“Our 14 months
spent with the 2018
Truck of the Year
proved to us it was
the right call.”
Erick AyapanaService life: 1 4 mo/26,442 mi
Avg Econ/CO 2 17.1 mpg/1.13 lb/mi
truck had any weaknesses, it was our
mission to expose them.
We tried to do just that only a few weeks
after its arrival when some friends and I
acquired a 25-foot Airstream Flying Cloud
for a weekend of glamping. The fancy
camper weighed in at 6,280 pounds, which
was definitely hefty but still comfortably
within our truck’s max tow rating of 7,600
pounds. With a three-hour journey to the
campsite just north of Santa Barbara, the
drive could’ve been taxing and stressful.
Thankfully, it wasn’t. The truck handled
confidently and steadily at highway speed,
and the 2.7-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6
showed no signs of struggle, even going up
and over the challenging 841-foot Conejo
Grade just south of Camarillo, California.
The powertrain is equally impressive
when the 5,166-pound truck is unladen.
We recorded a 0–60 time of 6.3 seconds,
making this the third-quickest vehicle in
our long-term fleet at the time, behind the
Volvo S60 T6 and Genesis G70 3.3T. The
strong engine is mated to a 10-speed auto-
matic transmission, and they worked well
together for the most part. However, the
transmission developed an issue where
it would stumble through shifts, mostly
between third and fifth gears.
Apparently we weren’t alone; our local
dealer knew exactly what we were talking
about and immediately reprogrammed
our truck’s powertrain and transmissionBase price $46,335 As tested $57,910
*IntelliChoice data; assumes 42,000 miles
at the end of three yearsSPECS Options 502A ($5,835: Blind-spot
w/ cross-traffic & trailer monitoring,
110V outlet, 18-inch chrome-look wheels
w/ 275/65R18 all-terrain tires, front tow
hooks & more); Adaptive cruise w/ stop
and pre-collision assist w/ ped detection
($1,250); Tow package ($995: 4-pin/7-pin
wiring harness, aux trans/oil cooler, class
IV hitch/receiver, smart tow connector,
upgraded front stabilizer bar, trailer-
backup assist); hard tonneau ($995); FX4
Off-Road package ($770: hill descent
control, shock absorbers, 26-gallon fuel
tank, transfer case/front differential
skidplates, 3.55 elec-lock axle, stickers);
spray-in bedliner ($495); side steps ($325);
trailer brake ($275); bed extender ($250);
power-telescoping mirrors ($250); rubber
floormats ($135) Problem Areas None
Maintenance Cost $140 (2-oil change, tire
rotation, inspection; 1-in-cabin air filter)
Normal-Wear Cost $0 3-Year Residual
Value* $43,800 (76%) Recalls NoneVerdict: 2 018 Ford F- 150 Lariat FX 4
B
ig trucks like our 2018 Ford F-150
can at times seem out of place in
the busy and tight streets of Los
Angeles, but that didn’t stop staffers from
racking up miles on our dark green truck.
After 14 months in #MTGarage, our
2018 Truck of the Year winner departed
with 26,442 miles on its odometer. In that
time it hauled or towed many things—
two motorcycles, four sofas, two sets of
washers and dryers, enclosed car trailers,
and a camper, just to name a few. If this
In addition to hauling large items, our F- 150 also ensured
we stayed hydrated while testing other vehicles.80 MOTORTREND.COM APRIL 2020