It’s almost hard to believe that the Ford F-150 Raptor has been out for about a decade now and its popularity is still going strong. After all, what’s not to love about it? It’s a performance-bred truck that takes the guesswork and extra cost out of making a Ford F-150 the ultimate off-road truck that you have always wanted. And luckily, thanks to depreciation, you can now have an F-150 Raptor for under $30,000.

A little bit of history

The Ford F-150 Raptor was created by the brand’s in-house Special Vehicles Team (SVT) that was in charge of creating halo vehicles for Ford. They are credited with churning out great hits like the Ford SVT Lightning, the SVT Contour, and the SVT Focus. But in 2010, they created one of the best trucks ever produced: the SVT Raptor.

The first generation of the F-150 Raptor, which is technically called the SVT Raptor, was produced from 2010 to 2014. And the second-generation Raptor that was produced from 2014 to today is called the Ford Performance Raptor. That’s because Ford Performance absorbed the Special Vehicle Team into one group in order to produce the later generation version.

What’s the difference?

The difference between the two generations of F-150 Raptors mainly resides under the hood. The SVT Raptor was powered by a 6.2-liter V8 engine that produced 411 horsepower and 434 lb-ft of torque. While the newer Ford Performance Raptor gets its motivation via a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine that produces 450 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque.

Both trucks exhibit the same type of performance, although the sound of the big V8 is typically preferred over the turbo V6, even though the newer model is technically more fuel-efficient.

What makes a Raptor a Raptor?

Engines aside, what makes a Ford F-150 Raptor so great lies beneath the chassis, or technically all four corners of it. All F-150 Raptors are sprung by beefy suspension components including Fox shock absorbers and lots of suspension travel. This truck isn’t just built for speed, it’s built to handle all the bumps that you can plow through and even catch air without skipping a beat.

The suspensions did differ a little between the generations though. The SVT Raptors had 11.2 inches of travel up front and 12.1 inches in the rear, while the newer Raptor has two more inches all around as well as two more inches of ground clearance. The secret sauce lies in the Fox 3.0 live-valve technology that offers variable compression damping to adjust to changing road conditions. The result is an exceptional ride on-road and a tough, but forgiving ride when it’s put through its paces.

Any other differences?

Ford did update the F-150 Raptors aesthetics from the inside out between the two generations. On the exterior, the front grille and headlights are smoother on the first-generation and the tail lights between the two are different as well. Additionally, the newer Raptors benefit from a newer interior which includes tech-savvy features like push-button start, a panoramic roof, electric power steering, a SYNC 3 infotainment system, and Pro Trailer Back-Up Assist Capability with a 360-degree camera.

How much do they cost used?

If you’re looking for a newer Ford Performance Raptor, then you can still expect to pay somewhere in the $45,000 to $60,000 range depending on the year, condition, and location of the truck. However, if you’re looking to get into the SVT Raptor whose picture you probably had on your computer desktop years ago, then you’ll expect to find them in the $29,000 to $40,000 range in today’s used market. That’s a great deal considering the type of truck that you’re getting, and you don’t even have to hunt for all the suspension parts.