We compare the 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor and Everglades series.
The good folks at Ford Motor Company gave me 14 days behind two 2022 Ford Broncos. This was not the first time I was handed the keys to the new Bronco. In the Spring, I took an Outer Banks series to the beach, which was tons of fun and was turning heads. This month, I started my first seven days behind the Everglades series, followed by a Raptor series. Both vehicles offered a completely different riding experience.
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Exterior
Looking at both Bronco, they are night and day. The Everglades series is in Desert Sand and has some fun and serious accessories for extreme offroading. Right off the bat, you notice the WARN® Bronco Winch Kit and Snorkel system, which both come factory installed. The snorkel allows for the submersion of up to 36.4 inches of water. When you add the Sasquatch package, you get 17-inch Carbonized Gray-painted alloy wheels with 35-inch Mud-Terrain tires. I needed the side steps on this model for easy entry, but if you plan to offroad your Bronco, it’s best not to have any.
The Raptor series is in Velocity Blue and looks like a life-size Hot Wheel. You first notice the Unique Raptor Hood and Grille with black “FORD” lettering, followed by the massively wide fender flares that lay over the 37 inches all-terrain tires. This variation came equipped with Removeable Running Board which was much needed, as it is taller than the Everglades series. Additionally, there are heavy-duty bash plates and modular front bumper with Rigid LED fog and off-road lamps.
Exterior Winner: Everglades Series
The Everglades exterior color is impressive in person, and the offroad accessories give it a more visually pleasing stance in contrast to the overly aggressive and toy-ish Raptor series seen in the same blue offered on the F-150 Raptors.
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Interior
Both interiors are very similar. They both have Marine Grade Vinyl, Heated Front Seats, SYNC 4 – 12″ inch infotainment display, 60/40 split-folding rear seat, and push-button start. The Everglades’ has an onyx interior, whereas the Raptor has an onyx and blue combination with suede. Even the Raptor’s steering wheel is the iconic style seen in the Raptor trucks, with a single red stripe at 12 o’clock. The Raptor series also had powered seats which the Everglades did not, and I was surprised that none of the Broncos I drove had cooling seats, a must-have in Texas, regardless of the season.
Interior Winner: Raptor Series
The two-tone color really pops, especially with the suede inserts and red stitching all around, adding more value and style to the overall interior.
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Performance
These two Broncos had two different powertrains. The Everglades series was equipped with a 2.3L EcoBoost I-4 Engine, giving us that sweet turbo tone. It is matched with a 10-Speed Automatic Transmission pushing out 300 horsepower and 326 lb-ft of torque on premium fuel. On the streets, we were averaging 17.5 MPG. Additionally, it is equipped with electronic-locking front and rear axles, a 4.7 final drive ratio, high-clearance suspension, position-sensitive Bilstein shock absorbers, and high-clearance fender flares. Despite being heavier and slower, it is made for fearless offroading.
On the other hand, the Raptor is a real mean street machine with a 3.0L EcoBoost V6 Engine that sounds so good ripping down the streets in sport mode. Keeping our foot light on the pedal was hard, but we averaged 13 MPG. Matched with a 10-Speed Automatic Transmission, this beefy Bronco pushes out 418 horsepower and 440 lb-ft of torque on premium fuel. It is capable of 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds.
Performance Winner: Raptor Series