Stock 2018 Raptor Versus Modified 2015 F-150 XLT in Value Battle

Raptor is a far better truck, but is it twice as good as the modified F-150 that costs half as much?

The 2018 Ford F-150 Raptor is unquestionably the most capable half-ton truck sold in the United States, combining premium interior features with unrivaled pickup performance. The Raptor can be favorably compared to any truck in the segment in terms of performance and features, but when you bring price into account, the story can change.

That is the premise of this video from the AutoVlog YouTube channel, as host Michael Vaim compares a stock 2018 Raptor to a modified 2015 F-150 XLT. With modifications, the 2015 truck cost about half that of the Raptor, but which does the he like more? The answer might surprise you.

The Trucks

The video begins with Vaim introducing us to each of the Ford trucks featured in the video. One is a 2018 Raptor that serves as his wife’s current daily driver. The other is a 2015 F-150 XLT that was previously his wife’s daily driver before she upgraded to the Raptor, but this truck has since become his daily driver.

The new Raptor is stock, but it is loaded inside and out. This includes all of the Raptor-specific exterior goodies, the high-output 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine, the 10-speed automatic transmission and a luxurious cabin with just about every gadget that you could want. The Raptor has a heated steering wheel, cooled and heated leather seats, the SYNC3 infotainment system, the big driver information screen, the drive mode system, power everything, huge glass roof, big paddle shifters and an assortment of safety gadgets.

The 2015 Ford truck is powered by the 5.0-liter V8, offering 385 horsepower and 387 lb-ft of torque in stock form, but this truck has an aftermarket cold air intake system and a Borla Atak exhaust system which might work together to add a few extra ponies. However, this truck is still well short of the Raptor in terms of power.

Along the same lines, the XLT doesn’t offer most of the interior gadgets of the Raptor. It has cloth seats, no heated steering wheel, no cooled seats and no fancy gauge cluster, but it does have a premium infotainment system and a power rear sliding rear window.

In other words, the F-150 XLT is short on power and short on features, but the drive is where the difference is best experienced.

The Drive

Vaim drives the Raptor and then his modified truck, and while he loves the ride and power delivery of the Raptor, he focuses on the fact that his 2015 with the V8 just sounds like a high performance truck should. He complains that his modified truck rides too stiff while the Raptor rides like a dream and his 2015 lacks all of the interior comforts, but when it comes to a dollar-for-dollar comparison, he prefers his modified 2015 over the new Raptor.

On the other hand, his wife prefers her pavement princess Raptor for its comfortable ride, quieter exhaust and premium features and anyone who is married knows that when the wife is happy, the guy is happy.

Join the Ford Truck Enthusiasts forums now!

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Facebook   Twitter