We drive the Ford F-150 Platinum

Ford’s F-150 is extremely important to Ford. It has been a best seller for over 40 years but more importantly it is a very profitable vehicle. While the base 2021 F-150 starts out at just over $28,000, very few of them leave the dealership lot near that price level. Customers’ lust for more luxury in a pickup truck is music to the Ford bean counters. They know that they can sell $100,000 F-150s to people and they will buy them and Ford needs that since the car market is upside down these days and nobody is interested in buying Focuses and Fiestas.

The 2021 F-150 has been reworked and Ford says it is all new. It looks so close to the old F-150 that it is hard to tell the difference. While there have been changes everywhere, the majority of the work will not be noticed by most buyers who just drive their trucks as everyday vehicles. The majority of the changes are geared towards the people who use their trucks for work and makes the F-150 a partner that you can’t work without.

The all-new F-150 starts with a durable foundation, a fully boxed high-strength steel frame with a high-strength, military-grade, aluminum alloy body with 11 grille options available across the series lineup. There are lots of new exterior touches such as new tailgate appliqués, and LED headlamps and taillamps. The new F-150 is also the most aerodynamic ever with new 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.

Under the hood, the big news is the new hybrid model that Ford calls PowerBoost. The system is designed to improve fuel economy and provides a power boost as well. The 3.5-liter PowerBoost full hybrid V6 powertrain makes it the only light-duty full-size pickup to offer a full hybrid and is available on every trim level from XL to Limited. The full hybrid powertrain is the most powerful engine in the all-new F-150 lineup, delivering 430 horsepower and 570 lb.-ft. of torque.

PowerBoost combines Ford’s EcoBoost engine and 10-speed automatic transmission with a 35-kilowatt (47-horsepower) electric motor integrated into the transmission, as well as software calibrated specially for truck use, including drive modes like tow/haul mode to help customers better manage towing heavy trailers.

The electric motor applies regenerative braking energy capture to help recharge the 1.5-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery. The battery is packaged underneath the truck which allows the cab and cargo box to remain the same as non-hybrid models.

Ford says that the 2021 interior has been completely redesigned but it looks very similar. When we compared our 2021 to a 2020, the look was exactly the same with a few notable changes. Some of these changes are more significant than others such as the soil resistant seats on the base XL model or the dual glovebox that provides more storage space.

The XLT and above models also get a new 12-inch screen that allows customers to split the screen and control multiple functions simultaneously, including navigation, music or truck features. The landscape design strikes a balance between demands for technology accessibility and the greater convenience of physical buttons. An 8-inch touch screen, standard on XL and XLT standard and mid-series trucks, means every customer gets touch screen functionality and better rearview camera vision. Both screens feature access to the new digital owner’s manual, which can help all customers find the information they need more easily, including how-to videos for additional explanation.

F-150’s new optional Interior Work Surface is a new feature and is ideal for signing documents, working on a 15-inch laptop or enjoying a meal when parked. It is available in both bench and captain’s chair seating configurations on XL to Limited. Knowing many customers prefer a console shifter, Ford has created a stowable unit for F-150, which folds into the center console with the push of a button and allows full access to the large work surface when in park.

Our truck had Ford’s max recline seats which are available on King Ranch, Platinum and Limited models. These seats are perfect for taking a quick nap inside your truck since they 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 seats are very wide and flat and are designed more for larger folks and there is no lateral support.

The new F-150 features tons of storage options with an available lockable, fold-flat rear storage that extends the width of the rear seats. It’s as easy as lifting the bottom cushion of the rear seat, dropping valuables in and locking them away for safe keeping. It is great for storing long items like fishing rods or blueprints and even has a divider to keep gear organized.

Every F-150 comes standard with new cleats mounted to the sides of the tailgate to act as tie-down locations for extra-long items in the bed. New clamp pockets are built into the tailgate of every truck so customers can hold wood and for cutting or machining. The tailgate also includes integrated rulers, a mobile device holder, cup holder and pencil holder.

Another cool feature is the Pro Power Onboard that brings generator levels of exportable power to work sites, camp sites and everyday life. Pro Power Onboard is available with a 2.0 kw, 2,4 kw or as much as 7.2 kw of output to run electrical appliances. Power is accessible through in-cabin outlets and up to four cargo bed-mounted 120-volt 20-amp outlets, with a 240-volt 30-amp outlet on the 7.2-kilowatt version. The system even provides power on the move to charge tool batteries in between jobs.

The new F-150 shows just how much work Ford has put into this truck. You can also tell that they are taking this seriously because it is so important to Ford’s health. Fuel economy is the main reason that you would buy the hybrid PowerBoost which promises 700 miles of range on a tank of fuel. We only saw about 600 miles which is very good. EPA rates the fuel economy at 25 mpg on the 4×2 models and 24 mpg on 4×4 models. It is impressive that the 4×4 models only drop by 1 mpg.

The F-150 is an amazing machine that can be tailored to fit so many people. The higher trim levels are nice but even the XLT comes very well equipped and you will save a ton of money if you can skip some of the luxury items. Either way, you will have a very capable truck that can do it all.

Ford F-150 Specifications