By hema elsheakh
Pros:
- Smooth, powerful 5.0L V8 engine
- Surprisingly luxurious interior
- SuperCrew cab means plenty of room for passengers
- Decent fuel efficiency, especially for such a large truck
Cons:
- Ride gets choppy over rough pavement
- Shorter bed length limits cargo capacity
The big news for Ford truck fans this year is an entirely new engine lineup for the best-selling F-150. Replacing the underperforming 4.6 and 5.4 liter V8 engines is a quartet of new motors, including two new V8s, a new base model V6, and even a turbocharged V6.
Although putting a turbo six in a full-size truck is a risky move for Ford, the 3.5L EcoBoost engine has the goods, producing 355 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque, and up to 22 mpg on the highway, a potent combination with gas still close to $4 a gallon. The base 3.7L V6 engine is also an overachiever, making 302 hp and earning 23 mpg on the highway. With numbers like these, even hard-core truck owners might be convinced to abandon their V8s.
Driving Impressions
We recently had the opportunity to test a 2011 F-150 Platinum, but unfortunately ours came with an uncontroversial 5.0 L V8 engine, the smaller of the two available V8s and the base engine for this trim level. This engine is essentially the same as the one you’ll find in a new Mustang GT, just tuned for truck duty.
Output is impressive, with 360 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque on tap, which is significantly more than last year’s 5.4L engine. For folks needing even more power, the optional 6.2L V8 makes 411 hp and 434 lb-ft of torque, but given how strong the 5.0L motor is, we’d be surprised if a lot of people opt for the larger V8.
Luckily our tester came equipped as a 4X4, since launching the truck with just the rear wheels simply leads to traction control intervention. With 4-wheel drive activated, standing on the throttle produces an almost alarming level of acceleration. A truck this big should just not be able to go this fast, and this is just the third most powerful engine in the line-up. Granted this was without any payload, but even loaded down this engine should provide more than enough power for all but the gnarliest conditions.
Although not quite as good as the two V6 engines, fuel economy is still quite respectable. We were able to squeeze out close to 19 mpg cruising on the highway, and 16 mpg around town, which falls nicely within the EPA rating of 14 city/19 hwy.
Unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to take the F-150 off-road, but on asphalt the truck handles itself quite well. Ride quality is good for a large truck, although a fairly stiff suspension combined with wide and surprisingly low profile tires means that it does get a bit choppy when the pavement is rough. Steering is nice and light, but not excessively so, making for easy around town maneuvering.
The suspension and tires do pay you back when it comes time to tackle some turns. Although no truck this large will ever handle like a sports car, the F-150 is surprisingly confident hustling through high-speed sweepers. We took the truck on a trip to Lake Tahoe and never felt out of place on the twisty mountain roads.
Interior/Exterior
When decked out in Platinum trim the Ford F-150 is one well-appointed truck. Interior comforts abound, including rich brown leather upholstery, heated and cooled power front seats, heated second row seats, dual zone climate control, SYNC connectivity, and Sony audio system. Our tester also came equipped with an optional Navigation system, which worked fine, but you could easily save a lot of pennies with a cheaper aftermarket unit.
Our test vehicle came dressed in rich metallic brown paint, which gives the truck a woodsy, outdoors appearance. The 20″ polished cast-aluminum wheels do look a bit excessive and out of place, but will be appreciated by folks looking for some bling. Platinum models are only available with a SuperCrew cab, which means rear seat passengers have some serious room to stretch out. The trade-off is less cargo room; box length is limited to 5 ½ or 6 ½ feet, although an optional stowable bed extender provides additional cargo space when the tailgate is down. Power-deployable running boards come standard, which is a nice feature given that the truck sits fairly high off the ground.
Verdict
The Ford F-150 has been the best-selling vehicle in America for years. The new engine lineup addresses one of the few weaknesses of the outgoing model, which means this success is more than likely to continue.
Although spending close to $50k on a pickup might seem silly to some, you actually get quite a lot for your money with the F-150 Platinum. From the high output engine to the decked out interior, this is more a high-performance luxury vehicle than a simple large work truck.
