Ford reveals updated F-150 with new powertrain options and a side-opening tailgate

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Ford has updated its flagship pickup. The F-150, which has been the bestselling pickup in Canada for 57 years and is the bestselling vehicle in Canada over all, will have new powertrain options, new technology and some new design elements for 2024.

Ford, which revealed the truck just ahead of the 2023 North American International Auto Show in Detroit Tuesday night, did not say when the 2024 would be available or how much it would cost.

Joseph Comacchio, vehicle line manager for trucks at Ford of Canada, said at the reveal that Ford is aiming to have more affordable options available. Canada doesn’t usually go so far “downmarket” he said. “Affordability is becoming an issue, so we’re going to try to tap into lower price bands and be a bit more competitive.”

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The truck is available for ordering now and will be ready for delivery in early 2024. Pricing for Canada is coming soon, Ford said.

The truck will now come standard with a 2.7-litre EcoBoost engine, replacing the 3.3-litre V6 base engine. There will also be 2.7-litre EcoBoost, 3.5-litre EcoBoost, 3.5-litre PowerBoost hybrid, 3.5-litre High Output (Raptor), five-litre V8, and 5.2-litre supercharged V8 (Raptor R) versions.

Ford plans to double production of hybrid F-150s, aiming to make 20 per cent of them gas-electric powertrains in 2024. The hybrid will be offered at the same price as a truck equipped with a six-cylinder “EcoBoost” gas powertrain, the company said.

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Most of the new toys and trinkets found in the version are options, including the side-opening tailgate. Called the Pro Access tailgate, it opens 100 degrees from the driver’s side, presumably to save the extra step or two to it would take to reach the middle of the gate. It opens with one hand or with the key fob. The tailgate can still fold down, but a large centre section can swing open.

It’s a helpful feature. Anybody who’s ever used a pickup knows the pain of trying to get at items that have slid to the front of the bed. With the side-opening gate, you have an extra 19 inches of reach, Ford says. It also has a built-in step to help climb into the bed.

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To make sure the gate doesn’t hit the trailer when opening it, there are stops at 37 degrees, 70 degrees and the full 100 degrees. “Pro Access Tailgate is a game changer for our customers that dramatically improves and reinvents the customer experience, meaning less time crawling in and out of the bed, and a much larger cargo area accessible directly from the back of the truck,” said Alana Strager, F-150 program manager.

Another extra in the back is an optional storage box behind either one or two wheel wells. It provides a central location with heavy-duty locking mechanism for security of smaller tools and accessories – such as tie-down straps, jumper cables, basic emergency tools, safety glasses, work gloves or flashlights – all of which normally end up stowed somewhere in the cab.

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Access from the swing gate means tools and components are within arm’s reach even without opening the tailgate. The bed storage box is standard across the F-150 lineup and located on the right-side corner of the pickup bed. Customers who don’t select Pro Power Onboard will get an additional storage box on the left side of the pickup bed.

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On the tech side, you can also now order a head-up display for the first time on an F-150, and you can get BlueCruise 1.2, which lets the truck change lanes on its own – when safe – after the driver signals. There’s also an optional exit warning feature to help prevent dooring a cyclist.

This will be the first Ford available in North America with Ford Stolen Vehicle Services (SVS) – a service that can help locate and aid recovery of a stolen vehicle by using the vehicle’s location data. The system alerts the owner if someone has broken into the vehicle or tried to tow or tamper with it. Owners can report the activity using the FordPass app if something is not right and report the vehicle as stolen with the help of a 24/7 call centre.

But even with a lot of new optional content, Ford says the new F-150 is easier than ever to order, with 90-per-cent fewer available combinations. Standard equipment includes a 5G LTE modem, 12-inch screen and digital cluster, a bigger fuel tank, class 4 hitch and LED headlamps. Freestanding options like moonroof, Max Recline Seats, axle upgrades and tow mirrors will continue to be available outside the packages.

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From a design perspective, the new F-150 boasts a new grille design that changes by trim level. For example, on the STX package the new ‘coast-to-coast’ grille has a more aggressive style.

This is the second update on the F-150 without changing the truck’s underpinnings, a trend in the industry to get several product cycles without major changes. In the past, vehicles would get new underpinnings every four or five years, but automakers have been conserving capital so they have money to develop and build electric vehicles.

Chief Engineer Milton Wong said the current F-150 platform is very capable, and using it multiple times allows engineers to concentrate on technology to make towing easier or provide electric power at job sites.

For this model year Ford has broadened the scope for appearance packages. The Black Appearance Package, which Ford says is one of the most popular, is now offered on models from STX through Lariat. The Platinum series will have blacked-out interior and exterior accents.

The Platinum Plus series, new for 2024, replaces Limited as the most premium option.

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With files from Reuters and Associated Press.

The writer was a guest of the automaker. Content was not subject to approval.

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