2021 Ford F-150 review: Setting a higher bar

It might not glance different than its predecessor, but the F-one hundred fifty is new and enhanced the place it issues most.


Steven Ewing/Roadshow

The Ford F-one hundred fifty is the very best-advertising pickup in The usa for a cause: It just works. Irrespective of whether on the occupation or at participate in, the F-one hundred fifty has very long been the trustworthy stalwart in this phase, even in the experience of rough opposition like the Ram 1500. This calendar year marks the introduction of the 14th-gen F-one hundred fifty, bringing with it some impressive features and new systems that really should continue to keep it at the head of its class for many years to occur.

Like

  • Lots of operate-friendly features
  • Great cabin tech
  • Punchy turbocharged motor

Will not Like

  • Sometimes tough ride
  • Lousy gas economic system
  • Bland interior design and style

Critical new features

Arguably the most significant news this calendar year is the availability of an onboard generator, a thing that arrived in handy previously this calendar year when a good chunk of Texas was with out power. My take a look at truck has a 2-kilowatt generator with two 120-volt, twenty-amp retailers, which is fantastic for tailgating or working lesser resources on a occupation website. A 2.4-kW generator is regular on F-one hundred fifty PowerBoost hybrid designs, and a larger seven.2-kW generator is optional, with 4 120-volt, twenty-amp retailers, and one 240-volt, thirty-amp plug. Ford claims you could established up a cellular welding store with this considerably juice.

A lot more impressive tricks are located inside of the F-one hundred fifty. The equipment selector can fold flat into the middle console, earning way for a fold-down surface that offers 15 inches of flat operate room. I love the new Max Recline seats, way too — as someone who routinely places in twelve-hour times powering the wheel, becoming equipped to lay down at virtually a hundred and eighty degrees to have a brief snooze is pleasant. The reclining seats are super comfy way too, with the cushions rearranging themselves to make a flat surface with no dip in between the seat again and base cushions.

Lots of configurability

The F-150’s form and dimensions would not truly change this calendar year, even even though all the sheet steel is new. Drivers will typically notice the freshly developed stacked headlamps bisected by a horizontal line working across the fascia. Individuals are established off by LED fog lights and daytime working lights. Greater-degree trims like the King Ranch pictured in this article get heaps of exterior chrome and consist of twenty-inch polished wheels and metallic trim across the tailgate, proudly proclaiming that you are indeed the king of the ranch. General, the F-one hundred fifty is a pleasant-searching truck, and a minor a lot more buttoned-up and tidy than its predecessor.

You truly are unable to beat the Ford F-one hundred fifty as considerably as configurability is anxious. Readily available with 6 powertrains, three taxi selections and three mattress lengths, you will find a wealth of customization to be experienced. And that is ahead of you dig into the 6 different trim concentrations and two- and 4-wheel drive selections.

The F-one hundred fifty is offered with three cabs and three mattress lengths.


Steven Ewing/Roadshow

Effective motor selections

Regardless of which selections you choose, the F-150’s powertrains do not disappoint. New for this calendar year, Ford presents the PowerBoost hybrid, which we’ve now analyzed. This time all around, I have the 3.five-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 fuel motor, but you can also get the F-one hundred fifty with a 3.3-liter V6, 2.seven-liter twin-turbo V6, five.-liter V8 and 3.-liter diesel V6.

The fuel-only 3.five-liter EcoBoost V6 has 400 horsepower and five hundred pound-ft of torque which is lots of power for day-to-day driving, and the truck has lots of gutsy midrange punch for freeway passing. The ten-velocity automated transmission is a dream, with smooth, imperceptible upshifts and uncomplicated downshifts that can soar three or 4 gears at a time when power is required.

The PowerBoost hybrid provides $2,five hundred to the F-150’s base line, but it’s definitely the motor I might get, specially when you consider it’s rated to return 24 mph with 4-wheel drive. The regular 3.five-liter EcoBoost V6 is EPA-believed to return twenty mpg, even though during a week of testing, I only noticed 17.five mpg.

As for ride quality, well, the F-one hundred fifty drives like a truck. That is to say it can be a minor bouncy and floaty, specially with my tester’s FX4 package with off-road tuned entrance shocks. It can be par for the system in this article, but if you want a pleasant-using truck, the Ram 1500 with its coil-spring set up or optional air suspension is the one to get. Good as the Ford is, Ram’s truck is considerably a lot more comfy over the very long haul.

The Professional Electric power Onboard generator is one of the F-150’s very best features.


Steven Ewing/Roadshow

Truck stuff

The F-150’s towing and payload specs count on configuration. A for a longer period-wheelbase truck with rear-wheel drive will tow a lot more than a shorter-wheelbase pickup with 4-wheel drive. My truck with the tow package, shorter mattress and 4-wheel drive can cope with eleven,000 kilos, but relying on your spec you can tow anyplace from a paltry five,000 kilos to a whopping fourteen,000 kilos. Nevertheless, if you happen to be heading to tow that considerably on the frequent, it’s generally superior to improve to a weighty-duty truck which will have the more substantial brakes and sturdier body to make towing fourteen,000 kilos easier. Certain, the F-one hundred fifty will do it, but you will enjoy the expertise a lot more in a more substantial truck.

As for payload, my tester can cope with 2,100 kilos in the mattress, but once again, you can haul a lot more or fewer relying on configuration, anyplace from 1,705 kilos to 3,325 kilos. As for the opposition, the Ram 1500 can tow a greatest of eleven,650 kilos and haul 2,320 kilos in the mattress. The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 can tow 13,three hundred kilos and have 2,280 kilos of payload.

Ford upped its trailer technology sport for 2021, as well. There is certainly a new reverse guide with 5 cameras and a minor graphic that tells you which way to convert the steering wheel, given that that can generally be complicated. (Try to remember, backing up a trailer indicates turning the wheel to the still left to transfer the trailer to the appropriate.) You can also just use the Professional Trailer Again-Up Guide, the place you convert a dial in the path you want the trailer to go and the truck handles the guesswork for you. The Ram 1500 has a equivalent aspect.

Nevertheless, Chevrolet has cameras offered all over the Silverado, including one that lets motorists to sort of see as a result of their trailer and know what is actually powering them. There are 4 offered hitch sights, 6 offered driving sights and 5 offered parking sights. If you even get this shut to hitting a thing in the Silverado, you will know about it — or at least be equipped to see if happening.

A twelve-inch infotainment screen runs Ford’s Sync 4 tech.


Steven Ewing/Roadshow

Tons of tech and pleasant cabin facilities

The F-one hundred fifty obtained a big tech improve, including a twelve-inch display. Running Ford’s new Sync 4 infotainment method, this infotainment method is more rapidly and a lot more potent than the outgoing tech and motorists can use a break up-screen aspect to control various functions at the identical time. Sync has constantly been fairly uncomplicated to use, and it just will get superior with this improve. Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Automobile are in this article and they are a breeze to established up.

My tester also has a twelve-inch digital gauge cluster with some awesome graphics and a lot more facts than you could at any time will need. I decide on to continue to keep it uncomplicated with my velocity entrance and middle but I could consist of drive manner graphics and navigation facts, to title a handful of.

Most F-one hundred fifty trims get Ford’s Co-Pilot 360 2. suite of driver’s aids regular, including entrance and rear crisis braking, lane-departure warning and blind-spot monitoring. My tester goes significant with adaptive cruise control, lane centering and a new intersection support that can mitigate an imminent crash when turning still left into oncoming visitors.

A fold-down desk presents you lots of room to operate — or eat.


Steven Ewing/Roadshow

Ford is also having into the palms-free driving sport with a late-availability Tremendous Cruise-like method named Energetic Drive Guide. On sure mapped and divided highways the F-one hundred fifty will allow motorists to get their palms off the steering wheel, whilst a driver-facing camera will make confident your eyes stay on the road. Expect it to occur to the F-one hundred fifty later this calendar year as a result of an over-the-air update.

The F-150’s cabin will get a pleasant improve, even though the Ram 1500 however usually takes the cake in terms of total consolation and refinement. Loaded F-150s can be experienced with open-pore wooden, as well as heated, cooled and massaging entrance seats. There are also lots of storage locations including a middle console that can hold Roadshow’s favourite treats: a 6-pack of Food plan Dr. Pepper and a Costco-sized box of Cheez-Its with lots of room still left over.

The power-deploying working boards and handles on the A-pillars make hauling my butt up into the truck easier, and adjustable pedals enable both equally shorter and tall men and women uncover a good driving situation. Owning located mine, on the other hand, it is a bit complicated to achieve the middle touchscreen with out leaning forward pretty a bit. This is a significant truck, y’all.

America’s very best-advertising truck retains heading powerful.


Steven Ewing/Roadshow

A little something for all people

The F-one hundred fifty range addresses a large swath of charges. A foundation XL starts at $thirty,635 (including $1,695 for desired destination), but a fully loaded Restricted can achieve over $eighty,000. Personally, I might stick with a midrange Lariat. It can be no fancy-trousers design, but it’s also considerably fewer expensive and however well equipped. I might incorporate the additional driver’s aids but I would most like skip the package required for the Energetic Drive Guide as it ends up incorporating virtually $seven,000 to the base line. I might incorporate the trailer tow package and the hybrid powertrain which presents me the 2.4-kW generator. And of system, the Max Recline seats. I’m all in at $58,8155 including $1,695 for desired destination. In the meantime, the King Ranch you see in this article will come in all around $76,000.

With new features, heaps of powertrains, fantastic tech and tons of functionality, the F-one hundred fifty continues to offer tons of decision for a vast assortment of truck shoppers. All factors regarded as, the F-one hundred fifty is definitely positioned to continue to keep its very best-advertising truck crown for many years to occur.