Road Test: 2009 Ford F-150
If the Ford F-150 is indicative of the automakers’ new offerings, it’s shaping up to be a banner year. The retooled truck was unveiled in a grand ceremony at Ford’s Dearborn, Mich., headquarters just before the holidays attracting plenty of buzz from auto journalists throughout the U.S. The buzz just keeps growing. One of the recent accolades heaped on the truck is the “North American Truck of the Year” award at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. That comes on the heels of a host of other honors from associations and publications in the automotive industry.
If you think all of this is just hype, climb behind the wheel of the F-150 and you’ll become a believer.
But first, let’s review some history: The F-150, part of Ford’s F-Series truck line, has been one of the top selling trucks in the U.S. for more than three decades. This time out, Ford is playing up the “working man’s truck” theme in its media campaign. And many auto critics agree, calling the truck’s power and design a full-on system for those whose work hinges on capable trucks.
But there’s a lot more to the F-150 than that. This truck is roomy, comfortable and powerful enough to make families think twice about a sport utility vehicle, especially if they want to lug around a trailer, boat or lots of sports gear. With 11,300 pounds of potential towing capability and hauling capacity of 3,030 pounds, this is a truck that can power through just about anything.
What’s nice is that the power doesn’t come at the expense of superb handling and an ultra-comfortable ride. This truck rides like an SUV and has many of the niceties of a sedan.
2009 Ford F-150 Exterior
Don’t kid yourself; this is a big truck. The 4x4 with the regular cab is 74.4 inches high, and some of its siblings are even larger. The 4x4 with a Super Crew Cab that seats 5 to 6 passengers, stands 76.4 inches high.
The one concern some families might have about the F-150 as a family vehicle is that kids and seniors might have some trouble boosting themselves inside. Don’t rule it out, though, until you try it out. The F-150’s inside handles make entry into the cabin easier, and the Box Side Step and Tailgate Step make it easy for the less-than-limber to get in and out of the cargo area. You don’t find those solid features on many super-sized SUVs and minivans. In my case, two seven-year-olds had no trouble at all climbing in and out of the back and front. Neither did some Baby Boomers.
It seems that’s another way the F-150 is designed for all types of drivers and passengers. Consider that buyers can select from seven trim levels, three cab sizes and three bed lengths.
The F-150 has won a lot of points from auto reviewers for its high-strength, lightweight chassis that delivers the engine's incredible horsepower to the pavement. The truck also has a new aerodynamic design – which includes a valance panel, an optimized grille opening, and specially shaped running boards and inset doors.
Until I drove several hundred miles in a new F-150 4x4, I was skeptical about how the new design would deliver what Ford promised as a 12 percent increase in fuel economy. While the truck I drove (8 cyl., 4.6 liter, automatic, 4-speed) is rated a 14-mpg city and 18-mpg highway, I averaged 20 miles per gallon overall; it likely would have been higher if I wasn’t in so much stop-and-go traffic in one major city. Suffice to say, I’m a believer.
2009 Ford F-150 Interior
This truck is built to work, no question. But that doesn’t mean the driver and passengers have to work to enjoy the ride. This is where the “sedan” part of the equation comes in. No matter how much ruckus was transpiring outside, the cabin was quiet with only the size of the truck to remind me that I wasn’t in a sedan. I sure couldn’t tell by the comfort.
Just like Ford’s cars, the F-150 has all the high-tech gadgetry you’d expect including Ford SYNC, which provides hands-free, in-car communication. Controls on the steering wheel for everything from audio volume to cruise control make driving a pleasure. Plus the controls are intuitive and accessible so you don’t have to retrieve the owner’s manual every time you want to change the radio station.
Unlike trucks of yesteryear, the Ford F-150 is comfortable for both front and rear passengers with seats the provide plenty of lumbar support. Legroom is plentiful (60.5 inches in front).
In fact, the cabin could be called plush with a laundry list of features including delayed/fade courtesy lights, an external temperature gauge, a rear view camera, and all manner of seat/lumbar and head rest adjustments.
For those who want the F-150 as a true work truck, Ford also offers “Work Solution,” a suite of options including an in-dash computer with web access, Tool Link to track tools, and more.
2009 Ford F-150 Performance & Handling
There’s no question that the F-150 is powerful but it never made me fight for control. Handling was as smooth on bumpy, back roads in Tennessee as it was on the Capitol Beltway. Surprisingly, even on gravel, the ride never made me feel the truck was unsteady or that I was out of control.
The F-150 held the road solidly and muscles up and over curb, hills, rocks, and whatever else got in its way. That’s no doubt thanks to some nifty engineering by way of electronic traction control, stability control, and an independent wishbone front suspension. Braking and steering responsiveness were equally impressive.
Ford lists the base 4.6-liter V8 engine as generating 248-horsepower. The other two engines available are a 4.6-liter V8 producing 292 hp and a 5.4-liter unit with 310 hp.
As you’d expect, the truck has been rated high in safety. What’s surprising, though, is that Ford F-150 said it’s the only pickup to earn both the government’s top five-star crash-test ratings and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) “Top Safety Pick award.
With an MSRP starting at $21,565, it’s a good bet the F-150 has many more awards in its future.