MOTORING: Family values

This week's entry is America's perennial bestselling vehicle, the 14th-generation Ford F-150, a tremendous thundering beast liberally festooned with sophisticated accouterment that makes driving and towing as easy as pie.

For 2024, most mechanical elements remain unchanged. However, we see a minor refresh, including a more powerful base motor rated 35 horsepower higher than last year. Overall, an array of engines, ranging from 325 to 430 horsepower, are offered. Base power is the 2.7-L V6 twin-turbo 325-horsepower EcoBoost engine. Buyers can opt for the 400 horsepower, a 5.0-liter V-8, the 400 horsepower 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6, or the EcoBoost mild-hybrid V-6 rated 400 horsepower. The latter's combination of twin-turbo gas and an electric motor integrated inside the transmission build a total of 430 horsepower and boasts a respectable 22/24/25 mpg with 4WD.

Founded upon a fully boxed, high-strength steel frame and a high-strength, military-grade aluminum alloy body, the F-150’s sturdy build pays big dividends with a massive 2,455-pound payload and a 13,500-pound max towing capacity. This brings up the pickup’s comprehensive towing technology. Pro Trailer Hitch Assist uses its rear camera and corner radars to align the hitch with the coupler, simultaneously controlling backing speed, steering, and braking. While the driver backs up, rotating a knob controls the steering wheel. Ultimately, the F-150 stops precisely at its intended spot.

Even better, the optional Smart Hitch measures tongue weight to reduce trailer sway. Onboard Scales estimate payload weight, viewed through the Ford SYNC 4 touch screen or the LED visual display in the taillamps. The pickup boasts hands-free driving on 130,000 miles of available roads, but NOT while towing. And it's pricey, with the first 90 days free, then $75 a month.

A new tailgate addresses a nagging owner complaint: Difficult bed access when hitched to a fixed tongue jack trailer. The optional two-way Pro Access Tailgate is both a center-access door and a traditional tailgate. Its narrow, 37-inch swing-out arc increments at 37, 70, and 100 degrees. The 37-degree setting, specifically intended to access the bed while hitched, keeps the door from getting dented by the tongue jack. An enlarged bumper step, with an optional drop-down step, provides an easier climb into the cargo bed.

In the cabin, the F-150 benefits from SYNC 4 on a 12-inch central LCD touch screen displaying as many as two camera views simultaneously in Tow/Haul, Off-Road, and Rock Crawl modes. SYNC connects with the cloud via a 5G LTE modem, supporting over-the-air updates. Via the FordPass app, the Ford Stolen Vehicle Service notifies law enforcement of an attempt to access, tow, or tamper with the truck.

When opening a door, the Exit Warning sounds a warning tone if a bike or car is coming up alongside. My grandkids appreciated the retractable running boards, which made entry and egress easy.

The Pro Power Onboard option, available on PowerBoost-equipped trucks, flows 120 volts for 85 hours. That's more than three days on a single tank of gasoline. Plug into this inverter to power construction tools, a TV, a mini fridge, an electric heater, or whatever your heart desires.

No rock crawler, this particular model of F-150 is a heavy hauler. Though steering and handling feel more like a crossover SUV than a monster truck. But when easing into a box store parking space or negotiating a twisty road, it certainly feels like a truck.

Finally, you might find it interesting to learn 10 percent of all F-150 trucks sold are hybrids.

  Buy Photo

Automotive journalist, Tim Banse, wrote The Gazette’s Motoring car review column from 1989 to 2013 and has published stories in Popular Mechanics and Yachting magazine. He’s toured carmaker factory floors in the U.S. and Japan and raced cars at Riverside, Watkins Glen, and Michigan International Raceway press events. He’s stood close enough to a crash test to feel the shock wave reverberate off his chest. His first car was a vintage ‘56 Chevy Belair.