2017 Ford F-150, F-150 Raptor Win Three Gold Hitch Awards
The 2017 Raptor features a high-performance EcoBoost engine and 10-speed automatic gearbox
In what shouldn’t really come as all of that much of a surprise, America’s most singular truck brand of the past four decades walked out of the 2017 Gold Hitch awards with three of the five top prizes. The annual awards, put on by The Fast Lane Truck, saw the 2017 Ford F-150 named Truck of the Year overall and the F-150 Raptor named the top off-road truck.
Based on the results of high-altitude towing and performance testing conducted in Colorado and Utah, The Fast Lane Truck Gold Hitch Awards dole out awards for the best midsize, half-ton, heavy-duty, and off-road trucks.
“The 2017 Ford F-150 is the best towing half-ton truck this year,” said Andre Smirnov, editor, TFLtruck.com. “The overall versatility, towing performance, and choice of available powertrains and technology features of the entire 2017 F-150 lineup elevated the F-150 above all others.”
Smirnov noted that the F-150 bested the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Nissan Titan in acceleration testing, in the Ike Gauntlet extreme towing test, and in terms of efficiency while towing a trailer on a massive 100-mile highway loop.
“F-150 was the quickest mainstream pickup truck we have ever tested,” Smirnov said.
The F-150 Raptor, Ford’s high-performance off-road variant, took home the award for off-road trucks thanks to its durable chassis, high-output engine, and ability to handle multiple terrains with ease.
“The 2017 Raptor is a complete package that combines a powerful engine, speed and off-road components to tackle nearly every kind of terrain, and do it in comfort,” said Smirnov.
Check out the 2017 Gold Hitch Awards presentation for Best Towing and Off-Road Truck below!
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