2017 Ford F-150 Raptor: Is it worth more than 4 billion VND?

Having spent over 4 billion VND to become the first person to own a 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor in Vietnam, Ngo Ky Phong - the owner of this high-performance large pickup truck - has given his assessment after owning it for some time.

The 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor is priced at over 4 billion VND in Vietnam.

The 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor is one of the most talked-about pickup trucks on the market. While Ford introduced this model in 2015, it wasn't until late 2016 that the American automaker began announcing pricing and accepting orders for the F150 Raptor.

The 2017 F-150 Raptor stands out from other pickup trucks on the market thanks to its powerful design, featuring muscular body panels at the front, a high front bumper, wheel arch flares, and a large Ford logo on the tailgate. It boasts valuable off-road features such as a Fox sport suspension system, dual exhaust pipes at the rear, 17-inch black alloy wheels, and BFGoodrich All-Terrain KO2 tires.

Powering the 2017 F-150 Raptor is a 3.5-liter turbocharged EcoBoost V6 engine producing a maximum power of 450 horsepower and a maximum torque of 692 Nm, paired with an all-new 10-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive. Due to its high power output, Ford claims a relatively high average fuel consumption of 17.7 liters/100 km.

A special feature of the 2017 F-150 Raptor's operation is its Terrain Management System, which offers six driving modes: Normal, Street, Baja or Rock, Mud/Sand, and Weather (rain, snow, and ice), allowing the vehicle to operate on a variety of challenging terrains.

In the US, the 2017 Ford F150 Raptor SuperCrew starts at $53,140. However, a fully equipped F150 Raptor will cost nearly $70,000. To bring this high-performance pickup truck to Vietnam, car enthusiasts would have to spend at least 4 billion VND.

In Vietnam, over the past two years, pickup truck enthusiasts have continuously imported large pickup trucks such as the Toyota Tundra 1794 Edition or TRD Pro, and Ford F-150 versions like Lariat, Platinum, Limited, etc. It is estimated that there are currently nearly 30 Ford F-150s and about 12 Toyota Tundras in Vietnam, with three-quarters of these vehicles residing in Ho Chi Minh City.

In early 2017, car enthusiasts in Vietnam were abuzz with news of the high-performance, large pickup truck, the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor. By mid-April 2017, the first 2017 F-150 Raptor in Vietnam had arrived at Cat Lai Port, Ho Chi Minh City, much to the delight of car lovers.

The owner of the 2017 F-150 Raptor, Ngo Ky Phong – a young car enthusiast from the 9X generation – said: “At the end of 2016, I was torn between two large pickup trucks: the Toyota Tundra or the Ford F150 Platinum or Limited edition. After checking prices and comparing them to the F150 Raptor introduced in the US market, which didn't differ much, plus some experienced car enthusiasts advised me to buy the 2017 F-150 Raptor because it had more features, a powerful engine, and a more aggressive design, I decided to choose the F150 Raptor because its design was flawless, as well as Ford's leading off-road technologies, which I personally experienced in pickup trucks and off-road driving.”

“The process of choosing the vehicle was quite difficult, as the new model only started appearing at Ford dealerships in the US in January 2017 in limited quantities. Therefore, finding one in the US was a bit challenging. Initially, Phong intended to choose white, but then switched to blue because it's also a signature color of the F-150 Raptor. The vehicle was shipped by sea and arrived in Vietnam after nearly two months. When he received the news that the vehicle had arrived at the port, Phong insisted on picking it up within two days, causing the import team to rush to handle the procedures.”

Regarding the vehicle registration process, Phong said: “Because it was the first car to arrive in Vietnam, the procedures for getting white license plates were quite difficult. I received the car on April 12th, but it wasn't until July 15th that the inspection was completed and I could drive it on the road. It took almost two months waiting for the vehicle's procedures to be completed. Currently, after six months of bringing the car into the country and three months of driving it, Phong's F-150 Raptor has traveled 6,500 km.”

Phong is satisfied with the more than 4 billion VND he spent to own a Ford F-150 Raptor. The Raptor offers very practical value. It's spacious, comfortable, powerful, and suitable for almost all roads across Vietnam or off-road on sand without much thought. Just fill up with gas and hit the road anytime. Phong feels quite satisfied with the value for money and the benefits the F-150 Raptor provides.

While satisfied with the over 4 billion VND spent to own the large F-150 Raptor pickup truck, the owner encountered quite a few difficulties in using the vehicle.

Phong said that the initial difficulty was the car's large size, the biggest of all the cars he had ever owned, so he felt a little insecure when driving in crowded areas. After the first 100 km behind the wheel, Phong gradually got used to it. The car has many driving modes, so when selecting Normal mode, it's easy to drive in the city without the car jerking too much or being difficult to control the car's 450 horsepower.

Overall, Phong was hesitant to drive the F-150 Raptor during rush hour in Ho Chi Minh City, but navigating the city streets wasn't too difficult. The only issue was finding parking, as the F-150 Raptor's large size meant it couldn't fit into most underground parking garages in high-rise buildings and shopping malls in Ho Chi Minh City due to its excessive height.

According to TNO