FORD F-150 2021

Body, cabin and cargo space

A full-size pickup takes up a lot of space. Our Frod F-150 SuperCrew test model with a 5.5‑ft. bed stretched 588 cm in length. A 6.5‑ft. bed adds 30 cm, whereas an F-150 SuperCab with an 8‑ft. bed reaches 636 cm!

If it has to fit in a garage, you also have to allow for height—196 cm or 6 ft. 5 in. in the case of an F-150. The high ground clearance also makes the case for running boards. Like certain competitors, Ford now offers power running boards that deploy on opening a door or at the push of a button. It is a great idea but not particularly compatible with the salt, ice and slush of a Quebec winter. Also, at $1,300, they cost twice as much as the factory-installed fixed models.

One of the most useful features is the new Pro Power Onboard system. The F‑150 is not the only half-ton pickup to offer power outlets in the bed, but it is the first to offer up to 7,200 watts of power, including a 240-volt 30-amp outlet! That’s enough to run multiple tools simultaneously at a work site or a combination of appliances such as a coffeemaker, microwave oven, big-screen television, refrigerator, etc. at home.

The 7.2-kW integrated generator is a $1,000 option and unique to the hybrid. A 2.4‑kW system is standard with the hybrid, whereas a 2.0‑kW system is available for $1,300 on gasoline F-150s. According to Ford, the hybrid battery system by itself can supply the energy required by the 2.0- and 2.4-kW generators, but the V6 engine will come on regularly if the 7.2‑kW system is heavily solicited.

Inside the cab, the most innovative feature is found in the middle of the front bench or between the front buckets, depending on the seat option. It is an armrest cover that unfolds towards the front to create what Ford calls an “interior work surface”, i.e. a very practical sort of table for a lunch or laptop. If the vehicle has its gear shifter on the console, a push of a button folds it out of the way so as to unfold the armrest.

All Ford F‑150s now come with a centre touch screen, which until last year was not available on the lower trims. It measures 8 inches on the more affordable models, and 12 inches on XLT 502A trims and higher, which represent 60 percent of sales, according to Ford Canada. Unlike RAM, which installs its “giant” screen vertically, Ford chose a horizontal positioning after surveying target customers.

The multimedia system is logical, contemporary and highly customizable. It includes wireless Apple CarPlay while easily switching back to the vehicle interface for traditional radio and settings. The 18 speakers on the optional B&O Unleashed audio system—some mounted in the headliner, some in the headrests—provide clear and powerful sound throughout the interior.

The front seats are cushy but supportive, except perhaps on the sides, because of their width. They play a big role in the comfort of the interior, along with the accommodating driving position.

You’ll never lack room, especially in the back of the crew cab, which can easily accommodate three hefty adults. As is customary with pickups, the bench seat flips up to reveal a huge storage area with a flat floor. This year Ford offers a locking storage compartment under the bench but no in-floor lockers like the RAM’s.

Other highlights:

Finish: fairly high-end on Lariat trim and up, with richer-looking materials than before and nice contrasting stitching. Superior look and overall quality than the GM pickups but still not on a level of a RAM.

Safety features

• Antilock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and brake assist
• Stability and traction control
• Hill-start assist
• Hill-descent assist (standard with AWD)
• Front airbags
• Driver and front-passenger knee airbags
• Front side airbags
• Side curtain airbags
• Five or six adjustable head restraints
• Tire pressure monitor
• Rearview camera
• Forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection
• Automatic high-beams
• Blind spot monitor and rear cross traffic alert with trailer coverage, lane departure alert with automatic lane keeping assist, lane centering, collision avoidance assist, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, reverse automatic emergency braking and surround view system (standard or optional, depending on trim)

Crash test results

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Overall score: 5 / 5
Frontal impact: 5 / 5
Side impact: 5 / 5
Rollover resistance: 4 / 5

Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS)
Moderate overlap frontal impact: 4 / 4
Small overlap frontal impact:
- driver side: 4 / 4
- passenger side: 4 / 4
Side impact: 4 / 4
Rear impact: 4 / 4
Roof strength: 4 / 4

IIHS Top Safety Pick

Visibility

Good forward and side visibility thanks to expansive glass surface. The problem with pickups is the height from the road and the length of the bed; the F‑150 compensates in part with large outside mirrors, reverse camera and blind-spot monitoring (including trailer). The surround-view system offered on Lariat trims and up assist when parking.

Headlights: the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has not yet evaluation the F-150’s headlights.

Mechanical overview

The top story for the 2021 Ford F-150 is about what’s under the hood as well as under the vehicle: the second-generation hybrid version of the 3.5L twin-turbo V6, which first appeared for model-year 2017. The electric motor and 1.5-kWh lithium-ion battery boost power to 430 hp and torque to a maximum of 570 lb‑ft. No F‑150 has ever delivered that much torque, not even the thunderous Raptor.

The hybrid engine is paired with a special version of the 10-speed automatic transmission that now comes standard with all six available engines. It promises the lowest gasoline consumption of the lineup, with a combined city-highway rating of 9.8 L/100 km for a 4x4 model. Only the diesel engine does better, and only on the highway. We measured 11.7 L/100 km during our test consisting of three-quarters highway. That may be 20 percent more than the official rating, but it is still the best result we have ever obtained with a full-size pickup.

The problem is, the hybrid engine comes as a $4,850 supplement relative to the 2.7L turbo V6, traditionally the most fuel efficient of the lineup. According to Natural Resources Canada, the latter would require $425 more fuel per year. At that rate, it would take more than 10 years to recoup the cost of the hybrid. On the other hand, this amortization period is reduced by half or more when you compare the hybrid to the 3.5L turbo V6, with power and towing capacity that are more similar to the hybrid’s.

As for towing, maximum capacity now reaches 6,350 kg (14,000 lb). However, that rating is only for a two-wheel-drive model with the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 and Max towing package. The towing capacity of the top-selling 4X4 crew-cab versions varies between 3,493 kg (7,700 lb) and 4,990 kg (11,000 lb).

Apart from the three engines already mentioned, the catalogue still lists a 3.3L normally aspirated V6 for XL and XLT trims, as well as a 5.0L V8 and a 3.0L turbodiesel V6 available as an option on all trims. Despite its smooth performance and low-rev torque, the diesel engine is less attractive because of its prohibitive purchase and maintenance costs. Ford Canada admitted that it expects its already low popularity will be eclipsed by that of the hybrid.

As concerns the suspension, there are no electromagnetic shocks as on high-end GM pickups, or air suspension as offered by RAM as an option. The F‑150 still employs a double-wishbone front and leaf-spring rear setup. It also is still the only full-size pickup with an aluminium body, first presented in 2015.

Driving impressions

The first thing you notice at the wheel of an Ford F-150 hybrid is its quiet ride. The hybrid engine system is impressive for smoothness and quiet, even when the gasoline engine goes on. This occurs regularly, which is not surprising given the weight of this pickup. At the same time, it switches off quite often in urban driving, to a point where 65 of the 751 km we drove during our test were in electric mode. It explains the hybrid’s clear advantage over the gas-only pickups in terms of consumption.

Performance of the hybrid engine is outstanding for a vehicle of the size of the F-150, but it is also docile in normal driving. The same cannot be said of the transmission, which often shifts with a clunk through the first three gears. The transition between the electric motor and gas engine is not the smoothest, either, with a slow response that can become stressful when crossing a busy intersection. Ford clearly has work to do with this transmission, since we have noted similar behaviour with several other models that use it.

That is the main complaint concerning the otherwise high level refinement. The rear suspension still bounces on bumpy pavement, which seemingly is inevitable when there is no load in the bed of a pickup. However, damping seems improved, and certainly less firm than with a Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra. The steering displays good precision at centre, ensuring faultless straight-line tracking on the highway. Road holding is confident in turns, as long as the laws of physiques are observed. In any event, there is enough body lean early on to provide all the warning that is required.

An $83,000 pickup as a daily driver is probably not a necessity for many owners. But no one will question the F-150’s ability to pamper its occupants on a long trip.

Other highlights

Braking: easily modulated pedal, just enough bite with feel as natural as any non-hybrid vehicle, despite the regenerative braking. Stable and straight emergency stops on dry pavement.

Driving assistance: well-calibrated adaptive cruise control does not slow down too early behind another vehicle, and reaccelerates progressively as soon as the way becomes clear. It can be set either to automatically follow speed limits or as a traditional cruise if desired. Lane-departure warning sometimes abrupt. Lane centering system generally avoids ping-ponging between lane markings.