One week behind the wheel of the Ford F-150 4×4 King Ranch and I was itching to buy a farm. Well, maybe not buy a farm but rather being on a farm or construction site would have been more appropriate to put the Ford F-150 through it’s paces. Hauling two pallets of the Filipino Journal around the city is child’s play for this beautiful truck.
The 2015 Ford F-150 features the new aluminium frame that was announced last year at the Detroit Auto Show in 2014. I remember my first Ford F-150 EcoBoost a couple years ago and as much as I was never a truck guy, I’m slowly turning into one, and very slowly. I may need to buy a farm or a food trailer first.
The Ford F-150 4×4 King Ranch offers an amazing amount of space as the four-full-door SuperCrew is well equipped with a very luxurious interior. Ford spared no expense or option in this media tester. The comfort of driving behind the wheel and the leather interior is similar to many luxury SUVs in the market. The 3-stage air conditioned seats are a blessing given the recent heat wave we’ve been experiencing in Winnipeg. Driving to the beach with the air conditioning blasting didn’t help with fuel efficiency. Under the hood of this beast is the 5.0L V8 engine that packs 385hp and 387 lb-ft of torque and published fuel rating of 13.9L/100kms.
The folding tonneau cover was a great addition to securing my bike and other picnic & recreational equipment for a day trip to a local park and beach. Most trucks that come into Winnipeg for media reviews don’t come equipped with a cover for the bed. Two thumbs up to Ford for adding the tonneau cover!
Additional amenities such as rear passenger heated seats are great for the winter, and star gazing or chasing Northern Lights through the twin panel moon roof. All in all, the King Ranch edition is a very luxurious, well equipped truck that could easily haul farming equipment or just hauling spontaneous big ticket purchases at Costco. I may not have a farm but I did visit a local garden centre for a couple payloads of dirt and gravel. The 360-degree camera was another welcome feature especially when parallel parking in Downtown Winnipeg.
Pricing: 2015 Ford F-150 King Ranch
Base price (King Ranch): $64,999
Options: $9970 (601A – $2,500 (tailgate step, BLIS with cross-traffic alert, automatic high beams, 20-inch wheels, inflatable rear seat belts); FX-4 Off-Road package – $750 (3.31 electronic locking differential, hill descent control, off-road suspension, skid plates); technology package – $1,250 (360-degree camera, lake keep assist); spray-in bedliner – $550; box side steps – $300; twin panel moonroof – $1,750; adaptive cruise control – $1,500); All-weather floor mats – $150; Power Mirror Package – $570; and Active Park Assist – $550. Destination: $1,700 and A/C tax: $100
Price as tested: $74,969
Competitors include the Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, Nissan Titan, RAM 1500 and Toyota Tundra.
Photos by Ron Cantiveros | Filipino Journal
