(Tom Lohnes) – As quarantine progresses, I end up on more manufacturer websites making more expensive vehicles. Today, for round two of our configurator battles, we will be comparing off-road biased trucks. There are two categories of off-road truck: appearance package/lift kit/tires, and full off-road tuned trucks. We will be looking at every class of truck, starting with the off-road packages, and going up to the full-fledged models.

There are too many trucks to name, so I will name the two biggest examples of each class.

Starting with the more minor off-road trucks, we have the Ford Ranger FX-4. For the sake of this test, we will be looking at the packages on the base model, or the lowest model you can get the package in. The Ranger FX-4 starts at 34,995 on the base XL trim and has a 2.3-liter, turbocharged Ecoboost inline-four making 310 horsepower and 290 lb.-ft of torque. The FX-4 package costs $1,250. Our next truck is the heavy-duty Chevy Silverado Z71. The 2500HD Z71 starts at $43,220 on the base WT trim and has a 401 horsepower, naturally aspirated, 6.6-liter V8. The Z71 package costs $525 and has skid plates, off-road tires, a one-inch factory lift, and locking differentials.

Moving on to our intermediate class, a class full of off-road models that don’t do much other than look good. Our main suspects here are the Toyota Tundra TRD Pro and Ram 1500 Rebel. Jumping into the Tundra, the TRD Pro model comes with standard TRD skid plates, beefy tires, locking diffs, and a 5.7-liter iForce V8 with 381 horsepower and 401 lb.-ft of torque.

The TRD Pro starts at $48,665, and has a lot of available TRD parts. The Ram 1500 Rebel starts at about $44,000 and comes with a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 with 305 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft of torque. The rebel comes with a Two-Tone interior and skid plates, as well as 4-corner air suspension, but doesn’t live up to its promises. The upcoming Rebel TRX model should propel it up to the real off- roader class.

Now on to the full-fledged off-roaders. With full, off-road geared suspension and powerful engines, these trucks live up to and even exceed expectations.

Our two examples of these beasts will be the Ford F-150 Raptor and the Ram 2500HD Power Wagon. The Raptor is basically trying to be a desert racing trophy truck for the road with its 450 horsepower Ecoboost Twin-Turbo V6 and highly modified factory suspension using FOX shocks and all. The Raptor starts at $53,455, in supercab configuration. The Raptor is best known for its ability to launch itself into midair and land although over the years some people have gotten internet famous for doing this and wrecking the frames of there trucks.

The Ram Power Wagon is a different kind of truck. It is larger, heavier, and some would say, tougher. With its gargantuan, 6.4-liter Hemi V8 and electronically disconnectable sway bars, locking differentials, and revised suspension that allows for more axle movement, this truck is hardcore. The Power Wagon is meant for the woods, the mud, and other hardcore terrain. Ram has even gone so far to fit a 6,000-pound Winch to pull the giant Truck out of sticky situations.

In conclusion, all of these trucks have their purpose. The lower model ones will probably never make it off-road, as the more high option ones might live out there. If you have the money and will to use your truck to its full potential, I’d say the Raptor and Power Wagon are fantastic choices. But, for a normal person that wants to have some fun the middle models are perfect for you.