2017 Ford F-150 Raptor Wins 'Best Pickup Truck Of 2017' From Cars.com

The all-new, 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor is overall the best new pickup truck that money can buy.

So says website cars.com, which named the new F-150 Raptor the official winner of its "Best Pickup Truck of 2017" award. The equally-new, 2017 Ford F-Series Super Duty was also a contender.

Writing for cars.com, Mark Williams said the 2017 F-150 Raptor is "in many ways... the best combination of engineering and features in a pickup truck that we've ever seen," calling it "a revelation of what can be done with a pickup." Specifically, he cites the aluminum body, which sees the new Raptor shed some 500 pounds versus the 2014 model, as well as its "silky-smooth" 10-speed automatic transmission and 450-horsepower, 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 as notable highlights.

"However, probably the most significant improvement to the new Raptor is the addition of a new six-mode multiterrain system," wrote Mr. Williams. Referred to by Ford as the "Terrain Management System," this high-tech feature of the 2017 F-150 Raptor allows drivers to quickly select between different drive modes depending on conditions (Normal, Street, Weather, Mud/Sand, Baja, and Rock). In each mode, the transmission shift points, Electronic Stability Control program, and front-to-rear torque bias are altered to suit the driving surface.

Additionally, the new, 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor features capable BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires, Fox Racing Shox, and a rigid, boxed steel frame for uncompromising off-road performance.