I try to write a review of every car I drive, but this is not always possible. In 2015 for many, mostly personal, reasons I missed a few. Here are my abbreviated impressions of the all-new aluminum bodied Ford F-150.
It’s amazing how far the almighty pickup truck has come. This vehicle here had the following options, many of which came only on the fanciest of luxury cars not to long ago: power heated and ventilated seats, cameras all around, heated steering wheel, excellent audio system, panoramic sunroof, nav system, power folding mirrors with spot lights (!), LED headlights everywhere, and a power tailgate. Yes, a freakin’ power tailgate! POW, mind-blown!


To say that the new F-150 is over-engineered would be an understatement. I felt like Ford threw everything they had on this thing. It’s not that the built quality just seemed good, but it’s that there were some really clever ideas, cleverly designed and integrated into this truck. For instance, the LED bulbs in the mirror-mounted blinkers can function as really bright spot lights. Not included on the test vehicle, but optional is the “Pro Trailer Backup Assist” which significantly simplifies those tricky trailer maneuvers. Backup camera and integrated brake controller are things we take for granted now but are extremely helpful in daily duties. These are just some of the very many such features.
The interior is great, too. It is big but it is very functional while remaining ergonomic for drivers of all sizes. The seats are couch like, big and soft, but supportive where they need to be, great for the many people who spent many hours a day in their trucks. Storage bins, cubbies, connections, it’s all here, all where you’d expect it, all easy to use. Perhaps the most surprising area of this SuperCrew model is the rear seat space – it’s just huge. I think there is more legroom there than in the Range Rover LWB. Flip-up the rear seat cushion and large toolboxes or dog cages could easily fit there.

But where the F-150 impressed me the most was with its driving characteristics. The 3.5 EcoBoost had enough guts to haul this SuperCrew® in a way that would embarrass many sporty sedans of the past decade. Those crying about the next Raptor being available with this engine only shouldn’t worry, it’s great, and I was highly skeptical at first. Highway passing, ramps, and emergency braking were unlike any other truck I’ve ever driven, and all with a hint of whistle. The handling, even with the FX4 off-road package, was damn impressive, too, but which I mean very un-truck like. Honestly, it was much more comfortable and handled much better than my 4Runner, a full-frame vehicle with a live axle, like the F-150. High driving position and big windows made maneuvering downright easy. Ford did an amazing job of making this large truck feel small and it convinced me, a total city-slicker, that I could live with it.
While so many things on this truck are so great, one thing bothered me – time. It is no secret that most pickup trucks in their lifetime are simply abused. Fleet vehicles often go unmaintained and work trucks are overloaded. My daily driving takes me through some industrial areas and I see twenty year old pickups with bent frames, rusted beds, and smoking exhausts still slowly hauling, literally, tons of junk to scrap yards. Question that no one can answer now is, how will this turbocharged engine, power tailgate, cameras, and the other toys stand the test of time and the abuse that comes with it?

Ford provided the vehicle for the purpose of this review. Images: ©2016 Hooniverse/Kamil Kaluski, All Rights Reserved