When you get down to it, big power and big capability are the things most esteemed by most of the people who buy big trucks. Does it matter whether that power and capability arise from a big V-8, or a small V-6 that has bigger horsepower and delivers more capability?
Ford's bet is that buyers want the horsepower and torque, and that if a V-6 makes more of both while also using a bit less gas, then the V-8 isn't going to be missed much.
Enter the 2018 Ford F-150.
What It Is
The F-150 is Ford's full-size pickup truck.
You can get it in various cab/bed combinations, like most of its half-ton rivals including the Chevy Silverado, Dodge Ram 1500, Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan. But the Ford is uniquely skinned in lightweight aluminum and the only one of the bunch whose flagship engine isn't a V-8.
The base price for an XL trim regular cab with two-wheel drive, a 6.6-foot bed and a 3.3-liter V-6 (new for 2018) is $27,705.
A top-of-the-line F-150 Limited with SuperCrew crew cab, the high-performance 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 and four-wheel drive tops has a sticker of $64,275.
What's New
The really big news — channeling Ed Sullivan — is the addition of a turbodiesel engine to the F-150 roster of powertrains. It is Ford's reply to the challenge presented by the Ram 1500, which already offers a diesel engine, and Chevy, which will offer one in the Silverado come 2019.
Also, all the other engines get upgraded.
The standard engine is a smaller but stronger 3.3-liter V-6. The mid-range 2.7-liter twin-turbo V-6 produces 25 foot-pounds more torque than it did last year. The 5.0-liter V-8 has 10 more horsepower and produces 13 foot-pounds more torque. The top-of-the-line 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 now peaks with 75 more horsepower and 60 more foot-pounds of torque than last year.
All 2018 F-150s get minor exterior styling tweaks as well.
What's Good
It has the widest range of engines in the class.
It has the highest tow rating in its class (13,200 pounds).
There are almost limitless cab/bed/drivetrain combinations.
What's Not So Good
The aluminum body is light but more difficult (and expensive) to repair if damaged.
Like all current 1500s, the F-150 is really tall-walled. Even for a tall man, reaching into the bed can be a stretch. And getting into the bed may involve a stepladder (which Ford offers).
Under the Hood
A 3.3-liter V-6 replaces last year's slightly larger 3.5-liter V-6 as the F-150 standard engine. It has 290 horsepower and 265 foot-pounds of torque, an uptick from the 3.5-liter V-6 with 282 horsepower and 253 foot-pounds of torque.
It's paired with a six-speed automatic, and you can go 2WD or 4WD.
The next-up engine is a 2.7-liter V-6 with a pair of turbos boosting its output to 325 horsepower and 400 foot-pounds of torque. A 10-speed automatic is standard with this engine.
If you want a V-8, it's still on the menu, with 5.0 liters, 395 horsepower and 400 foot-pounds of torque.
But the apex of F-150 power is the twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6, now with 450 horsepower and 510 foot-pounds of torque.
The wild card engine is the new turbodiesel V-6, which has 250 horsepower but 440 foot-pounds of torque, more than the V-8 and not all that far from the twin-turbo V-6. But unlike them, it's capable of 30-plus mpg on the highway.
On the Road
Trucks are what big sedans once were: roomy, full-framed, comfortable and powerful. And capable. You can pull a house off its foundation, or just about. And you will not be stopped by weather.
This explains their popularity.
The only downside — and this is subjective — is their height and their width. The F-150, like its brethren, takes up pretty much every inch of lane. Be careful about wandering into the opposite lane or off onto the shoulder.
All the engines except the standard 3.3-liter V-6 are tremendously powerful. The standard 3.3-liter V-6 is merely sufficiently powerful. The twin-turbo V-6 is so powerful that you can out-accelerate most sports cars a third the size: Zero to 60 mph takes 5.8 seconds. And that's a fun thing!
At the Curb
There are lots of minor detail touches for 2018 including a new billet-style grille and a hood lip that's chamfered (rolled forward) to flow toward the grille. Out back, "F-150" is stamped into the tailgate.
In the bed there's soft-glow LED lighting and an available spray-in bed liner, to be much preferred over the bolt-on plastic ones, which trap moisture in between and accelerate rusting.
Speaking of which ...
That will never happen with the F-150, because the bodywork is all aluminum, which also shaves several hundred pounds of dead weight off the truck.
The Rest
Ford offers a Pro Trailer Backup Assist that effectively automates maneuvering with a trailer attached.
Just be aware that if you remove the tailgate, as people sometimes do, you will also remove the backup camera, which is built into the tailgate.
The Bottom Line
The new F-150 proves that displacement can be replaced. And steel, too!
Eric's new book, "Don't Get Taken for a Ride!" is available now. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
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