screen to work your way through menus and sub-menus to reach the function you need. Thankfully, plenty of functions are via tangible off-screen buttons. 

There are USB ports and a power socket up front and storage spaces in all of the usual places you’d expect: a two-level glove box, some hidey-holes (for your wallet, keys etc), a centre console, cupholders and bottle receptacles in the doors.

The sporty front seats are comfortable enough for long-distance trips and the back row is easily big enough for three kids or two adults and one man-child.

Rear-seat passengers have air vents, a fold-down armrest with cupholders and a space for a bottle in each door.

The Raptor’s tub is 1541mm long, 526mm deep, and 1578mm wide (with 1218mm between the wheel-arches). Load height is 870mm.

The tray has a spray-in tub-liner that seems quite durable, four tie-down points and a 12V socket.

Our test vehicle also had the optional power roller shutter ($3800). In the past, in any utes with a power or manual roller shutter, the storage drum for the roller shutter occupied quite a lot of otherwise useable space in the tub, but that’s no longer the case.

This Raptor is a five-seat dual-cab ute with a 3.0 V6 petrol engine and 10-speed automatic transmission, all for an as-tested price-tag of $90,440 (excluding on-road costs). It has 'Code Orange' prestige paint ($700) and a power roller shutter ($3800) included in that pricing.

Standard features include an 12.0-inch centre-mounted portrait touchscreen multimedia system (with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), a 12.4-inch customisable digital cluster, heated and ventilated leather-accented 10-way power-adjustable front seats as well as selectable steering, damper and exhaust modes.

It also has a variety of drive modes ('Normal', 'Sport', 'Slippery', 'Mud/Ruts', 'Sand', 'Baja', 'Rock Crawl'), Ford Performance-developed Fox 2.5-inch live-valve internal-bypass shock absorbers, electronically-controlled front and rear diff locks, 285/70 R17 BF Goodrich K02 all-terrain tyres, 17-inch alloy wheels, dual tow hooks and a 2.3mm steel front bash plate.

Exterior paint choices include 'Arctic White' (at no extra cost) or 'Shadow Black', 'Meteor Grey', 'Conquer Grey', Code Orange (on our test vehicle) and 'Blue Lightning' – each costing $700.

During the top secret development of this seventh-generation model there were plenty of rumours that Ford was considering a hybrid system for this Mustang. Fortunately for lovers of old-school V8 engines that proved not to be the case.

Instead it’s powered by a 5.0-litre V8 that's an evolution of the ‘Coyote’ unit from the previous ‘Stang but now featuring some technical changes, including dual throttle-bodies and separate airboxes to help improve performance. In the GT it’s tuned to make 345kW and 550Nm.

It can be paired with either a six-speed manual gearbox or 10-speed automatic transmission, both sending all the power to the road via the rear wheels.

The Raptor has a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine – producing 292kW and 583Nm – and that’s matched to a 10-speed automatic transmission.

This is an impressive set-up – punchy off the mark, smooth and refined at highway speeds – it just trucks along – and overall it offers a controlled and comfortable driving experience.

The Raptor has full-time 4WD and an electronic rear diff lock.

Its selectable driving modes include Normal, Sport, Slippery, Mud/Ruts, Sand, Baja, and Rock Crawl.

While it hasn’t been confirmed by Ford, the Federal Government's Green Vehicle Guide has the Mustang GT rated at 12.8L/100km. And while that’s quite a thirst for unleaded petrol, it shouldn’t come as a surprise given it’s a 345kW 5.0-litre V8 engine.

If you value efficiency in your American muscle car, the four-cylinder turbocharged EcoBoost is rated at 9.4L/100km. But based on previous evidence, Mustang buyers are likely to opt for power over saving petrol.

The claimed consumption figure translates to a driving range between fills of around 650km.

The Raptor has an official fuel consumption figure of 11.5L/100km on a combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle.

I recorded 14.2L/100km on this test. I did a lot of high- and low-range 4WDing and the Raptor was never working hard.

The Raptor has an 80L fuel tank so, going by my on-test fuel-consumption figure, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 563km from a full tank. 

As promised earlier, here’s how the Mustang GT felt powering through the French countryside…

But first, it’s worth acknowledging that, in truth, it wasn't hard work getting through the traffic even in the manual Mustang. While the clutch is on the heavier side, it’s got a smooth action and the engine's torque and flexibility make darting in and out of gaps in the traffic a breeze.

However,  once out on the open roads the Mustang really could run free. The V8 engine sounded fantastic bellowing out across the fields and through the quaint little villages we passed through.

As you'd expect, the V8 provides plenty of grunt, it's an incredibly flexible engine pulling hard right across the rev range and makes us appreciate even more that this now remains the last of its kind since the demise of the V8-powered Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger.

Driving the Mustang in conditions like this makes you understand why it has been such a popular sports car not only in Australia but around the world for decades.

While the manual transmission has fallen out of favour with Aussie buyers, the truth is it's the pick for this GT. The fact it has less ratios to choose from than the 10-speed automatic means it feels more urgent and (again) the flexibility of the engine allows it to shine.

Not that the auto is bad, it does a fine job, it just lacks the buzz and engagement the manual ‘box provides.

What arguably impresses even more than the engine is the handling. Having driven the Dark Horse last year and being so impressed by its handling, particularly with the 'Performance Package', there was some concern prior to driving the GT that it would feel less impressive and, dare I say, duller.

But that's far from the case. Instead, the GT feels responsive and well sorted across a variety of road conditions. While it may lack the precise handling characteristics of a European sports car, it’s clear Ford has made this latest Mustang better suited for the rest of the world, not just America.

Not that Ford has made the Mustang too serious, as the introduction of the Drift Brake demonstrates. This rally-style electronic handbrake allows you to, as the name suggests, snap the car into a slide - when the circumstances allow.

Ford finally gave us our first (official) use of the Drift Brake when it paid us up with stunt driving expert, Paul Swift, who taught us how to slide the Mustang into a parallel park.

Obviously this is not designed for road use but for those who want to take their Mustang to the track it will no doubt lead to a lot of fun and some shredded tyres.

This is a Raptor review so you might expect I’d be justified in spending the entire test doing donuts in the sand and taking on jumps that would make dirt-bikers wince, but as much as I wanted to, I didn’t. I live in the real world so my tests are about how a vehicle performs in day-to-day driving and especially off-roading. 

But to reach the dirt you have to drive a bit of blacktop – so how does the Raptor perform on-road?

Once underway, there is plenty of good news about the Raptor because it is nice to drive on road: a composed stance, impressive acceleration with more get-up-and-go thrust under foot courtesy of the V6 and comfortable ride and handling. This is an easy-driving 4WD ute.

For a vehicle intended to be a great go-fast machine on dirt roads and gravel tracks – which, of course, it is – the Raptor is a pleasant surprise on bitumen – refined and comfortable with its off-road-suited long-travel Fox suspension that soaks up the worst lumps and bumps of back-road blacktop, yielding a smoothed-out plush ride.

As a bonus the steering has a sharp feel and a nice balanced weight to it – you can cycle through different modes ('Normal', 'Comfort', 'Sport', 'Off-Road') to find your favourite – and the gutsy V6 and clever transmission is a supremely relaxed pairing. 

There are also selectable damper modes ('Normal', 'Off-Road', 'Sport') and exhaust modes ('Quiet', 'Normal', 'Sport', 'Baja'). The latter exhaust setting is only available when in off-road mode and is more of a novelty, but still fun to play around with and a cool addition to the Raptor package.

On the open highway at 110km/h, the Raptor sits nicely, with that wider wheel track giving this ute a settled posture, and it comfortably trucks along the road, no matter how bumpy that road becomes.

Then you take it off the sealed surface.

The Raptor has all the mechanicals and the tech set-up for driving dirt roads and gravel tracks at speed, there’s no denying that, but all of those factors don't necessarily make it a good 4WD or indeed a good 4WD touring vehicle. 

However, it is.

It’s smooth and refined on fast dirt tracks and gravel roads – it’s right at home. The Raptor has that aforementioned wide wheel track and, even if the terrain is particularly severe, it drives comfortably.  

And any doubts about its ability to tackle low-range 4WDing are swiftly dispelled.

I scaled several of our favourite set-piece hill-climbs without the front or rear diffs locked, and the Raptor did it with absolute control and absolute ease. 

It's very capable and ticks all the boxes in terms of ground clearance (listed as 272mm), off-road angles (approach: 32 degrees, departure 24 (with towbar, 27 without) and rampover 24 degrees) and wading depth (850mm).

There’s ample torque available and it’s delivered in an even-handed manner; the Raptor has front and rear diff locks; and the driver-assist tech set-up is comprehensive and low-key effective.

Case in point, I used 'Trail Control' mode (a form of low-range ‘feet-off-the-pedals’ cruise control) to set the speed (2.0km/h) for a steep hill and it kept the Raptor to that speed – complete control at all times, no matter how the severity of the incline changed. 

The Raptor also has an onboard 360-degree camera system, giving the driver the ability to see forward of the vehicle, which is handy because this ute has a substantial bonnet. You can't see the track in front of you over the bonnet, especially when climbing a steep hill. 

It’s such a great combination of mechanicals and driver-assist tech and Fox shocks, long wheel travel and proper all-terrain tires (BFGoodrich K02s) that it’s a near-complete package, especially in terms of being an effective off-road vehicle. 

But if you’re considering a Raptor as a touring vehicle, there are some things working against it – and those things have to do with weight. 

Payload in the Raptor, at just over 717kg, is not spectacular, but it’s in line with a lot of modern dual-cab utes. However, it’s far from ideal if you're looking at putting aftermarket equipment on it or even loading up with camping gear. 

And another thing is the Raptor doesn't have an industry standard braked towing capacity for a dual-cab ute: it can legally tow 2500kg – the industry standard for similarly sized utes is 3500kg. Unbraked towing capacity is 750kg. 

And though the driver-assist tech onboard is comprehensive and effective, the Raptor misses out on a tow/haul drive mode.

For your reference, kerb weight is listed as 2473kg, GVM is 3130kg, and GCM is 5370kg.

If you’re looking specifically for a tow vehicle, then look elsewhere, but if you're looking for thrills and fun in a capable off-road vehicle, the Raptor should be at the top of your list. 

The Raptor does not have an ANCAP safety rating because it has not been tested.

As standard it has nine airbags (front, side, knee and full-length curtain (driver & passenger and far side driver front airbag), and driver-assist tech includes AEB, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, front and rear parking sensors, tyre-pressure monitoring, a 360-degree camera and more.

There are no details confirmed at this stage but there’s no reason to believe the Mustang won’t be covered by Ford Australia’s usual five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.

Similarly, service intervals are likely to be 12 months/15,000km.

For reference, capped price servicing on the out-going Mustang GT came in at $299 for each of the first four services, up to four years/60,000km. Not bad.

The Raptor has a five-year/unlimited-km warranty. That’s in line with its rivals except for Mitsubishi, which offers up to 10 years, and Isuzu, which offers up to six years.

Servicing is scheduled for every 12 months or 15,000km and each visit costs $379 which is competitive – but check with your local dealership for the most up-to-date details.