Is the SnowRunner Kenworth W990 worth buying?

The four dollar Kenworth W990 is yet another standalone DLC truck for SnowRunner. Here is whether it is worth buying or not.

The Kenworth W990, released in the real world in 2018, is 12.9 litres of mile-munching, load-lugging American trucking. From the long-hood design and copious amounts of chrome to its heavy-duty transmission and 15-inch digital display, this really is a serious bit of kit.

It certainly looks the part in SnowRunner, especially with its unique dragon paintjob, multi-pipe chrome exhaust, chunky bumpers and modern cabin. Perhaps not especially distinctive though for non-Kenworth fans alongside other dead-axle trucks and the Pacific P512 PF.

Please note: This is the script from my YouTube video, click play above to watch or click here.

Unfortunately for detail fans, that lovely digital display does not move. Yes, the rev needle appears at start-up, but then you never see it move as you work that sizeable engine. Nor does the mileage adjust or anything else.

Yes, this is one of those trucks where you can lower that levitating wheel for times where you want extra stability. Or raise it to reduce friction and improve off-road performance.

Either way, all wheels come attached to either stock or raised suspension, depending on how much ride height you want. A first, I believe, for a dead axle truck.

Most exciting of all, however, is this insane fender upgrade. Where you can have a curvy fender or slightly less curvy fender. No doubt decades could be spent debating the merits of both, but we must push on with this Kenworth W990 review.

Versatility, like many of the trucks that look like this road-based Kenny, is a positive. You can attach a trailer while using the small crane and cargo bed though not a spare wheel as well. Or the log carrier front, log crane and log trailer. But, sadly, not a medium log carrier and trailer.

There are plenty of other Kenworth W990 addons you can utilise, too, such as the seismic vibrator, fuel tank, articulated towing platform, van body, maintenance body and heavy crane.

Unfortunately, it is now where we must now start our descent onto the runway of negativity because, unless you stick to tarmac, the Kenworth W990 stops being cool and becomes as fun as gout.

Firstly, the lack of AWD. Just, no. No. No. No. No and no. Even with its 44 or 52-inch uniquely bonused W990 off-road tyres, which have a rating of 1.1 for asphalt, 2.0 for ground/rock and 2.5 for mud/snow, progress in squishy or hilly terrain is almost always miserable.

Even the slightest hint of incline, mud, water or snow brings it to a crawl at best and causes an appointment with the winch at worst. Yes, in the low gears you can enable Diff Lock and get some grip. However, mostly it makes boringly ineffective progress. Even with its two S+ rated engines.

This is unlike the Pacific P512 PF, which also lacks all-wheel drive but gets a significant 3.5 tyre rating in mud and snow. As a result, it powers on through like a champion where the Kenworth W990 needs a 999 rescue. Or 911 if from the US.

You may see better results in some areas with the off-road tyres and Jack of All Treads alternatives, which top out at a rating of 3.2 for ground and rock. But I would not get your hopes up as these are not the best in mud and snow either.

Kenworth W990: You are driving it wrong!

A few proponents of the W990 have said that all the negativity stems from user error. Go round, take a shortcut, you are using the gears wrong and so on. Except this thing gets stuck and goes slowly on relatively shallow mud, let alone the deep stuff. For Amur, I would not bother.

Should enough people complain, there is, of course, a chance that Saber Interactive will add AWD as it has done before. With those skinny single front tyres, it may never be an off-roading monster yet it would make it less tedious.

There are some positives, however, such as the fact it has decent visibility and can go a long way before it runs out of fuel, thanks to its Expeditions: A MudRunner Game-styled trunk repair supplies with 300 repair points and 140 litres of fuel. That takes the total capacity to 520 litres.

So if on-road range is a concern or you have something to go alongside it with better off-roading prowess, it could work, which is the beauty of SnowRunner. Play the game how you want, enjoy. If the W990 makes you smile, happy days. It costs as much as a UK takeaway coffee.

However, for those who are torn between this and another truck pack, I would go with almost anything else. Out of the two latest DLCs, definitely the Jack of All Treads unless the tyre positioning is actually a bug as speculated. Go check out my video on that.

Were this a road-based trucking simulator the W990 would make sense. But where mud and snow are common and most tasks require you to leave the beaten track, for me it is more frustrating than anything else.

What do you think about the Kenworth W990? Let me know in the comments, like and subscribe if you would be so kind and check out my other SnowRunner videos.