The new V6 teams with either a heavy-duty five-speed manual gearbox or a five-speed automatic transmission with adaptive shift logic through electronic controls. In effect, the automatic adds another gear between first and second gears in a four-speed automatic. This produces closer gear ratios for better throttle response when accelerating, towing a trailer or driving off pavement. A high-gear lockout switch on the tip of the shift lever lets the driver kick up or down a gear with the tap of a finger.

We steered a B4000 Cab Plus 4 4x4 with the 4.0-liter V6 and five-speed manual transmission over pavement and dirt trails through foothills of the Cascade Range of Washington state.

With the best power rating in its class, the B4000 delivered no-fear passing even on steep mountain grades. Having so much muscle on tap makes even tough truck chores like hauling loads or pulling a heavy trailer seem easy.

For off-road scrambles, such as a two-rut trail littered with logs that we tackled in the Cascades, the 4x4's 10-inch ground clearance and generous front suspension articulation helped it scamper over obstacles. When it ran out of clearance, skid plates shielded the transfer case and fuel tank from damage.

Ford's pulse vacuum hub-lock device sets the front hubs quickly for push-button shifting into four-wheel-drive mode, and it engages while moving at highway speed. The part-time four-wheel-drive system from Ford also adds a rotary dial on the dashboard for seamless switching from rear two-wheel to four-wheel high gear or further down to four-wheel low for off-road maneuvers.

Whether on lumpy trails or paved roads, the truck takes bumps and turns with confident dexterity. Its rigid ladder-like chassis, with full box bracing of the front section to stiffen it further, combines with an independent front wishbone suspension system to produce a smooth ride. Cushy coil springs come on 4x2 models with a semi-floating live rear axle and two-stage leaf springs to deliver a smoother ride quality. The 4x4 models use torsion bars in front to permit more vertical wheel travel and heavy-duty shocks in the rear for firmer dampening. All get a front stabilizer in front to reduce body lean in corners, and 4x4 models get a rear stabilizer bar as well.

Quick rack-and-pinion steering, rarely used on a pickup, further increases the agility of Mazda's trucks, making them more enjoyable to drive on winding roads.