2006 4x4 of the Year
And the winner is ... not who you'd think!
Photography by Frank Kaisler, The 4-Wheel & Off-Road Staff
| TEST STRUCTURE | |
| Category | Ranked Highest |
| | |
| Ride & Drive (30% of total points) | |
| Urban | Xterra |
| Highway | Ram 1500 |
| High Speed Dirt & Gravel | Ram 1500 |
| Sand | Xterra |
| Rockcrawling | H3 |
| Hillclimbing | Ram 1500 |
| Braking Quality | Ram 1500, H3, Xterra (three-way tie) |
| Overall | Xterra |
| | |
| Empirical (25% of total points) | |
| Torque/Weight Ratio | Commander |
| 1/4-mile Acceleration | Xterra |
| 60-0 Braking | Xterra |
| Load-carrying Capacity | Ram 1500 |
| Miles Per Gallon | Grand Vitara |
| Price As Tested | Grand Vitara |
| Overall | Xterra |
| | |
| Mechanical (25% of total points) | |
| Engine's Available Power | Commander |
| Transmission | H3 |
| 4WD/Low-range Engage | Ram 1500 |
| Steering | H3 |
| Fit and Finish | Ram 1500 |
| Drivetrain Performance | Xterra |
| Overall | Ram 1500 |
| | |
| Interior (10% of total points) | |
| Ergonomics | Commander |
| Appearance, Fit and Finish | Ram 1500 |
| Appointments | Commander |
| Perceived Noise Level | Ram 1500 |
| Overall | Commander |
| | |
| Exterior (10% of total points) | |
| Body Styling | H3 |
| Cargo | Ram 1500 |
| Four-wheeling Attributes | H3 |
| Fit and Finish | Ram 1500 |
| Overall | Ram 1500 |