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Auto Blog
15-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Ford F-150 Raptor vs Ram 1500 RHO: Super Truck Shootout
Both of these trucks have (or had) monstrous supercharged V8 versions, but we're taking a close look at the turbocharged 6-cylinder powertrains. One outguns the other. We live in a time where ridiculously powerful off-road pickup trucks are faster than many sports cars from a decade ago. These trucks are built to withstand serious abuse on almost any terrain and demand more, while also being driven daily and coddling the occupants in high-tech comfort. At the very top of the heap, the Ford F-150 Raptor (which started the recent trend) and Ram 1500 RHO (a more refined/less powerful Ram TRX) jockey for top billing. The Ford F-150 Raptor R is a different animal, and still leads the herd – but it's not as comfortable as the F-150 Raptor with the twin-turbo V6. It competes against the Ram RHO, which also has a twin-turbo I6, and they're so closely matched that it's difficult to judge each vehicle based on features; it has to be down to the brass tacks: performance. I've taken both trucks off-road, and I've driven both as commuters, and one edges out the other. 2025 Ford F-150 Raptor – $78,540 MSRP Ford F-150 Raptor Like the Raptor R, I am also excluding the Raptor 37 option, which not only comes with larger 37-inch tires but also has upgraded underpinnings, making it a substantially more expensive vehicle. I'm spotlighting the 'base model' F-150 Raptor, which comes with 35-inch BFG KO2 tires and a 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6, which makes 450 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque. Paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission, all F-150 Raptors are 4x4s, can tow up to 8,200 lbs, and have a maximum payload of 1,400 lbs. EPA estimated numbers for the Raptor V6 show 14 mpg city and 18 mpg highway. Internally, the Raptor has seen some welcome upgrades promoting better tech, more comfort, and good ergonomics. The F-150 Raptor features a 12-inch digital instrument screen and a 12-inch touchscreen with the SYNC 4 infotainment system, which is a huge upgrade over the previous model, but it can be a bit finicky from time to time. While it has standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, it kicked me off the system a few times. 2024 Ford F-150 Raptor Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. Driving the 2025 Ford F-150 Raptor on and off-road Ford managed to build a pickup that feels precise in just about any environment it drives on or through. It has an augmented engine note, which isn't obnoxious, and it amplifies the driving excitement for many. Power is quick on tap, but there is a bit of a lag. It's most notable when you're pushing on/off throttle during slow-going off-road obstacles; otherwise, it's always on full boil, and the thing flies. The F-150 Raptor comes with seven selectable drive modes: Normal, Sport, Tow/Haul, Slippery, Off-Road, Baja, and Rock Crawl. The Raptor's standard suspension consists of Fox Racing sport-tuned shock absorbers with Live Valve Technology. Upgraded suspension systems are available and standard on higher trims. Ford retains the front coil and rear leaf spring setup, but the ride never feels compromised. Ford F-150 Raptor Roush SVT Thanks to many aluminum body components, the Raptor's approximate 5,700-lb weight is fairly impressive. It's light on its toes on and off-road. In fact, its easy-to-toss-about nature is one of its greatest attributes. Compared to many beefy trucks, the base model F-150 Raptor dances. Still, one of my biggest gripes is its artificial-feeling steering setup; it doesn't feel that connected to me. Yes, it's not perfect, but no one can deny how amazing it is on any terrain. 2024 Ford F-150 Raptor 2025 Ram 1500 RHO – $69,995 MSRP 2025 Ram 1500 RHO The Ram 1500 RHO is more than a TRX without a HEMI V8. Ram did its homework and made major improvements in its suspension, driving dynamics, and tech. The end result is a better truck in almost every measurable way. It still has an 8-speed automatic transmission, and 4×4 comes standard, but it also comes with a new twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six that makes 540 hp and 521 lb-ft of torque. Yes, those numbers are higher than the Raptor's, but much lower than the TRX's. Still, this is a more efficient powertrain that's lighter and easier to drive as a daily. The RHO has an 8,380 max towing rating and a 1,520 max payload rating. It's EPA-rated at 14 mpg city and 16 mpg highway. Ram's RHO comes standard with a 14.5-inch touchscreen display and a 12-inch digital cluster display, while a 10.25-inch front passenger touchscreen is available as an option. Seating, cockpit design, and overall ergonomics are a step ahead of the Ford, although some find the controls to be cluttered. Material quality is the best in class, and you get a lot of tech for the buck. Still, I found controlling the audio (yes, it has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) to be a pain, especially jumping between XM and my iPhone. 2025 Ram 1500 RHO — Source: Ram Driving the Ram 1500 RHO on and off-road With coil-springs and air suspension backed up by Bilstein BlackHawk e2 adaptive performance dampers, it's hard to find fault in Ram's choice here. It is not only much better than the TRX it's based on, but it also outguns just about everyone as an all-around suspension system. There are nine drive modes: Mud/Sand, Rock, Baja, Valet, Auto, Tow, Snow, Sport, and Custom. While the RHO is significantly heavier (between 6,200 – 6,700 lbs) than the base Raptor, it feels slightly less tossable and thirstier than the Raptor. With that being said, it is planted and very easy to control on every terrain, thanks to better steering. 2025 Ram 1500 RHO While both trucks are as wide as Heavy Duty trucks, the Ram's girth seemed easier for me to visualize when I drove through the drive-through bank teller. The cameras, sightlines, and outward vision all seemed slightly better than the Raptor's. High-speed cornering in both is ill-advised on concrete, but the Ram 1500 RHO seems slightly more planted, while the Raptor has less bulk to shift. I found that the RHO feels far less ponderous off-road than the old TRX, and it makes for a better vehicle for climbing, shooting dunes, and blasting trails. It's so easy to make it go where you want with confidence. On the street, that feeling of easy-to-control mass makes for a fun commuter. With that being said, the turbo has more noticeable lag, and its engine sound, along with its dreadful exhaust note, sounds industrial. It's the only thing that makes me long for the TRX's musical swagger. 2025 Ram 1500 RHO — Source: Ram Final thoughts Both of these trucks look super cool with their overexaggerated fenders, lifted suspensions, and beefy tires. The Ford F-150 Raptor is more efficient, and the consumer has a ton of choices for upgrades, but the Ram 1500 RHO is far less expensive, tows more, hauls more, and is more rewarding to drive, with the exception of the engine noise. Choosing between the two wasn't easy, but I think the Ram 1500 RHO is the winner here, especially given what you get for your dough.
Auto Blog
04-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Cracked Open: What Really Ends the Life of Ford's Gen 3 Coyote V8
This Coyote V8 is locked up at over 100,000 miles, but how bad it is inside? From Muscle Cars to Trucks: The Flexible Modular Coyote V8 Ford introduced its Coyote V8 engine as an evolution of its modular V8 platform, marking the Blue Oval's return to high-performance V8s, particularly in the Mustang GT. However, this engine isn't just exclusive to the long-running muscle car nameplate – several models also made use of this versatile engine, some even outside Ford's stables. The Ford F-150 is one such model that benefits from the Coyote V8, particularly its third iteration, introduced in 2018. This generation of the Coyote received both port and direct injection, along with PTWA liners and increased bore. It even saw the birth of the 'Predator,' a 760-hp supercharged variant used in the mighty Raptor R. Dead at Over 100,000 Miles The Coyote V8 has established itself as a reliable performance-driven mill, but it's also known to be reliable, suffering only a handful of issues associated with its name. Some can reach hundreds of thousands of miles – like this example in the spotlight by YouTube engine coroner, I Do Cars. In this teardown video, we get to see a third-generation Coyote V8 from a 2018 Ford F-150, which is presumed to have reached over 100,000 miles. The engine is apparently all locked up, but further inspection revealed what killed the Coyote and what made it such a special specimen of Ford engineering. Looking Good From the Get-Go While I Do Cars was under the impression that the V8 in question was all banged up, initial inspection showed that it wasn't too bad. It rotated manually with a few internal clicks. The spark plugs appeared to be overdue, and while the intake ports were dirty, the valves were clean enough to suggest port/direct injection was helping. Further examination of the top portion showed promising revelations, with clean sections after removing the valve covers. There were no metal glitter, damaged cam lobes, or broken valvetrain parts. Interestingly, a timing chain slap was discovered as the source of the clicks, due to the unloaded oil pressure-dependent tensioners. Minimal Wear, With Only One Major Problem However, the cylinder heads showed heavy carbon and oil deposits, suggesting the engine was burning oil. One cylinder showed odd residue or discoloration, while the pistons came with a heavy carbon buildup in ring lands, suggesting oil control ring failure. Some oil rings were seized, others barely protruded, confirming oil consumption problems. Overall, the Coyote V8 engine teardown showed minimal and typical wear after over 100,000 miles (apart from the plastic oil pan), with I Do Cars claiming it is a candidate for a rebuild. It wasn't flawless, but its failure was only from burning too much oil, which led to catalytic converter damage – the only persistent problem associated with Coyote V8s, beyond issues with its 10-speed transmission.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Details of Today's Suspension Technology for Better Ride Quality
From the January/February 2025 issue of Car and Driver. Here is the key ride-quality tech found on our five test vehicles. Each of these adapts wheel control to the road surface based on input from various onboard sensors. Even tech that has been around a while, such as MR dampers, continues to get smarter with better compensation for temperature and other factors, because wheels keep getting larger, but ride can't suffer. read the full suspension testLike other adaptive dampers, these also vary damping—up to 1000 times per second—based on input from various sensors, but the adjustments are controlled in a different way. With MR dampers, the fluid has metallic particles in it, and applying a magnetic field causes them to clump together, which resists movement and increases damping. This method tends to create more damping bandwidth than the valve-based adaptive units and also allows the adjustments to happen before there's appreciable suspension provide continuously variable damping that's adjusted based on sensors and controlled by a valve that can open or restrict the passage the fluid flows through. The Spectre, the Taycan, and the Raptor R each have two such valves to control compression and rebound damping separately. This split capability is new for the 2024 Raptor's Fox Dual Live Valve dampers (pictured), which also have external reservoirs on the rear units and the ability to allow the flow of huge amounts of fluid to absorb the impacts of airborne multitalented dampers are, at their core, two-valve adaptive units, which handle the highest-speed impacts such as sharp bumps and seams. But the active part is the ability for an electric motor and pump for each corner to force fluid above or below the damper's piston to raise or lower it at will to control body movements. They work in conjunction with air springs, which support the vehicle's weight while parked. But at speed, the air springs deflate, and the dampers take over almost all the spring and damping Spectre's bars are effectively two halves of a conventional anti-roll bar joined in the middle by an electric motor. When you're driving straight, the bars disconnect for maximum comfort— minimizing head toss that hitting a bump with one wheel can induce—and the electric motor adds torque to the anti-roll-bar ends in proportion to the cornering rate to resist roll. You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
