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BLASPHEMY! WE DRIVE A PRIUS-POWERED 1946 CHEVY PICKUP

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1966 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN

THE PICKUP AND SUV AUTHORITY

1936 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN

SS LIKE A BO EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO THE GM HERITAGE CENTER’S COLLECTION

2017 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN

1951

CHEVROLET SUBURBAN

CHEVROLET’S SUBURBAN

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

Dream Drives Flying Ford’s Supertruck and Digging Ditches With John Deere

GRABBER™ APT

GRABBER™ AT 2

GRABBER™ X 3

All-Weather All-Purpose-Terrain

Aggressive All-Terrain

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

VOLUME 21, NUMBER 1

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SUV OUTRAGE!

24 EVOLUTION OF THE SUBURBAN 82 Years Strong

28 OPERATION MIDNIGHT Tactical Tahoe Adventure

34 2018 CHEVROLET EQUINOX Round 2: More Energetic

36 2018 SUBARU CROSSTREK Worth Its Weight In Gold

4 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

40 38 2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS VW’s Three-Row Future

40 2018 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN The People’s SUV

42 2017 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT Right Size, Not Downsize

44 NISSAN’S ACTIVE TRACE CONTROL EXPLAINED Carve Corners

28

FEATURES & DRIVES RAPTOR ASSAULT Where Fords Learn To Fly

56

2018 FORD F-150 Stronger Than Ever

50

BIG BOY TOYS Diggin’ With Deere

60

54

MASSIVE TOWING PARTS GUIDE Gear For The Long Haul

THE 1946 CHEVYOTA PRIUCK A Classic Pickup With a Prius Powertrain

54

IEW RV TE IN

46

46

56 70

JEFF NG Product Manager, 2018 VW Tiguan

IN EVERY ISSUE 08

THE DRIVER’S SEAT Out In The Woods

14

TRENDING NOW News, Rumors, Trends

12

EMISSIONS CHECK Readers Sound Off

22

RAMBLE ON A Fond Hello

74

LONG-TERM UPDATES

ARRIVAL:

2017 Ford F-150 Raptor UPDATE:

2017 Ram 1500 Rebel

76

SHOP CLASS Tenneco DRiV Electronic Suspension Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition

ON THE COVER

The Chevrolet Suburban has been around for 82 years, making it one of the longest running nameplates in all of the automotive industry. We recently had an exclusive opportunity to drive many of the historic vehicles owned by the GM Heritage Center, including the ’36, ’66, and ’17 featured on the cover. Photo: A.J. Mueller, Courtesy of Chevrolet

78

GEAR The Latest Tools and Toys For Your Ride

80

LEGENDS The V-8 Engine

82

PRE-OWNED ’07-’13 Toyota Tundra TRUCK TREND (ISSN 1094-4370) JANUARY/FEBRUARY Vol. 21, No. 1 Published bimonthly by TEN: The Enthusiast Network, LLC, 261 Madison Ave., 6th Floor, New York, NY 10016-2303. Copyright © 2017 by TEN: The Enthusiast Network Magazines, LLC. All rights reserved. Periodicals Postage Paid at New York, NY and at additional mailing offices. SUBSCRIPTIONS: U.S. and U.S. Possessions $15 for 6 issues. Canada $21 per year and international orders $27 per year (including surface mail postage). Payment in advance, U.S. funds only.

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EDITORIAL Sean P. Holman NETWORK CONTENT DIRECTOR Jason Gonderman EDITOR Phil McRae MANAGING EDITOR Brett T. Evans STAFF EDITOR ART DIRECTION & DESIGN Andy Mock SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Alan Muir CREATIVE DIRECTOR TRUCK TREND NETWORK BRANDS Diesel Power Truckin 8-Lug Work Truck Review CONTRIBUTORS Tim Esterdahl • Lazelle Jones • Sue Mead • Colin Ryan Alex Steele • G.R. Whale • Gary Witzenburg • Lyn Woodward

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THE

DRIVER’S Seat

JGonderman@trucktrend.com

Jason GONDERMAN

@Mr_JGone

Out In The Woods

I

t really should come as no surprise to anyone who’s read these pages that I enjoy the great outdoors. I’m not a hunter or fisherman, not because of any moral opposition but more because I live in the concrete jungle of Los Angeles and have grown up with the convenience (read: laziness) of living 800 feet from a grocery store. So when a friend at Nissan asked if I’d like to join a group of outdoor journalists for a weekend in the wilderness of Colorado, the answer of “absolutely” couldn’t be uttered quickly enough.

After I asked my wife’s permission, of course.

The adventure started off with getting partnered up with Mia Anstine, an avid big-game hunter, outdoors enthusiast, and freelance contributor to some of the largest adventure publications in the nation. We spent the next two days trading knowledge.

I helped her understand the nuances of our Titan XD and she taught me about the native wildlife of the Colorado Rockies. Fun fact, I saw my first moose on this trip, thanks to Mia spotting them off in a field. I would have never even noticed.

During my time in Colorado, I did my best to ride in the passenger and rear seats of the Titan XD as often as possible. Doing this job, I’ve been exposed to the Titan since before its public debut and have logged more miles behind the wheel than most people. So it was a nice change of pace to try out the truck from different angles while someone else was at the helm. Our roaming pack of seven pickups, made up of three Titans and four XDs, traversed the densely crowded freeways of greater Denver, a graded dirt mountain pass that crossed the Continental Divide at 11,482

“IT WAS A NICE CHANGE OF PACE TO TRY OUT THE TRUCK FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES WHILE SOMEONE ELSE WAS AT THE HELM.”

8 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

Photos: David Page, Courtesy of Nissan

feet, and technical rockcrawling trails that scratched and banged the skidplates with the trucks in low range and lockers engaged.

Since the weekend was geared around getting the outdoors crowd familiar with Titan, it also involved a morning of fly fishing. The truck we lucked into for the journey was outfitted with a rack from Thule and a pair of kayaks from Jackson Kayak, which attached to the Titan XD’s UtiliTrack bedrail system. They only rattled loose once, and I may or may not have

THE DRIVER’S SEAT

| Out In The Woods

hit a tree with them—the jury is still out on the latter. Nevertheless, when the early morning came, Mia took a kayak and headed for the lake while I went with the beginners to the river. Be it luck or skill, I managed to hook three fish in my first real attempt at fly fishing. And since there’s no real proof, you’ll just have to believe me when I say that they were massive even by trout standards. Or they were tiny; you can decide which version you would like to believe.

My opinion of the Titan is well documented.

I still believe that the new Titan and Titan XD are fantastic pickups and deserve to be considered in the current top tier of the market. This trip did nothing but solidify that notion. The trucks are exceptionally quiet and extremely comfortable. On rough pavement and off pavement alike, the Bilstein shocks soaked up the bumps admirably and never left us feeling abused at the end of a long day. And I’d be

remiss if I didn’t mention the kayaks and rack; aside from hitting stuff, we never noticed they were there. I expected wind noise at the very least, but even riding in the rear seat I didn’t notice our rooftop friends.

I still get questions everywhere I go about the Titan and sibling XD, and I do my best to answer all of them truthfully. And truth is I love the truck and have found very little to complain about. The haters still exist, but at this point I’ve just begun ignoring all of them, because until you’ve experienced the new

10 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

Titan, anything you say to me is invalid. Sorry.

I got to watch several people experience the truck for the first time on this trip, and it’s safe to say that they all left with an appreciation for the vehicle.

As for me, I’ll continue my love of the outdoors. I don’t care if the vehicle is stock, mild, or wild, it’s just fun to get out and do something. Fishing, however, is still not for me. Not because it’s not enjoyable, no, mostly because I’m not a morning person. And that will never change. TT

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Find the PRO-TRUCK-LIFT System for your truck at: Eibach.com/pro-truck-lift MADE IN THE USA

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EMISSIONS check MORE POWER! As a ’16 Toyota 4Runner owner, I was hoping Truck Trend could help with advice for getting more power from the 4.0L V-6 engine, without negatively affecting the warranty. I have installed a K&N air intake and a Borla exhaust on my vehicle.

John Zachary Quebec, Canada

First, the biggest elephant in the room, anything you do will in some way affect your warranty. It could range from a simple service writer giving you attitude all the way up to repairs being denied. That said, you’re off to a good start. Your next move will be a good tuner—something from Hypertech, Edge, Diablo, Superchips, or the like. Have you increased tire size? If so, regearing the axles will bring back your lost pep. And if you’re really serious about making more power, you’ll want to find the now-discontinued TRD supercharger.

pentroof, not a classic Hemi with the valves at a characteristically steep V angle. The combustion-chamber shape and angle is very shallow in these new Hemi V-8 engines.

As for the twin-spark-plug setup on these new Hemis, these engines would have likely never been emission certifiable sans the twinplug, fast-burn combustion-chamber design they use. The plugs don’t fire simultaneously; it’s a leading and trailing firing order. Basically, an old racing idea adapted for the street.

Brian Dumas Paragould, Arkansas

Thanks for the information! Chrysler’s Hemi engine is quite the legend and has a very storied history. These days, the Hemi name is as much a marketing play as a description of the head design. It’s not surprising, from an emissions and performance standpoint, that the current combustion chambers share little with their forefathers.

MILLION-MILE MAINTENANCE Loved the article about the Million-Mile Tundra. However, nowhere did I see listed the maintenance performed on the truck. I want to do the same for my ’16 Ram 1500 with a 5.7L Hemi to keep it going strong for a great long while!

Joe Nichols Summit Hill, Pennsylvania

Our best advice is to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for service intervals and replace parts and fluids with ones that meet or exceed the specifications listed. That doesn’t mean you have to have it serviced by a dealer, but be sure you do what they say.

Mr. Sheppard did little more than change the oil in his Tundra. Maybe he got lucky, but if you stay on top of preventative maintenance, it’ll give your engine the best shot at making it a million miles as well.

THAT THING GOT A HEMI? I loved the latest issues article on the history of Chrysler’s Hemi engines, but I’d like to offer a little bit of information—well, really, clarification.

First off, do not believe any stated power rating of any pre-1972 engine. It doesn’t matter what it is, the SAE method of rating engine power was very different prior to 1972. For example, it did not include the usual engine-driven accessories in place such as the water pump, power-steering pump, alternator, or A/C compressor, among others.

The other thing would be the current Chrysler Hemi engine; I am not usually a nitpicker, but I’d categorize these as a 12 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

Million-Mile Maintenance

STUCK UP My letter was published in the March/April 2017 issue for pointing out typos. You stated that Truck Trend stickers were in the mail, but I haven’t received mine yet. Was this perhaps another typo?

Rod O’Byrne Canada

Oh man, we suck. We’ll make sure we settle up with stickers to all who asked ASAP. TT

HOW TO REACH US

For all editorial questions: TRUCK TREND MAGAZINE, 831 S. Douglas St, El Segundo, CA 90245 or email mail@trucktrend.com For all subscription questions: email trucktrend@palmcoastd.com

Savings can take you to sights.

amazing

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Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states or all GEICO companies. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, D.C. 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. Š 2017 GEICO

TRENDING NOW COMPILED BY BRETT T. EVANS

NEWS + RUMORS + TRENDS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

SPECIAL VEHICLE OPERATIONS GIVES LAND ROVER DISCOVERY THE SVX TREATMENT WITH IMPROVED approach and departure angles and aggressive, 32-inch all-terrain tires, the Land Rover Discovery SVX is already a pretty interesting off-road proposition. But peek under the hood and prepare to be blown away by its 525hp 5.0L supercharged V-8.

Debuting at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Disco SVX is built by the company’s Special Vehicle Operations skunkworks—the same folks behind the Nürburgring-eating Range Rover Sport SVR. Software updates to the Discovery’s Terrain Response system improve its

surefootedness off-road, and Active Roll Control sway bars help improve articulation in the rough. An active center and electronic-locking rear differential further enhance forward progress.

Satin-finish Tectonic Grey paint coordinates well with subtle black and Rush Orange accents, helping set the SVX apart from ordinary Discovery utes. The machine you see here is technically a concept, but the company will hand-build the production SVX starting next year, and it will likely be very similar to the Frankfurt prototype.

Global Markets are Getting a Ford Ranger Raptor Next Year FORD SOUTH Africa teased its constituents with a YouTube video showing a Raptor version of the midsize Ranger pickup. With a wider track, more ground clearance, and sophisticated suspension technology, the Ranger looks to follow the same formula as Ford’s original Raptor, the F-150. The company wouldn’t release any details for the truck aside from the camouflage-wrapped pickup in the video, but we expect it to arrive in the U.S. about a year after the conventional Ranger comes here as a ’19 model. We can’t wait for a ’20 Ranger Raptor to give the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 and Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro some off-road competition.

Next Frontier to Be Built in Canton, Mississippi THE CURRENT Nissan Frontier is getting long in the tooth and will be replaced by a completely redesigned model before the end of the decade, but one thing that isn’t changing about the midsize truck is its production location. Nissan confirmed the next-generation Frontier will remain at the Canton, Mississippi, facility that has produced it since 2012.

Employing 6,400 people, Nissan Canton also builds the Titan and Titan XD, the NV Cargo and Passenger, and the Murano. The next-gen Frontier is likely going to be heavily based on the NP300/Navara/Frontier pickup already on sale in global markets.

14 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

TRENDING NOW

2019 Porsche Cayenne, Cayenne S, and Cayenne Turbo Revealed THE THIRD generation of Porsche’s popular Cayenne SUV lineup was revealed recently, with a number of changes compared to its predecessor. Foremost is the Cayenne family’s all-turbo engine lineup, starting with the base model’s 340hp 3.0L V-6. The Cayenne S gets an all-new 2.9L twin-turbocharged V-6 that makes an impressive 440 hp, while the top-dog Turbo

is powered by a twin-turbo 4.0L V-8 with 550 hoof-pounding horses.

Even though each engine is downsized compared to the model it replaces, the Cayenne will still have better performance, thanks in part to its svelter structure. Expect a weight loss of about 150 pounds across the board despite added standard equipment. Other neat

features include an available 48-volt electrical system that powers quick-thinking adaptive antiroll bars, reducing body lean and improving reflexes.

The ’19 Cayenne and Cayenne S will start at $65,700 and $82,900, respectively, while the Turbo will lighten your wallet by $124,600.

They’ll arrive in dealers by fall 2018.

2018 Ram 3500 Gets Up to 930 lb-ft of Torque

4 WHEEL PARTS HOUSTON CHIPS IN DURING HURRICANE HARVEY AFTER MAKING landfall, Hurricane Harvey dumped unprecedented amounts of rain on Texas and Louisiana, sending metropolitan and residential areas underwater. Sensing the need for rescue efforts, 4 Wheel Parts Houston Assistant Manager Craig Reitenour organized his own brigade of volunteers, braving the water with members of the off-road community whose high-clearance rigs could access flooded areas.

“The real hero here is my truck,” Craig wrote on Facebook. “It has worked tirelessly for three days now in bumper-deep water and is still going strong. Just to put the water level in this townhome community in perspective, those are 37-inch tires that you can’t see in the water. Now this area is only accessible by boat.”

Packed with food, water, and needed supplies, those lifted trucks helped keep their neighborhoods afloat, figuratively speaking, starting the post-Harvey rebuilding process.

16 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

THE DIESEL torque wars are far from over, with the ’18 Ram 3500 pickup getting 930 lb-ft of twist courtesy of its 6.7L Cummins I-6 when paired to a sixspeed Aisin automatic transmission. Those numbers vault Ram from the bottom to the top of the heavy-duty heap in terms of torque, eclipsing the Ford Super Duty’s 925 lb-ft and the Chevrolet Silverado HD’s 910 lb-ft.

Capitalizing on the truck’s newfound grunt, Ram Engineering developed a fifth-wheel hitch capable of handling 30,000 pounds, the highest fifth-wheel capacity in the 1-ton truck class. Of note, when towing a gooseneck, the Ram 3500 is limited to 31,210 pounds, while the Ford F-350 can handle 32,000 pounds. Expect Ram to throw down the gauntlet on that metric when the Heavy Duty is redesigned for the ’20 model year.

2018 FORD F-150 POLICE RESPONDER, THE FIRST-EVER PURSUIT-RATED PICKUP Ford is looking to cement its popularity among the nation’s law-enforcement officers with the ’18 Police Responder, an F-150–based vehicle that’s the first pursuit-rated pickup ever. Available only with the 3.5L EcoBoost V-6 with 375 hp and 470 lb-ft, the Police Responder is also the most powerful pursuit vehicle on the market.

Equipped with the FX4 suspension package, the Police Responder gets all-terrain tires, underbody skidplates, and a two-speed four-wheel-drive transfer case. Police-calibrated brakes, front seats with anti-stab plates and a center console delete, and a high-output 240-amp alternator set the speedy truck apart for law enforcement duty.

TESLA BIG-RIG TO SPAN 200300 MILES PER CHARGE A day cab configuration and 300-mile range will make the upcoming Tesla big rig ideal for regional routes, according to an exclusive report from Reuters.

With about a third of all trucking routes between 100 and 200 miles, a Tesla looks to offer a bit of a buffer on those regional trips. As of yet, the biggest competitor to the Tesla semi is the possible-vaporware Nikola Two, a day cab based on a hydrogen fuel-cell architecture. With an all-but-nonexistent hydrogen refueling network working against the Nikola, Tesla at least has experience with its vast Supercharger network to help it develop trucking routes.

RAM HARVEST EDITIONS MAKE NICE WITH CASE IH AND NEW HOLLAND Ram just announced it would market a truck specifically to America’s farm families, the ’18 Harvest Edition. Available on the 1500, 2500, and 3500 lines, the Harvest Edition gets a variety of functional upgrades and some cosmetic niceties, most obvious of which are two new colors: Case IH Red and New Holland Blue.

“Farmers have been asking for these colors, and Ram is proud to be the first in the industry to be able to offer them,” said Mike Manley, head honcho at Jeep and Ram. “The Ram Harvest Edition truck will allow farm families to get their work done while proudly showing their agricultural brand loyalty.”

Other extras include added ground clearance on the 1500, plus an anti-spin differential, heated seats, and bright-finish exterior accents.

Get in, under and around just about anywhere.

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2017 CHEVROLET COLORADO ZR2 MAKES COMPETITION DEBUT AT VEGAS TO RENO

THE ’17 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 made its competition at Best in the Desert’s General Tire “Vegas to Reno” race presented by Fox. Campaigning in the 7300 class, Hall Racing hooned its near-stock pickup across 550 miles of varied off-road terrain, including desert silt, mountain passes, and dry lakebeds. Aside from a mandated rollcage, 44-gallon fuel cell, racing seats, and safety harnesses, the truck is almost identical to what one might find at a dealer, even sporting trick Multimatic DSSV dampers (slightly modi-

fied for race duty). The team finished the race in just under 19 hours.

Chevrolet hinted that the Hall Racing development truck might presage future parts and accessories for the Colorado and the Colorado ZR2. “The components being tested on this truck are ultimately intended to take the already-exceptional off-road capability of the Colorado to the next level,” said Russ O’Blenes, director, Performance Variants, Parts and Motorsports for General Motors.

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NOV 16 ROADKILL GARAGE, EP 24 NOV 17 LIVE! LAMBORGHINI SUPER TROFEO EUROPE, IMOLA NOV 21 DIRT EVERY DAY, EP 71 NOV 23 HOT ROD GARAGE, EP 59 NOV 24 LIVE! VIRGIN AUSTRALIA SUPERCARS, NEWCASTLE 500 ROADKILL, EP 72 NOV 27 LIVE! MOTOR TREND AWARDS, LOS ANGELES, CA DEC 4 ENGINE MASTERS, EP 29

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Ford Dealer Builds SVT Lightning Tribute Using 2017 F-150 IT WASN’T the first sport truck, nor was it the fastest, but the Ford F-150 SVT Lightning is still one of the most famous machines in the niche market of high-performance pickups. Two generations of the Lightning were built between ’93 and ’04, but Ford has neglected on-road truck performance enthusiasts since then.

That’s where Pioneer Ford of Bremen, Georgia, comes in. Starting with a ’17 F-150 regular cab

shortbed, Pioneer swapped out the engine for a supercharged 5.0L Coyote V-8 from Roush, yielding 650 asphaltshredding horses routed exclusively to the rear wheels. The Fleetside body hearkens back to the first SVT Lightning, while the fender badges and huge five-spoke wheels link to the second version. Twin-pipe sideexit exhausts follow Lightning tradition, as does the bench-seat, sleeper interior.

Pioneer Ford will sell interested customers a neo-Lightning tribute truck for less than $50,000, making the 650hp truck a relative bargain for burnout enthusiasts.

Land Rover Tows Australian Road Train with Discovery Td6 LAND ROVER hauled a 121-ton Australian semi with seven trailers. The vehicle used? A bone-stock ’18 Discovery Td6, the turbodiesel luxury SUV with a legal tow rating of 7,716 pounds. Hitched to the Discovery via the showroom-stock, factory-installed towbar, the trailer consisted of a huge Kenworth tractor and seven trailers spanning a total length of more than 300 feet.

Road trains are used exclusively in the Australian Outback to get fuel, mineral ore, and livestock between remote towns and villages. They’re usually limited to four trailers and 175.5 feet, but Australian authorities gave Land Rover permission to nearly double those regulations. The stunt took place on a remote stretch of the Lasseter Highway.

Mitsubishi Fuso Introduces eCanter Electric Van FUSO’S NEWEST green offering is the eCanter, an all-electric truck that is now available in the U.S. following a beta-testing program at various locations around the world. With a range of more than 60 miles per charge and maximum payload of 9,380 pounds, the eCanter is a good fit for certain municipal and urban delivery routes; the legendarily brown logistics and delivery company UPS has already committed to purchasing at least one example of the eCanter. Expect to see more electric trucks like it in urban environs soon.

FORD EXPEDITION/LINCOLN NAVIGATOR AND FORD ESCAPE/LINCOLN MKC TO GET HYBRID VARIANTS Ford will release a hybrid version of the Expedition fullsize SUV and its twin, the Lincoln Navigator, by 2019. The company will also release the redesigned Ford Escape and Lincoln MKC around the same time, likely with a plug-in hybrid powertrain available as an option.

The hybrid versions of the Navigator and Expedition will likely be relatively simple, with an integrated electric motor/transmission combination providing low-speed electric-only driving and a belt-starter generator replacing the alternator for more efficient engine idle stop. We’d expect a hybridized Expedition/ Navigator to achieve about 20 mpg on the EPA’s city cycle and 26 mpg on the highway. That said, it’s also possible the Expedition and its luxury twin will be available as high-tech plug-in hybrids. We’ve spotted Ford testing what we think is a plug-in F-150, and since the pickup donates much of its powertrain to its fullsize SUV siblings, a sophisticated plug-in family hauler could be in the cards.

VOLVO REVEALS 2019 XC40, ITS FIRST-EVER COMPACT CROSSOVER Volvo introduced the all-new XC40 compact SUV recently, giving the world a look at the company’s rival to the BMW X1, Audi Q3, and more. While the bigger XC60 and biggest XC90 look somewhat similar, Volvo gave the XC40 a distinctive feel befitting its status as the smaller, hipper Volvo.

Neat styling details abound, including a contrastcolor roof panel, triangular C-pillar, and wild interior colors that include available red seating or orange carpeting. Volvo’s slick Sensus infotainment comes standard, and the company offers interior storage solutions like a console wastebasket and hooks for the driver’s backpack or handbag, preventing it from tipping over and spilling its contents all over the place.

Volvo will also use the XC40, which arrives in the U.S. in mid-2018, to debut the all-new Care by Volvo ownership program. Taking inspiration from cellphones and on-demand entertainment, Care by Volvo will give prospective customers a single all-in monthly price that includes insurance, maintenance, and regular vehicle upgrades (every year or two, depending on the program). Tiered plans may also include on-demand car washes and valet service.

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RAMBLE on Brett T. EVANS

@brett_t_evans

A Fond Hello

I

t’s the January/February 2018 issue, and that means it’s a new year for Truck Trend (even if you’re reading this in November or December 2017). I’ve been on staff with this magazine and its Truck Trend Network sister titles for three years now, and excited is the wrong word to describe the opportunity to write my first editorial.

How obvious is it that I’ve never done this before?

In any case, I’ve been proud to be a Truck Trender ever since I started my professional career after college, and I hope that writing this column each issue will give me a chance to get to know the industry (and you, the reader) a little better. To that end, allow me to introduce myself.

I’ve been an avid car and truck enthusiast since the day I could speak; heck, my first words were names and brands of the vehicles I saw in the parking lot. When I was little and didn’t want to buckle up, my mom would bribe me by telling me I’d be able to see out the window and look at cars more easily if I sat in my booster seat. Hours of my youth were spent writing letters to auto manufacturers and getting brochures in the mail.

Suffice it to say, I’m a nut.

Helping me along that path were three older siblings who took every opportunity to participate in some kind of automotive shenanigans: It was they who taught me that fast-food service trays could do a compelling impression of waterskis on empty roads and that a snowy high-school parking lot was more like a skating rink for trucks late at night.

Some of our family trucks were dedicated off-roaders, some were camping conduits, and some were usedand-abused daily drivers. But they were all well-loved!

22 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

Indeed, it was in the jump seat of my dad’s extended-cab Mazda that I first grew an appreciation for the kind of hooning that trucks could provide. While I’m older and far less reckless now, I still love taking any busted old beater down the trail and bounding around on the bumps.

I’ve had a few different trucks and SUVs in my life, starting with that hand-me-down ’96 Mazda (it was a 4x2 and hell on wheels in the wintertime). After that, I babysat my older brother’s ’82 Toyota 4x4 while he was on a two-year mission trip—and wrecked it three months before he got home (I still

“HOURS OF MY YOUTH WERE SPENT WRITING LETTERS TO AUTO MANUFACTURERS AND GETTING BROCHURES IN THE MAIL. SUFFICE IT TO SAY, I’M A NUT.”

feel guilty, bro). Quick to forgive, the same brother and I split the cost of a ’92 Wrangler in college, a machine with no power steering and 33-inch tires; driving that thing off-road was a better upper-body workout than anything a gym could provide. Then came a ’97 Chevy Suburban, a ’94 Honda Passport 4x4, and my grandpa’s old four-wheel-drive Suzuki Sidekick wagon. Other members of the family have had Nissan Hardbodies, Toyota 4Runners, and luxed-up Ford F-150 Limiteds, each used to haul landscaping supplies, camping gear, and the family ski boat.

Sadly, I must admit I’m currently truck-less, but I’m looking to remedy that with something along the lines of a Jeep Comanche or Marty McFly–grade Toyota 4x4. And until then, I’ve got the best job in the world that helps me get my fix of trucky goodness. I’m grateful for the opportunity I get each day to learn more about trucks; while I thought I was an expert when I was a kid, working with readers and industry folks over the past three years has shown me how little I actually know. TT

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COVER STORY

| Suburban Legend

EVOLUTION 82 YEARS STRONG

T

SUBU

he mission of Chevrolet’s Suburban has always seemed obvious to us: bolt a big wagon body on a tough truck chassis, and the result is better at a lot of jobs than either a traditional pickup or a station wagon. As a truck, it can do most of what trucks do, including towing and toting a lot of stuff. But as a closed-body wagon, that stuff is stowed more securely inside, out of the weather. It’s not for hauling dirt or big 24 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

By Gary Witzenburg • Photos: A.J. Mueller, Courtesy of Chevrolet cargo that needs to be loaded into and out of an open bed, but it can carry a work crew, a hockey team, or a large family and a lot of their stuff in car-like comfort and quiet.

This author’s first Suburban encounter came during college senior year after spotting an early ’50s example on a dealer’s lot. Yours truly was driving a very uncool old Ford wagon at the time, and the idea of a big,

truck-based wagon was appealing, because it would swallow a motorcycle and lots of other stuff for the trip home after graduation. That one looked good and was in surprisingly good shape. But it was slow, noisy and clunky to drive. It was an old truck, after all, not ideal for flogging over mountain roads that even the wagon handled fairly well. Ultimately, keeping the Ford was the most sensible decision.

OF THE

URBAN But the Suburban idea was planted, and over the years, we would own a used ’69, then a new ’73, for towing a race car and toting all the related stuff. Since the Suburban offered plenty of covered storage for race parts, as well as cabin seating for a lady friend and as many volunteer crewmembers as possible to help at each event, the Suburban was the obvious choice. It was the world’s greatest tow vehicle.

Did you know the Suburban dates all the way back to the 1935 debut of Chevy’s two-door Suburban Carryyall? Rolling on a 112-inch wheelbase and powered by a 60hp, 207ci (3.4L) “Stovebolt” inline-six, it could seat up to eight or carry 137.4 cubic feet of stuff with the second row folded and the third row removed. GM—and most everyone—saw it back then as a strictly commercial vehicle, 2018 JAN/FEB • TRUCKTREND.COM 25

COVER STORY

| Suburban Legend

Since 1935, the Chevrolet Suburban has gradually morphed from a commercial vehicle into a modern family SUV, but it remains the same rugged, spacious machine it’s always been.

good for hauling work crews and cargo. It wasn’t until after World War II that private customers began to see its versatile appeal.

So when Chevrolet offered Truck Trend an exclusive opportunity to drive the GM Heritage Center’s collection of historic Suburbans, we jumped at it. No matter that we would drive them around Gingerman Raceway in Western Michigan, not on public roads, since they were old, unlicensed, and in varying states of running condition.

We started with the oldest example, a ’36.

Upgrades from the ’35 included 19 more horses and 140 lb-ft of torque to move its 3,300 pounds, along with new hydraulic brakes to better slow them. A radio, clock, dual wipers, and even a heater were optional, as were the two spare whitewalls mounted on its front fenders. The central speedometer was flanked by fuel, water temperature, oil pressure, and amp gauges inside the bigthree-spoke steering wheel, the side windows rolled down, and the driver seat (like the rest) was fixed in place with no adjustment.

We started the Stovebolt six with a stepon button, crunched the three-speed floor shifter left and back into First, eased out the old clutch, and rumbled away. Not surprisingly, acceleration was modest, shifting was a chore, the steering had a ton of free play, and

1951 26 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

“A RADIO, CLOCK, DUAL WIPERS, AND EVEN A HEATER WERE OPTIONAL”

1936 the brakes seemed barely there. But at slow speeds, at least, the 81-year-old Suburban on its skinny, old Firestones handled Gingerman’s curves reasonably well. Base price back then was $685.

The decade-newer ’46—essentially a rebooted ’42, since U.S. private vehicle production ceased during World War II— boasted 90 hp and a fairly hefty 165 lb-ft from its updated 216.5ci (3.8L) six, plus a new instrument panel and improved interior trim,

2017

2017 but it was otherwise not much different from the ’36, apart from more modern styling and a 3-inch wheelbase stretch to 115 inches. Its clutch was stronger, and it ran a bit better, but it had the same three-speed floor shift, fixed seats, wonky steering and weak brakes. Base price: $1,350.

The ’51—same vintage we’d driven in college—wore new-for-’48 styling inside and out on a 116-inch wheelbase, a choice of side-opening “barn doors” or top-hinged tailgate out back, and double-acting shocks said to give “superb riding comfort.” Renamed “Thriftmaster,” the old six cranked out 92 ponies and 176 lb-ft to motivate its 3,640pound base curb weight. Its side windows slid open instead of rolling down, its three-speed shifter was column mounted, and (hooray!) its driver seat adjusted fore/aft. This fine example had just 30 miles on its clock, so it drove surprisingly well apart from sloppy steering and weak brakes. Base price: $1,818.

Next was a high-riding four-wheel-drive ’66 powered by a 175 hp, 275 lb-ft, 283ci (4.6L) small-block V-8. In its last year before a ’67 redo, it offered more comfort and amenities and new safety features including seatbelts, back-up lights, and two-speed wipers. The standard 230ci (3.8L) six drove its rear wheels through a “three-on-the-tree” transmission, while the 283 V-8, a 220 hp 327 (5.4L) V-8 and a “four-on-the-floor” gearbox were optional. It also drove more like a modern truck, though its rockcrawler driveline made First gear near useless on pavement and Fourth feel like Third at 35 mph. Some 13,000 ’66 Suburbans were sold starting at $3,250.

The ’72—one year before an all-new ’73—brought a new level of performance and dynamics with its 175 hp, 350 lb-ft, 350ci (5.7L) V-8. Significantly longer on a 127-inch wheelbase, this generation had a unique three-door body (one for the driver, two on the passenger side) and much more cargo room behind its third row. Standard front-disc brakes were offered beginning in ’71, and engine choices ranged up to a 402ci (6.6L) big-block V-8. This ’72, with its 350 V-8 and four-speed manual (three-speed automatic was an option), drove well with good handling and much better steering and brakes. More than 27,000 ’72s were sold with a base price of $2,930.

The much more refined ’90 rode on the longer

1936 129.5-inch wheelbase platform launched for ’73 with more comfort and more carlike dynamics for the growing number of folks using Suburbans as personal vehicles capable of towing trailers on demand. Gentrification continued for ’87 with electronic fuel injection and a four-speed overdrive automatic transmission, and antilock brakes were offered in ’88. By ’90, a 5.7L V-8 was standard and a 7.4L big-block was available for those who needed more. The very civilized 210 hp, 300 lb-ft, 5.7L V-8, four-speed automatic 4WD example we drove handled, rode, steered, and braked much like a modern truck, despite its 28-year age. With a base curb weight

of 4,500 pounds and a $15,165 base price, ’90 Suburban sales approached 63,000.

Finally, we had to try the fully loaded, $77,805, ’17 Suburban that Chevy had on hand. Wow, what a sweetheart this popular wagon has grown up to be! Even driven fairly aggressively around the 2.1-mile Gingerman road-racing course, its 5.3L Ecotec3 V-8 delivered plenty of power (with 18-mpg EPA combined economy), its highly developed suspension handled both slow and fast corners with aplomb, and its full-featured cabin offered luxury car-like comfort and quiet. Other choices are on the market, but this is certainly the best Suburban yet and one of the best vehicles ever at combining towing prowess with rugged capability and passenger space. TT

2018 JAN/FEB • TRUCKTREND.COM 27

FIRST DRIVE

| 2017 Chevrolet Tahoe Midnight

OPERATION MIDNIGHT TACTICAL TAHOE ADVENTURE_

By Lyn Woodward • Photos: Courtesy of Chevrolet

FADE IN A CONVOY of blacked-out ’17 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban Midnight Edition SUVs haul ass along an unpaved road. The trucks ahead of us are periodically obscured by a swirl of kicked-up dust. Other than the steady ping of rocks along the underbody, the Tahoe we’re in is dead silent. We’re heading into The Range Complex (TRC), which looks like the isolated compound of some clandestine faction. The miles-long dirt road winds its way toward mobile trailers in the distance.

What the hell is this place?

TRC is a Special Forces military training facility owned and operated by ex–Delta Force Lt. Col. James Reece. It provides tactical live-fire combat training as well as strategic communication courses to the military, government, law-enforcement agencies, and civilians. Reece’s team, some of whom are both instructors here and operations specialists for military and private contractors, are all either Special Forces veterans or active duty— primarily Delta Force.

More commonly known as The Unit, Delta Force is the Army’s elite special-mission military outfit formed in the late-1970s to respond to incidents such as the Iranian hostage crisis. The Department of Defense sends The Unit in primarily for hostage rescue, counterterrorism missions, special reconnaissance, and the elimination of high-

value targets. Until now, the closest we have ever gotten to guys like this in action was watching Chuck Norris movies.

Qualified to operate literally any vehicle, from a B6 Armored Suburban transporting the president through downtown Baghdad on Thanksgiving or a jinga truck heading up the Hindu Kush in Afghanistan to a jalopy hunting Pablo Escobar in Columbia, only the most experienced guys in The Unit get behind the wheel. Chevy SUVs have long played a significant role in the military and private security

2018 JAN/FEB • TRUCKTREND.COM 29

FIRST DRIVE

| 2017 Chevrolet Tahoe Midnight

world, from Sarajevo to Bogotá to Beirut. The fullsize, body-on-frame Tahoe and Suburban are simply another piece of extremely specialized high-tech gear The Unit takes into battle.

For folks like us, we want our Subs and Tahoes with active fuel management, wireless phone chargers, and stuff to make sure your teenager doesn’t text and drive. For them, they want reinforced armor and bulletproof glass.

Dust lingers heavy in the muggy North Carolina twilight, and we adjust our eyes to the pale watercolor sky as the sun begins to set. We’re escorted to an open-air concrete bunker called the Shoot House. A wooden catwalk stretches across it where the roof should be. After a quick briefing, our group is fitted with helmets and Kevlar vests and ordered to ascend the stairs toward the platform above the structure. Targets are positioned in the various corners inside awaiting their fates. A man in a thickly padded suit used to train attack dogs stands facing a dilapidated wood door barely on its hinges.

The flak jacket feels like it weighs 50 pounds and hangs heavy on our shoulders, compressing our chest and lungs. But when live ammo is about to be fired in various directions some 10 feet below you, you put on the body armor. In the distance, a pitch-black Tahoe screams toward the building over which we now stand. Theirs is no leisurely press drive. The Tahoe skids to a halt and five hulking men decked head-to-toe in camo and full tactical gear explode out of the vehicle.

This isn’t make-believe anymore.

A black Labrador lunges through the busted down door and is on the “bad guy” in his bite-proof suit in an instant. Carrying an array of rifles and 9mm pistols, the soldiers weave in and out of the concrete walled rooms in a close quarter battle training demonstration, shooting at targets with choreographed precision. Gunfire explodes below us. This

Driving at night without headlights is made possible thanks to this night-vision monocular, affixed to our intrepid author’s head via a “skullcrusher” cap.

“GUNFIRE EXPLODES BELOW US. THIS IS A TEAM COMPRISED OF SOME OF THE WORLD’S FINEST SURGICAL SHOOTERS.” is a team comprised of some of the world’s finest surgical shooters. Years of training allow them to maintain composure in the highest-stress situations a human being could experience. No, Starbucks getting your name wrong isn’t one of them. They’re about pursing brilliance by mastering the basics, whether it’s shooting at insurgents launching grenades at their heads or driving 150 mph while taking hostile fire.

Earlier in the day, before he got suited up, we were paired with a TRC operative on a 90-minute drive from Raleigh to Fayetteville.

“Pick a vehicle and let’s head out,” we were told. We walked to the third Tahoe in line and looked around for a beat. The sandy blond head of an all-American guy who, dressed in civilian clothes, looks like your average Internet start-up employee poked around the intimidating and dead-sexy Tahoe LT

Rugged body-on-frame construction, a stout V-8, and plenty of interior room help keep soldiers—and their gear—safe and on the move. Below-right, these trucks are equipped with infrared lights invisible to the naked eye.

Midnight Edition with blacked-out windows.

He introduced himself, sort of. For our purposes, we’ll call him “J” and leave it at that. Keeping these men safe is priority one, so were told in no uncertain terms that photography of the ops guys’ faces was not permitted. Plenty of very bad people scour social media trying to find whatever information they can. Enough said. “I heard I’m not responsible for it, and neither are you. So drive it like you stole it,” J said as he cracked a mischievous smile while we rolled out. His unidentifiable accent wouldn’t place him from any particular region of the country like some of the other guys.

The Tahoe’s acceleration proved impressive for a 5,600-pound SUV. Its 5.3L EcoTec V-8 puts down 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque backed by a six-speed automatic, plenty of

power to haul its 8,400 pounds of max trailer capacity. When you ask it to do anything, it responds. It’s comfortable on the road as well, and doesn’t feel like the rugged, specialized military machine it’s also capable of being.

When asked why Tahoes and Suburbans were the trucks of choice, J’s answer came easily. Their wide stance can sit three across shoulder to shoulder, and these men have broad shoulders for the weight they carry, literally and figuratively. It’s quick. In J’s business, speed is safety. Plus, it’s incredibly durable. When an improvised explosive device blows half of one side of your truck off, you want it to still be able to get you the hell out of there. “Depending on the situation, you might want to drive something more subtle, so you don’t stick out like a dog’s balls, but for the most part we’re in these. You can kick the

crap out of them, and they keep going,” J said.

For a guy who’s done what I can only imagine to be a lot of kicking, he would know.

Darkness has finally descended on the complex. Few lights flicker across TRC’s 1,982-acre sprawl. We sit in the passenger seat of a Tahoe equipped with the Z71 package, which features off-road–tuned shocks, tires, and skidplates. This Tahoe also has an infrared light bar strapped on the roof, and we’re in something called Surveillance mode, which means there isn’t a single light on in the entire SUV. The interior is as pitch as the black Bow Tie badge on the grille. Nightvision monoculars are secured to our heads.

There were no helmets small enough for this writer, so the monocular is attached to a mesh cap aptly named a skull crusher.

We’ve lost track of J in the darkness, but Big Fred, who calls himself my chauffeur, buries the throttle and we take off like a shot, driving at speed in the rural night over dirt roads that cut through cornfields. The Z71’s suspension absorbs everything even at this maniacal pace, and if you can’t see exactly what’s coming that’s crucial. “If you wanna, take the NODS [night optical/observation device] off and look around to get the effect,” Big Fred suggested. I remove the monocular for a beat.

“It’s like a horror movie.” He’s right, and we don’t like horror movies.

When it’s our turn to drive, our sweaty palms grip a steering wheel we can’t see. Since the infrared light is helping illuminate what’s outside the truck, inside is black. Everything we do is by feel, shifting into gear, releasing the parking brake. It’s surreal. But instinct kicks in. We try to steady our breathing and remember about brilliance in the basics. But even with our driving experience, the hazy green glow of road ahead is limited, so we miscalculate distance and don’t take turns sharply enough. It’s disorienting, uncomfortable, and stressful.

Before the night was over we’d shot 9mm Glock pistols, an M4 rifle, and a .260 Remington sniper rifle. We’d driven under highly abnormal conditions and got to talk to men who’ve executed spectacularly dangerous missions that even the best Hollywood screenwriters likely couldn’t conceive. This was the first time journalists were allowed into TRC, and we’re honored to have been part of that group. TT

CUT TO BLACK 2018 JAN/FEB • TRUCKTREND.COM 31

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FIRST DRIVE

| 2018 Chevrolet Equinox

THE MORE ENERGETIC EQUINOX

By Colin Ryan • Photos: Courtesy of Chevrolet

H

ere is the second variant of Chevy’s newest crossover, following the Equinox 1.5L that debuted earlier in 2017. It seems that even when forced induction is part of the deal, the “no replacement for displacement” approach still works.

An extra half a liter makes a difference for the Equinox, now available with a 2.0L turbocharged I-4. Think of it another way—that’s an increase of more than 30 percent.

This Equinox comes in LT and Premier trim levels, whereas the 1.5L also comes in the lower S and LS trims. It has plenty of standard equipment and safety features, and we commend Chevy for including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration with its fresh, new offering.

Both versions enjoy a spacious interior for people and their paraphernalia. Rear legroom is a generous 39.7 inches. Behind the rear seats is 29.9 cubic feet of cargo space. Fold them down (using release levers in the cargo 34 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

area) and they form a flat load floor while expanding cargo capacity to 63.5 cubic feet.

There’s also handy underfloor stowage.

In the Engine Room A 2.0L four-cylinder unit is turbocharged to make 252 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. The Equinox 1.5L makes do with 170 hp and 203

lb-ft, along with a six-speed transmission. The 2.0L links to a nine-speed automatic transmission, which operates with a subtlety more often found in luxury cars than mainstream crossovers. And surely everyone rejoices in the fact that it’s not a boring CVT. It also helps with the pretty good fuel consumption. The front-drive version averages 25 mpg and the

The latest iteration of Chevy's MyLink infotainment system is available on the Equinox, featuring OnStar, in-car Wi-Fi, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.

We found the Equinox's interior to be pleasant and tranquil while cruising down the road. Thanks in part to a host of noise-canceling technologies and improved aerodynamics, the most intrusive sound heard is from the tires—an easy fix.

all-wheel-drive setup returns 24 mpg.

It’s this virtue of firepower without a big fuel penalty that makes the Equinox 2.0L Turbo such an intriguing proposition. The 1.5L version might be just fine and dandy for the school run, grocery errands, and soccer practice, but the extra muscle in the 2.0L suddenly makes road trips more enticing.

Especially since it can tow 3,500 pounds, compared with the 1.5L’s 1,500-pound pulling capability.

The Compliment Sandwich This third generation of Equinox is lighter than its predecessor by around 400 pounds, thanks to clever use and positioning of highstrength steel.

We found some hard plastics on the dash, on the tops of the doors, and in the center console—particularly by the driver’s right knee.

The front seats seem a little narrow for the average American occupant. Apparently,

the bolsters give a little, so the driver seat ends up being a little roomier than the front passenger seat. Time will have to tell on that count. We also found the bottom cushions to be somewhat on the short side. A little more under-thigh support would not go amiss and surely isn’t too expensive.

We also found the 18-inch wheel/tire combination to have a rougher ride quality than the 19-inch counterpart. Usually bigger wheels mean lower-profile tire sidewalls with less flexibility. This unusual phenomenon is likely due to different tire choices.

Chevrolet is using Michelin Premier LTX tires for the former setup and Hankook Ventus S1 rubber for the latter. Usually, there’s nothing wrong and everything right with Michelin products. But the sidewalls in this application don’t have the right kind of flex to complement the suspension, making the road surface feel rougher than it should.

2018 Chevrolet Equinox 2.0L Turbo BASE PRICE: $32,840 (LT)/$37,230 (Premier) PRICE AS TESTED: $36,725 (LT)/$41,140 (Premier) VEHICLE TYPE: Five-passenger compact crossover ENGINE: 2.0L Turbocharged I-4 power @ 5,500 rpm

torque @ 2,500 rpm

trans

252 hp

260 lb-ft

9 speed auto

CURB WEIGHT: 3,536 pounds (FWD); 3,703 pounds (AWD) TOWING CAPACITY: 3,500 pounds EPA MILEAGE RATING (CITY/HWY/COMB): 22/29/25 (FWD); 22/28/24 (AWD)

There’s a kind of “nibbling” effect, especially at low and medium speeds. The 19-inch tires from Hankook, however, have the right kind of flex and even out most surface imperfections. It makes us wonder why Chevrolet decided on that Michelin tire in the first place, especially when Ventus S1 tires are available in 18-inch form.

The Equinox has a drag coefficient of 0.336, which Chevrolet claims to be class-leading.

There’s certainly no issue with wind whoosh.

Construction of the interior floor mats is designed to absorb sound rather than just block it, and the stereo system features active noise cancelation. Overall, the interior is a tranquil place to be, consistent with many other Chevrolet products.

1.5 Lump or 2.0?

The ’18 Chevrolet Equinox 2.0L Turbo is arguably at its absolute best when it’s in Premier trim. That’s when the larger wheel size and different brand of tire come in to improve the ride quality. With this smoother way of getting around, along with authoritative power, the Premier trim’s more upscale appointments then become the icing on a tempting cake and will make a buyer feel better about spending extra. If budget and/ or taste dictate a trim level with the 18-inch wheels, look into getting different tires.

While the 1.5L might struggle in comparison with something like the Honda CR-V or Ford Escape, this more powerful version is a fine choice for someone who wants a compact crossover with guts. TT 2018 JAN/FEB • TRUCKTREND.COM 35

FIRST DRIVE

| 2018 Subaru Crosstrek

WORTH ITS WEIGHT IN GOLD

CROSSTREK-ING THE WILD WEST

By Lyn Woodward • Photos: Courtesy of Subaru

in’t no more gold in them well-mined Black Hills near Deadwood, South Dakota, unless you count the smooth, twisty pavement and gravelly dirt roads. That’s where we got behind the wheel of the all-new ’18 Subaru Crosstrek for the first time.

There is, however, hidden treasure buried inside the Crosstrek in the form of Subaru’s all-new global platform. Subaru worked higher-strength steel in the completely redesigned frame that includes stronger joints and a lower center of gravity, all of which means improved collision absorption.

Additionally, the all-wheel-drive Crosstrek gets an increase in torsional rigidity and a completely redesigned front and rear suspension that delivers much-improved handling and significantly reduces any vibration that’s coming from the wheels through the frame.

The improvements show up as soon as the driver sets out to blaze his or her own trail, whether paved or off-road. The ride is smoother, control is better, and the increased comfort is noticeable. The Crosstrek is now a much better-balanced car, aided by a

new, quicker steering rack—the same as on Subaru’s BRZ sports car. The helm connects to the rest of the car better than before and puts more control in the hands of the driver. It’s as stable and comfortable at highway speeds as it is fun and responsive at the lower end of the speedometer.

X-Mode, Subaru’s off-road mode that helps prevent wheel slip and includes hill descent control, is available on the Premium and Limited trim levels. No one’s taking this crossover rockcrawling and careful application of the brake and throttle serve the exact same purpose, so we’re not 100-percent

“THIS NEW CROSSTREK IS A SLIGHTLY SEXIER VERSION OF ITSELF. CAN WE CALL A SUBARU SEXY?” 36 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

The 2018 Crosstrek is wholly redesigned inside and out, and its stiffer chassis and improved performance are readily obvious from behind the wheel.

sure it’s necessary. But X-Mode is there should anyone want it on steep or loose terrain.

The exterior is by no means unrecognizable. It’s the same basic shape, only now it has broader shoulders over the wheels, a new blade character line on the side panels, and a more aggressive front fascia featuring a larger grille. As such, this new Crosstrek is a slightly sexier version of itself.

Can we call a Subaru sexy?

The new frame allowed for the entire body to be reimagined to its smallest details. One of the most thoughtful is the repositioning of streamlined taillights that widen the tailgate opening by 4 inches for additional clearance to stash your whisky. Though the inside dimensions are virtually the same, the cabin is about an inch wider. With the seats down, that gets you slightly more than 3 cubic feet of cargo space over last year’s model. Mazda’s CX-5 and Honda’s CR-V both have more hauling space. But the Crosstrek’s footwells for both front and rear passengers are about an inch bigger, hence roomier wayfaring for all your passengers. With so many other carmakers prospecting in the miniute segment, it’s becoming

2018 Subaru Crosstrek BASE PRICE: $21,795 PRICE AS TESTED: $33,062 VEHICLE TYPE: Two-row, five-passenger CUV ENGINE: 2.0L I-4 power @ 6,000 rpm

torque @ 4,000 rpm

trans

152 hp

145 lb-ft

CVT auto

CURB WEIGHT: 3,230 pounds TOWING CAPACITY: 1,500 pounds EPA MILEAGE RATING (CITY/HWY/COMB): 27/33/27

more and more like the Wild West, and every extra inch matters.

Better sound insulation makes all the outdoorsy driving quieter. The instrument panel now wraps around the cockpit, extending outward toward the door panels, and the smaller, sportier steering wheel is as racy as a saloon gal. Contrast stitching on the dash and armrests and unique upholstery accents on the seats give a leg

up to the Crosstrek’s more refined mien.

The Crosstrek’s got every safety airbag, alarm, bell, and whistle possible. The utilitarian center stack has two USB ports for charging every device a gold nugget can buy and showcases the same infotainment system that was introduced in the ’18 Impreza, including the bird-watching app that Subaru says is its most popular.

The 2.0L engine boasts 80-percent new parts and makes 152 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque, which takes a bit of pedal to make it go uphill at the 4,000-foot altitude where we tested it. We think most of the labored engine noise was it screaming for a turbo, but we digress. The transmission, available in both a continuously variable automatic or six-speed manual (only on the base or Premium models), slips pretty seamlessly from one ratio to the next like silt through a gold-panning sieve.

Subaru stakes its claim to a best-in-class, all-wheel-drive fuel economy at 33 mpg highway, with a 547-mile cruising range so you can go farther on one tank of gas. The base price starts at $21,795—not a lot of bullion for a lot of utility and fun. If there is gold to be had in the South Dakota Black Hills, the ’18 Subaru Crosstrek would be a darn good way to get after it. TT

2018 JAN/FEB • TRUCKTREND.COM 37

FIRST DRIVE

| 2018 Volkswagen Atlas

INTRODUCING THE THREE-ROW ATLAS

VOLKSWAGEN’S FUTURE

By G.R. Whale and Jason Gonderman • Photos: Courtesy of Volkswagen

V

olkswagen might be a bit late to the three-row crossover party— OK, a lot late. But if our first brief spin in the ’18 Atlas SUV is any indication, it has arrived fully baked and competitive.

The company’s new crossover is the largest Volkswagen ever built in the States and the largest vehicle on the MQB platform, which underpins everything from the compact Golf to the European-market Passat—and even the Audi TT sports car. If there was any question about the platform’s flexibility, the difference in wheelbase between those cars and the Atlas (a delta of more than 18 inches) answers it.

It’s easy to see why VW references Explorer

often when describing the Atlas' competition: The two are essentially the same size outside, but the Atlas feels roomier inside. Even if SAE measurements don’t reflect it, the Atlas has an airy, spacious feel that mirrors VW hatches and sedans rather than the ensconced feel of many crossovers, and cabin appointments are VW-familial, only scaled up to size L. There’s a lot of room in the sliding middle row and adult-usable third row, with walk-through space that rivals minivans to get back there.

You’ll get a 235hp, turbocharged 2.0L I-4 with front-wheel drive or a 276hp V-6 with front or optional all-wheel drive, each using an eight-speed automatic. The 4Motion system echoes that found in Golf R and

The Volkswagen Atlas is the company's first three-row SUV, and with the departure of the Touareg after the ’17 model year, it will be the only large ute with a VW badge.

38 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

Alltrack, adding rear drive only when front slip is detected, up to a 50/50 torque split.

The console mode dial selects on-road, snow, and off-road modes: snow mutes responses for improved traction and off-road enables hill start assist (HSA), hill descent control (HDC), center diff locking, and more wheel slip for loose surfaces. There’s also a custom off-road setting, giving more options in HSA, HDC, diff lock, and powertrain programming from the on-road mode. Those on-road options, switched by the mode button within the dial, are eco, normal, sport, and individual, lest you prefer the standard steering effort but want crisper throttle and transmission response.

Our exposure came on frozen roads—paved and not—with some gradients and curves added for good measure, along with warmweather backcountry highways in south Texas. You could invoke stability control if you pushed almost irresponsibly hard, but otherwise the Atlas went where pointed on ice, snow, slush, or wet pavement. On dry roads the ride is composed and comfortable.

While it’s not the sportiest SUV on the market, it’s not the most lumbering either. The Atlas is moderately more fun to run in off-road or sport modes, but it’s set up for safe, predictable transport rather than drifting. Running full time in sport mode will tank the vehicle’s fuel economy, but it really ups the enjoyment.

Your mileage may vary.

Steering is quite light at parking-lot speeds and weights up nicely when driven with vigor, but sport mode feels artificially heavy without adding much feedback. Brake-pedal feel allowed gentle application or good bite with equal ease.

Ride quality, at least with just two or three adults on board, was good on frozen, rural tracks serving up the good variety of bumps, ruts, holes, and general roughness some Midwest cities call roads. While the suspension travel and electronic-traction aids suggest it will deliver credible off-highway

2018 Volkswagen Atlas BASE PRICE: $30,500 (S) PRICE AS TESTED: $48,490 (SEL Premium w/ 4Motion) VEHICLE TYPE: Three-row, eight-passenger, SUV ENGINE: 3.6L V-6 power @ 6,200 rpm

torque @ 2,750 rpm

trans

276 hp

266 lb-ft

8 speed auto

CURB WEIGHT: 4,502 pounds TOWING CAPACITY: 5,000 pounds EPA MILEAGE RATING (CITY/HWY/COMB): 17/23/19 (4Motion)

All Atlas models feature restrained styling that fits in well with VW's other models.

We admit we see a bit too much Grand Cherokee in the bodysides, however.

crossover performance, you still won’t want to follow a Trailhawk or Discovery.

The Atlas is more designed for a weekend ski trip or hauling the kids to Scout camp rather than hardcore off-roading. Body motion and roll are controlled, not absent, and it feels more like a large Alltrack than the heftier-feeling, dead-in-the-water Touareg. VW apparently bent more toward maintaining dynamics and driver involvement than completely rubberizing and isolating any upsetting input.

Passengers enjoy a well-appointed cabin in all trims, with the SEL Premium with 4Motion being the top dog. Driving the SE model, we noticed an abundance of road noise, which could be attributed to a combination of tire choice, trim level sound-deadening, and the type of road surface we were on. Either way, it was a bit frustrating. Stepping up to the SEL Premium is also the only way to get leather seats, LED taillights, and the Fender audio system.

Overall, we were quite pleased with the Atlas. It performed admirably in all conditions, and it fits right in with its brethren in the midsize three-row SUV class. Current Volkswagen owners will appreciate the familiarity, and those not already in the family will surely find Atlas to be a fine option. It’s said that good things are worth the wait, and Atlas proves just that. TT 2018 JAN/FEB • TRUCKTREND.COM 39

FIRST DRIVE

| 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan

THE PEOPLE’S SUV

By Gary Witzenburg • Photos: Courtesy of Volkswagen

I

t was a very different world when Volkswagen’s Tiguan was launched a decade ago. Sedans still ruled while small SUVs (aka car-based crossovers or CUVs) were a smaller but growing segment led primarily by the Japanese Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. VW’s first compact CUV was a conservative-looking global vehicle based on the Golf compact car with two seating rows and a transverse 2.0L four-cylinder driving its front (or optionally all four) wheels.

That was then, and now almost everything has changed. The market is migrating fast from cars to CUVs, especially small CUVs. Virtually all automakers offer them, and most today are so good and feature-laden that choosing one over the others is largely dependent on styling, brand preference, and dealer relations. And into today’s cutthroatcompetitive, ultra-hot compact CUV segment, VW jumps headlong with this all-new Tiguan.

North America is blessed with only the 10.6-inch-longer, 58-percent more cargo-

40 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

commodious, long-wheelbase version, while the rest of the world can also option short-wheelbase models sized more like the previous Tig. Its new cabin is much more appealing and accommodating than the somewhat Spartan older one, and the long list of standard and available features compares well with just about anything out

there remotely close to its $26,000 starting price. Overall, it’s far better than its predecessor and shares little with it—except for three key elements: the handsome (but still conservative) new exterior, the (updated) 2.0L TSI turbocharged and direct-fuel-injected four, and the odd name, an amalgam of the German words for tiger and iguana.

The Volkswagen Tiguan is one of few small SUVs with an available third-row seat. As you'd expect, it's tiny, but it's there in case of carpool emergencies.

THE MYTHICALLY NAMED TIGUAN GETS BIGGER

And if this otherwise excellent and highly competitive all-new Tiguan has a single weakness, it may be the middling performance of its only available engine. VW (and luxury partner Audi) have been offering terrific 2.0L TSI fours for many years, some of them much more powerful. But this version generates just 184 ponies and 221 lb-ft of torque—adequate for a small car, but maybe not for this larger, heavier (3,700 to 4,000-pound) new Tiguan.

In fairness, we tested it mostly on twisty two-lanes in the picturesque mountains high above Denver—not at sea level—but it felt somewhat sluggish and underpowered accelerating out of turns and up hills, even with just a driver on board. And some turbo lag and the eight-speed automatic’s slowness to downshift, even using the manual steering-wheel paddles, didn’t help. By contrast, the 190hp ’17 Honda CR-V’s 1.5L turbo bests this VW 2.0L turbo, and Chevrolet’s new ’18 Equinox 2.0L Turbo delivers a much stronger 252 ponies.

All that said, there is little else to criticize.

Riding on VW’s excellent MQB (Modular Transverse Matrix) architecture, this new Tiguan’s agile handling, responsive steering, and strong, fade-free braking give it Golf-like dynamics, despite its added height, length, and weight. Its lightly loaded ride also impressed, even on the semi-rough washboard dirt roads on which we logged some miles during our test drive. EPA economy ratings are segment-competitive (though not outstanding) at 22 mpg city, 27 highway, and 24 combined with standard front-wheel drive and 21/27/23 with optional 4Motion with Active Control all-wheel-drive—which offers selectable On-Road, Off-Road, Custom OffRoad, and Snow modes.

The Tiguan’s roomier new interior serves up three standard seating rows with a versa-

tile 40/20/40 split second row that reclines, slides 7 inches fore/aft, and folds down to accommodate cargo; the kids-only 50/50 split folding third row is optional with AWD. Three-row models can tote 12 cubic-feet of cargo behind the back row, 33 with it folded down and 65.7 with the second row down.

Two-row models offer up to 73.5 cubic feet.

While that first Tiguan was a solid but minor player in the fast-growing U.S. compact CUV segment, this larger, full-featured, redesigned new one should gain more favor and sales among buyers who want German technology and dynamics at reasonably affordable prices. The still-viable previous-generation version will be held over for awhile as the Tiguan Limited at lower prices with fewer available trims and packages, so the two together will likely gain VW some market share versus all those very tough Asian and domestic competitors. TT

2018 Volkswagen Tiguan BASE PRICE: $25,345 PRICE AS TESTED: $37,550 VEHICLE TYPE: Three-row, seven passenger CUV ENGINE: 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder power @ 4,400 rpm

torque @ 1,600 rpm

trans

184 hp

221 lb-ft

8 auto

TOWING CAPACITY: 1,500 pounds CURB WEIGHT: 3,953 pounds EPA MILEAGE RATING: FWD 22city/27hwy/24comb; AWD 21city/27hwy/23comb

2018 JAN/FEB • TRUCKTREND.COM 41

FIRST DRIVE

| 2017 Nissan Rogue Sport

By Jason Gonderman • Photos: Courtesy of Nissan

RIGHT SIZE, NOT DOWNSIZE THE SMALLER, LIGHTER, LESS EXPENSIVE ROGUE

T

he compact SUV market is on fire. Sales are growing at a pace that is seemingly unexplainable and unsustainable. While everyone is rushing to cash in on the madness, no one has done a better job of it than Nissan. Recently, Nissan’s redesigned Rogue took over the top spot as the company’s best-selling vehicle and even spent a couple months on top of the overall SUV sales charts, bumping off the likes of Honda’s CR-V and Toyota’s RAV4. Based on the success of Rogue, Nissan has introduced the Rogue Sport to the company’s U.S. lineup.

Known as the Qashqai (cash-kai) overseas (and in Canada, interestingly) the Rogue Sport shares much in common with its bigger brother. Chassis are similar, with the Sport losing only 2.3 inches of wheelbase to the Rogue. The bodies share a comparable exterior design language and many hard parts as well. Sport is about 200 pounds lighter than Rogue, and the body is more than a foot shorter. Slipping behind the wheel will feel familiar, too, since Rogue and Sport use the same driver controls and comfort components. Starting at a meager $22,380, Nissan is hoping to lure Americans aged 20 to 30-something who live in urban areas and don’t need a large SUV. After spending a few hours behind the wheel circumnavigating the greater Nashville area, we came to a stark conclusion: The Sport part of its name is awfully misleading. Sure,

42 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

2017 Nissan Rogue Sport BASE PRICE: $21,420

it’s smaller than Rogue, but when it comes right down to it, this compact ute drives an awful lot like its big brother, which is rather un-sporty. The only engine option is a 2.0L four-cylinder that churns out a pedestrian 141 hp. While this is plenty for around town, highway merging and passing put the mill’s shortcomings on full display. Also intriguing is the Sport’s fuel-economy rating, which comes in at 1 to 2 mpg worse than Rogue, despite its smaller stature and downsized engine.

Marketing to millennials isn’t anything new or unique to Nissan. But with this approach taken, it left us a bit bewildered at the lack of infotainment technology. Sport is missing things that this age range has come to expect, such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Need to charge more than one USB device? Get ready for the impending fight for the one—yes, one—port. If Nissan were seri-

PRICE AS TESTED: $31,625 VEHICLE TYPE: Five-passenger compact SUV ENGINE: 2.0L I-4 power @ 6.000 rpm

torque @ 4,400 rpm

trans Xtronic

141 hp

147 lb-ft

CVT

CURB WEIGHT: 3,225 FWD / 3,340 AWD TOWING CAPACITY: N/A EPA MILEAGE RATING: 25city/32hwy/28comb FWD 24city/30hwy/27comb AWD

ous about drawing in the youngsters, there would be one at each seat.

Fortunately, this is where our gripes end. Much like the Rogue, the Rogue Sport handles exceptionally well both around town and on the highway and is immensely comfortable. Materials and switchgear used feel like that from a proclaimed luxury brand.

The Sport has plenty of available safety features as well. Forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control are all available as part of Nissan’s Safety Shield technology. And while the engine leaves a bit to be desired, the Rogue Sport comes with Active Trace Control, Active Engine Braking, and Active Ride Control, all systems designed to enhance performance and ride comfort.

Though our time was brief—and not quite enough to fully fall in love—when we handed the keys back, there was certainly the musk of lust in the air. The Rogue Sport is all of the things we love about the Rogue, in a more compact package. It’s quiet, comfortable, easily navigable, and still roomy enough for all the people and things that matter to an adult in the prime of their lives. We have no doubts that the little Rogue is going to be a big hit. TT

TECH

| Nissan’s Active Trace Control

CARVE CORNERS

By Tim Esterdahl • Photos: Courtesy of Nissan

utomotive marketing teams create all sorts of fancy terminology to explain different systems. The ’17 Nissan Rogue and Rogue Sport have one such system that caught our attention, and they call it Active Trace Control. Likely to catch many consumers unaware, we spoke with Nissan’s manager of chassis engineering, Naoki Miyashita, to help explain what exactly the system is and why consumers should take notice.

Truck Trend: What is the background of the system? Was it developed only for the Rogue or is it in use elsewhere in Nissan’s product lineup?

Naoki Miyashita: Active Trace Control was

launched with the Infiniti M in 2010. It was a form of automatic brake control, which intervenes to improve handling performance before the vehicle becomes unstable. The goal was to simulate an experienced driver in cornering—and using the brakes to maintain cornering line. It was more rudimentary than the current Rogue system, introduced with the new-generation Rogue in 2013. Rogue’s Active Trace Control system incorporates a brake vectoring function. Since the Rogue, a few additional Nissan and Infiniti models have been equipped with the system.

NISSAN’S ACTIVE TRACE CONTROL EXPLAINED

Active trace control intervenes to maintain the proper cornering line by selectively applying each of the four brakes, preventing front-wheel slip (understeer) and rear-wheel slip (oversteer), keeping the vehicle on course.

Technically speaking, how does the system work and do the brakes wear faster using it?

Is there any data on how much it improves turning?

Through a variety of sensors, especially the steering angle sensor, the system recognizes the driver’s intention for a more sporting drive. The system can then predict—and respond to—high lateral g’s and what could be uneven driver steering input or non-linear curves (which is pretty normal on the streets).

At that point, the brakes will operate to put pressure on all four wheels, but slightly, to assist in crisp handling transitions. As for brake-pad wear, we have not seen noticeable wear increase, as the brake intervention is subtle and not very frequent.

Most of the data we have is subjective versus objective, meaning that steering feel and driver confidence is stronger with the system versus without it. We have done some wet skidpad testing, and the difference in cornering line with the system on and off was nearly 2 meters. Therefore, it does work.

Is Active Trace Control a segment first?

There are variations of this system in many manufacturers’ lineups, but Active Trace Control as a complete system was a segment first for Rogue and Rogue Sport. TT

Why was it created? Consumer demand?

Need for an edge in the marketplace?

At Nissan, we are driving enthusiasts and understand the feeling of driving satisfaction.

Active Trace Control was designed to enhance the driving experience—especially on winding roads—for novices and experts, with extremely fast and well-timed application of the brakes. It makes a remarkable difference for enhanced driving maneuvers.

44 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

Shown is a '14 Rogue, however, ATC is available on several '17 models.

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FEATURE

Ford Performance Racing School: Raptor Assault

By Lyn Woodward • Photos: Julia LaPalme

f you spend more than $50,000 for a flying truck, you’d hope the manufacturer would teach you how to jump it. They won’t—not even at the course Ford offers to new ’17 Ford F-150 Raptor owners. Maybe instructors at the Ford Performance Racing School (FPRS) aren’t keen to have 20 or so folks with unknown driving skills jumping the 5,600 pounds of sand-devouring rad that is the Raptor—or maybe it’s their lawyers—but either way we grudgingly understand. Regardless, as we sat through the first 30 minutes of mandatory classroom time at the Raptor Assault driving school, we were assured that driving the ’17 46 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

Raptor is like bringing a water cannon to a pillow fight. So maybe not jumping the truck would be OK. Ford’s owner program is a unique one. The Motor City manufacturer offers more courses

for more vehicles than any other. Whether you drive a Fiesta ST, a Mustang GT350, or a Raptor, Ford wants you to know how to use what you bought. Launched in 2011 and held at the Utah Motorsports Campus (UMC), a state-of-the-art facility about 30 miles outside Salt Lake City, the Assault driving program’s goals are simple: give ’17 Raptor owners deeper knowledge about the features and capabilities of their truck, and show them how to have a ton of fun in it.

Our team of boss instructors gave us students an initial introduction to the Raptor’s cockpit, our real classroom for the day, including the basics of what’s where.

Other than two-way radios, off-road lights, and a bed-mounted roll bar, the Raptors we’d drive were stock. We teamed up two to a truck, driving Baja rally team style, meaning one drove while the other scouted and observed. Right-seat driving isn’t wasted time if you’re paying attention.

An owner’s manual can only teach you so much. Practical application of each driving mode was the first lesson to familiarize us with what this Swiss Army knife on wheels can do. Lapping around a quarter-mile gravel track, we tested out Normal, Mud and Sand, and Baja modes first, feeling the difference between all of them on loose terrain. Before

our final rock crawling demo, the group was told in no uncertain terms when switching to Rock Crawling mode to coast to a stop in Neutral and then apply the brakes, giving the Raptor the opportunity to make the shift into 4L standing still.

The Raptor is equipped with an electronic transfer case that automatically merges all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive for anything the driver throws at it. Well, except for automotive journalists, who on the initial press launch last year tried to test a shift-onthe-fly capability that doesn’t actually exist, to disastrous, gear-gnashing results. We did not want replicate the stunt, but we bet we could 2018 JAN/FEB • TRUCKTREND.COM 47

FEATURE

| Ford Performance Racing School: Raptor Assault

name two of the guilty culprits who executed said maneuver.

Driving sideways up a man-made mountain for our final exercise before hitting real dirt was weird. Sitting in the cab of a truck at a 30-degree angle is, in a word, unsettling.

Throw in a 200-pound instructor hanging off the side of your truck to prove just how stable it is and it’s alarming, at least until the truck doesn’t budge. Then it’s alarming, but impressive. After employing the locked rear differential up a fabricated steep grade, then using the controlled hill-descent feature, we were deemed ready to get out into the wild.

In what must have looked like a convoy out of some post-apocalyptic “sponsored by Ford” television movie, we drove single file to the Jacob City trailhead, which lives in a swath of low brush cut with the jagged scars of dirt tracks below the watchful eyes of the Oquirrh Mountains to the west of the Great Salt Lake.

I was eager to get out of Normal mode, which felt exactly that on the highway.

Mud and Sand mode that eats up gullies and grips around sharp turns was way more like it. Locked into 4H with the steering freed up so no one gets stuck anywhere, this mode also shifts the brake bias to the front and uses less ABS to wad up dirt and or mud under the tires, helping you to stop, if you must. The Fox shocks’ 3-inch-diameter canisters and nine-stage bypass damping, coupled with the Raptor’s improved 13.0-inch front and 13.9inch rear suspension travel, devoured the trail as advertised.

Our ominous procession then headed to 48 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

“IT MUST HAVE LOOKED LIKE A CONVOY OUT OF SOME POSTAPOCALYPTIC ‘SPONSORED BY FORD’ TELEVISION MOVIE”

Rattlesnake Canyon, one of the many boulderstrewn, uphill byways that occasionally felt like driving straight up into the blue heavens above the Oquirrh range. In our snake-like line of trucks, we traversed up steep, 25-degree grades using Rock Crawl mode. In real-life application and without 200-pound instructors hanging off the cab of your truck, the Raptor is as sure-footed as you want it to be on its specially designed BFGoodrich KO2 tires.

With the rear diff locked for serious traction

and utilizing left-foot braking over jutting obstacles, the 3.5L high-output EcoBoost V-6 and its 450 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque crept up impossible-looking inclines easily. Even without a launch ramp in sight, this was impressive.

At 7,200 feet we hit our max altitude and made our way back down using hill descent.

Rock Crawl mode on the Raptor is surprisingly drivable. It automatically locks the rear differential, which can be manually unlocked

when not needed, and it uses the low-range transfer case’s gear reduction of 2.64:1 for better grip, meaning this truck still moves over rough stuff, sure-footed and steady.

There wasn’t ever a time we felt the technical tools the Raptor engaged held us back. Its intelligence seems to know what to put out when. In a word, it’s idiot-proof.

On the way down we had time to see Utah show off its finery with the Indian paintbrush still in bloom and the conifers and quaking aspen waving at us as we passed. It wasn’t until halfway down we noticed the seatbelt had been chaffing the skin on our left shoulder. No amount of adjustment helped, but if the Raptor was going to leave a physical as well as an emotional impression on us, this is one we wouldn’t complain about.

The final desert course wasn’t exactly a desert. It was more a trail etched through low brush by the myriad of ATVs and 4x4s that have gone before. Shifting into Baja mode throws the transfer case in 4H and adjusts throttle and steering to be wicked responsive.

The gears are held longer, it spools up the turbos quicker, and the brake bias changes

to the rears at low speeds, which swings the back end of the truck more like a rally car.

This second-generation Raptor lost more than 500 pounds from the first, most of that in the rear, so maintaining traction and countering and correcting for oversteer was part of the dynamic instruction on this course. This was also the only time we were required to wear helmets, and in our experience, helmets generally equal higher fun quotient, so they can call it a desert all they want.

Even restricted to 50 mph, which we felt less limiting than sage for some of the participants present, the Raptor didn’t disappoint.

We were warned not to do anything stupid. It would take a Life Flight chopper 32 minutes to reach our location, so better not tempt their response time. The lightweight, overachieving half-tonner showed us a great time flying over dusty straightaways. Driving fast and

loose, Baja mode puts power exactly where it needs to be from front to rear, and it won’t allow you to get too sideways. If steering out the side windows is your thing, by all means shut all the traction aids off, but the Raptor’s nannies are like Mary Poppins; they’ll let you get away with fun stuff and they’re not too overpowering, so you’re totally OK having them around because of it.

We wrapped up the day back at the UMC for graduation. We even got a sweet participation trophy that we wish the nice folks at the FPRS had told us about so we’d have brought bigger luggage. Overall, Ford does a stellar job making sure Raptor owners know how much great stuff they’ve got under all that aluminum. No, no one’s going to out–Ken Block the real Ken Block after taking this course, but it’s clear the teams at Ford and the FPRS are serious about getting owners to know more about what they’re driving, and we applaud that. TT

2018 JAN/FEB • TRUCKTREND.COM 49

FEATURE

| 2017 Chevrolet Silverado & John Deere Drive

BIG-BOY TOYS DIGGIN’ WITH DEERE

By Jason Gonderman • Photos: Jessica Walker, Courtesy of Chevrolet

W

e’ll spare you all the kid-in-a-sandbox clichés, though we can certainly think of many. When the good folks at Chevy approached us about joining them in Moline, Illinois, for a bit of fun with the Silverado HD and an afternoon with free reign of John Deere’s test facility, we nearly fainted. This is 50 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

exactly the kind of thing our late-afternoon office daydreams are made of, so there was no way we could turn down the opportunity.

Hauling Loads Our adventure started out innocently enough, behind the wheel of a pair of ’17 Silverado HDs, both equipped with the new L5P Duramax diesel engine. First up was a 2500HD,

saddled with a conventional Big Tex trailer and John Deere skid steer. This combination tipped the scale at 11,485 pounds. While we’re no strangers to towing with the ’17 Silverado HD, we’ll never turn down an opportunity to log miles. Our route took us along Interstate 80, cracked pavement and all, from John Deere’s assembly plant in Davenport, Iowa, to the Iowa 80 Truck Stop (which is the largest in the

world, or so they claim.) While it’s still true that Chevy’s towing and payload capacities are lower than the competition on paper, we’re reminded every time we drive one that these numbers don’t tell the whole story.

As we continue chewing through miles behind the wheel of the Silverado HD, it reminds us that it’s among the smoothest, quietest, and most refined heavy-duty

pickups we’ve driven. And it doesn’t matter if it’s just hauling air or loaded down to the max. The 445hp and 915–lb-ft L5P Duramax diesel engine idles as smooth as a typical sedan and remains entirely civilized under load. Inside, the cabin is outfitted with all of the latest luxury and tech features, things you’d expect from a luxury brand. The ’17 Silverado’s smooth ride and refined interior

are really appreciated on long hauls, leading to less driver fatigue and ultimately a more satisfying towing experience.

The first truck we were allowed to drive alone; however, the second was restricted to only those with a commercial license.

Since we’re sans–Class A, we jumped in the passenger seat and rode along with one of GM’s HD pickup engineers as he piloted the 2018 JAN/FEB • TRUCKTREND.COM 51

FEATURE

| 2017 Chevrolet Silverado & John Deere Drive

Silverado 3500 HD dually down the highway.

Why the need for a commercial license, you ask? To demonstrate the ultimate capability of the Silverado 3500HD and new Duramax engine, this truck was saddled with a Big Tex gooseneck trailer and John Deere backhoe loader, a combination weighing a combined 21,969 pounds. If the local smokies caught wind of an unqualified driver hauling this load on their highway, they would have had a field day with us, so we no issue with riding in the right seat.

Most interestingly, perhaps, was our observation that the 3500HD rode just as good on the broken pavement as the 2500HD. By using a gooseneck hitch instead of the conventional receiver, the trailer’s tongue weight is placed directly over the axle, instead of out past the bumper. While the conventional trailer acts as a lever on the pickup towing it, the gooseneck and suspension work in tandem to better control movement caused by the trailer. It’s worth noting as well that the ’17 Silverado HD comes with a gooseneck hitch built in from the factory that also has provisions for adding a fifth-wheel hitch. Gooseneck ball and safety chain adapters can be purchased as an accessory kit from GM and come in a fancy plastic carrying case for easy storage, while fifth-wheel hitches are available through the aftermarket.

Though we weren’t at the controls, the Silverado 3500HD seemed to have no issue getting the massive load up to speed, pulling grades, or passing slower vehicles. Decelerating was equally as uneventful thanks in part to the Duramax engine’s exhaust brake and the Silverado’s application of GM’s grade braking technology.

Digging Holes Don’t get us wrong, we love trucks, love driving trucks, love towing with trucks, love everything about trucks. However, the real fun came after we were done towing. John Deere maintains a proving grounds facility in eastern Iowa that it uses for new-product demos, training, and test drives. Yes, if you’re

“WE LOVE TRUCKS, LOVE DRIVING TRUCKS, LOVE TOWING WITH TRUCKS, LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT TRUCKS. HOWEVER, THE REAL FUN CAME AFTER WE WERE DONE TOWING.” 52 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

seriously in the market for a road-grader or backhoe, you can come try before you buy.

On the property, John Deere has a sampling of its entire product line, from the smallest yard tractor and Gator to the largest articulated dump trucks. After a quick safety talk, we were turned loose to dig holes, plow a field, and move as much dirt as time would allow.

Needless to say, we were the last people to leave and had to be escorted off the property.

We’d still be there if we could have found a better hiding spot. We’re city-dwelling desk jockeys, so the opportunity to operate heavy equipment is amazing.

We started out simple enough, behind the controls of a 310L backhoe. This machine is powered by a 99hp 4.5L PowerTech diesel engine, has a maximum digging depth of just over 14 feet, and weighs more than 16,000 pounds. A pair of joysticks controls the bucket, and there was no confusing us for anything other than beginners. After several minutes of totally mucking up the X-, Y-, and Z-axis controls, we finally started to get the hang of it and managed to dig a hole of our very own. Feeling somewhat accomplished, it was time to move on.

Since the largest excavator, the 160G, had a line that rivaled Disneyland, we headed off to operate something more our speed. The 317G Compact Track Loader is something you’d see at a smaller jobsite. Also operated by joysticks, the 317G had a much flatter learning curve than the larger equipment, and we were scooting around moving gravel in no time flat. With satellite radio, a sealed cabin, and air conditioning, operating this machine day-to-day is something we could totally get used to. While there were other variants open for us, we quickly parked the 160G to ensure we had plenty of time for the big boys.

The only green machine out on this particular day was the 9570RX behemoth.

This beast is powered by a Cummins QSX15 engine and features an 18-speed automatic transmission. It weighs more than 60,000 pounds, stands 13.5 feet tall, has a top speed of 25 mph, and costs just north of $500,000.

For our demonstration, it was paired with a grader attachment, but the tractor can be used

in any number of agriculture or construction applications.

We saved the best for last: the 460E sixwheel-drive articulated dump truck. This truck is a beast. It’s powered by a John Deere PowerTech 6135 diesel engine that displaces 13.5 liters. Power is routed through a ZF transmission, which features eight forward gears and four reverse cogs. The truck has a net weight of 71,000 pounds and can haul an additional 92,000 pounds, giving it a total gross weight rating of more than 163,000 pounds. Steering is fully hydraulic, and due to this and its articulated nature, the helm features no return-to-center like your typical pickup. Because of this, driving it can be a chore to the uninitiated. After a mile or so behind the wheel, we got the hang of it, but could see where others hadn’t and had driven off the road. Speed is governed electronically, so full-throttle was the name of the game.

The truck’s maximum speed is just 34 mph, but mind you this can be done fully loaded.

Nearly everything about operating the truck can be automated, and the cab is more comfortable than most pickups. Running the 460E feels more like a video game than real life. If we listed off all of the truck’s specs, we’d be here all night. Just know this, if you’re in the market for an earthmover of this size, be prepared to shell out $600,000 just to get in the door.

When the dust finally settled and we were forced back to real life, we were left with two observations: Chevy builds one heck of a truck, and digging big holes is just as much fun in real life as we had imagined as kids.

Now off to find someone to rent us a Deere for the weekend. TT 2018 JAN/FEB • TRUCKTREND.COM 53

FEATURE

| The 1946 Chevyota Priuck

THE 1946 CHEVYOTA PRIUCK CLASSIC PICKUP STYLE WITH A HYBRID POWERTRAIN

L

ooking for a way to cut through the proverbial white noise of the same old classic trucks seen at local car shows, Joe Winter of Batavia, Ohio, had a crazy idea.

What would happen if he took a ’46 Chevy Pickup and combined it with an ’02 Toyota Prius? Turns out they would go together better than anyone could have imagined.

In December 2016, Winter acquired the Prius through a series of vehicle trades among friends. Already in possession of the ’46 Chevy, which came from Kansas through another trade, Winter hatched his plan. A lifelong gearhead with a growing interest in electric vehicles, the idea was born to build

54 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

By Tim Esterdahl • Photos: Tim Esterdahl and Joe Winter the “Chevyota Priuck.”

His goal with the truck was simple: do something different. This truck would be just that. Rolling into a show, it would look just like any other classic pickup, yet underneath its skin would lay another story.

“There is a lot of stuff out there that is similar to the next,” Winter said. “I wanted to see if I could get good fuel economy, and I’ve always been interested in electric vehicles.

When I learned a little bit more about the way hybrid technology works, I wanted to give it a shot.”

Incredibly, the build took Winter just a few months,

and by March 2017, he was driving it around the yard.

It was a relatively simple build, really.

Winter pulled the body off of both the pickup and the Prius. Then, he added a 3.5-inch subframe on the Prius’s unibody floorpan to meet the frame of the pickup. Incredibly, he was able to simply slide the truck’s front clip right onto the Prius nose. Under the skin, the

Converting an '02 Prius into a Chevy-based pickup should be a crime, but somehow, Joe's project works. The conversion was surprisingly easy, says the owner.

vehicle is half pickup (rear) and half Prius (front), in turn also creating what might be the first ever front-wheel-drive ’46 Chevy.

“Matching the vehicles together was surprisingly easy,” Winter said. “When I put the two frames together, the steering column ran directly into the Prius and the brake pedal required only a simple lengthening to bring it up through the floor of the ’46. It was just a perfect match.”

Inside, he slid the Prius instruments behind the truck’s original dash, wired the front lights and taillamps, and adjusted the brake-pedal placement. Since it is an electric powertrain, the brake and accelerator are drive-by-wire, making it much easier to integrate.

While there are still miles of wiring left to decipher and the heater and air conditioner to sort out, the truck is driveable.

“There are miles and miles of wire in a Prius,” Winter said. “You have multiple different computers performing unique functions (with few actually needed after the swap), so the wiring harness is definitely the biggest setback.”

During our time riding around in the pickup, we couldn’t get over how comfortable it was. Basically, the truck retains the smooth ride qualities of the Prius, with a lot of classicpickup patina. It turned heads everywhere we drove it.

It is also power-on-demand, thanks to the hybrid powertrain. The engine stops running at low speeds and stop signs like a typical hybrid. Sitting at a stop sign with a silent classic pickup tricks you into thinking some-

“I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF I COULD BUILD SOMETHING ECONOMICAL AND DRIVEABLE, BUT ALSO LOOK VERY COOL.”

thing is wrong when, in fact, you are merely running on battery power.

“I estimate I have more power with the Prius powertrain than with the original 216-cubic-inch inline six-cylinder engine,” Winter said. “The power-to-weight ratio is also likely better.”

On the road, the hybrid powertrain provides more than enough for the 3,200 pounds of classic pickup. The engine noise is louder than a factory Prius, but quieter than a typical Chevy truck from that era; Winter says the sound is mostly due to the exhaust not having a muffler. Running the truck quieter results in new sounds filling the cabin with creaks and rattles from the old truck. Winter is considering adding sound deadening

throughout the cabin to make it whisperquiet inside.

Even weighing 500 pounds more than the donor Prius and still with the 1-ton leaf springs in the rear, the pickup corners and handles nearly as well as the car would.

Winter plans to remove those springs and drop additional weight to make it mirror the original Prius weight to improve the ride quality.

One of Winter’s big unknowns is the current fuel economy. He still has some work to do on integrating the Prius’ dash as well as adjusting the computer for the differentsize tires for it to return accurate speed and fuel-economy numbers. With the difference in aerodynamics of the pickup cabin, he is hoping for 35 to 40 mpg and will be able to calculate that when the speedometer and odometer get hooked up and calibrated.

Winter says the response at car shows has been mostly positive. “I wasn’t sure what I would run into, whether it be haters or guys who get the joke, but everybody has appreciated,” Winter said. “I’ve never had anybody come up to me with a negative comment yet.

For the most part, the person-to-person interaction has been nothing but positive.

“I just wanted to see if I could build something economical and driveable,” Winter said, “but also look very cool.”

Mission accomplished. TT

After ditching the Prius' bodywork and chopping off a significant portion of the rear end, the '46 Chevy's leafsprung flatbed and patina'd bodywork look right at home on the hybrid powertrain.

2018 JAN/FEB • TRUCKTREND.COM 55

FIRST DRIVE

| 2018 Ford F-150

MORE POWER,, CAPABILITY,, AND CONVENIENCE

By Sue Mead • Photos: Courtesy of Ford fter 40 years reigning as America’s best-selling pickup, 35 years holding court as the top-selling vehicle in the U.S., and a complete redesign of its fullsized lineup in 2015, you might think Ford would be ready to take a rest. 2018 could have easily been a year for Ford to bestow its F-150 with a minor refresh and a couple of 56 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

new trim packages. Thankfully, that’s not the case.

Now celebrating 100 years of pickup history hearkening back to the 1917 Model TT and leading through 70 years of F-Series trucks, Ford is facing stiffer competition than ever. Updating its pickup for a mid-cycle refresh, Ford says its legacy is to be an “engine of progress to build trucks that work hard and

play hard, with continuous innovation and technology that improves function.” What does that mean? Drawing on its core DNA, Ford’s engineers and designers have made the new ’18 F-150 tougher and more capable than ever thanks to a new powertrain lineup and a 10-speed transmission, along with a larger rear axle that increases the maximum gross combined weight rating and raises towing

2018 JAN/FEB • TRUCKTREND.COM 57

FIRST DRIVE

| 2018 Ford F-150

to a new best-in-class 13,200 pounds while bumping maximum payload to a segmenttopping 3,270 pounds. There are six new wheel choices, four new interiors, a selection of different grilles, five revamped engines, and two automatic transmissions.

Looking at the ’18 F-150, the first thing you’ll notice is bold styling emphasized by a new horizontal twin-bar grille and C-clamp LED sidelights. The chamfered nose, fenders, and beefy wheel and tire proportions are meant to underscore the truck’s improved power and ruggedness. At the rear are new taillamps and a freshly designed tailgate with updated appliques.

Under the hood lives a base 3.3L V-6 engine that produces 290 hp and 265 lb-ft of torque; a second-generation 2.7L EcoBoost V-6 produces 325 hp and 400 lb-ft; an enhanced 5.0L V-8

“AN ALL-NEW 3.0L POWER STROKE TURBODIESEL V-6 THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNED, ENGINEERED, AND TESTED IN-HOUSE WILL BECOME THE FIRST DIESEL ENGINE TO JOIN THE F-150 LINEUP.” received significant upgrades, including advanced dual port and direct-injection technology, which are good for 10 more horsepower and an additional 13 lb-ft, bumping output to 395 hp and 400 lb-ft. The secondgeneration 3.5L EcoBoost V-6 is punched up to 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of twist, which

bests all diesel- and gasoline-powered ½-ton competitors. A high-output version of this engine has been tuned to boost performance to a massive 450 hp and 510 lb-ft, but it’s only found in the Raptor.

Ford’s 10-speed SelectShift automatic transmission is mated to all engines, except

The 2018 refresh of the Ford F-150 includes some new interior refinements, including this Dark Marsala color scheme available on the Platinum trim.

58 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

2018 Ford F-150 BASE PRICE: $28,375 TO $60,520 PRICE AS TESTED: $28,375 to $60,520 VEHICLE TYPE: Two- or four-door, 2-6 passenger, two- or four-wheel-drive pickup ENGINE: 3.3L Ti-VCT V-6 power @ 6,500 rpm

torque @ 4,000 rpm

trans

290 hp

265 lb-ft

6 speed auto

ENGINE: 2.7L ECOBOOST V-6 power @ 5,000 rpm

torque @ 2,750 rpm

trans

325 hp

400 lb-ft

10 speed auto

ENGINE: 5.0L Ti-VCT V-8 power @ 5,750 rpm

torque @ 4,500 rpm

trans

395 hp

400 lb-ft

10 speed auto

ENGINE: 3.5L ECOBOOST V-6 power @ 5,000 rpm

torque @ 3,500 rpm

trans

375 hp

470 lb-ft

10 speed auto

TOWING CAPACITY: 5,000 to 13,200 pounds CURB WEIGHT: 4,069 to 4,964 pounds EPA MILEAGE RATING: 15city/19hwy/17comb to 20city/26hwy/22comb

the base 3.3L Ti-VCT V-6, which is shifted by a six-speed auto. The F-150 is the first fullsize pickup truck to include fuel-saving auto start/stop technology as standard equipment across all models and engines. An all-new 3.0L Power Stroke turbodiesel V-6 that has been designed, engineered, and tested in-house will become the first diesel engine to join the F-150 lineup when it becomes available next spring.

We drove the 2.7L and 3.5L EcoBoost pickups, which comprise about 65 percent of sales. Notable is the enormous amount of on-tap power and torque punctuated by the smooth-shifting 10-speed automatic. The new transmission sorts out the best gear for the job by moving seamlessly up or down,

skipping one or two gears if necessary. The truck’s steering is linear and brakes scrub speed smoothly. Our drives included pavement and an off-road course, where the truck performed well, maintaining traction over slick and muddy surfaces. We appreciated the 360-degree camera while navigating through the tight and twisty woodland trails.

An adaptive cruise-control system with stop-and-go is a segment first, giving the F-150 an exclusive offering over its competition. Ford says the system has been designed for truck duty, enabling owners to use cruise control even while towing. Available driver assist and convenience features include Ford’s Pro Trailer Backup Assist, blind-spot monitoring that can even watch the spaces on

either side of a 33-foot trailer, a 360-degree camera that helps improve confidence when parking and can help reduce stress when connecting a trailer, and a lane-keeping system that actively prevents accidental lane departure.

With 40 years of pickup leadership and a bright-red, aluminum-shaped target painted on its back by other pickup manufacturers, Ford could have been careful in refreshing its F-150 1/2-ton truck. Instead, 2018 brought a long list of new technologies that make truck ownership easier and more convenient than ever. And thanks to segment-leading performance, engine output, towing, and payload numbers, don’t expect the 2018 F-150 to give into its competitors without a fight. Our experiences suggest it’s a fine truck, and we can’t wait to try one out for a longer, more comprehensive test. TT

2018 JAN/FEB • TRUCKTREND.COM 59

FEATURE

| Towing Parts Buyer’s Guide

TOWING PARTS

By G.R. Whale • Photos: Courtesy of the Manufacturers

BUYER’S GUIDE E

ven if you never tow anything, a hitch receiver is beneficial as a convenient mount for racks, a winch, or tools—and a bonus for resale value.

Herein, a wide variety of ideas to make your towing experience better and your hitch more useful.

60 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

B&W Companion

B&W’s “turnover” approach mounts a fifth-wheel (sliding or fixed) or gooseneck to the same under-bed point, leaving the bed completely clear when neither is needed (have a friend or hoist since fifth-wheels approach 300 pounds). Fixed and sliding fifth-wheels are also available to fit The Big Three puck systems.

B&W • turnoverball.com 800/248-6564

HITCHES, BALLS, MOUNTS Curt Adjustable

This Curt Class V solid-shank channel mount for trailers up to 20,000 pounds offers two trailer ball sizes, two shank length choices, flip-over channel, and built-in anti-rattle system.

Curt Manufacturing curtmfg.com • 877/287-8634

Curt XD Curt was first to adapt their puck-system legs for quick installation of any Curt fifth-wheel hitch into a Titan XD. They use a three-point anchoring system, drop in, and can be adjusted to eliminate chucking noise.

Curt Manufacturing curtmfg.com • 877/287-8634

Curt Super Duty This Curt gooseneck for 2017 Super Duty pickups can be installed by one person with no frame drilling, no exhaust lowering, no truck bed removal, no spare tire removal, no bed flange trimming, and no welding. Maximum weight is 7,500 pounds on the pin and up to a 30,000-pound trailer.

Curt Manufacturing curtmfg.com 877/287-8634

Draw-Tite Multi-Fit The universal frame hardly exists below Class IV trucks, but the Draw-Tite Multi-Fit receiver does work on many pickups and SUVs. Rated up to 6,000 pounds weight-carrying and 10,000 weightdistributing, it’s powdercoated and has a limited lifetime warranty.

Draw-Tite draw-tite.com 800/632-3290

BulletProof Hitches From the go-big-or-go-home school, BulletProof offers this 3–6-inch drop solid USA “military-grade” steel ball mount rated for 30,000 pounds. Other hardware covers 2-, 2.5-, and 3-inch shanks, drops to 16 inches, and pintle and shackle attachments.

BulletProof Hitches bulletproofhitches.com 941/251-8110

Draw-Tite Adjustable Ball Mount For 2-inch receivers and trailers to 14,000 pounds, Draw-Tite’s adjustable ball mounts are available with dual and triple-ball plus pintle-mount options. Note also the mount’s ribbed surfaces for better traction when used as step.

Draw-Tite • draw-tite.com 800/632-3290

Gen-Y Hitch

B&W Tow & Stow B&W’s Tow & Stow line is available for 2- and 2.5-inch receivers in multiple ball sizes or with drop-down pintle shown open. This allows 14 inches of vertical adjustment, up to 16,000-pound trailer weight, and protected hardware when not towing, all with no loss of departure angle.

B&W • turnoverball.com 800/248-6564

Gen-Y rubber torsion hitches are said to significantly reduce trailer inertia transfer to smooth the ride. Available for 2-, 2.5- and 3-inch receivers, loads to 21,000 pounds (with built-in mechanical tongue weight scale), and 6–21-inch drop on the 2.5-inch models.

Gen-Y • genyhitch.com 574/218-6363

2018 JAN/FEB • TRUCKTREND.COM 61

FEATURE

| Towing Parts Buyer’s Guide

HITCHES, BALLS, MOUNTS Hensley Arrow

Reese Steadi-Flex This weight-distribution hitch (max. 1,400 pounds tongue, 14,000 trailer) has friction-pad sway control built in. The no-drill system is said to provide a smooth, quiet ride and use a pin-and-clip assembly to reduce wear on the head and friction pads.

Reese Products • reeseprod.com • 800/632-3290

The Hensley Arrow hitch, for trailers 6,000-14,000 pounds (use Hensley Cub for 2,000-6,000), uses a unique design to eliminate trailer sway rather than limit it by friction—no side-to-side motion is applied to the tow ball—for improved driving dynamics and safety. Return within 60 days if you don’t like it.

Hensley Mfg. • hensleymfg.com 800/410-6580

Reese Airborne/Sidewinder This pin-box marries an air-ride system with the Sidewinder pin-box for minimizing clearance and maneuvering issues towing up to 16,000pound fifth-wheels with a short-bed truck; many combinations can make a 90-degree turn.

Reese Products • reeseprod.com 800/632-3290

ELECTRONICS Tekonsha ModuLite ZCI For modern vehicles with fussy electronics, the Zero Contact Interface sensors simply snap around truck light wires—no cuts, splices, interference, blown parking light fuses, or melted headlight switches. It works on multiplexed, pulse-width modulation systems and 2/3-wire systems and is rated for 4.2-amp turn/stop and 7.5-amp running light circuits; simply add relays for higher loads.

Tekonsha • tekonsha.com 800/632-3290

Magellan TRX7 CS A one-stop shop for outdoor recreation, the TRX7 CS offers turn-by-turn navigation, more than 115,000 pre-loaded motorized-vehicle trails that don’t require cellular data, companion app (iOS and Android) HD camera/video, photo geo-tagging, a 7-inch display, and lifetime free map and software updates.

Magellan GPS magellangps.com

62 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

Tekonsha Prodigy P2 The P2 offers proportional electric (and electric-overhydrualic) braking for up to four axles.

It features numerous mounting options, quick-disconnect, continual diagnostic checks, and a “boost” function to apply more initial braking action with heavier trailers.

Tekonsha tekonsha.com 800/632-3290

Bargman Adapter Harness The Bargman 90-degree adapter will add a fifthwheel/gooseneck plug to virtually any pickup and many flatbeds with a seven-way, 9-foot insulated cable (UL listed 10/2, 12/1, and 14/4 jacketed).

Bargman • bargman.com • 800/632-3290

Garmin dezlCam The Garmin dezlCam provides navigation and continuous HD video recording, automatically saved to the 8GB micro SD card when internal sensors detect a collision. It provides lifetime updated maps, custom routing for your truck’s size and weight, and warnings for bridge heights, weight limits, steep grades, and so on.

Garmin International • garmin.com 913/397-8200

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE

GP1000

Tough Trac M/T

SOLD IN 105 COUNTRIES WORLDWIDE Now available in the USA! 14” - 20” tire sizes available.

M/T, A/T, Trailer, Highway, & Truck Tires.

Get more for your tire buying dollar!

Dare to compare to BFG & Goodyear.

EVRON 67 ASSEMBLY

MURET 67 ASSEMBLY

TIRED OF TRAILER TIRE FAILURES? Now you can upgrade 16” trailer tires to 19.5” for: 3,970-6,008/lbs. weight ratings, freeway speed ratings, +1.5-2/ mpg gains, 3x-7x extended tire life, and the least sidewall flex stress possible! Enjoy peace of mind when you upgrade your trailer to Boar’s 19.5” wheel & tire assemblies.

BOTH AVAILABLE AT: BOARWHEEL.COM OR 888-619-5622 & 605-745-4722

FEATURE

| Towing Parts Buyer’s Guide

HITCH-MOUNT CARRIERS Ultra-Tow Cargo Carrier This tube steel rack from Ultra-Tow carries up to 500 pounds on its 60x20-inch deck with 6-inch walls, enough for a 50-gallon cooler full of water or anything that won’t fit, or you don’t want, inside. It folds upwards to extend less than a foot behind your truck when not needed.

Northern Tool • northerntool.com • 800/221-0516

Hitchmount RACK V.2 The Hitchmount Rack is made entirely of USA components and carries up to 140 pounds or 12-foot loads without additional stability controls. An extendable base section allows wide-tire clearance, and the 1-inch square crossbars fit most Yakima and Thule attachments.

Hitchmount-Rack • hitchmount-rack.com • 888/993-6783

Alloy Cycle Rack When you haven’t got room in your short bed for another bike or a regular rack won’t handle your e-bike, Ultra-Tow’s aluminum motorcycle rack will carry a 400-pound bike, loaded easily with included ramp and weighing in around 50 pounds.

Northern Tool northerntool.com 800/221-0516

Thule Transporter Combi

Yakima Longhaul

LIGHTING

The Longhaul rack carries up to four bikes and incorporates Yakima’s ZipStrips, antisway cradles, folding arms, and same-key system, but it’s built to take the added abuse of being mounted on an RV with long overhang, all tested to 1.5 times their normal standard.

Yakima yakima.com 888/925-4621

Thule’s enclosed hitch (1¼- or 2-inch) box essentially adds 13 cubic feet and 150 pounds to trunk capacity. The Transporter Combi is lockable and weathertight (but not submersible), has 4-pin rear lights (no backup), and tilts down for easier truck access.

Thule Inc. thule.com 800/238-2388

TRAILER WHEELS & TIRES

Rigid D-SS flood A compact flood light like this Rigid D-SS flood could go anywhere from underneath your buggy to see what you’re hung up on to the pickup bed for easier trailer loading. A 2.3-amp draw allows field repairs well into the night, it may out-live your truck, and with the amber or red lens cover could double as rear dust or snow lamp leaving the playgrounds.

Rigid rigidindustries.com 855/760-5337

Boar Wheel

Baja Flush Mounts

With a 6,050-pound load capacity Boar’s Muret 67 aluminum 19.5x6.75-inch wheel pairs well with load range G tires for your heaviest toy hauler. Hub-centric for ⅝-inch studs or lug-centric with ½-inch or 9⁄16-inch threads, it weighs 38 pounds, includes a center cap, and is available in balanced tire/wheel sets.

Boar • boarwheel.com • 888/619-5622

Baja Designs’ angled flush-mount Squadron series (1,800-lumen Sport, 4,900 Pro) go on any flat surface, angled downward from above, sideways for hitch or low-headroom doors, or upward for ambient reflection, O-ring sealed to the mounting surface.

Baja Designs • bajadesigns.com • 866/335-7050

Maxxis ST M8008 Maxxis’ military-sounding M8008 is a dedicated (ST) steel-belted radial trailer tire. In nine sizes from 13- through 16-inch diameters, load capacity ranges from 1,360 to 3,420 pounds per tire, and Maxxis recommends a 65-mph limit towing a trailer.

Maxxis • maxxis.com • 800/462-9947

64 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

Heavy Duty Transmission Pans and Differential Covers Often Copied, Never Duplicated

818.786.8325 Magnetic drain plugs

New Ford Dana M300

Magnetic dipstick Cast Aluminum A356-T6

Just Released Ford 6R140

Tapped for temperature probe 25 to 50ยบ Heat reduction ARP O-rings on Most applications Longer service intervals Quicker, cleaner maintenance

Perfect for that tow rig that will keep you on the road

www.mag-hytec.com

FEATURE

| Towing Parts Buyer’s Guide

Hellwig Big Wig

SUSPENSION

With a 2,800-pound bag for each side, the Big Wig air spring kit for ’17-plus Super Dutys allows big loads at moderate spring rates, variable side-to-side, compressor/tank optional. Available stock height for 250/350 SRW 2WD and duallys, with < 2-inch lift and 2- to 4-inch lift kits for SRW 4WD. Pair with a Big Wig adjustable rear sway bar for large trailers.

Hellwig Products • hellwigproducts.com • 800/435-5944

Kelderman F-SD

Air Lift Bags

This ’17 4WD-only Super Duty four-link air system from Kelderman includes all the hardware necessary to convert to adjustable rear air suspension, capable of dropping 3.5-4 inches for easier hitching or tailgate loading.

Pair it with an optional control system and it will automatically level the truck regardless of load.

Kelderman • kelderman.com • 800/334-6150

The Load Lifter 5000 Ultimate setup, which offers up to 5,000-pound capacity across most popular pickup lines, uses air springs with internal jounce bumpers to mitigate harsh impacts on rough roads or run safely empty with zero air pressure. The system fits vehicles with integrated fifth-wheel gooseneck options.

Air Lift • airliftcompany.com • 800/248-0892

Timbren Trailer Suspension Timbren’s “Axle-Less” rubber-spring suspension is rated at 2,000 pounds (per pair/one “axle”), offers 1.625 inches of compression travel and comes with a 4-inch lift spindle to fit wider, and has taller tires and mounting flange for various braking options.

Timbren timbren.com 800/263-3113

Rancho RS9000XL Regardless of spring material the shock controls it and the RS9000XL varies control across nine settings for better ride and control whether you’re towing a heavy load at speed or empty walking across moguls and want the best softness and flexibility.

Rancho • gorancho.com 734/384-7804

PERFORMANCE ATS Stage II Ram 68RFE The Stage II six-speed automatic transmission, for two- or four-wheel drive, is designed for towing and up to 600 hp, with a “Five-Star” torque converter rated for 2,500 lb-ft input. It uses reinforced hubs, shafts, planetary assembly, case, and clutch packs; deep pan, and a valve body that safely adds and controls line pressure.

Limited 5-year/500,000-mile warranty.

ATS • atsdiesel.com • 866/209-3695

ATS Aurora The Aurora 4000 fits tuned ’11-’14 6.7 Power Stroke pickups and cab/chassis (use 3000 for stock trucks), supports up to 700 hp, and is said to control EGT while maintaining stock spool-up.

The drop-in kit includes upgraded up-pipes, hardware, and gaskets; uses stock plumbing; and has 5-year/500,000-mile warranty.

ATS • atsdiesel.com • 866/209-3695

66 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

BD TapShifter This kit gives fingertip lever shifting (using factory shift arms) and full manual control for 6.0L Power Stroke and ’01-’05 Duramax. Designed to be equally useful towing or doing dyno runs, the Ford kit uses the VVT for exhaust brake function with up to 70 psi backpressure, much like later 6.7L Power Stroke.

BD Diesel Performance dieselperformance.com 800/887-5030

PERFORMANCE BD ATF Cooler The BD transmission fluid cooler uses the same extruded bar design as their charge air coolers, with 200 passages for heat transfer rated at 33,930 Btu/ hr. Furnace brazed rails handle 300 psi, ⅝-inch ports accept 5⁄16-, ⅜-, and ⅝-inch line, and the 800-cfm fan comes prewired with a loomed harness.

BD Diesel Performance dieselperformance.com 800/887-5030

Borla EcoBoost Turbo

BD 2Low Unloc The 2Low Unloc system is basically an electric version of manual-locking hubs for a 4WD, allowing low-range reduction without driveline binding. Better throttle modulation and greater available torque make an easier job of low-speed maneuvering on inclines and controlling axle wrap while backing your large trailer.

BD Diesel Performance dieselperformance.com 800/887-5030

This Borla turbocharger upgrade kit for 3.5L EcoBoost F-150 is said to unleash up to 160 horses more. The system includes two BorgWarner turbos, SCT X4 tuner and 5-Star Tuning software, air filter, NGK iridium plugs, and Borla’s million-mile cat-back full-dual exhaust with ATAK or S (quieter) mufflers and side or rear exits.

Borla • borla.com • 877/462-6752

Borla CrateMuffler Made of the same T-304 stainless as all Borla exhausts, these CrateMufflers are designed for crate engine swaps and installations. A variety of pipe sizes, accessories, and mounting endplates and hangers aid fitment, and two sound profiles (add Crate Resonators to either for quieter options) avoid droning.

Borla • borla.com • 877/462-6752

Bullet Proof Diesel Cooler Recently announced for ’08-’10 Ford 6.4L pickups is this oil cooler relocation system from Bullet Proof Diesel. Designed, manufactured and tested in-house, this system moves the cooler from engine valley to firewall and uses a spin-on oil filter.

Bullet Proof Diesel bulletproofdiesel.com 480/247-2331

Centerforce Twin Disc For ’05.5-and-up Ram diesels, this Centerforce twin-disc clutch is rated for 1,700 lb-ft of torque and said to offer quiet and smooth operation. It includes pre-bled hydraulics, billet steel flywheel, damped dual-disc assembly, centrifugal-weight pressure plate, and ARP fasteners.

Centerforce centerforce.com 800/932-5882

2018 JAN/FEB • TRUCKTREND.COM 67

FEATURE

| Towing Parts Buyer’s Guide

PERFORMANCE Edge Evolution The Evolution controller/programmer adds power; adjusts powertrain mapping and speed/rev limiters; offers multiple parameters on the configurable display (with audible alerts); does data logging, testing, and recording; and is internet updateable. A rearview camera can be added and California models are available.

Edge Products edgeproducts.com 888/360-3343

Energy Master Set

Superchips Dashpaq

This Energy Suspension Hyper-Flex master set for all ’07-’10 GM HD 4WD pickups includes bushings for front control arm, antiroll bar mount and end-link, front diff, and torsion bar crossmember, rear spring and shackle, and cab body mounts. This should improve alignment, handling, and towing stability.

Energy Suspension energysuspension.com 888/913-6374

The Dashpaq on-dash monitor/tuner, for gas and diesel, uses a button interface for displays from multiple temperature and pressure accessories, settings, DTC, real-time driving efficiency, and maintenance scheduling, and you can log and export data for review in CSV file format.

Superchips superchips.com 888/227-2447

Predator Returns DiabloSport’s tuner is back in Predator II form for gas and diesel, for power/economy programming, USB updating, data logging, user adjustable shifting/tire size/gearing, DTC reading/clearing, and a blank “Pro” version for custom tuning.

DiabloSport • diablosport.com 866/404-6141

Jet Performance Products Jet throttle bodies are a direct replacement—no fiddling with electronic calibrations—and are designed to increase airflow. They’re available for most popular gasoline pickups and SUVs (the part shown is for the ’05-’15 Dodge/Ram 5.7L Hemi V-8).

Jet • jetchip.com • 800/535-1161

Hypertech Max Energy 2.0 A new update adds 20 hp and 20 lb-ft to GM 6.0L L96 (VIN code G) HD engines (on premium, 17/17 on regular) and is a free update via Hypertech Tuner to Max Energy 2.0 Power Programmer owners. It also adjusts for shifts points and firmness, tire pressure monitor (25-95 psi), tire size (up to 54 inches), speed limiter, axle ratio (2.56-5.13:1), and read/clear DTC. Hypertech hypertech.com 901/382-8888

Phoenix Friction This Stage 5 FeramAlloy solid flywheel clutch conversion kit for G56 Ram diesels replaces the stock system, includes a bolt-on upgraded prefilled hydraulic system, and is rated for long life/ severe duty towing behind engines up to 620 hp and 1,080 lb-ft.

Other friction materials covering 390-715 hp and 675-1,250 lb-ft are available for the G56.

Phoenix Friction • phoenixfriction.com • 877/570-5630

68 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

Mag-Hytec Cover From the original O-ring sealed, magnetized, dipstick, serviceable finned cover and pan builder shown is the prototype for ’17 Super Duty 350/450 rear ends. Covers and auto trans pans are available for most pickups, and there’s an engine oil pan for the 6.7L Power Stroke.

Mag-Hytec • mag-hytec.com • 818/786-8325

BOLT Coupler Lock

Bulldog High-Speed In addition to trailer tongue jacks, Bulldog offers these Velocity jacks that have a six-ton capacity and 24 inches of travel, said to be faster than hydraulics at comparable loads. A wired remote is standard, wireless optional, and electric means no hoses, pumps, or hydraulic reservoirs to maintain.

Bulldog • bulldogproducts.net • 800/632-3290

Like all BOLT locks, the coupler is set once to match your truck key so you’ll never fumble through a keychain to unlock it (the boat could be another matter). Protection is two-fold, visible to deter opportunistic thieves and hardened steel with a plate tumbler sidebar to minimize pick and impact access.

BOLT • boltlock.com • 844/972-7547

Locking Pin Set The Draw-Tite locking pin set for adjustable ball mounts comes with a ⅝-inch pin for the two-inch receiver and a ¾-inch pin to secure the head to the shank, keyed alike, for those times you’d rather keep the grubby hitch outside your truck.

Draw-Tite draw-tite.com 800/632-3290

Bulldog Winch In ratings from 2,500 to 18,000 pounds (9,000 shown) use a patented cone brake structure to keep all brake heat outside the drum and promote longevity. Other features include a pull-and-turn T-handle clutch, three-stage planetary gearing, and a remote with LED overheating indicators.

Bulldog • bulldogproducts.net • 800/632-3290

Superwinch EXP The Superwinch EXP series is available in four-, fiveand six-ton capacities, rated to IP69K (no dust/water penetration 1,100+ psi at 80C) with 100-feet of wire or synthetic rope, task lighting, auxiliary power port, and integrated or remote solenoid box installations.

Superwinch • superwinch.com • 800/323-2031

JOBOX LP This Jobox premium crossover 10.5-cubic-foot storage unit with dual rotary GearLocks has clearance underneath and maybe fifth-wheel clearance on top depending on your rig’s articulation, and the reinforced lid can handle the front axle of your ATV or side-by-side. Shown in aluminum, also available in steel.

JOBOX • jobox.com • 800/643-0084

Warn Utility Winch For pulling recalcitrant wheeled devices onto trailers, or pulling (never lifting) things around the shop or closing the toybox door with the broken springs or rams, any ⅜-or-larger drill powers the free-spooling Warn winch drill, capable of pulling 500 pounds on the first wrap.

Warn • warn.com • 800/543-9276

Tuffy Security Drawer This 16-gauge steel Tuffy roller-bearing drawer is designed for secure storage in SUV cargo areas whether enclosed or not, but we’ve also seen them slung between open-deck trailer frame rails for out-of-the-way safe storage without impeding ground clearance.

Tuffy Security Products tuffyproducts.com 800/348-8339

Viair Ultra Duty The Ultra Duty onboard air system provides a 200-psi rated, 100-percent duty cycle 480C compressor, 2.5-gallon air tank (upgradeable to 5), and components to install a working system capable of inflating even large tires, running light air tools and/or linked to air horns, air lockers, and air suspension.

Viair • viaircorp.com • 949/585-0011

Warn Trailer Winch Warn’s 4000DC 1.9hp motor and 176:1 gear reduction peak at 4,000-pounds first-wrap pulling capacity—and the roller fairlead is standard. If that’s not enough to drag your broken buggy on the trailer, use all 43 feet of the wire cable and a shackle.

Includes 6-gauge wiring and 12-foot-lead remote.

Warn • warn.com • 800/543-9276 2018 JAN/FEB • TRUCKTREND.COM 69

Jeff Ng INTERVIEW

PRODUCT MANAGER, 2018 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN

Interview

G

rowing up in the small town of Ocala, Florida, Jeff Ng was always interested in cars. His car-guy father subscribed to every automotive magazine, and young Jeff read them cover-to-cover.

Jeff also wanted to serve in the military.

After high school, he was accepted to West Point and was commissioned an Army Second Lieutenant in 1999. “I wanted to be an Apache helicopter pilot, but my eyesight deteriorated just enough that I didn’t qualify, so I went into air defense artillery,” he says.

“As a platoon leader of about 25 soldiers, my vehicle was a big, armored Bradley with track wheels and a 50-caliber gun.”

He didn’t see combat, but found serving in the military a great experience. When his five-year commitment was up in 2004, he went to Atlanta’s Emory University and earned an MBA in two years. Jeff then went to work for Mannheim, the world’s largest auto-auction company, launching overseas branches, consolidating U.S. locations, and cutting costs.

But Jeff wanted to work in product management at an automaker. He had interned at Mercedes and did a project for BMW North America during business school, and in 2012 he got a pricing and marketplanning job at Audi. Then he moved over to Volkswagen in 2015 as Tiguan product manager. “Part of the attraction of that job,”

By Gary Witzenburg Photos: Courtesy of Volkswagen

he relates, “was that we still had 21⁄2 years to impact the final product before it launched.”

Truck Trend: Was this new Tiguan designed and developed in Wolfsburg?

Jeff Ng: At VW of America, we’re basically

sales and marketing, so we were planning how to operate in this market and how to price it. The development was done

in Germany, but even 21⁄2 years before it launched, we could still make some small design changes.

To make it more appealing to U.S. buyers?

Yes. For example, our long-wheelbase Tiguan has a different hood than the normal Tiguan for Europe and the rest of the world. Initially, it had the same hood, but part of VW of America’s feedback to design was that it needed to be bolder, and that hood just didn’t look right on our longer version. For an SUV in the U.S., it needed to look more substantial. So it now has a flat, chamfered edge on the front to give it a bolder stance.

What is your product philosophy for this market?

I came to VW at the beginning of 2015, and fall 2015 is when the TDI situation happened.

The entire company has gone through dramatic change, and with that the brand is going through dramatic change. My objective in this job was to define the brand for the United States, and we had that opportunity after all that happened. Now we can come out and say, “This is what Volkswagen is.” It was 70 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

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INTERVIEW

Although engineered in Germany, the Volkswagen Tiguan was designed with the American market in mind.

also important to think of this vehicle as an experience for the customer.

Has there been an attitude change in Wolfsburg in terms of what they need to do for the American market? Is there a feeling now that they had better go all out to really tailor each vehicle to the U.S. buyer, even if it costs more?

ing product development. Reacting faster and shortening our development time is something where we are still challenged and where I think we could do better.

Absolutely. You can see that most prominently in our organizational structure. We have created a NAR region to cover the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and within it we are replicating all the functions they had when Germany was managing the region. To give our region more autonomy, we are shifting from working almost exclusively with Germany to working more with engineering and development in Mexico and saying for the U.S. market, “These are specific things that we need to do, regardless of what they are planning in Europe.” It used to be that everything was approved by Wolfsburg, but now we have Mexico as part of our region, they understand, and they’re trying to develop what we need.

That was a challenge. We have very strong competitors in the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Nissan Rogue, and many others. Some have been around a long time, they have perfected this formula, and they’re very good at cost.

One challenge for us is that as a German manufacturer, Volkswagen’s engineering and internal quality standards are very high. That creates great cars with outstanding finish,

What was your toughest challenge in tailoring this vehicle to this market?

The toughest thing for me has been the timeline. Building a car is not a simple thing, it takes a lot of time to change things, and it is so super competitive today that if you want an advantage, you need to work on shorten72 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

What about the challenge of cost?

“WE THINK WE HAVE CHECKED ALL THE BOXES THAT OUR COMPETITORS HAVE AND HAVE GONE FURTHER...”

but it’s hard trying to balance cost saving with keeping those standards.

What is your leadership philosophy?

We spent a lot of time on that in the military, and it’s also a big topic in business school.

Leadership is about doing the right thing and motivating people, and you have to be compassionate and honest. Even in the military, if you really want people to follow your orders, they need to believe in what you’re doing. That comes from motivation, and that comes from respecting every individual and giving them full information so they know what you are trying to achieve as an organization and what their part in that journey is.

Once they know, they can believe in the cause and understand that they’re part of something larger than themselves, and they are more motivated to achieve whatever you’re trying to achieve.

It looks like you have pulled out all the stops on this vehicle in terms of content and features.

That’s what was needed to be competitive in this segment. We think we have checked all the boxes that our competitors have and have gone further with third-row seating and retaining those Volkswagen quality things in this vehicle. TT

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ON THIS PAGE LONG-TERM TEST FLEET

SHOP CLASS P76

TENNECO DRiV & MAZDA SKYACTIV-X SEAN P. HOLMAN

AR RI VA L

FORD F-150 RAPTOR & RAM 1500 REBEL

A thicker front aluminum skidplate protects the vitals and does a better job at resisting deforming from impacts.

LONG-TERM NUMBERS

2017 FORD F-150 RAPTOR Ford completely redesigned the F-150 Raptor for ’17 with a new frame, larger Fox internal bypass shocks, a lighter aluminum body, and more power. In fact, in a daring move, Ford replaced the raucous 6.2L V-8 with a massaged 3.5L EcoBoost V-6 and 10-speed automatic transmission.

Ford’s Raptor has proved exceedingly popular, with the ’17 and ’18 allocations sold out at most dealerships. We’ve seen Raptors marked up by 30 grand over sticker by some retailers, bringing them to well over $100,000. So if you’ve ever thought the price of a Raptor was out of reach and wondered what you get with a base model, you are in luck, because we got our hands on a rare, low-spec “unicorn” for our long-term fleet.

Wanting to jump right in to the cloth seats, we decided to fly to Michigan to pick up our truck from Ford and drive across the country to our Southern California headquarters. With the first 2,000 miles rolled across the odometer in just a couple of days, we were immediately able to make some observations about the truck.

Our truck skips touchscreens and leather, giving us a good look at what makes a Raptor tick. If you want a truck with seat memory, push-button start, or keyless entry, this is not the truck you are looking for. Our test Raptor even lacks fairly commonplace features, such as a damped tailgate or HomeLink. However, it does have satellite 74 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

LOGBOOK QUOTES “While we miss the V-8 and loathe the fake engine sounds being pumped into the Raptor’s cabin, a lot can be forgiven when there is 450 hp and 510 lb-ft under foot.”

“There is now a refinement to the Raptor that we almost take offense to.”

By Sean P. Holman

radio (a necessity for cross-country travel), tinted windows, and as sinister-looking a maw as we’ve ever seen on a pickup. In Border Patrol—er, Oxford—White, this thing just looks mean. Countless people have commented on our “stormtrooper” Raptor, and despite being the same color as your plumber’s truck, it turns heads as much as anything else this side of a Crown Vic on Hell’s Revenge (no, really, look it up).

Thanks to a dearth of options, this has to be one of the lightest Raptor configurations you can get, and with 450 hp, this truck just plain rips. The 10-speed transmission has so far proven to be unflappable, with quick shifts and accurate gear selection. The Raptor is also pretty comfortable on the highway with a

“Cloth seats grip you and hold you in place.”

“You know Auto Start-Stop isn’t going to be a crowd pleaser when your wife prioritizes turning it off from the passenger seat before she even buckles up.”

Report: 1 of 4 Previous Report(s): N/A Base Price: $48,325 Price as Tested: $50, 910 Miles to Date: 4,550 Miles Since Last Report: N/A Average MPG (this report): 14.3 Best Tank (mpg): 17.1 Worst Tank (mpg): 13.2 Test Maintenance: None Test Problem Areas: None smooth and relatively quiet ride. As you might imagine, off-highway and in the right terrain, the Raptor is an absolute beast.

So far our biggest complaints are the inability to hear the music from the twin-turbo and direct-injected 3.5L DOHC V-6 under load, thanks to fake engine noises pumping loud and proud through the stereo and a less-than-inspiring exhaust note that leaves one wondering why Ford replaced the V-8, on visceral grounds alone. However, our logical side sees the advantages of the V-6, such as lighter weight and a better-balanced chassis.

Our Raptor has been a fun companion both on and off the trail, and we’re looking forward to getting some more miles under our tires over the next year A functional hood vent helps to expel heat from the high-output twin-turbo EcoBoost.

The Fox internal bypass shocks now have a 3-inch body, nine zones, and integrated bumpstops. Travel is 13 inches front and 13.6 inches rear.

IT’S THE SMALL-BLOCK CHEVY V-8, THOUGH, THAT REALLY STANDS OUT AS SOMETHING SPECIAL. A SWEET RATIO OF PRICE TO POWER HAS ALWAYS MADE IT A WINNING PROPOSITION.” GEAR P78

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PRE-OWNED P82

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TE DA UP LONG-TERM NUMBERS

KEN BRUBAKER

ABOVE RIGHT: Trailer brake information is conveniently displayed through the 7-inch reconfigurable instrument cluster and is easily accessed using buttons on the steering wheel.

2017 RAM 1500 REBEL In our first report, we gave kudos to the truck’s standard four-corner air suspension. We love that it offers the ability to alter the ride height with the touch of a button, which allows us to increase approach, departure, and breakover angles when we point the truck off-road. While those improvements are welcome, we’ve found yet another reason to love the air suspension.

We’ve towed a variety of trailers with the Rebel and love that the air suspension automatically levels when a trailer is attached. Talk about simplicity. One of the trailers we tow is a 6x12-foot, V-nose, single-axle cargo trailer that has a curb weight of approximately 1,250 pounds and a tongue weight of 187 pounds. Most of the time, it has a Honda Gold Wing motorcycle strapped inside along with a couple of spare wheels and tires for the trailer as well as other odds ’n’ ends. We guesstimate total trailer weight to be in the 2,300-pound range. Another trailer we routinely tow is a 20-foot, dual-axle travel trailer that has a dry weight of 3,950 pounds and a tongue weight of 310 pounds. We love that we can simply connect a trailer to the truck, the suspension self-levels, and we’re good to go.

According to Ram, our Rebel has a maximum trailer weight rating of 9,830 pounds the way it is configured. Our Rebel

By Ken Brubaker

also has the optional trailer brake controller, LOGBOOK which is cleanly integrated into an area below the HVAC controls. It’s easy to use QUOTES “I wasn’t an and ties in with the 7-inch Rebel reconfiguair-suspension rable instrument cluster to monitor setup fan, but after and function. We dig our Rebel’s standard living with the Rebel, I’m a ParkView rear back-up camera, which believer.” integrates with the 8.4-inch, dash-mounted “This truck touchscreen display to assist in positioning is incredibly the hitch ball under the trailer’s hitch easily versatile!” and safely. On the highway, the Rebel has “Still not a fan of pulled our trailers with no drama. The 5.7L the huge RAM Hemi’s 395 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque is more lettering on the tailgate or the than adequate. We use tow/haul mode each goofy grille. time we tow and the results are impressive.

There’s still time With tow/haul engaged, the 8HP70 eightto come around, speed transmission’s upshifts are delayed though.” and it automatically downshifts to help with engine braking during steady descents. Tow/haul mode helps with performance as well and reduces the potential for transmission overheating due to excessive We love the ParkView rear back-up camera shifting. We can that displays through the Rebel’s 8.4-inch confirm that it works touchscreen display. It’s great for daily very well. It’s almost use, and hooking up to a trailer is an easy like the transmisand safe procedure thanks to the camera’s sion is reading our clear, wide-angle view.

Report: 2 of 4 Previous Report(s): Sept/Oct 2017 Base Price: $47,095 Price as Tested: $54,210 Miles to Date: 10,820 Miles Since Last Report: 5,090 Average MPG (this report): 16.2 Test Best Tank (mpg): 17.7 (highway @ 70 mph) Test Worst Tank (mpg): 9.9 (towing a 6x12 cargo trailer w/ 1,200 pounds of cargo into a headwind) Test Maintenance: Oil and filter change, tire rotation, cost $62.77 Test Problem Areas: None

minds. It’s worth noting that even towing on hot days in hilly terrain the transmission temperature has remained well within the normal range. Chalk up another win for Rebel towing. If we had one wish, it’s that the power-folding, heated sideview mirrors had more vertical adjustability so the tops of taller trailers were more easily visible.

Since our last report, the Rebel has been in for its first routine service visit. At 8,378 miles, the truck’s computer displayed that oil life was at 14 percent remaining, not quite due, but we took it to the dealer early since we had a long trip planned.

The dealer changed the oil, replaced the oil filter, rotated the 33-inch Toyo Open Country A/T tires, performed a multi-point inspection, and topped off the windshieldwasher fluid. Total cost was an affordable sum of $62.77. Early into our test, we had a couple of instances where the TPMS system alerted us that it had a fault. We haven’t received that message recently, and the dealer could find no record of it in the truck’s system history.

So far, our long-term Ram 1500 Rebel has impressed us in every way, whether it has been towing, ’wheeling, hauling, or just commuting. Stay tuned for more on the Rebel, particularly on its off-road exterior lighting, as well as any other new notes, quibbles, or commendations we have for Ram’s rugged half-ton pickup. TT 2018 JAN/FEB • TRUCKTREND.COM 75

SHOP CLASS

Tenneco DRiV Electronic Suspension MAKING THEM RIDE AS WELL AS THEY HAUL AND TOW

By Gary Witzenburg

Photos: Courtesy of Tenneco

A

s everyone knows, hard-working trucks need stiff, strong springs and shocks to tow and haul heavy loads. But those typically make them ride and handle like old, horse-drawn buckboards when they’re lightly loaded—which, for most of us, is most of the time.

Some truck-makers do better than others at lightload dynamics, but even the best leave something to be desired.

So can anyone offer the heavy towing and

The heart of DRiV technology is the array of sensors and software located atop the shock body. They integrate with OEM electronics in vehicle-specific applications. hauling capabilities many of us demand without the uncomfortable reality of typically trucky unloaded ride and handling? Actually, the chances of that are looking good. High-tech global chassis performance supplier Tenneco, which has marketed continuously variable semi-active suspension (CVSA) technology—primarily on high-end European sedans and CUVs—since 2002, will

soon launch a simpler, less expensive semi-active damping system called DRiV (Digital Ride Valve) aimed at pickups and truck-based SUVs, at least initially.

This DRiV digital suspension technology now under development for a 2020 launch has an integrated modular design with sensors and software controls nestled inside the damper itself. With no external valves or electronic control unit, Tenneco says it is easy for the OEM to integrate into the vehicle’s existing suspension with little re-engineering of mechanical or electrical systems. It offers eight discreet damping settings with or without a

BOOM!

DIESEL TECHNOLOGY FOR GASOLINE ENGINES

By Alex Steele ASE Master Technician

M

azda might be sidestepping the auto industry’s motivation toward electric-vehicle development with the announcement of its Skyactiv-X powertrain series, the first commercially available compression-ignition gasoline engine. The 2.0L Skyactiv-X I-4 is projected to arrive in 2019, with 20to 30-percent greater fuel efficiency than Mazda’s equivalent current gasoline engine (Skyactiv-G).

Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI): HCCI is considered the ultimate form of combustion when dealing with both power and emissions. When a standard gasoline or diesel engine ignites an air/fuel mixture, it begins the burn. A flame front starts at the point of ignition, whether it’s spark or fuel spray. The front progresses 76 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

throughout the combustion chamber until the mixture is completely burned. The combustion produces the expansion of gases, which drives the piston down on the power stroke.

When compressing a homogeneous charge of air and fuel to the point of ignition by resulting pressure and heat, the elapsed time for the flame front to expand and complete the burn is almost eliminated.

The air/fuel mixture essentially explodes in one big bang. This allows for a leaner mixture, and it’s the core of the advantage to HCCI combustion.

Mazda is expected to offer the Skyactiv-X compression-ignition engine on the 3 compact and CX-5 small SUV, at least intially.

How To Control Ignition Timing?

Ignition timing is the challenge when developing an HCCI gasoline engine. The technology to efficiently control compression and heat to reach the target point of ignition either hasn’t existed or was too expensive to happen in a commercial application.

A few sub-systems to help with timing have always been at the top of the list.

THE GARAGE

driver interface (through an infotainment screen or drive mode selector) and uses a simplified “gateway” module to communicate with the vehicle’s existing controller area network (CAN) bus.

As we experienced in a series of low-speed test drives of Tenneco-owned Chevrolet Silverados over and through strategically placed surface events and chicanes on a twisty course near Detroit, the DRiV dampers improved both ride and handling while significantly reducing shake, bounce, and brake dive. There was no question the DRiV-equipped truck, both unloaded and with 400 pounds of ballast behind its rear axle, was dramatically better in feel and performance than the (near-identically equipped) stock truck.

“The printed circuit board (PCBA) inside the damper has sensors, accelerometers, and the electronic intelligence integrated into it,” says Daniel Keil, Tenneco chief engineer - OE Business, Vehicle Dynamics and Product Engineering. “And we get steering, braking, tow/haul, and off-road mode CAN message data from sensors already on the vehicle.”

Are these dampers and their internal PCBAs sufficiently protected from the dirt, water, snow, and slush that hard-working trucks will experience over time? “We have done a lot of work to protect those things.” Keil responds. “Sealing is

• Variable compression ratio by means a plunger within the combustion chamber, variable valve timing (VVT), and/or a means of controlling piston stroke.

• Regulated forced induction to control intake air pressure.

• External temperature control of intake air and fuel.

• Exhaust gas recirculation to vary combustion temperature, therefore controlling compression-ignition timing.

Tenneco’s CVSA shock technology has been in use for more than a decade in premium cars, proving the system’s durability.

very important, and we will follow customer requirements on the anticorrosion coating of the steel damper tubes.”

Will this DRiV technology also be used in passenger cars to provide smooth ride under normal conditions but transition to crisp, athletic handling on demand? “Yes, it will be calibrated to each vehicle with the OEM based on how the manufacturer wants its DNA,” he says. “The strategy we use in our algorithms is to call for control only when it’s needed. So if you’re cruising on a smooth freeway, the dampers will be in soft mode most of the time. But if something jumps out in front of you and you do a lane change, they will go into a controlled mode with more damping. We will tune the passive valving before we add the semi-active

can lower the effective (actual) compression. This might smooth out the transition from spark ignition to high compression HCCI and vice versa.

Ignition spark can also make a difference in compression by means of an early burn.

A spark just in advance of all-out compression ignition can actually boost compression with the expanding gases from partial

Spark Controlled Compression Ignition (SPCCI) We’re still a bit in the dark on the specifics of Mazda’s exclusive engine design, but the sparkcontrol aspect makes the system driveable in a variety of scenarios. Straight-up HCCI without spark is believed to be fully functional in low-load highway conditions and idling, but spark ignition takes over for cold starts and hard-throttle driving.

The difficulty in controlling HCCI ignition timing hasn’t gone anywhere, and variable valve timing is going to play a role inside Mazda’s new scheme.

The Skyactiv-X engine will have a supercharger, which will provide variable air compression to more precisely control fuel burn, create a leaner fuel/air mix, and prevent detonation.

VVT can mean a lot in controlling compression.

If the fixed mechanical compression ratio is high to establish compression ignition, keeping an intake valve open longer during the compression stroke

THE OTTO CYCLE In 1876, NIKOLAUS AUGUST OTTO was principal in the development of the first four-cycle gasoline engine. The proper configuration of pistons, valves, crank, and camshafts made it possible. Here are the four cycles and what they do: Intake: Piston moving down in the cylinder, intake valve open/exhaust valve closed. Low pressure created from piston travel draws in the air/fuel mixture past the intake valve and fills the cylinder.

Compression: Piston upstroke, intake valve closed/exhaust valve closed. The air/fuel mixture is compressed into the combustion chamber of the cylinder head. The compression ratio varies based on piston stroke length, piston shape, and combustion chamber shape.

control, then the system decides how much you need and when you need it.”

What will OEMs have to do to integrate this system into their vehicles? “They’ll have to integrate communications to the gateway and harnesses to our system. The gateway is the communications interface, smaller than a cellphone, between our system and theirs. Then the calibration will be a joint effort between us and them. It fits in the same space as a normal shock, so the rest of the suspension does not have to be touched.”

He adds that this technology does not limit a vehicle’s cargo or towing capabilities. “The intention is that it can do anything the truck can do,” he says. “It has to be able to encompass the limits set for the vehicle by the OEM. And it will reduce the durability loads on the vehicle because it will have better control and hit the suspension stops less often.”

Tenneco says that more than 6 million of its CVSA systems have been featured in 40 different models from 10 (mostly premium European) brands over the last 15 years, and it is now expanding their availability to the North American SUV/CUV market. And while the simpler DRiV system will be initially aimed at pickups and SUVs—especially those used for towing—beginning in 2020, there may eventually be opportunities for it in a wide variety of vehicles.

combustion. This may be another piece of the concept focused on timing, which can help deliver a seamless switch in and out of spark and compressionignition modes.

Mega-manufacturers have attempted the development of a functional HCCI engine in the past and failed. It’s kind of impressive that a smaller company is taking the big leap. We’ll see how it runs when it rolls off the line, and time will tell how it holds up after real-world driving. TT

Power: Piston down stroke, intake valve closed/exhaust valve closed. A spark plug fires just prior to the piston reaching the top of its travel, igniting the high-pressure air/fuel mixture.

The combustion causes the compressed gases to rapidly expand. This drives the piston down, rotates the crankshaft, and eventually turns the wheels.

Exhaust: Piston upstroke, intake valve closed/ exhaust valve open. The post-combustion exhaust gases are pushed out past the exhaust valve and pumped into the atmosphere.

The four cycles repeat due to the inertia of the crankshaft and the motions of other pistons, which started off at the power stroke.

2018 JAN/FEB • TRUCKTREND.COM 77

By Brett T. Evans

COOL, NEW STUFF FOR YOUR TRUCK OR SUV Locking It Down With styling inspired by the company’s tread-onthe-sidewall tires, Mickey Thompson is bringing its signature design to the Sidebiter Lock wheel lineup. Featuring a machined lip, satin-black finish, and cast-in beadlock, the Sidebiter Lock is available in nearly two dozen different configurations in sizes ranging from 15 to 20 inches. With a max per-wheel load of up to 3,640 pounds, it’s also a tough wheel with a limited lifetime warranty against structural defects.

Mickey Thompson 330-928-9092 mickeythompsontires.com

AEV’s Latest With lifted trucks and bigger tires comes speedometer error. But AEV’s ProCal Module can reprogram speedometers to compensate for oversized wheels and tires, which also corrects erratic stability control and transmission operation, restoring safe, reliable operation to lifted pickups. The system can also alter tire pressure monitoring systems for different tires, and it can turn on a three-blink turn signal feature for lane changes, among other convenience features.

AEV • 248-926-0256 aev-conversions.com

The Bottom Line Rugged Ridge says the injection-molded production method for its All Terrain Floor Liners is better at providing protection to carpet and interiors than the flimsier construction of competitors, and the company now provides an option for owners of the ’17–up Ford F-Series Super Duty. Dirt and mud get trapped in ⅜-inch–deep chevrons, trapping debris for easier cleanup later, and a raised lip prevents damage and stains to your truck’s carpet.

Rugged Ridge • ruggedridge.com

A Titan for the Titan One of our few complaints about the Nissan Titan XD is its relatively small fuel tank. At just 26 gallons, it’s only good for about 500 very careful miles before needing refueling. Sharing a name with the truck, Titan Fuel Tanks can help expand the big pickup’s usable range with a 50-gallon replacement tank.

Fitting within the truck’s existing empty space, the tank requires no cutting or fabrication, and it preserves cargo space. Constructed of a crosslinked, military-grade polymer, the replacement fuel tank is also tough enough for truck duty.

Titan Fuel Tanks 800-728-4982 titanfueltanks.com

78 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

THE GARAGE Get Your Rear in Gear Thanks to internal heat sinks and external cooling fins that increase surface area for better heat dissipation, the Heavy Duty Aluminum Rear Differential Cover from PPE helps protect the running gear of your Chevrolet Silverado or GMC Sierra 1500 pickup. Also protecting the differential’s sensitive moving parts is an extra quart of fluid capacity, plus a magnetic drain plug that pulls damaging metallic particles away from any moving parts. The Heavy Duty Aluminum Rear Differential Cover is available in three finishes, and it fits all ’70–present Chevrolet and GMC trucks with the 10-bolt, 8.5-inch rear axle.

PPE • 714-985-4825 • pacificp.com

Foul-Weather Friend Old Jeep interiors could take pretty much any abuse you could throw at them, but modern Wranglers have plenty of sensitive electronic equipment that wouldn’t take too kindly to rain, dirt, or the occasional splash of mud. Alpine wants to restore that water and weather resistance to the classic off-roader, thanks to the X209-WRA touchscreen audio head unit.

A 9-inch capacitive touchscreen hides AM/FM/CD/

DVD and navigation functionality, and with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, there’s plenty of modern technology on board. But thanks to IP53-rated dust protection and water resistance, the X209 can also handle the kind of conditions a rugged, open-top Wrangler might encounter.

Alpine Electronics 800-257-4631 alpine-usa.com

2018 JAN/FEB TRUCKTREND.COM 79

LEGENDS

THE GARAGE

By Colin Ryan

THE V-8 ENGINE T

hroughout the United States, for most of the 20th century—and much of the new millennium so far—the way to upgrade almost anything that moves is to put in a small-block V-8.

There’s probably a guy right now sitting on his lawn mower enjoying that particular mix of noise, speed, and thrills that only a V-8 can provide.

A tuning company fits Chevy small-block V-8 engines into little MX-5 Miata roadsters, which sounds like one of the best ideas anyone has ever had.

So there’s an element of taking the V-8 for granted, because it’s been an intrinsic part of our motoring landscape for so long. But there was a time when the V-8 didn’t exist, before someone had the idea to combine eight cylinders and put them into a V configuration. Considering there have been so many American cars using V-8 power, it might be worth guessing that it was invented by an American. But no.

It was a Frenchman who took out the original patent: Léon Levavasseur. He was an engineer, inventor, and aircraft designer who had also studied fine arts—a Renaissance man, of sorts. He needed an engine that was powerful yet light. A V-8 needs no more space than a straight six, yet it can deliver more muscle. He patented the idea in 1902 and his engine went into boats and planes. It powered another Frenchman, Hubert Latham, to become the first person to reach an altitude of 3,600 feet.

In 1905, Rolls-Royce built a 3.5L V-8 for one of its cars, known as the “Legalimit” because Britain’s speed limit at the time was 20 mph. The engine was designed to ensure that the car could hit that legal limit regardless of how steep any slope might be.

Other makers eventually jumped on board.

Cadillac had the L-Head in 1914. Three years later, Chevrolet launched its version. Ford’s Flathead came along in 1932 and stayed in production for almost 40 years. The first Chrysler Hemi fired up in 1951.

It’s the small-block Chevy V-8, though, that really stands out as something special. A sweet ratio of price to power has always made it a winning proposition. It’s also been fairly easy to work on, and plenty of people have cooked up various ways to boost output. It’s relatively efficient, too—the ability to make 1 horsepower from 1 cubic inch was quite a landmark at the time. Chevrolet has produced more than 100 million units and, in its various forms, a small-block V-8 has gone into sedans, pickups, sport-utility vehicles, vans, wagons, muscle cars, ponycars, open-wheel racers, and sports cars.

This was only Chevy’s second V-8 design. It was developed by Edward Cole and Harry Barr, both of

The small-block Chevrolet V-8 is one of the most legendary engines ever built.

The engine’s power density and compact physical size makes it an ideal swap for a variety of vehicles, from power boats to hot rods to Japanese drift machines.

80 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

whom also worked on the Cadillac large-block V-8.

Here’s the remarkable bit: Cole and Barr did it in just 15 weeks. Fortunately, they had firm and good ideas for what the engine needed, as well as knowing what components to omit. They were so confident that they ordered the tooling for the factory before their engine had even ticked over.

The small-block V-8 has now gone through a number of incarnations with many changes, including iron blocks to all-aluminum construction, carburetors to direct fuel injection, and increases in displacement. One constant, though, is a crossplane crankshaft. Look at one of these end-on, and it will look like a symmetrical x or a plus sign.

These are most common on V-8 engines set at a 90-degree angle. The shaft is counterbalanced and provides smooth operation, along with those distinct burbling exhaust notes we’ve all come to know and love.

The downside of a cross-plane crank is that it’s heavy and therefore doesn’t like high revs, which is where the other “flavor” of V-8 comes in, the one with the flat-plane crank. No prizes for guessing the shape. This does away with the counterweights and is therefore lighter and more willing to respond to a heavy throttle pedal. That’s why it’s used in sports machines. It has more of a bark than a growl. But it needs the addition of balancer shafts if it’s going to be used on the road, and some element of civility is required.

The future of the V-8 is far from assured.

Advances in forced induction and enginemanagement systems have resulted in big power from smaller displacements and fewer cylinders, along with bearable fuel economy. Hybrid vehicles add electric power while also cutting emissions.

Some companies and countries want to phase out gasoline and diesel altogether. For one brilliant era, though, the engine that powered America, and sent tingles down the spine of anyone who heard it, was a V-8. TT

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THE GARAGE

By Colin Ryan • Photos: Courtesy of Toyota The second-generation Toyota Tundra is significantly larger than its predecessor, which was a quarter-size smaller than American rivals.

2007-2013

TOYOTA TUNDRA

T

he Tundra is Toyota’s contender in the fullsize, half-ton pickup world. We thought we would state the obvious, in case anyone hasn’t been paying attention to non-American brands.

As it happens, the Tundra is made in Texas and, up until 2009, Indiana. This bigger and tougher second-generation established the Tundra as a credible rival to the homegrown offerings from Ford, GM, and Ram. As with virtually every Toyota, it can be a smart used buy, not least because of its exemplary reliability.

If there were any doubts that this was meant to be an out-and-out work truck, they would be dispelled by the headrests that are specially designed so riders don’t have to take off their hardhats.

The range starts off with a three-seater regular cab, along with a choice of 6.5- or 8-foot beds. The Double Cab has seating for five or six and the same bed options. The CrewMax has a 5-foot bed only, plus generous accommodations for occupants.

Trim levels started out as DX, SR5, and Limited.

DX is basic, with things like 18-inch steel wheels, cloth upholstery, and a four-speaker audio system.

The regular-cab model was only available as a DX. The SR5 brings another couple of speakers, power windows and locks, plus extra adjustment for the front seats. The Double Cab version of the SR5 has more towing-appropriate equipment, while the CrewMax SR5 has heated mirrors and a few more creature comforts.

The real amenities, though, come in the Limited trim. These include better front seats, leather upholstery, automatic climate control, a steering 82 TRUCKTREND.COM • JAN/FEB 2018

wheel that adjusts for reach as well as height, electro-luminescent gauges, bed rails with adjustable lashing points, alloy wheels, plus a 10-speaker JBL system in the Double Cab or a 12-speaker setup in the CrewMax. An optional TRD Off-Road package includes a dedicated suspension and all-terrain tires. Other extras like navigation, 20-inch alloy wheels, and a rearview camera were also available.

2007-2013 Toyota Tundra BODY TYPE

2-door/4-door pickup

DRIVETRAIN

Front engine, RWD/4WD

ENGINES

4.0/236hp (270hp 2011 on) DOHC V-6; 4.7/271hp DOHC V-6 (2007-2009); 4.6/310hp DOHC V-8 (2010 on); 5.7/381hp DOHC V-8) Driver, front passenger, AIRBAGS side curtain PRICE RANGE, WHLSL/RETAIL $6,264/$7,714 (2007, RWD, DX regular cab, 4.0 V-6), (KBB) $27,302/$29,286 (2013, 4WD CrewMax Platinum 5.7 V-8) Four stars/four stars NHTSA FRONTAL IMPACT RATING, DRIVER/FR PASS Disc, disc, ABS BRAKES, F/R

Initial engine choices ran to a 4.0L V-6 making 236 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque. The upgrade unit was a 4.7L V-8 that developed 271 hp and 313 lb-ft of torque. The big gun that was optional throughout the range was a 5.7L V-8 generating 381 hp and 401 lb-ft.

The ’08 model year saw the DX name discontinued for the basic trim level, but it could now offer the two larger cab sizes. The Limited received parking sensors front and rear. A flex-fuel feature was applied to the ’09 model’s 5.7L engine.

The obligatory mid-generation revamp happened for ’10. The nose and taillamps had a little redesign, knee airbags for the driver and front passenger were fitted, the headlamps became height-adjustable, and the seven-pin towing hitch connector was revised and relocated. In the engine bay, the old 4.7L V-8 was succeeded by a more powerful 4.6L unit, bringing 310 hp and 327 lb-ft on board, now linked to a six-speed automatic transmission.

A new, more powerful 4.0L V-6 came along for ’11, endowed with 270 hp and 278 lb-ft of torque. Trailer sway control also became standard throughout the range. The Limited trim came with a rearview camera as standard from ’12. For this generation’s final model year, the Platinum package was promoted to a distinct trim level for CrewMax models.

Looking up the values of a ’10 double cab—with a 6.5-foot bed, 4.6L V-8, four-wheel drive, SR5 package, 96,646 miles on the odometer, and in good condition—it could fetch $15,663 in a private sale. A comparable Ford F-150 is rated at $13,084, while a similar Chevrolet Silverado is worth around $13,879. The Tundra’s higher price is an indication of how durable and reliable it’s been, endowing it with better resale values typical of a used Toyota. TT

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