Is The Ford Bronco Raptor Worth It?

The Ford Bronco Raptor and the Jeep Rubicon 392 push the limits of off-road capability while also demonstrating the ability to maintain the ability for these machines to serve as daily drivers. While we see many entries in the market of “wanna-be” down-and-dirty crossovers, these two vehicles are the real deal and some of the most legit stock off-roaders ever offered. However, the Bronco Raptor and Rubicon 392 go about their hard-core missions with slightly different approaches. Let’s take at how they differ and see if the Ford Bronco Raptor is a good deal or not.

Bronco Raptor vs. Jeep Rubicon 392

The Bronco Raptor is hot - so much so that the 2022 model was sold out long before they were produced and if you weren’t already a reservation holder for the “normal” Bronco, you were out of luck. If you do find one on the dealership lot, don’t expect to find any sort of deal. Prior to the 2022 models arriving, some dealer markups added as much as $25,000 to the MSRP. And, don’t expect any special rebates for ordering a 2023 model either or future Bronco price increase protection.

So what’s with the hype? Beyond the Bronco cache of the standard model, the Bronco Raptor is fitted with massive 37-inch tires, heavy-duty axles that are more than nine inches wider, extremely low gear ratios and locking differentials, high-performance active suspension dampers, a push-button sway-bar disconnect, and an exclusive 410-horsepower twin-turbocharged V6. It took a lot for Ford to prepare this package and significant re-designs were necessary for parts of the frame and the majority of the suspension components and body panels. Feature-wise, the Raptor is equipped with the Mid and High Packages so it is well equipped starting out.

The Rubicon 392 is set out to be a terror on the streets and the trail. The Jeep’s design is older and its solid front axle - vs the Bronco’s independent setup - adds a level of strength and durability on the trail, however, it requires a significant sacrifice in drivability at highway speed. The Rubicon 392 is equipped with more modest 33-inch tires (with optional 35-inch tires), taller gearing, and passive dampers, but then the conversation ultimately goes to the 392 cubic-inch (6.4-liters) 470-horsepower V8 and its active exhaust, which is anything but modest.

The Jeep is also equipped with front and rear locking differentials, steel bumpers, plenty of protection underneath, and a disconnecting sway bar, meaning they both, the Bronco Raptor and the Rubicon 392, can handle more than what most people are comfortable dishing out.

Is The Bronco Raptor A Good Deal?

Realistically, finding a Bronco Raptor at MSRP is not going to be a simple task at this point in time as the demand is far outweighing the supply and Ford seems powerless or not willing to cap the increases - the Rubicon 392 has been on the market for much longer.

Paying over MSRP is not considered a good deal, but when the dust settles with the supply chains, and the nature of economics balances out, the Bronco Raptor could be seen as a steal - especially considering the Bronco's strong residual value on leases. Over the next-most capable Bronco, the price gap is less than $15,000 - a very reasonable price considering the holistic improvements from OEM-level feature integration and durability testing that help ensure this vehicle still meets the safety standards and customer expectations.

It’s certainly not for everyone, and while the engineering teams have allowed for an impressive level of road manners, the Raptor is only a good deal for those ready, willing, and able to use it.

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