2010 4X4 Of The Year

Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
Most of the 4x4s in our test have been around a while. Power Wagon was a household name since your grandfather started four-wheeling, and 4Runner and Hummer garner respect depending on which audience you mention them to. Although the F-150 isn't anything new on the 4x4 scene, Ford's new SVT Raptor is something special. All the other major 4x4 manufacturers-Jeep, GM, Toyota, Dodge, and Nissan-have designed vehicles specifically for the present-day off-road market, but not Ford. Yes, the Super Duty is a strong truck, and Broncos were legendary, but a new truck from Ford has finally shown up at the off-road party-and, boy, is it ready dance!

The Raptor package doesn't just mean pretty stickers on an F-150. Like the other contestants in this year's test, the Raptor packs a mean punch, with a 320hp 5.4L Triton V-8 (a 6.2L V-8 is due in early 2010), internal triple-bypass Fox Shox, a selectable rear locking differential, and a completely new front and rear suspension versus the standard 1/2-ton Ford. Then there is the various adjustable off-road calibrations that changes shift points and traction control settings and offer the possibility to shut off all the 4x4 nannies and let you assume responsibility for your tire-spinning, dirt-drifting, desert-racing self.

The exterior styling has wider front and rear fenders, a new hood, a new grille, and different lights, including hidden marker lights, all designed to cover and keep legal the extremely wide Raptor when running down the highway. These looks brought drool to some judges and disgust from others, but everyone agreed that it might be a bit wide for tight rockcrawling trails. However, the Raptor took to the rocks like a fat Elvis on stage (it didn't look great, but it worked out fine). The aluminum step boards (actually designed to protect the wide fenders from gravel sprayed from the front tires) held up great and took their share of rock rash without complaint.

The big and bold exterior styling of the truck carries over to the interior with bright orange accents and high bolstered seats. These seats quickly gained fame as the best seats in the test, holding us firmly in place as the truck leapt over washouts and whoops.

The position-sensitive shock tune seemed to walk over the rocks just as smoothly as it flew over the harshest desert whoops. The Raptor worked excellently in the high-speed desert section of our test, and no surprise there since we came to learn that our test crossed the same desert floor that much of the Raptor's initial development was done on.

In loose sand the Raptor's soft suspension resulted in some serious wheelhop off the line, and we never felt like the 5.4L V-8 was enough motor. In any hillclimbing scenario the Raptor had to be driven like a race truck, full throttle assaults carrying speed would take you up hills that other trucks could just crawl, but the impressive suspension allowed this type of use (abuse).

The Raptor also outperformed the Power Wagon and 4Runner on one particular high-speed asphalt section that included a variety of dips, keeping straight and true while the competition's track-bar-equipped suspension jogged side to side during axle movement.

In the end the Raptor is a niche vehicle. Although it's a truck, it's not rated to tow or haul like the Power Wagon, and although it's comfortable, it is still only offered as an extended cab, so the 4Runner has it beat for people-hauling duties. Nonetheless, this is a very impressive machine.

The Quotes
•"Not a crawler, but you don't buy a Raptor to crawl."
•"It looks cool, drives fast, and seems to take any abuse."
•"You can fly this thing."