Page 80 - Motor Trend (April 2020)
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In addition to hauling large items, our F-150 also ensured
we stayed hydrated while testing other vehicles.
Verdict: 2018 Ford F-150 Lariat FX4
“Our 14 months SPECS Options 502A ($5,835: Blind-spot
spent with the 2018 w/ cross-traffic & trailer monitoring, truck had any weaknesses, it was our
Truck of the Year 110V outlet, 18-inch chrome-look wheels mission to expose them.
proved to us it was w/ 275/65R18 all-terrain tires, front tow We tried to do just that only a few weeks
the right call.” hooks & more); Adaptive cruise w/ stop after its arrival when some friends and I
Erick Ayapana and pre-collision assist w/ ped detection acquired a 25-foot Airstream Flying Cloud
($1,250); Tow package ($995: 4-pin/7-pin for a weekend of glamping. The fancy
wiring harness, aux trans/oil cooler, class camper weighed in at 6,280 pounds, which
Base price $46,335 As tested $57,910 IV hitch/receiver, smart tow connector, was definitely hefty but still comfortably
upgraded front stabilizer bar, trailer-
Service life: 14 mo/26,442 mi backup assist); hard tonneau ($995); FX4 within our truck’s max tow rating of 7,600
Avg Econ/CO2 17.1 mpg/1.13 lb/mi Off-Road package ($770: hill descent pounds. With a three-hour journey to the
campsite just north of Santa Barbara, the
control, shock absorbers, 26-gallon fuel drive could’ve been taxing and stressful.
ig trucks like our 2018 Ford F-150
B can at times seem out of place in tank, transfer case/front differential Thankfully, it wasn’t. The truck handled
skidplates, 3.55 elec-lock axle, stickers);
the busy and tight streets of Los spray-in bedliner ($495); side steps ($325); confidently and steadily at highway speed,
Angeles, but that didn’t stop staffers from trailer brake ($275); bed extender ($250); and the 2.7-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6
racking up miles on our dark green truck. power-telescoping mirrors ($250); rubber showed no signs of struggle, even going up
floormats ($135) Problem Areas None
After 14 months in #MTGarage, our and over the challenging 841-foot Conejo
Maintenance Cost $140 (2-oil change, tire
2018 Truck of the Year winner departed Grade just south of Camarillo, California.
rotation, inspection; 1-in-cabin air filter)
with 26,442 miles on its odometer. In that Normal-Wear Cost $0 3-Year Residual The powertrain is equally impressive
time it hauled or towed many things— Value* $43,800 (76%) Recalls None when the 5,166-pound truck is unladen.
two motorcycles, four sofas, two sets of We recorded a 0–60 time of 6.3 seconds,
washers and dryers, enclosed car trailers, making this the third-quickest vehicle in
*IntelliChoice data; assumes 42,000 miles
and a camper, just to name a few. If this at the end of three years our long-term fleet at the time, behind the
Volvo S60 T6 and Genesis G70 3.3T. The
strong engine is mated to a 10-speed auto-
matic transmission, and they worked well
together for the most part. However, the
transmission developed an issue where
it would stumble through shifts, mostly
between third and fifth gears.
Apparently we weren’t alone; our local
dealer knew exactly what we were talking
about and immediately reprogrammed
our truck’s powertrain and transmission
80 MOTORTREND.COM APRIL 2020
