This week we are reviewing the Ford F-150 Lariat PowerBoost. Our vehicle was assembled at the Michigan plant in United States and had an MSRP of 83,165.00 CAD.
Fun Factor: 5
Can it Family: 8
Fuel-Friendly: 6
HWY-warrior: 8
Karaoke Friendly: 8.5
Baby-friendly: 6
City Cruising: 6
Companies often slap on a turbo or hybrid badge on the first occasion to differentiate them from other models. Ford works differently; they initially created a whole new lineup called EcoBoost for their turbocharged engines. Mainly to have better acceptance for vehicles that have forced induction in North America, where naturally aspirated engines are often preferred. Now, they did the same thing with their PowerBoost badge; not only is it a hybrid, but it's what we would call a performance hybrid. The point is to give it stellar fuel economy and utilize the system to increase the engine's performance. Ford used the 3.5L twin-turbo V6 that produces 394hp and 492 lb-ft of torque and added a 44hp electric engine that makes 221 lb-ft of torque. Both engines combined make a total output of 430 hp and a whooping 570 lb-ft of torque. This gives the engine the ability to achieve 0-60 mph in just 5.3 seconds. Pickup trucks are not known for their handling; however, the added weight of the electric system gives this F-150 better cornering. Not all is rosy, as the breaking seems to be diminished with the added weight. The brake pedal feels unnatural, similarly with other hybrids where the regeneration system comes on to slow down at first before the brakes get the vehicle to stop.
The F-150 fits families with ease; even when your children grow up, there is plenty of space for them in the back of the SuperCrew. You can undoubtedly fit 5 adults in our test vehicle. While there is plenty of room in the box, we found that lifting the rear seats inside the cab and putting away groceries under the seats not only makes great use of the hidden space; it does not take away any of the seating once you fold them back into place. The rear passengers also get the comfort of heated seats, which is quite important for keeping nice and toasty during the winter. As for the driver and co-pilot, they get heated seats and the pleasure of ventilated seats when needed. The driver seat has a memory for 3 drivers, practical if you're sharing the vehicle with different family members. The PowerBoost can easily convert from a family hauler to a work truck and workstation thanks to the generator integrated within the vehicle, saving time and the length of cables necessary at a construction site.
Where the F-150 Powerboost shines is its fuel economy in the city; on certain trips, we achieved an average as low as 8.4L/100km. Our city average sits at 11.7L/100km. The 2 main reasons for the high fuel economy are that vehicle was standstill for over 2 hours during a major accident on the Hwy and our more enthusiastic driving. The difference with the F-150 2.7L EcoBoost we tested a while ago in the same route resulted in a +20L/100km when driving in traffic. On the Hwy, we saw an average fuel economy of 10.4L/100km, and finally, our average fuel economy was 10.8L/100km during our test. Ford announces a fuel economy of 9.8L/100km in the city, a Hwy fuel economy of 9.7L/100km and a combined 9.8L/100km.
On the Hwy, the first thing we noticed is how quiet the engine is running, even with a bed full of soil bags. Conversation with the family will be a delight as the interior is harmoniously quiet. The driving assistance features functioned quite well; if you move out of your lane, the steering wheel will start vibrating instead of chiming alarm bells that are often more distracting. Of course, with the length of the vehicle, you want all the security features to work well without them being an annoyance. And in our test, we found them to work quite well, never did they go off inadvertently, making it more enjoyable for the driver to keep them on as they only activate when they are intended to intervene.
The Bang & Olufsen sounds rich and pleasant, we got to test it at a drive-in movie theatre, and it immersed us in the movie as if we were at the theatre. Additionally, the fact that you can dim all the lighting made the experience even better. As for the infotainment, the 12-inch screen is quite responsive, even if we find it somewhat cluttered with options. Apple Car Play and Android Auto are functional wirelessly; however, our test vehicle did not come with a wireless charging pad, making the charging cable still necessary.
The F-150 offers 2 lower anchors exposed and easily accessible; as for the top tethers, we had to look up their location in the user guide as they weren't readily accessible. Once we looked up their location in the user guide, we knew where they were and found it easy to attach. Installation is quite simple and does not take away any space for passengers upfront. The only inconvenience we found is that due to the more upright position of the bench, it requires removing the headrest for booster seats. As for children accessing the vehicle by themselves, it will be impossible due to the height of the vehicle, and exiting might pose a challenge due to the odd inwards location of the handle.
As mentioned above, the F-150 with the PowerBoost engine shines in the city, especially in slow-moving traffic. Instead of burning fuel at a standstill or even while creeping ahead slowly, the hybrid powertrain does all the heavy lifting. We saw the hybrid system maintain the vehicle's speed upward to 75 km/h. Its large size makes it more difficult to park in tighter spots; the turning radius naturally does not help either. However, the 360-degree camera gives good perspective and fairly good visibility around the vehicle.
Why would we buy the 2021 Ford F-150 Lariat PowerBoost, or what we liked about it? Excellent fuel economy in the city or on a country road, lots of room, the option to use the rear generator we connected a grill, and it worked like a charm, so this will be an absolute must for camping trips. Excellent towing capacity; 12700 lb.
Why would we not buy the 2021 Ford F-150 Lariat PowerBoost or what we did not like about it? The transmission can feel jerky when switching from the gas engine to the hybrid system; strangely, this does not occur the other way around. We think that the hybrid battery could be a little bigger to lower the fuel economy further, no plugin hybrid.
Ford has lent us this vehicle one week as a press vehicle. We have no affiliation with Ford Canada. The above is a recollection of our personal opinion of the car referred above.
