CAR REVIEW – 2015 Ford F-150 Pickup Truck

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I was provided with a week long test drive of the Ford F150 featured in this post. This post has not been monetarily compensated. Please note that, as always, any personal opinions reflected in this post are my own.

“You had me at hello.” (Jerry Maguire movie reference)

In movie terms, that’s pretty much when the new 2015 Ford F-150 Pickup Truck had my attention. I was intrigued with it from the first moment I saw it at a drive event in the fall of 2015. I learned a lot of good stuff about the new F-150 that day. For example, the retooled F-150 has the best-in-class payload (up to 3,300 lbs) and best-in-class towing (up to 12,200 lbs). Those are impressive numbers. With numbers like that one might expect a big heavy truck. The 2015 F-150 is not a big heavy truck, it’s up to 700 pounds lighter than any previous year’s model. It’s actually pretty light, because it’s got a military-grade, aluminum-alloy body and high-strength steel frame. These weight savings lead to customer benefits regardless of model configuration or engine choice. The innovative new truck has the highest EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of any full-size gasoline pickup on the market.

While I was in Detroit attending the North American International Auto Show as a guest of Ford the 2015 F-150 was announced to be the North American Truck of the Year, an award determined by a jury of U.S. and Canadian journalists. It was then that I knew I just had to drive it. And drive it I did.

Opening one of the cab doors prompts running boards to quickly slide out automatically, making it easy to get into the vehicle.

I was enthralled from the moment I got into the spacious cab of the F-150. Everything you need to operate the vehicle is within fingertip’s or arm’s reach, helping ensure safety, ease of use and comfort are primary.

The first thing you will probably notice is the giant 8-inch LCD productivity screen. There’s a lot of info in here. There are tabs for different tasks including gauge setup, trip computer, fuel economy, and towing/off-road applications. You can customize what you see and how you see it using the “MyView” home screen.

Steering is no effort at all. The vehicle is very responsive. I sort of thought it would have a delayed response in everything and that is definitely not the case. The truck responds quickly – it gets up to speed quickly and turns smoothly. Considering its size it corners beautifully. It really is effortless to drive. There are four engine packages available:

• New 2.7L EcoBoost with Auto Start-Stop
• New 3.5L Ti-VCT V6
• 3.5L EcoBoost
• 5.0L Ti-VCT V8

I drove the four-door Platinum model. The cab in this model is enormous. Not only is it big, it’s also comfortable. I have a family of four and feel that this truck easily qualifies as a family vehicle. The cab is very quiet. I didn’t find any excess noise anywhere. It was easy to have a conversation on the phone and not feel like I was competing with noise from the engine or outside. Another thing that made being in this truck so enjoyable is the ride. I expected the ride to be a bit rougher and much bumpier but it was perfectly smooth. I’ve been in cars that didn’t have this smooth of a ride.

Even the back seat of the F-150 was comfortable, and roomy enough for an adult in terms of headroom and legroom. The configuration I drove could definitely be used as a family vehicle, as it would easily hold five grown people.

If we weren’t in the middle of the neverending winter of snow here in New Jersey I would have totally loved the twin panel moon roof.

Focus on the middle of the dashboard and you see the console. Here you can access you cell phone, navigation, entertainment and climate controls.

The display in the console also serves as the monitor for the camera system. This camera system is so cool, and so useful! The 360-Degree Camera system uses four cameras – one in the grille, tailgate, and under each of the sideview mirrors. The system enables you to see all sides of the truck by displaying them simultaneously on the screen. It’s useful when maneuvering in tight spaces and on trails. There is a Dynamic Hitch Assist feature available that ties into this system. This feature uses the rearview camera to provide a line-of-sight guide to help direct your hitch ball to the trailer receiver without the need to get out of the vehicle or to have another person present to help. I can personally appreciate this feature. We’ve had three travel trailers, our current one being just under 28 foot long. I have never been able to hitch the trailer up on my own, I have always had to get my Dad to help me.

It also is where you’ll find my favorite feature. The massaging driver’s seat. If you’ve ever had a pedicure at a salon with those massaging chairs, well it’s like that but better. It’s better because the seat is heated. It’s also better because you can have it massage your back or your backside or both.

The good stuff isn’t limited to the interior of the F-150. The bed has integrated loading ramps that make it much easier to load larger items such as power scooters, ATVs, motorcycles and mowers. It also features BoxLink, which combines metal brackets and custom cleats to secure a variety of accessories in the cargo box, varying from ramps to storage bins to bed dividers. The tailgate can be operated remotely from the key fob, allowing the driver to lock, unlock and release it. The truck features LED headlamps, which last longer than traditional bulbs and increase visibility at night.

If you’re looking for a pick-up truck I encourage you to take a good look at the 2015 F-150. It won’t be difficult to find a model that suits your tastes and needs. Pricing starts at about $25,420. There are five trim packages available, including XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum. I fell madly in love with the 2015 F-150 Platinum Edition. There wasn’t a single thing about this truck that disappointed me, other then the fact that I had to give it back after the week was up.

Here’s a brief video on the new 2015 Ford F-150 showing off a few of its many awesome features.

“I have got to get me one of these!” (Independence Day movie reference)

Have you ever thought of a pick-up truck as a family vehicle?

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Ford F-150 website – Ford on Facebook – Ford on Twitter  – Ford on Instagram