Car Comparison: Ford Ranger Raptor vs. Isuzu D-Max Boondock

Although the pickup truck segment in the Philippines is not as cutthroat as the compact sedan and SUV market, there's still a fair bit of competition between rivals.

Considered the king of the pickup trucks, Ford's Ranger Raptor has received many accolades including being crowned as the Best Pickup Truck at the 2019 CarSifu Editors' Choice Awards.

On the other side of the arena is Isuzu's D-Max Boondock. Although not as popular as its opponent, the D-Max Boondock is just as critically acclaimed, even getting gilded with the “Best Workhorse Pickup Award” for eight straight years. But the question remains: which truck is better? Let's look more closely.

Exterior

Looks wise, the two trucks are very close, yet very far apart. The Ford Ranger Raptor sports a more modern design, sporting its signature Ford Grille and menacing LED headlamps and daytime running lights. The Ranger Raptor also has power folding side mirrors, tailgate lock, and tailgate lift assistance, a 12V outlet in the pickup bed, and 17-inch alloy wheels. The Ranger Raptor stands tall with a ground clearance of 283mm and measures 5398mm long, 2028mm wide, and 1873mm high.

On the other hand, the D-Max Boondock sports a more conservative exterior design. The Isuzu grille fitted on the Boondock may seem a little dated, but it adds a nice retro look to the truck design. The D-Max Boondock is equipped with Bi-LED projector LED headlamps with an integrated daytime running lamp, roof rails, and a cargo extender. The D-Max Boondock is a little shorter with a 247mm ground clearance and measures 5295mm long, 1860mm wide, and 1900mm tall with the roof rails included.

Interior

Inside the cabin, the Ford Ranger Raptor starts things off with a smart keyless entry system. Once inside the cabin, you will be greeted with a leather wrapped steering wheel, a fully digital gauge cluster, dual zone automatic climate controls, leather-appointed seats with Raptor accents, an 8-inch color touchscreen with Apple CaPlay and Android Auto, and six speakers throughout the cabin.

Isuzu's D-Max Boondock interior is just as impressive, with a three spoke leather wrapped steering wheel with hands free function and audio controls, leather wrapped bucket seats, an 8-inch full touch monitor, automatic climate controls, and three USB charging ports.

Safety

Since both trucks are meant to be heavy duty off-roaders, a lot of safety equipment come standard to both these models. For the Ranger Raptor, it comes with 6 SRS airbags, pre-collision Assiste with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Keep Assist, six different terrain modes, Cruise Control, Electronic Stability Control, Hill Start Assist, Hill Descent Control, parking sensors, and a rear view camera.

The D-Max Boondock comes with dual SRS airbags, Anti-lock Brake System, Electronic Breakeforce Distribution, Brake Assist, Traction Control, Hill Start Assist, Hill Descent Control, and a reverse camera.

Powertrain

Ford equips the Ranger Raptor with a 2.0 liter Bi-Turbo diesel engine that makes 210hp and 500 Nm of torque, along with a 10 speed automatic gearbox with paddle shifters.

The Isuzu D-Max Boondock is fitted with a 3.0 liter Blue Power diesel engine that comes with either a six-speed for both manual and automatic transmission.

Pricing

The Ford Ranger Raptor is the more expensive option, starting at P1.99 million, while the Isuzu D-Max Boondock starts at P1.72 million for the manual transmission variant, and Php 1.79 million for the automatic model.

Verdict

The Ford Ranger Raptor is an all-around classic pickup truck. Arguably the most popular truck in the world, this is the truck to get if you want something that looks awesome, feels awesome, and sounds awesome.

However, if you want a more reliable truck that can still take you on any kind of terrain, Isuzu's D-Max Boondock is the way to go. This dependable workhorse has proven its worth time and time again for eight years straight. 

Photos from Ford, Isuzu

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