The F-150 we had as our tester car (or pick-up) came equipped with a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged six-cylinder pumping out 375hp and 470lb-ft torque with a 10-speed automatic gearbox. This is our first time ever experiencing a pick-up truck so bear with us on this review as many will think that we are just being wimps. The engine itself is a real gem here and offers so much low-end torque that it can make some high-performance cars look bad. We love the intimidating looks of the F-150 and the fact that many people just clearly moved out the way when we were driving down the highway. You do feel king of the road in this beast. However, those feelings go away quickly when you are driving on smaller roads. It’s not that it’s uncomfortable to drive but it really is daunting to drive when you are trying to squeeze a massive pick-up around congested city streets. Our tester car (or pick-up) did come with parking aids which really did take an enormous amount of sting out of what could’ve been a total disaster in the mall parking lot.
Driving the F-150 does feel massive and you do sit quite high up compared to most crossovers. We love the feeling, but it does take a lot of getting used to; especially if you are going from a compact crossover into this beast. Wind and road noise are actually hushed out and well the only thing we can really think to complain of is that some crosswinds can make directional stability a little iffy at times, but it should be expected as the F-150 is about as aerodynamic as a tower block. Steering feedback is okay as it should be because most people won’t be tossing this thing into corners or bends at any high rate of speed. We wouldn’t even think of doing that because it would be completely absurd (yes we are looking at you Dodge with the Ram SRT model). It doesn’t sound like a truck as the six-cylinder engine is more smooth and discreet sounding. It’s like the engine could be inside a Ford Explorer.
Thank God for the parking aids! Because the F-150 isn’t a small little crossover that you can whip around with ease, this beast is daunting in size and you really do feel it when trying to squeeze about in the city. Visibility is good thanks to those parking aids! And there is plenty of space for five inside the cabin. The rear seat is a little cramped but it’s far from a deal breaker. The trunk bed is massive and well we know that people will be using it to tow things and carry long cargo objects that can’t fit in your typical seven-seat 4x4. We do wonder however, if the version we had is the one worth using a workhorse because it costs about as much as an entry-level Mercedes GLS!
Our tester car (or pick-up) came equipped with a transmission oil cooler, engine oil cooler, trailer tow package, pro trailer backup assist and a 7,000lb payload package. Quad-LED headlamps, power folding mirrors, 22-inch aluminum alloys and a 8-inch touch screen infotainment system with leather appointed seats. (Again) we are by no means pick-up truck people or let alone know all the different configurations that each pick-ups offer, but for this amount of money it surely doesn’t feel like a workhorse. We’d stick with the cheaper of the range because after all we’d buy a pick-up for the intended purpose of buying a pick-up. Maybe that’s just us?
We didn’t get the chance to do things that require a pick-up, let alone we don’t really see the appeal of a pick-up like this one. We understand that it’s very comfortable to drive and offers plenty of zip from a small 3.5-liter twin-turbo six-cylinder. However, it really is daunting to drive and of course the real question rises. Who on earth would pay this much for a Ford? Well this thing sells in droves and does have a market. It’s just a market that we don’t understand and well if we had to pick one of these pick-up trucks we’d surely just go out and buy this one. Maybe not the example we had as it is priced very dearly.
Likes: The turbo engine is not only smooth but it’s quite flexible considering the massive size.
Dislike: It’s such a daunting truck to drive on roads that are smaller than two lanes. Our tester car was expensive.
Our pick: We’d most likely go with the version we had as a tester car (pick-up). It is dearly expensive but at the same time, if we had to pick one this would be it.
