TFLTRUCK'S 2016 GOLD HITCH ANNUAL AWARD, FEATURES THE BEST TOWING AND OFF-ROAD TRUCKS IN THE USA

March 18, 2016 by TFLTruck

March 14, 2016, Boulder, CO. – The Fast Lane Truck (TFLtruck) announces their 2016 Gold Hitch Award recipients. The TFLtruck Gold Hitch Award recognizes mid-size, half-ton, heavy-duty and (truck-based) full-size SUVs for their ability to perform under the most demanding driving conditions. Six TFLtruck Gold Hitch Awards will be presented this year.

The benchmark for all towing scores is based on the grueling Ike Gauntlet. The Ike Gauntlet is designed to be an extreme test of any truck's towing and overall performance. The test loop consists of an 8-mile stretch of the I-70 between Dillon, CO (9,111 feet above sea level) and the Eisenhower/Johnson tunnels (Continental Divide at 11,158 feet above sea level). The highway grade reaches 7%, the maximum allowed on a US Interstate. The trucks are loaded with trailers near their maximum towing capacity.

In addition to the Ike Gauntlet, TFLtruck is adding an off-road challenge known as 'Gold Mine Hill.' This obstacle consists of three components: the accent, momentum ending corner and articulation accent. 'The Gold Mine Hill obstacle is not impossible,' said Roman Mica, Editor, Host and Producer, 'The challenge is for participating automakers to build a vehicle that can be effective and easy to navigate up a difficult obstacle.'

Andre Smirnov, Producer and Managing Editor commented, 'Maximum-effort testing is what the Ike Gauntlet is all about. High elevation, steep grades and heavy loads certainly challenge all trucks that participate. Now, with our new scoring system, our viewers can clearly see how these vehicles performed and compared.'

TFLtruck team used the new Ike Gauntlet scoring system and voted for winners in each category. All five category winners were eligible for the title of 2016 Gold Hitch Truck of the Year, but only one truck could take home the title.

The 2016 Gold Hitch Award winners are:

Best Towing Mid-size pickup truck – 2016 GMC Canyon Duramax Diesel

Best Towing Half-ton pickup truck – 2016 Ford F-150 5.0L

Best Towing Heavy-duty pickup truck – 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD 6.6L

Best Towing SUV – 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser

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Best Off-Road truck – 2016 Ram 2500 Power Wagon

2016 Gold Hitch Truck of the Year – 2016 GMC Canyon Duramax Diesel

'We were unanimous in every major decision.' said Nathan Adlen, Host and Senior Editor, 'It points to outstanding vehicles supplied to us. The high standard of each vehicle made all of our judging difficult, but fun.'

About TFLtruck:

TFLtruck is the most popular online video truck review channel. Featuring news, views and reviews through our publication, nearly 4 million truck buyers watch TFLtruck video reviews and tests every month. This includes the signature 'TFL Ike Gauntlet' extreme towing test, which challenges the trucks to the absolute maximum of their performance capability. Simply put -TFLtruck is all trucks- all the time!

For more information about the 2016 TFLtruck Gold Hitch Award, go to: http://www.tfltruck.com/2016/02/2016-gold-hitch-awards-to-be-announced-on-march-14-2016-news/ or contact Andre Smirnov.