Ford’s 2013 F-150 truck is a “true” truck in every way, and Ford pays tribute to the faithful by making sure that when drivers say “it feels like a Ford” they mean it in only a good way.
Consistently a bestseller, the F-series pickup has been at the top of the pickup game for nearly 50 years in Canada. The reason? Dependability, strength and consistency. Mix in all the necessary tweaks and improvements along the way and you have one highly respected truck that never seems to age.
The F-150 has so many possible trim variations that it’s easy to lose count. In fact, there are 10 different trim levels, from the base XL all the way up to the deluxe Limited and Platinum versions. Our test vehicle was a Lariat series supercrew with EcoBoost 3.5-litre V6 engine. We’ll talk more about the Ecoboost in a moment, because this time around what is under the hood of the F-150 is one of the biggest talking points.
Ford proudly calls the F-150 “North America’s pickup,” and they can back that claim up with a full-sized dimension and interior space with none of the compromises sometime seen in smaller trucks or SUVs. The F-150 is rugged enough for hauling and towing big loads and spacious and comfortable enough to provide enjoyable driving outside of work time.
Handling for the F-150 was predictable - safe and with a good road feel. The amazing thing is that even when you are driving the crew cab version, it feels surprisingly nimble and quick. It drives more like a mid-size until we had to manoeuvre the vehicle in city streets, and you quickly realize that there is still a lot of “metal” to deal with. The agility is there, but the truck is still a bit too big to fit around some tight corners, and you’ve got to be pretty good at parking if you want to take it to tighter spaces in downtown and underground parking lots.
Get the F-150 out on the open road, and it is a different story. The F-150 still remains unapologetically a truck. It may be easy to drive, but don’t make the mistake of thinking that it wants to drive like a car – this is a truck for truck-lovers.
Ford also has made sure that North America’s truck comes with a host of standard features and appointments.
Our Lariat had automatic climate control, leather upholstery, power adjustable heated front seats with driver-seat memory, the MyFord Touch electronics interface, dual USB ports, power-adjustable pedals and power-sliding rear window, to name some of the features.
Exterior design
Ford has made some cosmetic changes to the appearance of the F-150 as well, with a new front end which balances well with chrome accents and a simplistic design that is appealing even when sitting still. Other than some exterior changes and the aforementioned Ecoboost engine technology for the luxury trim levels, Ford has also introduced a trademarked voice-activated driver control system called MyFord Touch. While it provides potentially useful way to manage controls, the MyFord Touch in general is a bit cumbersome to use.
Topping off the list of changes is the introduction of HID headlamp technology as an available option.
Interior design
The F-150 is relatively no-nonsense when it comes to interior design – functional but not flashy, which befits a true truck interior. Ford has done this intentionally to keep things well-grounded and “non-offensive.” With the available eight-inch LCD screen smack dab in the middle, controls are fairly well-spaced and intuitive, if somewhat plastic and uninspiring in appearance.
Performance
This brings us back to the little things that Ford has made sure to get right in order to stay on top. Performance-wise, the F-150 has plenty of choice, with four different engines matched to a six-speed transmission for each choice. The 3.5-litre V6 Ecoboost represents a real step forward for Ford as it proves to be fast, smooth and efficient as well as powerful. In fact, the turbocharged V6 is very comparable to the biggest V8 in the lineup, boasting the same maximum trailer tow capability as the 6.2-litre V8.
Our Supercrew Lariat was equipped with the V6 Ecoboost engine and it performed well – the six-speed shifted smoothly, and the engine had power to spare.
The F-150 handles well, and the electric power steering enables the big truck to feel a lot smaller and nimbler – though it does lack much feedback. Suspension-wise, the F-150 provided significant road comfort and didn’t wallow about too much around corners despite its large size and hefty weight.
Features
On the safety front, the F-150 features four-wheel ABS, stability control, trailer sway control, front seat, side and full-length side curtain airbags.
The starting price for the F-150 is $18,014 base price. The Lariat starts at $28,128 with our crew cab model topping out at nearly $60,000, but that includes a lot of extras.
Fuel economy numbers are 12.9L/100km city, 9.0L/100km highway for the 3.5-litre Ti-VCT EcoBoost engine version.
Thumbs up
Ford has further tweaked and improved a winning combination, a real pickup for real truck lovers. Ecoboost is a standout feature. Many variations are possible.
Thumbs down
The electric steering makes the F-150 easy to drive, but it felt a bit numb and artificial. The interior is less refined than the Ram 1500, which has taken the notion of cabin comfort to a whole different level.
The bottom line
The F-150 does “truck things” better than most competitors while retaining its classic look and feel.
