The Ford F-150 is sharp and tough! I wasn’t much of a truck guy and the Ford F150 Lariat 4×4 Platinum made me a convert. The red candy metallic finish also helped or as I referred to it during the week I drove it, “Filipino Journal metallic red.” The only thing missing to make owning this beast of a vehicle at all practical was a 35’ RV trailer, a motor boat and a yard of topsoil. If you have anything to haul, tow or move, I was told that this vehicle can do it easily.
Built with Ford’s new EcoBoost V6 engine, this truck can haul just about anything you hook it up to. In this model, it’s rated for towing up to 11,300 pounds and comparable to the 6.2L V8 model.
It was fun to drive. This truck looks great off road and even sharper driving it downtown and through the streets of Winnipeg! The Ford F-150 can do just about everything – tow, go off-roading, climb rocks or speed through back country roads at Whiteshell Provincial Park. It’s a monster of a truck both inside and outside.
The ride quality on the F150 was superb both in the city and on the highway. Good acceleration, lots of power as the engine hummed along. The engine wheezed effortlessly when overtaking and accelerating on the open highway. A short off-road excursion didn’t fairly test the F150’s full range of its 4×4 features. I’m sure it’s well equipped to handle any amount of mud, sand and snow thrown in it’s path.
Let’s talk about some of my favourite features. First is the SuperCrew Cab. The cab on the F150 is huge! The legroom alone is crazy. I could of easily camped in the back row and still be comfortable. Flipping the 2nd row of seats gives way to additional cargo space and easily accessible as the doors swing wide open.
Using the short bed while delivering the Filipino Journal, I also found the use of the built-in tailgate step quite handy, easy to use and even came with its own flip-up hand-hold bar. There was no need to bring a plastic milk crate with you. The tailgate was also equipped with a pickup box extender.
The interior of the 2011 Ford F-150 is both functional and attractive. Loaded with features for comfort and convenience, interior features include: 4.2” LCD display, rear view back-up camera, heated and cooled power front seats, power moonroof and dual zone electronic temperature controls. The cooled power leather-trimmed front bucket seats were a welcome feature during our little Winnipeg hot-spell earlier this summer.
Looking for entertainment? The Ford F-150 didn’t disappoint. Equipped with a 700-watt, 10-speaker Sony audio system, rear subwoofer, SIRIUS Satellite Radio and Microsoft SYNC, this is a rolling concert stage on wheels.
In the end, I enjoyed the responsive feel, quiet and elegant styling of the interior cabin and the aggressive exterior that looked rugged and classy. Again, the Filipino Journal red metallic finish was a definite bonus. As far as the towing and hauling capacities to full appreciate the V6 EcoBoost engine, I’ll have to wait until I own an RV camper trailer and motor boat.
The 2011 Ford F-150 is priced across a wide range of models with over 30 different variations. The model as tested was the Ford F-150 Lariat 4×4 Platinum SuperCab Crew edition, with 3.5L V6 EcoBoost engine, 6-speed automatic transmission, premium leather option and 20” polished cast-aluminum wheels. Priced at $64,719.00 Ford F-150 Competition: Cadillac Escalade, GMC Sierra, Toyota Tundra, Chevrolet Silverado, Honda Ridgeline, Nissan Titan and the Ram 1500.
