Our editors spent over 700 miles behind the wheel of the 2009 Ford F-150.
Base Price: $31,360
Options: 3.31 ratio regular axle, 7,200-pound GVWR package, Electronic shift-on-the-fly (4x4), Power-sliding rear window, Full coverage rubber mats, Sync, Trailer tow package, Premium 6-CD with MP3 capability, XLT convenience package (power-adjustable pedals, power signal heated mirrors, fog lamps, electric rearview mirror with display, power driver seat), Pickup bed extender, Tailgate Step, 36 gallon fuel tank, Driver's package, Keyless entry key pad, Trailer brake controller, Reverse camera, Reverse sensing system, XLT chrome package (P275/65R18 owl all-terrain, Chrome step bar, 18" chrome clad wheels), Satellite radio with 6-months service
Price as Tested: $37,395
Total Miles Tested: 730 miles
Fuel Economy: 14.6 mpg
| Editors' Comments |
| Tom Appel: The notion that there's a wrong or right time to redesign a full-size truck is absurd. There will always be commercial demand for large trucks, and Ford and Dodge needed new product to fend off strong entries from Chevy, GMC, and Toyota. Guess what? Ford and Dodge win. By how much? Let's see, Toyota shut down one of its Tundra plants, and the next-generation Nissan Titan will be built by Dodge. But between Ford and Dodge, who won? I can't say. Both are excellent trucks with much to recommend them. Our tester, apart from its sheer mass, was a joy to tool around in and is plenty practical for family and stuff. |
| Rick Cotta: Ford offers some unique and handy features for the F-150, but many are optional; our tester had the $350 tailgate step but not the $325 pickup box steps shown in some of the company's ads. It also suffered some annoying gaffes that couldn't be fixed with optional equipment, such as an awkward wiper switch, large section of windshield left unswept by the wipers, and no dead pedal for the driver's left foot. It seems as though all the effort put into satisfying the construction trade may have caused some elements of everyday driveability to be overlooked. |
| Ed Piotrowski: Though it's not a ground-up, clean-sheet redesign, Ford has made enough meaningful improvements to the F-150 that its advertising claims of "all new" aren't at all untrue. It rides and handles better, is quieter, and has more useful features than its predecessor. Personally, I prefer this Ford ever so slightly more than the revamped, yet still excellent, Dodge Ram. You won't go wrong with either of these rigs. |
| Don Sikora: For such a workhorse, the 2009 Ford F-150 is surprisingly comfortable and refined. |
Our test-2009 Ford F-150 was equipped with Sync, Ford's voice-activated cell-phone and MP3-player control system.
03.13.2009
