The longer you look at the Raider, the more you appreciate its grace, and "grace" isn't a word you can often use with a pickup truck. Definitely not the Dodge. The key, said O'Connell, is the forward line of the A-pillar. Imagine a drop of water rolling from the roof down to the front bumper; it would have a smooth, gentle ride. The fender flares are from the Endeavor, but they've lost their blatant boxiness, in the way they're molded into the Raider's rounded hood.

The subtle and classy shape of the Raider's hood and grille completely contradict the Dakota's in-your-face statement. O'Connell certainly gave Mitsubishi the distinction they asked for. The sweet curve over the truck's nose makes you want to run your hand over it, as if the Raider were a sexy sports car. The grille is nicely understated, a horizontal mesh opening with rounded top corners, split by a triangle bearing the Mitsubishi Motors logo. The colors of the pieces vary with the models, but we think the grille looks best in black mesh and the centerpiece with the triangle far better when it's body-colored, rather than the shiny platinum of the XLS.

The headlamp units are inlayed into the fender flares, resisting the temptation to put their two cents into the styling statement. The front bumper/fascia is separated from the nose by a line as clean as a horizon on the sea. The fascia is either body-colored or flat black, as are the lips of the fender flares. There's a silver or body-colored pseudo skid-plate dominating the center of the fascia, which will add appeal for some buyers.