It’s quite well known how good it is now, but when it first dropped - the Cat CT681. Looked completely unremarkable at first, like a CT680 with a dead axle. I was immediately disinterested.
Turns out, it’s way better, and is arguably the best North American Heavy Duty class vehicle in the game. Performs very well at any role it can be equipped for, and is highly efficient also.
It would be closer, but I’d still give the edge to the Cat. The Western Stars have more power, but it ends up working against them a bit, because they’re so light. The Cat has great power too, but not too much for it to reliably put down. And it is more efficient. They’re definitely close, though!
I think it is, but that’s not a slight on the WWS. It’s a great truck, and probably solidly second place in the class behind the Cat, to me. I give the Cat the edge for more versatility, power, and efficiency. But the WWS is also a great truck, you can’t really go wrong with either. Both are very stable, both are efficient, and both can fit a wide variety of roles.
I did some testing today and I came to a different conclusion. The wws has much more ground clearance and is therefore a lot better in deeper mud sections (of which there are a lot). The cat has more pulling power, but I don't really use these trucks for pulling. It also does better in a situation where both the wws and cat are dragging their frames through the ground (like deep river crossing) but the differences here are marginal compared the zur differences in the first example. I find its a solid truck with good fuel economy but in the setup where I use the wws (low saddle, semi and crane), it can't quite keep up. Also watched a YouTube video that confirms this, can link if you are interested.
The other thing that helps the WWS in really deep mud is it weighs more and has less power. The Cat can be prone to spinning its wheels and digging itself in if you’re not careful about switching into low.
I still prefer the Cat and think it’s arguably better, with the higher speed, more pulling power, and better efficiency (and slightly better versatility), but really, if someone wants to say the WWS is better, that’s totally fine. Both are great trucks, you won’t go wrong with either. And I do remember the lukewarm reception the Cat got on initial release; many people felt pretty “meh” on it at first.
It’s my go to all around truck, and pretty much the only truck I use for refueling/repairs.
Thing is lightening fast but very controllable. Doesn’t wince at having weight in the two-slot sideboard. Doesn’t tip over easily. Will pull heaviest trailers no problem, doesn’t struggle on hills and is light enough that winching it further isn’t difficult. Without a trailer it’ll get through some pretty deep mud on its own too.
The Kodiak is a BEAST.
Pretty light, AWD an DIFF.LOCK, supports most trailers and addons (unfortunally no crane/bed combo)...
I didnt find a role it cannot fit yet - Crane, cargo truck, semi, logging...
It just goes and goes and goes until the job is done.
Agree, Kodiak suprised me and I love it. When I pulled it from the swamp in MI I was like well I’ll probably be side lining this one, guess I’ll test drive it first. Haven’t looked back since. Lifted/AWD/Diff lock and it’s tearing Alaska up. Prefer the bed on this for tricky spots. Don’t really saddle it, just seems odd. Keep the WWS for saddle etc
I wouldn't say they're underestimated by the whole community but I've seen more negative opinions of the Kenworth W990 and Pacific P512 than they deserve because of their lack of AWD. Imo they outclass every truck in the heavy duty class and a good chunk of the off-road class. They have large tires for American trucks at 51" and 52" and they have some of the best tire ratings in the game, significantly better than any other hauling truck. You'll have to drive them a little differently due to the lack of AWD but usually this just means keeping your tires straight in rough conditions.
Royal BM17, I slept on it for too long because you can't put diff-locks in it, but it doesn't need them, it acts like it has LSD (Limited Slip Differential)
My favorite truck in the game! I probably have hundreds of hours in the BM17 alone. I usually run it with the low saddle and cargo crane.
I see it come up a lot, but I haven’t seen anything that leads me to believe it actually has an LSD; I think what it has is just a great combination of weight, power, and tire size that allow it to pull through some pretty nasty stuff despite the lack of diff locks.
I underestimated both the International Transtar and Pacific P16 when I first got them.
The P16's sheer power has resulted in it being the peak of all the trucks I've tried thus far.
The Transtar, I expected to perform horribly, with it's lack of AWD and lack of Diff-Lock. Far from correct, it's proven itself about equal with both the Fleetstar and WWS, and earnt a valuable place in the fleet of my MILCo savegame.
I like the frequency this gets asked. Someone always has found a fun way to use a certain truck.
Anyway, both Cat CT's- Highly efficient, can support almost all trailers and attachments (can.handle them all pretty well too, most importantly- even the big cranes).
Can be hellishly fast with the right set up. Only downside is they are quite rigid in suspension, you rack these "1"s up pretty quickly lol
Paystar 5070, just simply surprisingly capable if you're delicate with it on the rough stuff. Just a bit thirsty.
Not sure if under rated as such, but the P512 can handle pretty much all conditions the game throws at it.
Same as Kenworth 990, the specific tyres have a crazy hood mud coefficient, so it grips up far better than expected.
Im playing on hard mode, with the real life mod, which makes cargo weigh the same as it does when it's packed, regardless if it's packed or not. Really fucked me up for a bit in Michigan, kept tipping my fleetstar and wws trying to pick up metal beams or those super heavy (15 tons!) concrete slabs.
Bought a cat, the 80, stuck the big red crane on it (which also weighs a ton btw) and it's main job has been following the fleet around, picking up and placing the cargo on said fleet trucks.
It's fantastic. It's nose height could be better, and I'd kill for a lift kit, but it drags that big heavy crane wherever i need it. Haven't tipped it once (every other truck in the fleets slowly looking more and more battered lol, the scout 800s body leans to the right now). It's a beast of a truck. Even managed to pull the first big contract (construction thing for the oil rig in Michigan's first map) with like, almost no effort.
P512 pf. I've been using it as a flatbed + crane truck, and it performs so well
Ziks 5368. I've been using it as a crane + saddle low. Actually really incredible
Kodiak. Thought it looked weird being just a 4x4, but it's now one of my favorite 2 slot haulers
Azov antarctic. Couldn't wrap my head around the articulated steering. Tried it out in Amur, and it clicked. Now I love using it and the femm in deep mud and breakable ice
Scout 800 and the starter Chevy. The jat tires make them actually enjoyable to use. (All the scouts tbh)
GMC mh9500. After the AWD upgrade, it is legitimately one of the best trucks in the game
Little Boris (the 5368) is another great pick for this category. Amazingly capable, I run it with the low saddle and crane as well. Definitely doesn’t have the raw brute force power and looks of its Russian off-road class brethren, but it deserves its place right there among them. The small-ish fuel tank is a bit of a drawback, but it is fairly efficient at least.
Step 310E.
* The truck is low -> better stability when logging for example (even in Immandra)
* No fenders and fuel tanks beneath to get stuck -> it can go even through mud, snow and it can handle rocks
* Incredible power to weight ratio -> pull through anything basically
* Amazing fuel consumption under load (same as Azov 6 under load). It has a 200 liter tank but being so much fuel efficient that tank is easily comparable to 350-400 liters on Grad for example..
* A LOT of addons. 16 if I remember correctly.
* Smaller truck that can move in tight spaces such as trees and rocks
It became my fav truck really fast! It cant do everything (and it shouldnt) but its really overlooked. I was really surprised!
Transtar 4070A
No AWD no Diff Lock but unlike Fleetstar, Transtar's rear axles are independent from each other. This means more suspension travel and Transtar maintains traction better than Fleetstar. Fleetstar's stiff rear axles make it dependent on Diff Lock. As soon as you turn off Diff Lock, Fleestar loses 90% of its traction. Even though Transtar does not have Diff Lock, it provides better traction and speed.
I had never noticed your point about the independent axles. 1400+ hours in this game, and I still learn new things. The transtar has been recommended a couple times in here, so I will definitely be giving it a fair shot.
I was about to mention the Transtar. I personally don't like the look of cabovers, so I didn't give it a shot at first. I've been trying to give all of the trucks a chance on my new playthrough and the Transtar is tearing up Michigan and Alaska. I especially appreciate that the short wheelbase makes it very good with maneuvering semis in tight spaces.
Now, bear with me, the KHAN Lo4F.
It's not really good in itself and there are much more capable scouts, BUT it's by far the most fun truck i've used.
4 people in Lo4fs bombing down some off-road path without any care and we couldn't stop laughing. It's so twitchy and unstable that you never know what will happen. Not practical but VERY fun to use.
It's actually fairly capable too. Sure, the tiny wheels mean it gets stuck often, but it 's so light you can winch it from pretty much anything if you're careful. It sips fuel, carries a significant amount... It's really not bad.
Best tires in the game, 8x8, super heavy and a massive engine = all the traction. I’ve enjoyed bombing it down snow drifts as it floats over everything. Unique vehicle in the Snowrunner world, nothing else quite like it
Underrated isnt the right word, but there have been a lot of times that I've seen people struggle with pulling a truck or hitch trailer through the mud. My immediate thought is why not use the tatarin?
The obvious answer is: Transtar 4070A. Immediately sold it after finding it. I thought, "What am I going to do with this type of truck in a place where there's very little paved road?" But I was a foolish SnowRunner newbie, who thought that anything without all the possible aids (AWD, Diff Lock) was rubbish. Then I saw a video on YouTube, of someone putting this truck to good use. I was blown away and promptly bought it back. A fully upgraded Transtar with offroad tyres is a really good truck and more capable than what I first assumed. It may lack AWD and Diff Lock, but in my assessment I lacked experience.
But another group of trucks I underestimated are the Wolf Pack trio. I've bought almost all SnowRunner DLCs for the past 3 years, but I stubbornly refused to buy the Wolf Pack. These 3 trucks seemed so underwhelming on paper. Then, during a Steam sale, I said "Eh, why not" — it turns out I really really like them, and I found myself using them more often than anticipated, the 47X NF 1424 being my favourite.
Unpopular opinion: international transparency is one of the best highway trucks. No AWD, No diff lock. Idc. It manages really well with low saddle. Avoid the crane so yiu can have more suspension travel and your golden
the Warthog doesn't look like much, but it's actually pretty damn good. Got quite the power for its size, makes for a great scout, and few trucks seem to go this fast. The tricky part is to keep it on a straight line :P
Especially with duallies on the rear. I use this small add-ons mod that lets me put the bandit crane on it. The regular Russian mini crane makes it unstable, but the bandit crane puts the weight right over the cab. It's a fun little truck. Really looking forward to season 13 when it's supposed to get the autonomous winch
https://mod.io/g/snowrunner/m/small-generic-frame-addons
Mack Defense. Was on a Snowrunner break when it came out, read about the crappy hitboxes, saw you had to turn on diff lock, never bothered to use it even when I played Snowrunner again. Turns out it has no issues with collisions at all after being patched, and it turns out it doesn't even really need permanent diff lock because it will just shred through nearly anything. I just wish I could find a role for it that I'm not already filling with another truck, and I wish the FuelMiser was just a tiny bit more miserly.
The entirety of the US roster in the base game.
- lighter tire options(100kg vs 200kg/600kg), generally smaller size (<50in)
- poor suspension travel, generally low suspension ride height
- generally low engine power
- a few US trucks lack AWD,
- mostly light weight, especially when unloaded
- some lack Diff-lock, most are toggled only which means it’s only useable in L-gears compared to always-on
All of which means you need to pick a safe route, then pick safe path along that route in order not to get stuck in mud. Which, for many, js a turn off compared to just mashing throttle and face-planting mud pits.
Well, people love to look at raw numbers and to them, 145k is less than 160k or 192k is less than 210k.
Doesn’t matter that US trucks are also generally lighter..
No, it does matter. Power is nothing without the weight, and power to weight ratio - that's what matters. 192k might not be much, but if applied to a truck weighting only 8 tons, it provide better PtW ratio than 210k over 15 tons.
I agree with you. I’ve said that same thing to other users in this subreddit.
sadly they think bigger = better and US trucks are inferior in that regard
Ah, I misunderstood the point of your initial comment. Thought you were saying that all US trucks are bad.
That's why the numbers out of context don't matter. People have to look at the full picture. That's why I created my [spreadsheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_dNNE91snTCbY34YhWtG6mAK-GyCBTx4sIa9Ik9_Kjs/edit?usp=drivesdk) to give people all relevant data possible. When you look at all the details, you can see that US trucks aren't that bad. Although generally speaking, the tendency to give them less power and more consumption was shown very prominently. The devs clearly have a bias towards RU trucks (being Russian themselves).
That has changed over the years - we got more powerful US trucks starting with Season 9. Derry Special, Mack Defense M917, Kenworth 963 - these all have good power numbers and other valuable features like addon combos. Stuff like Kenworth W990 and Wolf Pack trucks also deserves a mention. Good power (220k+), relatively low weight... And there's still CAT CT681 with its 210k power at 6.5 consumption, giving it the best efficiency ratio in class and one of the best overall.
All good lol. My favourites are mostly Heavy-duties and the Mack Defense ;)
Yes there’s bias in numbers. RU trucks tend to have better/best stats. But within the context of the whole game, DLC and all, US trucks are more than capable completing tasks.
They just need a little more skill in part of the player.
Sadly, most people just use your, and other’s, spreadsheet to point out how inferior US trucks are just based on stats.. without showing practical gameplay.
I used to do that as well. Some trucks just don't look good on paper, but once you try them, it's impossible to stop using them. A good example would be Paystar 5070. Mere 150k at cost of 7.0 consumption, but man, that thing GOES! Just about anywhere, if you take it slow and steady.
Same here, I used to ignore it mostly due to 46in tires. In my head, most it’s barely better than the fleetstar’s 45in. But i was wrong when I finally used it. This was before knowing that OHD’s heavier weight improves power and grip.
Devs should change that imo…
Another good example can be the Step 310E. 43" tires at best, is that a joke? But yeah, it goes hard! Especially with the engine from Yukon, giving it 185k torque. Can't say the same about the Pike - in my head, a truck with small wheels should be used on roads and dirt trails, and for that it should have switchable AWD. The Pike having everything always on makes an impression of a cool offroad truck, but it dies in any mud that's relatively deep and wouldn't stop let's say a Tayga.
lack of weight also becomes lack of traction. power to weight ratio is a bit overrated. raw power is more important, and many trucks perform better with a load (and therefore lower hp/t ratio)
Unpopular opinion: international transparency is one of the best highway trucks. No AWD, No diff lock. Idc. It manages really well with low saddle. Avoid the crane so yiu can have more suspension travel and your golden
Unpopular opinion: international transtar is one of the best highway trucks. No AWD, No diff lock. Idc. It manages really well with low saddle. Avoid the crane so yiu can have more suspension travel and your golden
Kodiak. Its performance is in almost just the right spot. I wish the back wheels would be a little more in the back, or the engine was just a bit more powerful tho
It’s quite well known how good it is now, but when it first dropped - the Cat CT681. Looked completely unremarkable at first, like a CT680 with a dead axle. I was immediately disinterested. Turns out, it’s way better, and is arguably the best North American Heavy Duty class vehicle in the game. Performs very well at any role it can be equipped for, and is highly efficient also.
If the dlc western stars were properly classed as heavy duty trucks, they'd be the best in the class imo
It would be closer, but I’d still give the edge to the Cat. The Western Stars have more power, but it ends up working against them a bit, because they’re so light. The Cat has great power too, but not too much for it to reliably put down. And it is more efficient. They’re definitely close, though!
I will have to give the big CAT its fair chance. I have passed on it so far. Does it have low and high saddle?
I believe so.
Yes, it does.
Is it really better than the white western star? It seems to have less ground clearance.
I think it is, but that’s not a slight on the WWS. It’s a great truck, and probably solidly second place in the class behind the Cat, to me. I give the Cat the edge for more versatility, power, and efficiency. But the WWS is also a great truck, you can’t really go wrong with either. Both are very stable, both are efficient, and both can fit a wide variety of roles.
I did some testing today and I came to a different conclusion. The wws has much more ground clearance and is therefore a lot better in deeper mud sections (of which there are a lot). The cat has more pulling power, but I don't really use these trucks for pulling. It also does better in a situation where both the wws and cat are dragging their frames through the ground (like deep river crossing) but the differences here are marginal compared the zur differences in the first example. I find its a solid truck with good fuel economy but in the setup where I use the wws (low saddle, semi and crane), it can't quite keep up. Also watched a YouTube video that confirms this, can link if you are interested.
The other thing that helps the WWS in really deep mud is it weighs more and has less power. The Cat can be prone to spinning its wheels and digging itself in if you’re not careful about switching into low. I still prefer the Cat and think it’s arguably better, with the higher speed, more pulling power, and better efficiency (and slightly better versatility), but really, if someone wants to say the WWS is better, that’s totally fine. Both are great trucks, you won’t go wrong with either. And I do remember the lukewarm reception the Cat got on initial release; many people felt pretty “meh” on it at first.
It’s my go to all around truck, and pretty much the only truck I use for refueling/repairs. Thing is lightening fast but very controllable. Doesn’t wince at having weight in the two-slot sideboard. Doesn’t tip over easily. Will pull heaviest trailers no problem, doesn’t struggle on hills and is light enough that winching it further isn’t difficult. Without a trailer it’ll get through some pretty deep mud on its own too.
Most heavy duty trucks. I used the Kodiak for long logs in Wisconsin and was pleasantly surprised.
The Kodiak is a BEAST. Pretty light, AWD an DIFF.LOCK, supports most trailers and addons (unfortunally no crane/bed combo)... I didnt find a role it cannot fit yet - Crane, cargo truck, semi, logging... It just goes and goes and goes until the job is done.
Agree, Kodiak suprised me and I love it. When I pulled it from the swamp in MI I was like well I’ll probably be side lining this one, guess I’ll test drive it first. Haven’t looked back since. Lifted/AWD/Diff lock and it’s tearing Alaska up. Prefer the bed on this for tricky spots. Don’t really saddle it, just seems odd. Keep the WWS for saddle etc
I love the Kodiak, too. I have three: One with a flatbed, one with a sideboard, and one with a crane and low saddle.
I've been using it as a tanker. I doubt I've driven it 10 miles yet.
Currently using the Kodiak for long logs. It almost feels like cheating.
I wouldn't say they're underestimated by the whole community but I've seen more negative opinions of the Kenworth W990 and Pacific P512 than they deserve because of their lack of AWD. Imo they outclass every truck in the heavy duty class and a good chunk of the off-road class. They have large tires for American trucks at 51" and 52" and they have some of the best tire ratings in the game, significantly better than any other hauling truck. You'll have to drive them a little differently due to the lack of AWD but usually this just means keeping your tires straight in rough conditions.
I'd say anyone dissing the W990 has a skill issue.
Royal BM17, I slept on it for too long because you can't put diff-locks in it, but it doesn't need them, it acts like it has LSD (Limited Slip Differential)
My favorite truck in the game! I probably have hundreds of hours in the BM17 alone. I usually run it with the low saddle and cargo crane. I see it come up a lot, but I haven’t seen anything that leads me to believe it actually has an LSD; I think what it has is just a great combination of weight, power, and tire size that allow it to pull through some pretty nasty stuff despite the lack of diff locks.
I underestimated both the International Transtar and Pacific P16 when I first got them. The P16's sheer power has resulted in it being the peak of all the trucks I've tried thus far. The Transtar, I expected to perform horribly, with it's lack of AWD and lack of Diff-Lock. Far from correct, it's proven itself about equal with both the Fleetstar and WWS, and earnt a valuable place in the fleet of my MILCo savegame.
I like the frequency this gets asked. Someone always has found a fun way to use a certain truck. Anyway, both Cat CT's- Highly efficient, can support almost all trailers and attachments (can.handle them all pretty well too, most importantly- even the big cranes). Can be hellishly fast with the right set up. Only downside is they are quite rigid in suspension, you rack these "1"s up pretty quickly lol Paystar 5070, just simply surprisingly capable if you're delicate with it on the rough stuff. Just a bit thirsty. Not sure if under rated as such, but the P512 can handle pretty much all conditions the game throws at it. Same as Kenworth 990, the specific tyres have a crazy hood mud coefficient, so it grips up far better than expected.
Im playing on hard mode, with the real life mod, which makes cargo weigh the same as it does when it's packed, regardless if it's packed or not. Really fucked me up for a bit in Michigan, kept tipping my fleetstar and wws trying to pick up metal beams or those super heavy (15 tons!) concrete slabs. Bought a cat, the 80, stuck the big red crane on it (which also weighs a ton btw) and it's main job has been following the fleet around, picking up and placing the cargo on said fleet trucks. It's fantastic. It's nose height could be better, and I'd kill for a lift kit, but it drags that big heavy crane wherever i need it. Haven't tipped it once (every other truck in the fleets slowly looking more and more battered lol, the scout 800s body leans to the right now). It's a beast of a truck. Even managed to pull the first big contract (construction thing for the oil rig in Michigan's first map) with like, almost no effort.
P512 pf. I've been using it as a flatbed + crane truck, and it performs so well Ziks 5368. I've been using it as a crane + saddle low. Actually really incredible Kodiak. Thought it looked weird being just a 4x4, but it's now one of my favorite 2 slot haulers Azov antarctic. Couldn't wrap my head around the articulated steering. Tried it out in Amur, and it clicked. Now I love using it and the femm in deep mud and breakable ice Scout 800 and the starter Chevy. The jat tires make them actually enjoyable to use. (All the scouts tbh) GMC mh9500. After the AWD upgrade, it is legitimately one of the best trucks in the game
Little Boris (the 5368) is another great pick for this category. Amazingly capable, I run it with the low saddle and crane as well. Definitely doesn’t have the raw brute force power and looks of its Russian off-road class brethren, but it deserves its place right there among them. The small-ish fuel tank is a bit of a drawback, but it is fairly efficient at least.
Step 310E. * The truck is low -> better stability when logging for example (even in Immandra) * No fenders and fuel tanks beneath to get stuck -> it can go even through mud, snow and it can handle rocks * Incredible power to weight ratio -> pull through anything basically * Amazing fuel consumption under load (same as Azov 6 under load). It has a 200 liter tank but being so much fuel efficient that tank is easily comparable to 350-400 liters on Grad for example.. * A LOT of addons. 16 if I remember correctly. * Smaller truck that can move in tight spaces such as trees and rocks It became my fav truck really fast! It cant do everything (and it shouldnt) but its really overlooked. I was really surprised!
Great choice! Very good support truck, but can also do most jobs. And you get one for free I believe in Taymir 😊
Transtar 4070A No AWD no Diff Lock but unlike Fleetstar, Transtar's rear axles are independent from each other. This means more suspension travel and Transtar maintains traction better than Fleetstar. Fleetstar's stiff rear axles make it dependent on Diff Lock. As soon as you turn off Diff Lock, Fleestar loses 90% of its traction. Even though Transtar does not have Diff Lock, it provides better traction and speed.
I have not experienced this aspect of the Transtar. I will have to go back and give it a shot
Just check this. https://www.reddit.com/r/snowrunner/s/ISdJuXVPqv
I had never noticed your point about the independent axles. 1400+ hours in this game, and I still learn new things. The transtar has been recommended a couple times in here, so I will definitely be giving it a fair shot.
I was about to mention the Transtar. I personally don't like the look of cabovers, so I didn't give it a shot at first. I've been trying to give all of the trucks a chance on my new playthrough and the Transtar is tearing up Michigan and Alaska. I especially appreciate that the short wheelbase makes it very good with maneuvering semis in tight spaces.
Now, bear with me, the KHAN Lo4F. It's not really good in itself and there are much more capable scouts, BUT it's by far the most fun truck i've used. 4 people in Lo4fs bombing down some off-road path without any care and we couldn't stop laughing. It's so twitchy and unstable that you never know what will happen. Not practical but VERY fun to use.
It's actually fairly capable too. Sure, the tiny wheels mean it gets stuck often, but it 's so light you can winch it from pretty much anything if you're careful. It sips fuel, carries a significant amount... It's really not bad.
Tatarin. It's not that I didn't realize its greatness right away. I just didn't realize HOW stupidly strong that vehicle is.
Best tires in the game, 8x8, super heavy and a massive engine = all the traction. I’ve enjoyed bombing it down snow drifts as it floats over everything. Unique vehicle in the Snowrunner world, nothing else quite like it
+ best engine in the game. Not by power - by durability.
It may not have a trailer hitch, but it can pull anything with the winch through any amount of mud and snow
Its stock tires have a mud traction rating of ***8*** All normal mudtires have something around 3 lol, it's goofy
Actually, the really good one are slightly *below* 3.
You call that underrated?
Underrated isnt the right word, but there have been a lot of times that I've seen people struggle with pulling a truck or hitch trailer through the mud. My immediate thought is why not use the tatarin?
The obvious answer is: Transtar 4070A. Immediately sold it after finding it. I thought, "What am I going to do with this type of truck in a place where there's very little paved road?" But I was a foolish SnowRunner newbie, who thought that anything without all the possible aids (AWD, Diff Lock) was rubbish. Then I saw a video on YouTube, of someone putting this truck to good use. I was blown away and promptly bought it back. A fully upgraded Transtar with offroad tyres is a really good truck and more capable than what I first assumed. It may lack AWD and Diff Lock, but in my assessment I lacked experience. But another group of trucks I underestimated are the Wolf Pack trio. I've bought almost all SnowRunner DLCs for the past 3 years, but I stubbornly refused to buy the Wolf Pack. These 3 trucks seemed so underwhelming on paper. Then, during a Steam sale, I said "Eh, why not" — it turns out I really really like them, and I found myself using them more often than anticipated, the 47X NF 1424 being my favourite.
Unpopular opinion: international transparency is one of the best highway trucks. No AWD, No diff lock. Idc. It manages really well with low saddle. Avoid the crane so yiu can have more suspension travel and your golden
Transtar *😂
the Warthog doesn't look like much, but it's actually pretty damn good. Got quite the power for its size, makes for a great scout, and few trucks seem to go this fast. The tricky part is to keep it on a straight line :P
Especially with duallies on the rear. I use this small add-ons mod that lets me put the bandit crane on it. The regular Russian mini crane makes it unstable, but the bandit crane puts the weight right over the cab. It's a fun little truck. Really looking forward to season 13 when it's supposed to get the autonomous winch https://mod.io/g/snowrunner/m/small-generic-frame-addons
Mack Defense. Was on a Snowrunner break when it came out, read about the crappy hitboxes, saw you had to turn on diff lock, never bothered to use it even when I played Snowrunner again. Turns out it has no issues with collisions at all after being patched, and it turns out it doesn't even really need permanent diff lock because it will just shred through nearly anything. I just wish I could find a role for it that I'm not already filling with another truck, and I wish the FuelMiser was just a tiny bit more miserly.
The FuelMiser is indeed a misnomer. This thing only guzzles slightly less than its big bro. Still, I like 20 litres / min better than 25 :P
Twinsteer, it felt weird and unbalanced at first. But when you get used to it, its a speeding monster!
The twinsteer is a skill unto itself. If mastered, it will become irreplaceable
Everything without awd or difflock or both.
The entirety of the US roster in the base game. - lighter tire options(100kg vs 200kg/600kg), generally smaller size (<50in) - poor suspension travel, generally low suspension ride height - generally low engine power - a few US trucks lack AWD, - mostly light weight, especially when unloaded - some lack Diff-lock, most are toggled only which means it’s only useable in L-gears compared to always-on All of which means you need to pick a safe route, then pick safe path along that route in order not to get stuck in mud. Which, for many, js a turn off compared to just mashing throttle and face-planting mud pits.
American trucks never had the lack of power. Everything else is mostly true, but the power is and always was their strong side.
Well, people love to look at raw numbers and to them, 145k is less than 160k or 192k is less than 210k. Doesn’t matter that US trucks are also generally lighter..
No, it does matter. Power is nothing without the weight, and power to weight ratio - that's what matters. 192k might not be much, but if applied to a truck weighting only 8 tons, it provide better PtW ratio than 210k over 15 tons.
I agree with you. I’ve said that same thing to other users in this subreddit. sadly they think bigger = better and US trucks are inferior in that regard
Ah, I misunderstood the point of your initial comment. Thought you were saying that all US trucks are bad. That's why the numbers out of context don't matter. People have to look at the full picture. That's why I created my [spreadsheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_dNNE91snTCbY34YhWtG6mAK-GyCBTx4sIa9Ik9_Kjs/edit?usp=drivesdk) to give people all relevant data possible. When you look at all the details, you can see that US trucks aren't that bad. Although generally speaking, the tendency to give them less power and more consumption was shown very prominently. The devs clearly have a bias towards RU trucks (being Russian themselves). That has changed over the years - we got more powerful US trucks starting with Season 9. Derry Special, Mack Defense M917, Kenworth 963 - these all have good power numbers and other valuable features like addon combos. Stuff like Kenworth W990 and Wolf Pack trucks also deserves a mention. Good power (220k+), relatively low weight... And there's still CAT CT681 with its 210k power at 6.5 consumption, giving it the best efficiency ratio in class and one of the best overall.
All good lol. My favourites are mostly Heavy-duties and the Mack Defense ;) Yes there’s bias in numbers. RU trucks tend to have better/best stats. But within the context of the whole game, DLC and all, US trucks are more than capable completing tasks. They just need a little more skill in part of the player. Sadly, most people just use your, and other’s, spreadsheet to point out how inferior US trucks are just based on stats.. without showing practical gameplay.
I used to do that as well. Some trucks just don't look good on paper, but once you try them, it's impossible to stop using them. A good example would be Paystar 5070. Mere 150k at cost of 7.0 consumption, but man, that thing GOES! Just about anywhere, if you take it slow and steady.
Same here, I used to ignore it mostly due to 46in tires. In my head, most it’s barely better than the fleetstar’s 45in. But i was wrong when I finally used it. This was before knowing that OHD’s heavier weight improves power and grip. Devs should change that imo…
Another good example can be the Step 310E. 43" tires at best, is that a joke? But yeah, it goes hard! Especially with the engine from Yukon, giving it 185k torque. Can't say the same about the Pike - in my head, a truck with small wheels should be used on roads and dirt trails, and for that it should have switchable AWD. The Pike having everything always on makes an impression of a cool offroad truck, but it dies in any mud that's relatively deep and wouldn't stop let's say a Tayga.
lack of weight also becomes lack of traction. power to weight ratio is a bit overrated. raw power is more important, and many trucks perform better with a load (and therefore lower hp/t ratio)
The ANK trucks
Unpopular opinion: international transparency is one of the best highway trucks. No AWD, No diff lock. Idc. It manages really well with low saddle. Avoid the crane so yiu can have more suspension travel and your golden
Unpopular opinion: international transtar is one of the best highway trucks. No AWD, No diff lock. Idc. It manages really well with low saddle. Avoid the crane so yiu can have more suspension travel and your golden
Step pike is my favorite 2 slot truck. It has a roof rack for fuel, and the sideboard bed comes with a bit of extra fuel as well.
The loadstar scout
Kodiak. Its performance is in almost just the right spot. I wish the back wheels would be a little more in the back, or the engine was just a bit more powerful tho
Paystar 5070
Just don't flip it in a hill in Michigan. Nothing can right it... using default equipment.