Ford F-150: #1 Selling Vehicle Series, Now With a 3.5L V6 Base Engine

The Ford F-150 is one of the most popular models of the F-series – an entire generation of Ford pickup trucks sold since 1948. The F-series has been hugely popular in the United States and has been the top-selling vehicle in the country since almost 30 years! The F-150 was first introduced in 1975 as a model between the then F-100 and F-250 with the purpose of dodging some emission restrictions. After the F-100 was discontinued in 1983, the 150 became the lightest model across the entire range. Since then, the F-150 has transformed into a luxurious and versatile pickup truck with a variety of trims to choose from.

Considering the various options available in the pickup segment currently, buyers often get confused with their priorities. Nevertheless, the F-150 continues to be a superb choice due to its blend of excellent mileage, lightweight body and potent performance.

Design

The 12^th (2009-14) and 13^th (2015 onwards) generations of the F-150 have the same physical dimensions except that the latter has a reduced weight of 700 pounds compared to its predecessor. The reduction in weight was achieved by changing the body of the vehicle from steel to aluminum. However, the frame continues to be made of high strength steel. Of course the lightweighting of the pickup plays a major role on the mileage of the vehicle, towing and payload capacities, acceleration and braking responsiveness. What’s more, Ford has claimed that a cumulative of 10 million miles were spent testing in order to build the current F-150 model!

Interiors

Until the 9^th generation (1997) of F-series pickups, Ford placed primary focus on utility and then took into account luxury. However, that has not been the case since the start of the 10^th generation. Considering the comfort offered by the recent models, it is safe to say that the automaker has prioritized both utility and luxury equally.

The F-150 offers the most stretch out space among other crew cabins. The inside of all 150s is known for its comfort. It also offers excellent noise barrier to the outside.

Performance

The 12^th gen F-150 engine options started included a 2.7L EcoBoost, 3.5L V6 Ti-VCT, the 3.5L EcoBoost and the 5.0L Ti-VCT V8. For the current generation, a 3.5L V6 became the base engine with the introduction of a 2.7L EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 alongside the 3.5L and 5.0L V8. For the 11^th generation (2004-08), the available engines included a 4.2L V6, 4.6L V8 and a 5.4L V8. A Harley-Davidson edition during this time had a supercharged V8 that generated extra torque. Almost all variants from 2004 to 2008 had a 4-speed automatic transmission, but the V6 came standard with a 5-speed manual.

The Ford F-150 has been available only in petrol until now. However, the carmaker will be introducing its first diesel engine in the 2018 F-150. Named ‘Power Stroke’, the diesel engine will be a twin turbo 3L V6 taken from the ‘Lion’ lineup of engines, which are shared by the PSA Group and Jaguar Land Rover.

Cargo

The F-150 comes with a maximum payload capacity of 3,270 lb. Even with the 2.7L engine, one can reach a capacity of up to 2,210lb. Apart from that, the newer variants feature several smart technology such as a BoxLink system and a Trailer Backup Assist with rear-view camera assist to make towing more user intuitive.

Safety

The 2017 model is labeled as Ford’s safest F-150 ever, majorly due to the government’s 5-star safety rating. The pickup comes with several new technologies like Driver Assist, Lane Keeping system, Blind Spot Information, Cross Traffic Alert, Adaptive Cruise Control and Forward Collision Warning with brake support. The pickup is also available with a 360-degree camera offering split view display.

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