Chevy Reaper vs. Ford Raptor: Battle of the Offroad Trucks

In 2010, Ford decided to enhance their CrewCab F-150 4×4, essentially making a legal, off-road racing truck. This was particularly innovative, and the resulting SVT Raptor had little competition.

That was until this past year, when the engineers at Lingenfelter Performance Engineering and Southern Comfort Automotive decided to produce a Chevrolet alternative: the Chevy Silverado Reaper.

As a note, the Reaper isn’t just a copy of the Silverado 1500. While they share many of the same features, there are some important differences, specifically the suspension-and-body conversion kit. Buyers can also buy Fox Racing shocks, 20-inch wheels with 33-inch off-road tires, and a unique hood and bumper.

The two trucks (the 2014 Raptor and 2014 Reaper) aren’t identical twins, either, but they also share many of the same features, including the use of HIS Xeon headlamps, Fox Racing equipment, a 17-inch beadlock and a corsa exhaust.

How do the two trucks stack up against each other in regards to their differences? We’re not trying to reveal any spoilers, but let’s just say that you’ll be racing down to your local Chevy truck dealer when you’re finished with this article…

Engine

The two cars may feature (practically) identical engines, but the Reaper is capable of cranking out significantly more power.

While the Raptor’s 6.2-liter V-8 engine produces 411 horsepower and 434 ft-lbs of torque, the Reaper’s smaller 5.7-liter V-8 engine can produce 475 horsepower and close to 500 ft-lbs of torque. The alternative 6.2-liter V-8 engine is even stronger, cranking out 550 horsepower and 580 ft-lbs of torque.

It doesn’t end there. The Raptor can accelerate from 0 to 60 in between 6.5 and 7.1 seconds, and it peaks at an estimated 150 miles per hour. The Reaper’s 6.2-liter engine, meanwhile, can accelerate from 0 to 60 in exactly 5.3 seconds, and the truck is capable of going 140 miles per hour (although the computer limits the speed to only 100 mph).

Fuel

The Reaper is a surprisingly fuel efficient truck, offering 14 (city) and 18 (highway) miles per gallon via the 5.3-liter engine and 13/17 via the 6.2-liter engine. The Raptor, meanwhile, offers 11 (city) and 16 (highway) miles per gallon.

Price

The cars both start at $48,000, with the Raptor peaking at $60,000 and the Reaper peaking at $82,000.

If this hasn’t convinced you which truck to buy, I don’t know what will! What are you waiting for? Get down to DePaula Chevy today!