2011 Ford F-150 Platinum SuperCrew 4x4 EcoBoost Review

[ahmed_7erzon]

I've heard numerous times in my career that we city folks are not well-equipped to evaluate pickup trucks. Although I would have agreed with the naysayers up until recently, today, in 2011, I say nah! And here's why. These so-called work trucks have never been more civil, posh and comfortable. Unless specified with the very minimum levels of kit, pickups are now as luxurious as many luxury cars.

Case in point: my tested $65,000, 2011 Ford F-150 Platinum EcoBoost. For one whole week, I, my wife and many passengers were treated like royalty entering the Ritz Carlton and having every whim catered to.

Does this sound like any pickup truck you know of? I didn't think so. In fact, this Platinum proves that Ford's truck can clean up very nicely, however without ever forgetting its roots. Walk with me.

Case in point: my tested $65,000, 2011 Ford F-150 Platinum EcoBoost. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com)

If you watched any amount of television before gas prices went to the birds, commercials featuring the Ram, Silverado and F-150 were rampant. Biggest this, strongest that, most powerful and quickest to hard-boil an egg, these three are the best at whatever they do. Cutting through all the crap and stats, styling remains a very important selling point for buyers of these truck.

The order of things here has been clear for a number of years. The Ram's bad boy persona takes top spot, the Ford's debonair aura places it second and the GM's lost and timid look puts them good and last. This is, of course, my rating. Fact is, though, that only the Ford can get away, in the right trim, with being high-end.

Now, step up to the truck and unlock the doors with the remote. Had it been cold and wintery outside, I could have started the truck from the comfort of my home. Reach for the door handle, pull on it and a motorized running board pops out. That's right. Step on said board and slide yourself into the delightful cabin and on to the large leather perches.

This thoughtful combination, along with large, wide-opening doors, allowed for my 75 year-old mother-in-law (which we jokingly say has “short-ass legs”) to enter and exit the truck with little or no fuss. Once in place in the rear, she could even turn her heated seat on to stay warm and cozy. Talk about a kind and gentle giant.

The cabin is impressively appointed with soft touch plastics, brushed aluminum and many a hide of cow. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com)

The F-150's passenger quarters are huge and will easily swallow five with elbow and headroom to spare. You could have two kids back there and a fair amount of travel necessities. Other than plenty of volume, the cabin is impressively appointed with soft touch plastics, brushed aluminum and many a hide of cow. Control layout is generally straightforward and would not look out of place in a mid-size luxury SUV.

Fit and finish are surprising, fit for a Lincoln, and bins and storage abound. Gauges are large, clear and even include a centrally-located display screen for all types of information. The navigation system is easy to use, much unlike the one found in recent Chrysler products. Take away the vast and vertical-ness of the dashboard and you once again could be behind the wheel of a Lincoln.

Where things get interesting is under the hood. My tester featured the boldest move by a North-American truck maker ever: A twin-turbocharged EcoBoost 3.5L V6. Pumping out 365 hp and 420 lb-ft or torque, this V6 outguns Ford's 5.0L V8 and most other competing V8s. The idea behind this powertrain is obviously that the V6 has V8 power but not the fuel consumption. Not so sure about that one...

I have nothing but praise for the fact that it runs on regular as well as the standard Selectshift 6-speed automatic transmission. The latter shifts through gears with brio and determination, and rarely misses an opportunity for a downshift.

And therein lies the problem... this engine is so good that all I wanted to do was lower the windows and bask in the twin-turbo whistles. On motorways, the V6 hums along well below the 2,000-rpm mark at 100 km/h. That's fine and all, but the slightest prod of the go pedal built up boost and out went fuel economy. My returned average after a week's worth of mixed driving was a mildly disappointing 16 L/100 km. Think of it as lots of boosting, little eco-ing...


Really, you can't blame me. This beast can shuttle to 100 km/h in about 7 seconds, has tonnes of traction thanks in part to its electronic locking rear differential, and feels so poised and solid that I found myself carving corners at speed whenever possible: I was jetting around in a 5,000-plus-lb sports sedan!

V8 and truck aficionados will decree the lack of an engine roar. Truth is, turbocharged engines are generally much quieter under duress than normally-aspirated ones. The music emanating from the intake and exhaust is more refined than raucous. If this ain't your cup of tea, get the 5.0L; it's got a great V8 soundtrack.

Ford has overlooked nothing when it came for them to bring the 2011 F-150 to its legions of fans. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com)

The way the EPAS electric power-assisted steering weighed up, the fully-boxed ladder frame keeping all manners of mechanical component in check, I was acting like an unruly teenager driving around in a 20-year-old Honda Civic hatchback. Yeah, I got carried away but that just goes to show how car-like this truck is.

On a more serious note, the F-150 can tow up to 11,300 lb and features trailer brake control. As one would expect, the truck's brakes are strong and pedal feel is actually quite positive. Ford has overlooked nothing when it came for them to bring the 2011 F-150 to its legions of fans. After all, 28 years of being #1 will teach one a thing or two.

Other niceties with my tester included the ingenious tailgate step and the doubly useful stowable bed extender. Nothing I tell you!

I may not live on a farm or haul trailers on a regular basis, but I do know a good product, truck in this case, when I drive one. The 2011 F-150 is the best that Ford has ever built. And if I was in the market for a pickup, I'd make a bee-line for the nearest blue-ovaled building. And, I'd check the EcoBoost box, no doubt!