Happy New Year G2 brothas and sistas! Here's my initial impressions thus far:
Specs:
Shadow Black SCREW, 802A, loaded with exception of tonneau, ash tray, and accent package. Has CF, Beadlocks, graphics, moonroof, bed divider, bed extender, spray-in liner, etc. Has 270+ miles on it now. It was delivered with 80 miles on it.
Exterior:
Very aggressive stance like the Gen1. I still think the Gen1 pushed the envelope a bit more in design in comparison to it's base model F150 of that generation but the Gen2 doesn't disappoint in this regard. In terms of sheer size, mass, stance, and that pure Raptor look -- it nails it. I personally like the graphics especially on Shadow Black and the darker colors. I do not think pictures do the graphics justice. I would have NOT gotten the graphics with any other color combination with the exception of Lightening Blue or Metallic Gray. I like the graphics to be a bit more subdued and inline with the color scheme verses popping out in contrast - just my personal taste.
Sound:
Startup is throaty (not V8 throaty) but for a V6, it has a quiet rumble from the outside. I’m simply comparing it to my wife's 2015 XSport that has the older EcoBoost V6. From the inside, I feel the cabin really dampens the exhaust note. If the enhanced exhaust note is coming into the speakers, I don’t even notice it or it is barely audible to me. When I go into sport mode and get the RPM's up, do I hear the rumble. The enhanced exhaust note doesn’t bother me at all.
Ride:
Very smooth. For a truck designed to take a beating off-road, I'm so stoked on how great it rides on the pavement. I haven't owned a Platinum or any other premium F150 so i don't have a comparison but very pleased on how smooth it handles on pavement. She definitely likes to get to the higher gears fast in normal mode which is to be expected for gas consumption. You can feel the weight and size around tighter corners but it is fun in sport mode to put it in manual and shift through. The torque and handling is impressive for a truck this large and the engine wakes up as you get into the higher RPMs. Super fun to use the paddle shifters in Manual mode. I never was really interested in other cars with paddle shifters but with this truck, I find myself using them more especially on the windier back roads.
Cockpit:
Impressive interior. My wife’s 2015 XSport is very nice as well but the bolstered seats and all the technology in this Gen2 Raptor really make it stand out. It seems everything is adjustable in this truck which I assume comes with the tech package or platinum/king ranch. Love the new Sync3. So much more responsive than Sync2 but not as advanced as my previous 2014 BMW 535i. I have the CF package as well and do love the look. The additional cup holders definitely will help with the spills from my wife and kids who also enjoy bringing open bottles and cups into our vehicles (grrrr!). The dual panel moonroof is huge. I hardly ever use them in our previous vehicles but my kids/wife love it so that made the decision for me. The rubber floor mats are also nice. I don’t see a reason to upgrade them to Weathertech as they are a little “cupped’ like the Weathertechs but not as much. They will be fine for my use. I am curious to see how the Husky storage units fit under the seat with the rubber mats there. There is a lip on the edge of the mats that I would think would prevent the storage unit from sitting flush — thoughts or experience on this?
Technology:
Don’t know where to start here. It’s got a lot of it. Read the manual and learn how to take advantage of it all. Try not to get distracted while driving as it’s easy to when you’ve got so many options. I prefer the iDrive system in the BMW for that reason as reaching for touch screens is very distracting but the voice commands seem to hedge that risk a little better now.
Tires/Wheels:
The black-out wheels really make the truck look aggressive. I highly doubt I’ll ever beadlock them myself as I mainly do soft sand driving for surf fishing and I’ve read that many Raptor owners don’t air down their tires for normal beach driving… that surprised me a little.
Accessories:
Ordered Pace Edwards Ultra Groove tonneau with Thule rack system and factory bed mat for cushion over spray-in liner. Need the rack for surfboards, SUPs, bikes, etc. Also ordered Stubby Antenna. On the fence for mud guards, rear seat husky storage box, and car cover (truck will be a driveway queen). Transferring my V1 over as well with a permanent mount and hard wire solution (eventually).
Be safe out there brothas and sistas!
