First Drive: We Go Off-Roading in the 2018 Ford F-150 Diesel!
The engine itself is 68.3 pounds heavier than the 3.5L EcoBoost, and in a like-to-like comparison the diesel truck is approximately 380 pounds heavier. That would include all the diesel emissions and after-treatment system.
You’d have to really try hard to tell the difference in the real world. Since all F-150 engines are mounted back against the firewall, wight distribution doesn’t change much between the gas and diesel truck. Steering feels similar. The ride feels similar.
If you’re looking for the differences, you’ll find them. But the truck is the quietest diesel pickup we’ve ever been in, and even when it’s working hard it’s still a comfortable place to be.
In a lot of ways, the F-150 diesel is the ultimate family vehicle. Unloaded it gets car fuel economy. It’ll haul your family and the camper or boat to the lake for the weekend. It’ll get dirty.
That’s where the F-150–especially the new diesel–impresses. Yes, trucks are still a compromise, but for a lot of people they are everything their family needs. The compromise is much less in 2018 than it ever has been before.
If you’re going to get one, you can tell your dealer now. They should hit dealerships late spring or early summer, so not too far from now.
Check out more shots of our test drive:
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