New F-150 1st Drive

2015 Ford F-150: PickupTrucks.com First Drive

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We have no doubt that every auto writer who gets a chance to slide behind the wheel of the 2015 Ford F-150 will begin by talking about what a revolution — can we say revelation? — it is for the most popular vehicle the U.S. to switch from using steel to military-grade aluminum. Yes, it is; however, if that little fact never happened, this still would be a revolutionary pickup. What makes this truck different from its competitors — and that's what's really important here — is how much technology and how many segment-first features it offers and how vastly superior this truck is compared to the one it's replacing. Sure, removing the weight from the previous heifer certainly helps, but that's only one piece to this very complex puzzle.

As near as we can tell, there isn't a single aspect to this truck that hasn't been reengineered, reimagined or redesigned. But, as odd as it might sound, is it too much? That was the question that kept coming back to us as we learned more about what this new player offers.

It's difficult to find a similar parallel in the pickup truck world but it might be when the previous-generation Ram 1500 half-ton switched to coil springs and incorporated the eight-speed rotary dial. Or maybe it was when Ford brought the smoother, more aerodynamic 1996 F-150 to market with a rounded, cushy, ballooned interior. But even those two industry milestones don't come near the type of changes and improvements the 2015 Ford F-150 is attempting.

Of course, the biggest question about this new truck is how the use of aluminum affects the design, road feel, driving dynamics and overall capabilities. No other mass-produced vehicle has used so much aluminum in such a dramatic way, building all the body panels, the cab structure and the all-important pickup bed out of the unique and relatively expensive alloy.

Key Features
Across the board there is significant weight savings on every version of the new F-150, with Ford reporting base curb weights ranging from a touch more than 4,000 pounds (4x2 regular-cab short bed) all the way up to 5,200 pounds (4x4 SuperCrew long bed). All that weight savings can go right back into the payload capacities of the truck as the chassis and suspension of the truck is still made from ultra-high-strength and high-strength steel. That means the gross vehicle weight ratings pretty much remain unchanged, ranging from 6,000 pounds up to a maximum of 7,850. Doing the math, that means payload ranges go from 1,500 pounds up to a maximum payload capacity of 3,300 (4x2 regular-cab long bed with the 5.0-liter V8).

What impact does the new alloy have on the pickup truck? We say absolutely none, other than allowing Ford to make it feel a little more nimble, more responsive and more fuel efficient — all good things in our book. Our first drive in the F-150took us on the back roads and two-lane highways in the Hill Country just north of San Antonio. We also got the chance to do a fun loop of farm-country four-wheeling through dry washes, over rutted hill climbs and across a creek bed, as well as towing 9,000-pound enclosed trailers (with weight-distributing hitches). In all those scenarios, this new F-150 was significantly more composed and responsive; additionally, the interior upgrades clearly attempt to set the quality bar at a new level.

The available engines at the drive event included the all-new 2.7-liter V-6 EcoBoost, the carryover 3.5-liter V-6 EcoBoost and the carryover Coyote 5.0-liter V-8. The only missing engine was the standard all-new all-aluminum 24-valve 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V-6. EPA fuel economy ratings will come later next month, but you can expect that downsizing the engines, light-weighting the trucks, and lowering some of the standard and available ring-and-pinion choices will likely give the new combinations some impressive numbers (Ford is saying that all the engines will get between 5 and 20 percent better ratings this time around).

The overall look of the truck is more angular and almost aggressive in some ways (the hood and larger front grille) while at the same time softer and more rounded (the roofline and wheel arches). Certain key elements, like the larger door handles and bigger door window cutouts, have practical roots, allowing the driver easier access into the truck and better visibility. Additionally, we were told the front windshield "tongue" is part of a new design language Ford is likely to continue on other models like the next-generation Super Duty and possibly the full-size SUVs.

Foundational Support
The frame itself acts as a solid platform in which everything else is attached; there isn't an aspect of the new frame that hasn't been run through thousands of computer modeling programs to calculate exactly what shapes and thicknesses are needed at exactly the right spots to save the most weight while providing the appropriate strength.

The front of the frame, called the horn, has 12 different corners for a more predictable crush cycle when smashed with forces comparable to a car accident. Ridges in the boxed frame will also absorb energy during a head-on collision in a way that limits the force from being transferred to the cab passengers.



The frame itself has multiple thicknesses throughout its full length, depending on what wheelbase and engine option the vehicle is designed to accommodate. The frame is broken into three different sections, with the front and rear piece usually the same strength, length and size, while the middle section (typically the thickest of the fully boxed pieces) determines the exact wheelbase and overall length.

Interestingly, to help strengthen the truck's trailering capacities the back end of the frame rails taper downward to better accommodate the proper height of the tow hitch. By adding a reinforced cross-member at the end of the frame, Ford was able to meet all the class-leading tow-rating capabilities with a simpler, stronger and more elegant solution. We do not have the full range of gross combined weight ratings, so we can't comment on how they compare to the competition, but we hope to find out more soon.

The suspension strategies are essentially the same, but every component to the independent short- and long-arm front suspension and live rear axle has been scrutinized and recalculated to specific specs while making further considerations for weight. The rear springs are a touch shorter than the 2014 model, and the rear shocks have been pushed outward and staggered (one forward facing, one rearward) to better deal with the rear-end and axle-hop forces. The rear axles have been shaved and redesigned for extra strength and weight savings as well. Ford will offer four axle ratios that range from 3.15:1 (only for the 3.5-liter EcoBoost) all the way up to 3.73:1 (Max Trailer Tow Package 5.0-liter V-8 and the 2.7-liter EcoBoost). Each engine will have at least two axle ratio choices.

Exterior
As noted earlier, the complexity to the F-150 is substantial, with thousands of individual options and many unique ordering configuration possibilities. Trim levels come in five basic flavors: XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum. On top of all those levels, the FX4 Off-Road Package can be ordered to give the F-150 unique shocks, extra skid plating, upgraded transmission software, one of two transfer cases (both with a 2.64:1 low range) and the accompanying bed stickers. Add to that the possibility of further separating your truck with either a sport or chrome package and it's likely you won't see another F-150 like yours no matter where you live. Additionally, monochromatic appearance packages in which bumpers, grille, door handles and rearview mirrors are color matched are available on XL, XLT and Lariat trims.

Interior
If you think the exterior options are difficult to grasp, you won't believe the number of interior choices you have. Between technology packages, luxury packages, seating configurations, center console choices and too many options to list, the looks and details available inside the truck are almost mind-boggling. There is even a seat massaging option on the upper trim packages. Really? Customers were asking for that?

Although the air-conditioning vents are large and blow plenty of air, they do take up a good portion of dash real estate. The 8-inch center-stack screen uses the improved MyFord Touch system — every control on the screen has a redundant knob or switch below, allowing for instant control. We counted 52 buttons within easy reach of the driver, with 12 on the steering wheel alone. This might be overkill and could be distracting for some. One consequence of this fight for dash territory is that important controls like the headlight switch and trailer-brake controller (when equipped) are relegated to spaces well below the driver's line of sight and are even a little difficult to reach.

The 8-inch color information screen available on higher trim packages sits right between the tachometer and speedometer. It provides just about every piece of engine or truck information you could want, from basic facts like tire pressure to advice when hooking up a trailer to real-time and long-haul fuel economy. The screen is divided into six different folders; some are programmable while others deliver stacks of information. It's not quite as well done as the Ram's display or graphics but it's better than before.



In terms of the seating choices, we really liked that when you order the 40/20/40-split front bench seat, you automatically get the hidden storage box under the center seat as well as a flexible center console. We also like that most trim packages and engine combinations allow you to choose between the column or center console sport shifter. Both options offer access to Ford's exclusive select shift as well as a dual-tap controller that allows for both an aggressive Tow/Haul setting and a dedicated Sport mode. Sport mode keeps the engine rpm higher in the rev band, provides for quicker downshifts and holds a gear longer when accelerating, as well as tightening up throttle response. They may be subtle changes but they do affect the personality of the truck when behind the wheel.

How It Drives
We had the chance to drive several iterations of the new F-150 in several different trim levels. As we've already noted, the truck will have four engine choices: three V-6s (two brand new) and the carryover 5.0-liter V-8. The standard engine for the XL, XLT and Lariat will be the naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6 with 283 horsepower and 255 pounds-feet of torque — not huge numbers compared to other V-6s but it offers a much better power-to-weight ratio than the 3.7-liter V-6 it's replacing. All engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission that carries over from the 2014 model, but the computer is clearly smarter and more capable of dealing with a wider range of variables and performance scenarios.

The engine we were most interested in testing was the all-new twin-turbo EcoBoost 2.7-liter V-6, which is rated at 325 hp and 375 pounds-feet of torque. Those are solid ratings, and we have to say that when behind the wheel of a SuperCrew 4x4 equipped with that engine, the truck felt just as powerful as any other full-size pickup with a small V-8.

During our 120-mile cruise through San Antonio's Hill Country, we averaged between 18 and 19 mpg, and we were pushing the truck a bit to get a sense of how the truck felt at the outer limits. We're guessing one of the consequences of the lighter building materials and lighter, smaller engines is that the front end doesn't plow nearly as much as it used to, but we still heard a good amount of tire squeal. During our 2013 Light-Duty Challenge autocross, a competition that the F-150 won, one of our main complaints about the truck during spirited driving was how poorly the front end tracked, brutally sliding around every corner where we tried to accelerate.

Off-Road
On the off-road course, where we were able to drive 2.7-liter EcoBoost-equipped trucks and 5.0-liter V-8-equipped FX4 packages, the available gearing (both can be ordered with 3.73:1 axle gears) and ability of the transmission to soften the throttle response in low range really helped us keep our speed and tire placement under control. You'd expect a custom-made 4x4 course to make the vehicles being driven look good and this one was no exception. However, it did give us a chance to see how quickly or comfortably this full-size pickup could shift in and out of four-wheel drive while twisting or navigating nasty hairpin corners, wheel-dropping holes or off-camber logs laid over a hill climb. Although we did have some trouble getting the transfer case to lock into 4WD Low during an exceptionally tight rutted and loose upslope, the new FX4 Hankook all-terrain tires (275/55R20) provided phenomenal grip and traction, even when exiting the stream crossing up a steep berm.

Towing
After our off-roading adventure, we got the chance to take a well-equipped Lariat 4x4 SuperCrew out with a 9,000-pound enclosed trailer over some typical Hill Country highways that offered us a good descent into a river wash and relatively long hill climb out the other side, all on smooth two-lane tarmac. The 3.5-liter EcoBoost likes to make noise when it's working hard, and it drinks a good amount of fuel. We like that it still has plenty of power (our truck was equipped with the 3.55:1 gears — the highest available for the bigger EcoBoost), but we were most impressed to learn that Ford has built an enhanced engine noise program into all F-150s with either of the two EcoBoost engines. It delivers a throatier V-8-like sound to the passengers inside the truck. Some might call this a slight deception, but we liked hearing the low-end rumble when we put our foot onto the throttle of the EcoBoost, which is most appreciated in the smaller, higher-revving, buzzier of the two EcoBoost V-6s. You'll be glad to know the V-8 still sounds like a muscular motor.

And although only a small number of people will order it, the new F-150 offers a great, new optional towing mirror that both extends and folds just like Super Duty mirrors. They are split so you get the lower wide-angle lens as well as the good-sized upper mirror for plenty of rear vision.

The Trailer Tow Package, when equipped with the rearview camera and Technology Package, will include a trailer-hitch-assist screen that helps make hitching up a trailer a one-person operation by showing real-time, responsive guidelines to put your hitch directly under the receiver. Included in that same package, we found the 360-degree camera (which will stay on as long as you keep your speed below 15 mph) to be a huge help when looking around the truck when towing and when four wheeling.

Other Notable Features
Most F-150 configurations will have a standard 26-gallon gas tank with an optional 34-gallon tank offered across the board. The F-150 with the highest towing capacity, when paired with the Max Trailer Tow Package, is the 4x2 SuperCrew EcoBoost 3.5-liter V-6. Wheelbases effectively stay the same (ranging from 122 to 163 inches) with each cab configuration getting both a long- and short-bed option.

The last feature we're truly impressed with is the new bed setup. Not only did truck designers and engineers make the fully aluminum floor thicker to be stronger and more resistant to dents and dings, they created an all-new BoxLink system that allows buyers to personalize and reconfigure the bed in just about any way they can imagine: The system offers ladder racks, cargo tie-downs, toolboxes, motorcycle ramps, jug carriers and more. The clips sit inside the bed so they can locked away with the bed cover or come with their own key locks so nobody reaches over the rail and steals. All F-150 beds will also offer LED lighting with an on/off button right inside the bed. Unfortunately, the maximum number of tie-downs a Ford bed can have is eight and there are none on the cab wall. Among the available bed protection options, Ford will allow customers choose between a spray-in or drop-in liner.  

Finally, Ford is offering the segment's first remote tailgate release button right on the key fob to help make loading the bed easier. Combined with the soft-drop tailgate and fob locking setup, we were sold on it the first time we saw it in action. Also incorporated into the new tailgate is the newly redesigned tailgate step that is lighter and simpler to use and store.

Summing It Up
This is only the beginning of our reporting about the technologies and features available on the 2015 Ford F-150. We have a feeling we'll be doing quite a few more stories on this truck as more of these packages make it into the marketplace. Will it be a winner? That all depends on how hung up buyers will be about this truck being made of aluminum. Our guess is that it will become one of the biggest nonissues in the truck world, at least until we see how the repair industry copes with it. Still, there is plenty of meat on this truck and a definite resetting of the bar — at least from a changes-on-paper point of view. So is this overreach or another example of trying to do too much? It certainly doesn't look like it from where we sit, and if that's behind the wheel of a 2015 F-150, you can bet there's a smile on our face. Next stop: setting up head-to-head competition.

PickupTrucks.com

2015 Ford F-150 SuperCrew XLT 4x4 2.7L EcoBoost: Truck Trend's First Drive
Can Ford’s Smallest Truck Engine Cut It?

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When it was officially announced that the ’15 Ford F-150 would be getting an optional 2.7L EcoBoost V-6, the truck enthusiast community almost immediately started raising concerns, or less charitably, casting aspersions on Ford’s smallest-displacement truck engine. Would it be powerful enough for a fullsize truck? Would it feel taxed under load? Could a sub-3.0L engine work in a vehicle as large and heavy as the F-150?

Smooth Operator
After having driven more than 60 miles in a pre-production ’15 F-150 2.7L EcoBoost, we can safely say any concerns about power, at least when unloaded, are put to rest. The engine feels every bit as powerful as its 325 hp and 375 lb-ft of torque would suggest. In terms of the engine’s other presumed trump card, fuel economy, we’re going to have to hedge and categorize our initial findings as inconclusive.

In terms of refinement, the 2.7L is easily as good as, or better than the 3.5L, at least as installed in the last-generation truck. Idle is nearly silent, and even under fairly aggressive throttle, only a muted growl comes through the firewall and from the exhaust.

The 2.7L EcoBoost is the first, and so far only, engine offered in the F-150 that comes with auto stop-start. We’ve experienced multiple variations of this technology in different vehicles; some systems that work well and are fairly unobtrusive and others that are a bit more jarring. This is one of the better ones. It’s not quite as quick as the system on the Ford Fusion, but it restarts quickly enough where it won’t leave you flat-footed at a stoplight. The feature can be disabled by pushing a button on the dashboard.

Un-“Canny” Solidity
What we were most curious about with the new F-150 was its subjective feel, having an all-aluminum body. Would it feel “tinny” or insubstantial? Actually, it’s quite the opposite. It felt very solid, with little to none of the secondary vibration that’s usually endemic to body-on-frame trucks. Speaking of frames, the F-150’s is still fully boxed steel, and we suspect it’s a big contributor to the truck’s feeling of solidity.

Aside from the new engine, the new F-150 feels tighter and rides quieter than its predecessor. Our top-secret tester truck was a bread-and-butter XLT model, missing many of the bells and whistles of the more upscale Platinum, Limited, and King Ranch trims, so any judgment on opulence or luxury will have to wait for a test of those better-equipped models.

Economy? Ask Again Later…
Official fuel economy figures for the 2015 F-150 in any form have not yet been announced. The 2.7L promises to be the economy champ of the lineup, so we wanted to take some informal preliminary measurements of its frugality to see if it could legitimately rival the current reigning economy champ, the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel. We have to add a few caveats on our results. The truck had less than 100 miles on the odometer when we picked it up, and it was one of the largest, heaviest configurations of the F-150, being a SuperCrew 4x4. The area we test drove it was also quite hilly, which also likely impacted fuel consumption.

We drove the truck at what we’d consider a “normal” pace of highway driving of between 60-75 mph, punctuated occasionally by passing. After about an hour and a half of driving, we got an indicated and measured 16.7 mpg, based on an after-drive refill measured against the trip odometer. There were other variables aside from topography that affected that figure, including a temperature in the mid 80s and running the air conditioning for most of the drive. We look forward to doing a more scientific and representative test of the 2.7L EcoBoost’s fuel economy in the near future.

Speaking of air conditioning, that’s another function affected by the auto stop-start. Since the compressor is still engine-driven, it stops when the engine does, but the system also automatically slows the blower fan speed as well. We’re not sure what all the operational parameters are for the stop-start system, but we’re sure the true test of it would be in suffocatingly humid Houston or sun-baked Phoenix. In 90-plus temps, we might just be tempted to disable it to keep the compressor cooling.

Like most current fullsize crew cab trucks, the rear seat of the SuperCrew has stretch-out legroom, even for nearly 6-footers. The rear of the front console on our XLT trim level had dual HVAC vents and both a 12-volt and 110-volt three-prong AC outlet. There were also multiple USB inputs for the infotainment system in the front part of the cab. Like most of its other newer or recently updated models, interior lighting is predominantly LED, a further nod to efficiency.

All things considered, we see no reason why the F-150 won’t continue to be America’s best-selling truck. The ’15 model builds on the strengths that have made it a best-seller and adds a new measure of technology, sophistication, and efficiency. It may seem exotic now, but we have a hunch five years from now, you’ll be seeing a lot more aluminum-bodied cars, trucks, and SUVs from other automakers as well.

Having had an early drive of this pre-production model, our curiosity is whetted to drive the other variations, the 5.0L V-8 and the bigger 3.5L EcoBoost, as well as the fancier trim levels. We have to admit we were slightly disappointed at our initial observed fuel economy figures, but again, the engine had less than 100 miles on it when we first hopped in the seat, and our driving route was probably not ideal for testing best-case-scenario fuel economy.

Will most buyers care that it’s aluminum? Our guess is no. If it’s not an automatic deal-breaker to the prospective buyers that take the time to go down to a dealer and actually test-drive the truck, the solidity, refinement, and features of Ford’s new truck will probably win them over.

Truck Trend

Thanks for posting these articles..

I'm not sure I'd like the AC shutting off all the time on a hot day in stop and go traffic.

Then switch it off. (not the AC)

Yota_Fan wrote:

Thanks for posting these articles..

No problem.