Ford Bronco Raptor ups the SUV’s game

The Bronco Raptor's twin-turbo V-6 is rated at 418 horsepower and 440 lb.-ft. or torque. That's pretty nice in a mid-sized vehicle such as this and it gave me no issues when I wanted to accelerate with wild abandon. You also get upgraded HOSS 4.0 with FOX Live Valve 3.1 Internal Bypass Semi-Active Dampers that supposedly gives you better off-road capability, though I never took it offroad during my week with it.

Beneath all that, 37-inch all-terrain tires promise to give you peace of mind when it comes to traction. And to keep all that stuff in good shape, there are skid plates galore.

And here's some of the stuff you get as standard equipment, according to Ford Canada's website:

• Manual Swing-gate with additional Exoskeleton Reinforcement-with up to 150-degree swing
• Flip-Up Rear Glass (four-Door)
• Hard Top (four-Door) Carbonized Grey Moulded-in-Colour (MIC)
• Removable Doors and Top
• Door Handles - Moulded-in-Colour, Black
• Body-Colour High Coverage Fender Flairs
• Fenders - Unique - Bolt-On Front and Rear
• Unique Raptor Hood
• Grille - Carbonized Grey Painted with Maker Lamps and Black "FORD" Lettering
• Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) (non-Configurable)
• LED Signature Lighting
• LED Fog Lamps
• Mirrors, Sideview - Heated, Power Glass, Manual-Fold, Black Moulded-In-Colour Finish
• Unique Heavy Duty Full-Vehicle Steel Bash Plates
• Rock Rails with Removeable Running Board
• Unique Splash Guards - Front and Rear
• Tow Hooks - two Front, two Rear
• Unique Modular Front Bumper with uniquely styled Front Bumperette and Removable End Caps with Rigid LED Fog & Off-Road Lamps

Inside, there's also an abundance of accoutrements, including:

• Dual-Zone Electronic Automatic Temperature Control
• Unique 12-inch LCD Digital Instrument Cluster (In gauge cluster)
• Rubberized Flooring - Washout Capable with Drain Plugs
• Unique Raptor branded Floor Liners - front and rear

And of course, there's the usual selection of typically automotive (not just Ford) annoyances, including:

• Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking
• Lane-Keeping System
• Blind Spot monitoring with Cross-Traffic Alert
• Terrain Management System (TMS) with seven G.O.A.T. Modes
• Overhead Console with Front Map Lights
• Auto-Dimming Rearview Mirror
• About a zillion "smart charging" USB ports
• Sport Leather Steering Wheel with Paddle Shifters, Raptor-Unique Bezel and Badge
• Manual Tilt and Telescoping Steering Column
• Hard Top Sound Deadening Headliner (requires Hard Top – well, duh!)

At least it doesn't offer front cross traffic monitoring!

It's a surprisingly comfortable vehicle to be in

And to keep you entertained, you get a lovely Bang and Olufsen audio system featuring 10 speakers including a Subwoofer. It sounds great, too! I was surprised when Ford announced a few years ago that they were putting B&O in some of their trucks, because I figured it would be a waste of some great audio technology. I was wrong, and now I hope the B&O system trickles down through the line.

To help prevent you from being really annoyed with ridiculous interfaces the company's SYNC 4 features a 12-inch Touchscreen with Swipe Capability and Enhanced Voice Recognition. I actually preferred just using it as a straightforward touch screen, something Ford does really well, and it works great that way.

And of course, you can exploit Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

It's a surprisingly comfortable vehicle to be in, once you hop up into the cabin. Seats are nice and supportive and there's plenty of leg room.

You can take off the roof, too, if you so desire. Being a bit of an oaf, I didn't even contemplate trying that!

Raptor's extra oomph is really fun to experience

The Raptor version comes only as a four door, though lesser models (Ford offers a nearly dizzying variety of Bronco models) are also available as a two door.

One thing I really didn't like was its lack of visibility through the rear window. Oh, the window is fine, but the huge spare wheel/tire combo hangs off the tailgate and intrudes on the view rearward quite a bit more than I liked.

But at least it gave me something to whine about! Thanks, Ford!

And it's actually a pretty decent beast to drive, even in the city, where its civilized demeanour belies its serious underpinnings.

I could do without the 10-speed automatic transmission. Oh, it works fine; I just think 10 gears is too many, preferring six or, tops, eight. But gas mileage pressures undoubtedly make it "necessary" (even though some other car companies don't do it), as the lower your revs (facilitated by quick upshifting if you aren't standing on the gas pedal) are, the better your potential gas mileage.

As if someone buys a vehicle like this for its gas mileage!

To be fair, if you opt for the "bottom of the line" EcoBoost, with its 2.3 litre turbo four, you get a seven-speed tranny (by which I mean transmission, not some delusion), but your horsepower drops down to 275. That's probably more than adequate for most mortals, though the Raptor's extra oomph is really fun to experience.

Ford says the Bronco Raptor can tow up to 2,041 kilograms

Or you can split the difference with the 2.7 litre EcoBoost, whose V-6 cranks out 315 horses, though the power gets to the wheels via that darn 10-speed tranny.

I wish you could mix and match, choosing which transmission you want, but such is life. And this isn't a slam at Ford; I can't think of any other company that offers such flexibility in the Canadian market. I'd just like to see consumers able to configure their vehicle however they want it beyond such things as trim packages, colours and the like.

Speaking of trim packages, you can option up the Bronco Raptor via a couple of choices, including high and lux packages and a Mid Package that offers Auxiliary Switches with Pre-Run Accessory Wires located in overhead console.

There's also a trailer tow prep package, a trailer tow package, and you can even spend a bit extra on a "Raptor Code Orange Appearance Package."

Ford says the Bronco Raptor can tow up to 2,041 kilograms, too.

I can see this vehicle being an absolute blast for the people in its target demographic. It not only is robust and pleasant, but it's also very flexible and should do a great job of getting its owners into and out of just about any place they can imagine.

Nice job, Ford!