Drag Race: Ram TRX Makes Short Work of Raptor

• TRX and its 702-hp engine were too much for underpowered Raptor.
• Raptor got the jump off the line yet still lost by more than a second.
• Watch the video below to see both trucks in dust-filled action.

Sizing them up

Both of these trucks are full-size pickups with wide-body kits, all the better for added stability while crushing off-road terrain at high speeds. However, they use very different equipment under the skin. For example, the TRX is powered by the infamous Hellcat engine — a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 making 702 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque in this application. Four-wheel drive and 35-inch all-terrain tires come standard. The TRX has a significant power advantage over the Raptor, but it also weighs in at a colossal 6,713 pounds.

The Raptor takes a different approach. While a new version launched in 2021, the Raptor uses the same engine it's had since 2017 — one that now feels woefully underpowered against its chief rival. This twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 makes 450 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque. Like the TRX, the Raptor has four-wheel drive and 35-inch all-terrain tires as standard, but our test vehicle had the optional 37-inch tires. Despite the chunkier rubber, the Raptor's top advantage may be weight — in our testing we measured the Raptor at 5,961 pounds, which is almost 800 pounds lighter than the TRX.

How it went down

The first race began with a standing start, and upon hearing "Go!" our Edmunds test drivers pushed both trucks for all they were worth. The Raptor got an early jump, using a quick start to nose ahead. But soon the TRX and its Hellcat engine reeled it in and pulled ahead, and they never looked back. The TRX hit 60 mph in 4.6 seconds, far ahead of the Raptor at 6.0 seconds. And at the quarter mile, the TRX reached 103 mph in 13.1 seconds. Meanwhile, the Raptor crossed the finish line at 91.2 mph in 14.4 seconds. That's a big gap.

The second race used a rolling start. This time both trucks held 30 mph up to the starting line, at which point our drivers mashed their go pedals. Both trucks use an automatic transmission, and they needed to downshift mightily to access max power. The Raptor and its 10-speed did so first, allowing it to stay even with the TRX for the first hundred yards. But then its dreams were dashed. The Raptor improved upon its previous quarter-mile performance to finish in 13.6 seconds at 92.0 mph, but the TRX clinched the victory in 12.8 seconds at 100 mph. This battle definitely favored the Ram.

Edmunds says

On off-road trails, the Raptor's big advantage is quickness and mobility. But that didn't help much in a straight-line drag race. Instead the TRX proved its muscle is no joke as it breezed to one victory after another. There are still certain instances where we would prefer to drive a Raptor, but there's no denying the thrill of kicking up dust at triple-digit speeds with the mighty roar of the TRX under your foot.