Putting the 2018 F-150 to the Test
Kicking the the tires on the F-150 and asking, is it better to burn out than fade away?
If you really want to find out what your new truck has to offer, take it on the road. Even better, take it off-road and see what it’s capable of. With new design elements and upgraded features, the 2018 Ford F150 5.0L SuperCrew has new changes that need to be tried out to be fully appreciated.
Justin Dugan from YouTube channel American Trucks Ford is just the man for the job. He gets to pressing matters first, “We answer the always important question: Will it do a burnout? Spoiler alert: It does.”
Dugan is immediately impressed with the “subtle and not-so-subtle changes found throughout the exterior and interior.” The F-150 he’s testing is a base XL model with a STX package. Dugan likes the “very cool and very unique” honey comb grille available on this trim. As for the look of the new F-150, Dugan says “I really do enjoy the front-end refresh…that two bar look gives off a very powerful SuperDuty type of vibe and keeps with the design consistency Ford likes to achieve with their line-up.” Compared to the 2016 model, this design refresh gets thumbs-up from front to rear.
Next Dugan breaks down powerplants, giving specs on the five different available engines, His only complaint is that he’s not crazy about the Auto Start-Stop Technology. As for the EcoBoost V6 Dugan says “It’s small on displacement, but big on output,” a notable improvement from the 2017 model. He lets us hear the roar of the 5.0L V8, and he loves the power, “It absolutely rips.”
He then puts the 2018 to the test, literally. The 2018 and 2015 are each put on a dyno to compare power output. “We were blown away by the results,” Dugan says. The 2018 5.0L V8 makes impressively more horsepower and torque.
‘One thing Ford does, and does really well, is give buyers endless amounts of options to create their ideal rig.’
After giving specs on all the engines, including the soon-to-be-released diesel option, Dugan takes the F-150 off-roading, for some fun in the sun, and mud, and dirt. He recommends the FX4 package for off-roading, but says even without it you can get some solid kicks without having to “donate a kidney to get into a Raptor.” The interior changes are once again solid improvements.
All in all, it’s a solid rave review from Dugan. Of course, he does have a hard time with the price, but breaks down what that sticker price gets you. He especially appreciates the freedom of choice that the Blue Oval offers in varying trims, packages, and engines. Says Dugan, “One thing Ford does, and does really well, is give buyers endless amounts of options to create their ideal rig.”
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