Among the many things that full-size pickup trucks can be used for is blasting across sandy stretches of open space at triple-digit speeds. Ford’s super truck is called the F-150 Raptor, and it was one of the first and possibly the most widely-known trucks for high-speed off-road adventures. The 2023 model year brings a new option to the table. A 700 hp supercharged V8 engine.

There isn’t a single F-150 from Ford that we would ever call less than “good.” The Raptor goes well beyond good, and is perhaps the most impressive high-performance pickup truck one can buy today.

Have you ever looked at an SRT Challenger Hellcat and said, “I wish I could have that type of engine in a pickup truck?” Well, you can. Ram offers a desert racer with all the go-fast and go-hard bits that you can find in a Raptor, and the TRX has a bit more of an attitude based on our testing. With 702 hp, you can be sure that all the Raptor R folks with just 700 hp will wish they were you.

The future and the present of high-performance motoring is electric. The GMC Hummer battery-electric pickup is an insane off-roader that has tricks the F-150 Raptor does not like crabwalk capability and a torque specification with an extra digit. And since it is electric, you can tell all your neighbors you drive a green vehicle as you cause local brownouts when charging.

Ford’s 2023 F-150 Raptor starts at $78,770, including the whopping $1,995 Destination charge. Dealerships in the Metro Boston area we spoke to told us that the true prices are set by the dealer and that hefty markups over MSRP should be expected. The top-trim F-150 Raptor R has a starting price north of $110,000, and again, shoppers should budget for four or five-digit dealer markups in price over the vehicle’s sticker price.

The table below shows the most common trim levels and how much they will run you.

The “base” Raptor has a V6 engine. It’s a marvel of modern machinery, but it’s still not a V8. For 2023, the Raptor R scratches the V8 itch.

Car Talk has been fortunate to test the Ford F-150 Raptor on multiple occasions on public roads. Around town, the Raptor makes friends like Dale Carnegie. Everyone respects the truck, many love it, and more than one asked us what it was with sincerity. The Raptor is a real F-150, so it is a real pickup that can do truck things. Have a friend or relative who is moving? Expect a call.

Inside, the Raptor is quite nice. Sure, it has all-weather floor mats and special graphics and tags emblazoned on it, but it is also plush, just like a lot like many luxury-priced trucks. Ford has a great infotainment system, and the center console can swallow a bowling ball. So you are comfy and coddled in a normal commute.

When you start goofing around in the F-150 Raptor, you quickly realize there isn’t enough space on public streets to make much use of it. You can floor it and do super hard launches only so many times. With feet of travel from the suspension, the Raptor isn’t really built for on-pavement speedy adventures.

What the Raptor really is good at is flying off sand dunes. Here in New England, it’s hard to find open space where you can bike, never mind launch a carbon-spewing truck through the air. So Ford has a network of private off-road places you can head to in order to experience the truck’s capabilities sort of like Disney World for people who like to put Punisher skull stickers all over their trucks, luggage, and children. Few vehicles have the Raptor's unique capabilities.

We drove both the V6 and V8 Raptors, and both have tremendous capability to move you quickly down the road. They look, feel, and sound great when at full throttle.

Let’s now discuss the safety of a 700 hp truck designed to be airborne. Come on, if you are thinking safety, you know this isn’t your ride. The F-150 is an IIHS Top Safety Pick, and the Raptor is up so high in the air on its lifted suspension that any collision is likely to involve you driving up and over what you hit. Think Monster Jam.

In the 2023 J.D. Power and Associates Durability Study, Ford was ranked very close to last. Consumer Reports predicts the 2023 F-150 will have a ⅖ reliability rating. Over the past six model years, the F-150 was either ranked a ⅕ or ⅖ for reliability. That said, halo vehicles like the Raptor often get special attention from Automakers.

The F-150 Raptor has a few packages that shoppers may want to seriously consider. The R Performance package adds the Supercharged V8 engine and has a price of $30,575. There is a glass roof and power tailgate package priced at $2,195 and a $5,250 Raptor 37 Package for those who do not get the R package that adds the largest tires (37-inches in diameter) and a sticker to let the world know in clear terms that you opted for the 37-inch wheels but opted not to get the more powerful engine.

Ford offers one of the shortest warranty durations in the automotive industry and does not have an included maintenance plan. We did a little research to see what might happen if a Raptor owner launched the truck into a high arc off a jump, landed hard, bent the frame, and fired off all the airbags. Would it be covered under warranty? Well, Ford has a page-long overview you can read that basically boils down to “not likely.” If you stuff your Raptor nose-first into a sand dune, drown, or bury your Raptor, you are likely on the hook for repairs.

• Basic: 3 years / 36k miles
• Powertrain: 5 years / 60k miles

Ford doesn’t build a lot of F-150 Raptors, so finding a used one may be a challenge. If you do find one, there are really three possible scenarios. First, the owner preserved it with the intent of selling it above what she paid for it. Second, it was abused off-road Dukes of Hazards-style, and you really don’t want to be the second owner. Third, the owner drove it as a normal truck (as far as you know.) We would not buy a used Raptor without having it very, very closely scrutinized by a mechanic and seeing the full Ford dealership service history.

Editor's note and disclaimer: Car Talk is supported by our fans, readers and listeners. When you click on some of the links on our website, we may receive referral compensation. However, you should know that the recommendations we make are based on our independent editorial review and analyses.