The 2021 Ford F-150 has been officially
revealed and brings with it a plethora of important updates over the outgoing
model. The exterior look of the new F-150 isn’t
dramatically different than the model we’re all familiar with. With that being
said, heaps of obvious changes have been made to both the exterior and interior
of the new pickup.
The body of the new F-150 is made from
military-grade, aluminum alloy and includes new headlights, a power dome hood,
and wrap-around bumpers. There are also higher front fenders and larger
diameter wheels and tires that better fill out the truck’s arches. F-150
customers will have no less than 11 different front grille options to choose
from.
Ford says the new F-150 is the most
aerodynamic iteration ever thanks to active grille shutters, a new
automatically deploying active air dam, and new cab and tailgate geometry that
all work together to reduce drag and improve fuel consumption. A multitude of
significant changes has been made to the interior of the new pickup truck. For
example, a 4-inch digital gauge cluster comes standard alongside two analog
gauges while XL and XLT standard and mid-series models also use a new 8-inch
touchscreen infotainment display. More expensive XLT high series and other
variants support a 12-inch infotainment display. The digital instrument cluster
is also available in 8-inch and 12.3-inch configurations.
The F-150 is also North America’s first
full-size pickup with standard over-the-air updates that will last throughout
the life of the vehicle. Ford’s SYNC 4 infotainment software comes standard and
the truck supports Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and SYNC AppLink with apps like
Waze and Ford+ Alexa.
In a bid to make the new F-150 the
ultimate, anywhere office, Ford has signed an optional ‘Interior Work Surface’
on the center console that provides a nice area of bench space when the truck
is parked. Adding to the home-away-from-home practicality of the truck are
optional Max Recline seats available on the King Range, Platinum, and Limited
models. These seats can fold flat to nearly 180 degrees with the bottom cushion
rising to meet the back cushion and the upper back support rotating forward up
to 10 degrees for maximum comfort.
The new Ford F-150 promises to provide
occupants with an excellent auditory experience thanks to two optional audio
systems. The first is a B&O Sound System with eight Bang & Olufsen
speakers while the second is an 18-speaker B&O Sound System Unleashed by
Bang & Olufsen with HD Radio.
A host of driver-assist technologies are
available through Ford Co-Pilot360 2.0, such as Pre-Collision Assist with
Automatic Emergency Braking and Pedestrian Detection, a rearview camera with
dynamic hitch assist, auto high-beam headlamps, and auto on/off headlamps. Also
included is Active Driver Assist that allows for hands-free driving on more
than 100,000 miles of divided highways in all 50 U.S. states and Canada. This
system includes a driver-facing camera to track head position and driver eye
gaze.
The only powertrain detailed by Ford at
the time of writing is an all-new 3.5-liter PowerBoost full-hybrid V6 that will
be available on every trim level from F-150 XL to Limited. This powertrain
combines Ford’s proven EcoBoost engine with a 10-seed SelectShift automatic
transmission that works alongside a 47 hp electric motor integrated into the
transmission. Regenerative braking is included as part of the powertrain to
help recharge the 1.5 kWh lithium-ion battery. The F-150 with this engine is good
for at least 12,000 lbs of maximum towing capacity and should be able to drive
roughly 700 miles on a single tank of gas.
