Believe it or not, the 2021 Ford F-150 XLT you see here is 92 percent new or revised, including every exterior panel. This is some Porsche 911-grade ‘design evolution’ right here. Clearly, the unbroken stuff goes unfixed, as engineers instead concentrate on continuing the F-150’s unrelenting march upward in payload and towing capability. Also improved are the ride quality, stability, and interior refinement, all in the name of enabling the truck to better assist its owner in getting various jobs done.
Here’s what doesn’t change in 2021: Most dimensions, the size and configuration of the three available cabs and boxes, and the powertrains (except for the axed six-speed automatic).
Leading the roster of cool improvements is a new PowerBoost hybrid offering that includes Pro Power Onboard. PowerBoost mates the Explorer Hybrid’s transmission-mounted electric motor and frame-mounted 1.5-kWh battery pack with the F-150’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6. No power and torque figures have been announced, but while the Raptor takes a year or so off, this will serve as the new F-150’s most powerful offering while delivering “12,000-pounds-plus” of towing capability, reasonable fuel economy, and a claimed 700-mile driving range. It will be offered on every trim level.
But perhaps even better is the hybrid’s standard Pro Power Onboard system, which provides a 2.4-kW inverter that delivers 20 amps of 110-volt electricity for powering a job or campsite. Need 30 amps of 220-volt power? Upgrade your PowerBoost truck to the 7.2-kW inverter. Can’t swing the cost of the fancy hybrid? A 2.0-kW 110-volt inverter is offered on all but the base 3.3L V-6 and the diesel. It automatically starts and idles the engine as needed to power your devices.
Chassis improvements include frame reinforcements to support widening the track by just under 1 inch, increasing the tow ratings, and accommodating the PowerBoost’s longer transmission and battery mounting. Increased rigidity improves ride, as do better bushings where the cab mounts to the frame, and a switch to monotube shocks on higher-end trim levels. The front stabilizer bar now attaches to the steering knuckle instead of the control arm for improved mechanical advantage, and composite leaf springs replace steel in certain lower-payload applications. The vacuum brake booster is ditched in favor of electric assist; the rotors and calipers are upgraded to handle the higher tow ratings; and the F-150 gets the Adaptive Steering system from the Super Duty, Edge, and others. This places a motor and gears between the steering wheel and column to reduce the amount of steering input needed during low-speed maneuvers, while also removing the “nervousness” that quick-ratio steering might otherwise cause at highway speeds.
Other new features aimed at getting jobs done easier include a stowable shifter that, when in Park, can fold down into the console allowing the center armrest to flip over forward and form a continuous flat work surface. Need a flat surface you can saw on? With the tailgate step option, you now get a tough SMC composite tailgate surface that incorporates imperial and metric ruler markings, a place to stand your handheld device while watching that YouTube how-to video, and two recesses for C-clamps to secure your workpiece to the tailgate. Best of all, two new tie-down loops on the tailgate double as bottle openers. Power opening and closing of this gate is also now available. Joining Pro Trailer Backup Assist is a new Trailer Reverse Guidance system borrowed from Super Duty that uses cameras and a trailer-mounted yaw-sensor to coach a driver while maneuvering manually.
“The most aerodynamic F-150 ever” gets a new active front air dam that retracts at low off-road speed and drops 3.1 or 3.5 inches (2WD or 4WD models) at speeds above 40–45 mph. The top surface of the closed tailgate features an improved spoiler shape; there are air deflectors ahead of the rear wheels; the side-view mirrors are resized and shaped for optimal flow; and the C-pillar shape is optimized.
Screens are larger in all F-150s, with base trucks getting the 8-inch unit that was optional, while a 12-inch screen becomes the upgrade, still augmented by hard buttons for audio and climate controls. Two B&O Play audio upgrades are offered, boasting eight or 18 speakers. Sync 4 is standard, as are wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A built-in 4G modem comes standard and permits over-the-air upgrades of most onboard systems. At its launch, Ford will take a page from Tesla’s book by selling a hardware upgrade (higher-quality exterior cameras and new driver-monitoring sensors) for later activation of Active Drive Assist, Ford’s answer to Cadillac Super Cruise and Tesla Autopilot, which will come to market within 12 months and will then require just a software upgrade.
Interior materials are upgraded at all levels, and check out this new concept: Max Recline Seating. Put the truck in Park, fold up the rear seat cushions, then the front-seat backrests fold down flat while the front seat bottom cushions adjust up to become flush with them and form a lie-flat bed. In-vehicle napping is available on trim levels from King Ranch up.
The subtly redesigned sheet-metal might not launch a dealership stampede on its own, but the thoughtful new features and onboard electrical power might. Stay tuned for pricing, performance, payload, and towing stats as we approach the truck’s Q4 launch date.
| 2021 Ford F-150 | |
| PRICE | $31,000-$75,000 (est) |
| LAYOUT | Front-engine, RWD/4WD, 3-6-pass, 2-, 2+2, or 4-door truck |
| ENGINE | 3.3L/290-hp/265-lb-ft* DOHC 24-valve V-6; 2.7L/325-hp/400-lb-ft* twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6; 5.0L/395-hp/400-lb-ft* DOHC 32-valve V-8; 3.5L/375-hp/470-lb-ft* twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6; 3.0L/250-hp/440-lb-ft* turbodiesel DOHC 24-valve V-6; 3.5L/375-hp/470-lb-ft* twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6 plus 47-hp* elec, NA comb |
| TRANSMISSION | 10-speed auto |
| CURB WEIGHT | 4,550-5,700 lb (mfr) |
| WHEELBASE | 122.4-163.7 in |
| L x W x H | 209.1-243.5 x 79.9 x 75.1-77.3 in |
| 0-60 MPH | 5.0-8.0 sec (MT est) |
| EPA FUEL ECON | Not yet rated |
| ON SALE | Fourth quarter 2020 |
| *All power/torque figures estimated | |
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