2020 Ford F150 Review

As a national best-seller that tops the charts every year, there is no doubt that the F-150 is the flagship model of the Ford fleet. The Ford F-150 Raptor rules as the most powerful F-150 on the list, but every single one has best-in-class features and/or capabilities.

Then there’s the Ford F-150 hybrid, introduced as a 2021 Ford F150 Supercrew Cab model.

This fuel-saving hybrid can tow 11,000, 12,400 or 12,700 pounds depending on the axle and model size. That’s close to the 13,000-pound limit for the 5-liter V8. The 3.5-liter Ecoboost V6 can tow up to 14,000 pounds with the right axle and body size.

The Ford F150 Lightning arrives as the brand’s all-electric truck, challenging the Rivian R1T and any other EV pickups. Frankly, it is only right that the best-selling truck brand would produce the first mainstream electric pickup.

Critics have been applauding the Lightning not only for its skill and its groundbreaking electric powertrain, but for its role in the marketplace as the most affordable electric pickup. All of this affordability is before you add the federal tax credit, which drops the price even more.

With the combination of the battery pack and electric motor, this truck offers the extended range that businesses have been hoping for in an electric vehicle.

At its shortest, the truck measures 209.1 inches. At its longest, it measures about 290 inches. The wheelbase is either 145, 157, or 161 inches. The 5.5 foot bed measures 67.1 inches in floor length. The 6.5 foot bed measures 78.9 inches. The large 8 foot bed measures 97.6 inches. In other words, these beds are big by any standard!

In the 2021 Ford F-150 Supercrew cab, second-row legroom is an incredible 43.6 inches. Front seats have 43.9 inches. You can pair it with the 5.5 or the 6.5 foot bed. Overall length is either 235 or 243 in. The wheelbase is either 145 or 157 in.

The slightly smaller SuperCab has a bit less room, but it is offered with the 6.5 or the 8 foot bed. Both the Supercrew and SuperCab seat up to five people. The regular cab seats up to 3.

For the absolute maximum, the Raptor claims 13.1 inches with 37-inch tires or 12 inches with standard 35-inch tires. Other 4x4 models can claim 9.4 in, especially the Tremor variants. The 4x4 Supercrew 6.5-foot bed configuration can claim 8.8 in. With rear wheel drive models, clearance may be 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, or 8.7 in. Ground clearance varies by trim, cab size, bed size, and drivetrain.

Reliability is one big reason that Ford F-150s stay at the top of the sales charts. It’s also a major reason that used Ford trucks are in high demand.

The 2020 Ford F-150 is a case in point. When it was studied by Consumer Reports, the journalists there gave it a 4.5 out of 5 for reliability. In JD Power studies, it earned a reliability rating of 84 on a scale of 100.

Almost regardless of the year, generation or engine choice, these trucks are running 200,000 miles when properly maintained. Certainly there are exceptions, but with proper care, Ford trucks can work very hard and still have a long road life.

Starting with the 2015 models, the F-150’s unique aluminum build has made the body more durable, too. It is almost impervious to rust because its steel components are on the inside. Likewise, the high-strength aluminum is resistant to dents. If they aren’t work trucks, we wouldn’t bet against them lasting 20 years.

Another reason for reliability is good safety ratings. The advanced traction controls work to keep the truck out of trouble. Before the Chevrolet Silverado or the Ram 1500, the Ford F150 earned the coveted five-star rating from the national highway traffic safety administration.

Next, it is the fact that Ford trucks can handle most terrains due to high ground clearance. When you add to that terrain management, the truck becomes even more durable. Experience has shown that gasoline engines are almost as durable as diesel engines. Furthermore, the Ecoboost turbos demonstrate efficiency of effort, saving gasoline with fewer problems than many traditional engines.

Ford trucks have been put through such grueling testing that it is no surprise that they can last for 200,000 miles given the proper maintenance. Part of building these Ford Tough is to put them through their paces.

Engineers challenge these pickups in testing facilities and real conditions throughout the world. These tests aren’t just performed on the off-roaders, such as the Raptor, but on all F150 types and their various engines.

In deserts, Ford trucks are challenged by dust and sand while also needing to deliver passenger comfort and air conditioning. They are challenged by below-freezing temperatures as low as minus 29 degrees Celsius. This includes testing how different features function when utilized in those conditions or in hot and cold chambers in testing facilities. The engineers want to see how the quality of each component stands up to these exacting conditions.

To test durability, the brand tests a truck’s viability by running it through a Total Durability Cycle. In this testing, they keep the truck running through grueling test after grueling test until they have replicated what it’s like to drive this truck hard for 10 years and about 150 miles in just a few weeks.

Yet another test, which sounds like it was inspired by Phoenix summers, is the sun-load environmental chamber which subjects the vehicle to relentless sunlight. Another chamber simulates driving over very bumpy roads by using a hydraulic platform. The tests put 150,000 miles or so on the vehicle in 72 hours and subject the vehicle to extremes of cold and heat.