DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT Front-engine, 4WD
ENGINE TYPE Twin-turbo 60-deg V-6,
iron block/alum heads
VALVETRAIN DOHC, 4 valves/cyl
DISPLACEMENT 164.3 cu in/2,693cc
COMPRESSION RATIO 10.3:1
POWER (SAE NET) 325 hp @ 5,000 rpm
TORQUE (SAE NET) 400 lb-ft @ 2,750 rpm
REDLINE 5,800 rpm
WEIGHT TO POWER 15.9 lb/hp
TRANSMISSION 10-speed automatic
AXLE/FINAL DRIVE/LOW RATIO 3.55:1/2.26:1/2.64:1
SUSPENSION, FRONT; REAR Control arms, coil
springs, anti-roll bar;
live axle, leaf springs
STEERING RATIO 17.4:1
TURNS LOCK TO LOCK 3.2
BRAKES, F; R 13.8-in vented disc;
13.7-in disc, ABS
WHEELS 7.5 x 18-in cast aluminum
TIRES 275/65R18 116T M+S
Michelin Primacy XC
DIMENSIONS
WHEELBASE 145.0 in
TRACK, F/R 67.6/67.6 in
LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT 231.9 x 79.9 x 77.2 in
TURNING CIRCLE 47.1 ft
CURB WEIGHT 5,166 lb
WEIGHT DIST, F/R 59/41%
SEATING CAPACITY 5
HEADROOM, F/R 40.8/40.3 in
LEGROOM, F/R 43.9/33.5 in
SHOULDER ROOM, F/R 66.7/65.8 in
CARGO VOLUME BEH 1ST ROW 31.6 cu ft
PICKUP BOX L X W X H 78.9 x 65.2 x 21.4 in
PICKUP BOX VOLUME 62.3 cu ft
WIDTH BET WHEELHOUSES 50.6 in
PAYLOAD CAPACITY 1,334 lb
TOWING CAPACITY 7,600 lb (SAE)/7,239 lb (VIN)
TEST DATA
ACCELERATION TO MPH
0-30 2.0 sec
0-40 3.1
0-50 4.6
0-60 6.3
0-70 8.3
0-80 10.8
0-90 13.9
PASSING, 45-65 MPH 3.5
QUARTER MILE 14.8 sec @ 92.1 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 128 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.74 g (avg)
MT FIGURE EIGHT 28.5 sec @ 0.60 g (avg)
TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH 1,500 rpm
CONSUMER INFO
BASE PRICE $46,335
PRICE AS TESTED $57,910
STABILITY/TRACTION CONTROL Yes/Yes
AIRBAGS 6: Dual front, front side,
f/r curtain
BASIC WARRANTY 3 years/36,000 miles
POWERTRAIN WARRANTY 5 years/60,000 miles
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE 5 years/60,000 miles
FUEL CAPACITY 26.0 gal
REAL MPG, CITY/HWY/COMB 18.6/23.9/20.6 mpg
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB ECON 19/24/21 mpg
ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY 177/140 kW-hr/100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB 0.93 lb/mile
RECOMMENDED FUEL Unleaded
premium2018 Ford F- 150 Lariat
4 X4 (SuperCab)control modules. That smoothed things
back to normal, though we still experi-
enced a few rough downshifts from time
to time ( but not as harsh as before the
reflash). It looks like Ford still has some
software tweaking to do.
Our F-150 is EPA-rated at 19/24/21
mpg city/highway/combined, but
according to our logbook it averaged 17.1
mpg during its stay. That’s acceptable
considering the amount of towing and
L.A. traffic we put it through. The log also
reveals a couple of road trips where the
truck hit 24 mpg on a tank of fuel.
We opted for the Lariat trim level, and
although some staffers winced at our
truck’s $57,910 price tag, most everyone
agreed our F-150’s cabin was a nice place
to spend time in. Because of a discount
that was active at the time our truck was
built, the Lariat package cost us $5,835.
It adds a long list of features, some of
the most appreciated items being the
instrument panel’s large and sharp digital
display, the B&O Play sound system,
remote start system, and ventilated front
seats. The latter two helped with the
warmer weather. That said, our truck had
a few standalone options I could’ve done
without. The foldable bed extender, for
example, rarely got any use and also got
in the way of latching the tonneau cover;
it was most useful when folded forward
to act as a bed divider. But again, it was
mostly in the way. I’d also skip the tow
mirrors—they’re helpful for towing but
not worth the hassle of having to avoid
the posts in our office’s parking garage.
Unfortunately one staffer misjudged
a post and cracked the passenger-side
mirror housing (costmetic damage we
didn’t fix). The large mirrors also look
somewhat goofy with our truck’s shorter
SuperCab body style.
Speaking of the SuperCab, I was initially
worried about its practicality due to its
smaller rear passenger area, but it didn’t
take long to see that the pros outweighed
the cons. The rear-hinged back doors
were tricky in tight parking spaces, but
I was a fan overall. The doors’ ability to
swing open 180 degrees and the absence
of a B-pillar made access to the rear seats
super easy. Legroom was adequate for
three averaged-sized adults.
We had nothing but praise for the
longer, spacious 6.5-foot bed, along with
its eight hooks (including four with the
optional BoxLink system), LED lighting,
and spray-in bedliner. Our truck also had
the optional retractable side steps near the
front of bed, which got a lot of use.
Our truck went in for two service visits
for a total cost of $140. That’s a tad more
than our long-term 2013 Ram 1500 (with
the 395-hp V-8), which set us back $120.94
for two service visits. That truck also
returned similar fuel economy at 17.3 mpg.
Meanwhile, our 2014 Ram 1500 with the
EcoDiesel V-6 covered more than 32,000
miles (and averaged 23.2 mpg); its pricey
30,000-mile service included a rear differ-
ential service, putting its maintenance
total at $775.04. Based on dealer esti-
mates, our F-150 would’ve cost $236.90 to
maintain over a similar distance.
With our F-150’s comfy interior, strong
engine, and spacious bed, it’s no surprise
it was in high demand during its stay. The
fact that it was mostly drama-free only
solidifies our case for our having crowned
it our 2018 Truck of the Year.APRIL 2020 MOTORTREND.COM 81