You Know that feeling you get when you see a supercar sitting in the parking lot of the local six-buck-a-cup coffee shop? The ache in your stomach, knowing that toddling back and forth from the gated community to the strip mall is all the driving that poor car will ever do? We get that same feeling when we see an F-150 that doesn't have at least 1000 pounds in the bed or 5000 pounds hanging off the hitch. Just like that supercar, the F-150 is a tool built for a purpose. It has a goal in life, and the people who never use it as it was intended are squandering the truck's ability and a heritage that goes back to 1948.
We had a pair of Ford F-150s for our 2012 Truck of the Year testing that represent two of the more popular trim levels: a Platinum Edition EcoBoost and an XLT 5.0-liter V-8. New for this year, but not on hand, are Ford's entry-level 302-horsepower, 3.7-liter V-6 and the range-topping 411-horsepower, 6.2-liter V-8 from the Raptor now available in the Lariat, Platinum, and Harley Davidson Editions. We extensively tested all four engine options early this year, including strapping each one down to a chassis dyno, so we're very familiar with power levels and delivery of the entire lineup.
The EcoBoost is the obvious orange in the apple crate here. Ford's throwing a gasoline direct-injection, twin-turbo-fed V-6 under the hood of a full-size truck is almost enough to knock the earth off its axis. What's even more shocking is that an engine that looks like it would be at home mid-mounted in a sports car is actually better than any of the eight-piston offerings in maybe any company's lineup. It clearly checks the box for Engineering Excellence, one of the key criteria for any Of The Year competitor. Truck Trend editor Allyson Harwood noted, "On the road, the EcoBoost makes the 5.0-liter look like obsolete technology. The twin-turbo V-6 is incredibly quick and eager, power is abundant throughout the rpm range, and I didn't really notice any lag."
All our testers had similar remarks, and for good reason. The EcoBoost delivers more torque to the ground than the big 6.2-liter up to roughly 5000 rpm and more than the 5.0-liter all the way up to 6000. In loaded, towing, and uphill testing, several judges noted how hard the 5.0-liter was working. "Power seems opposite of where you want it in a truck" to "had to keep the throttle mashed while the transmission hunted" were typical comments.
To be fair, the testers who drove the 5.0-liter first were bigger fans, at least until they drove the EcoBoost. "Moved over a half-ton with ease at very impressive NVH levels," logged Lieberman, adding that the V-8 sounds "good and burbly." Kiino loved the "musclecar engine note" and wondered if this is the "boss of trucks." The V-8 is obviously still a good engine, but it's overshadowed by a great engine. This is often the problem with advancement: People don't know what they've always wanted until after they've experienced it.
It seems as though Ford's big marketing push with the EcoBoost is centered on fuel economy. During our testing, the EcoBoost turned in almost identical numbers to the 5.0-liter V-8. Most consumers will look at that and think there isn't really an advantage to buying the slightly more expensive twin-turbo V-6 if the efficiency benefits prove negligible. Were the performance between the two the same, we'd agree, but the smaller engine's performance is closer to the 6.2-liter V-8's. If they could just make it sound like a V-8, everyone would be happy.
Regardless of the drivetrain, the judges were unanimously impressed with the F-150's ability to earn its keep. In towing or hauling, the consensus was both trucks only got better the harder they were working. "It rides even better at 80 mph with a payload than without. It carries out its business like there's nothing there," wrote Jurnecka. "As nice as the ride was unloaded, it got even better loaded," agreed Harwood.
Even in handling tests, the F-150 feels more planted and better balanced with a payload in the bed. Some trucks feel as though the load is trying to peel the truck off the asphalt and roll it over, but in fast turns, the F-150 is still using both rear tires to put power down. We aren't delusional about how people will use these trucks; no one is buying one as a sports car. However, our performance driving translates directly to how an F-150 will handle in emergency situations. We'd be confident to throw one of these, even loaded, through an emergency lane change.
Ford tells us there are roughly 650,000 different ways to equip an F-150, including engines, cabs, beds, wheelbases, and assorted options, but not paint color. The moral of the story is, if you're seeking a truck and can't spec out an F-150 to suit your needs, you may want to look into buying your own personal freight train. Our judges found the XLT a more honest approach to trucks, with Kiino calling it "clean and functional." Jurnecka referred to it as "cheap, but palatable with the reduced MSRP." The V-8 XLT comes in at $38,745, which was considered about right for a work truck and seemed like a steal compared with the $50,115 Platinum Edition EcoBoost.