This is the 2020 Ford F-150 also known as the best selling pickup for a very long time.  For 2020 not much has changed, you can now get the diesel v6 in the XLT trim as before it was only available on higher-end trims which neglected any cost savings the diesel was going to get you. Also, the new Lariat and above trims now get co-pilot 360. Ford’s advanced driver assistance tech. There’s also an STX sport package that can dress up your F-150 in different ways. 

Let’s focus on the vehicle we have here this is the Quad Cab Platinum model which means it’s one down from the top Limited trim but this is still very very plush. Let’s start with the outside, the bright grill is now wider than before and the LED headlamps wrap around them neatly to create a very distinctive front end. Sure it may not be as easy to point out as a Ram but this is a good look. It’s bling without being in your face, on the side we have 20” wheels which give the truck a decent wheel to tire ratio, unlike the 22”s that’s found on the limited. Directly beneath the doors, we do have a set of deployable side steps, while they don’t swivel out and back like the one found in the Sierra these are wide and low enough to make getting in out easier. And around back we have great looking taillights with integrated blind-spot monitoring sensors. One thing I’m that big of a fan of is the exhaust, it doesn’t look as neatly integrated as GMC or Dodge with this single exhaust just off to the side but it does help with departure angle. Bit of a trade-off

In the world of tailgate wars, I do like Ford’s implementation. While the GMC’s step is wider and has more uses it will hit anything you have attached to a hitch, Ford’s integrated step is smaller for sure but it’s wide enough for anyone to easily step in and out of the bed. That said I do miss GMC’s bumper steps as I found those most useful 

The bed is pretty typical you can get either a 5 1/2 or 6 1/2 foot bed with the Super Crew, With the regular or Super cab, you can get 8 foot long bed for longer loads. There’s plenty of anchor points and LED lights to help you secure whatever you want to put back here. As equipped we have a payload of about 2200lbs and it can tow 13,000lbs, no matter how you put it that’s pretty impressive. 

On the inside it’s quite cushy, starting at the back seats you can really lounge out. There’s plenty of head, knee and legroom back here. It’s more than that of a large sedan and it really shows how massive trucks have become. Being the Platinum trim the rear seats are heated for maximum comfort. Push up the rear seats and we have a fully flat floor for storage and whatever else. This particular model even has this amazing panoramic sunroof. That streches both rows letting in plenty of light into this large cabin. The front seats are just as cushy with plenty of support and they’re heated cooled and features massaging. The massaging is just little inflatable bladders that inflate and deflate to “massage you” but really it’s to help circulate blood flow during longer journeys

As for the rest of the cabin, decently nice. While the Ram, Sierra it’s twin the Silverado all had full refreshes recently the F-150 has stayed the same since 2015. But inside I don’t think it shows that much. The cluster is bright with a full digital readout in the centre to show additional information like towing, fuel economy and much more. The centre stack is nicely laid out without being too fussy. The large infotainment display with Sync 3 works well there’s even Apple car play and Android auto for full compatibility. The only downside I would say to this interior is just the heated steering wheel button, I know this is going to be one of those first world problems but you have to dive into a menu to adjust it. I just wish for a physical button someone to make this a bit easier. 

Under the hood, I have a 3.5L twin-turbo or what ford likes to call ecoboost v6. I must say ford marketing you guys are hella smart with the term EcoBoost. In any case in the Platinum it makes 375hp and 470lb-ft of twist if you spec to the limited trim you actually get the high output version which is lifted from the Raptor making 450hp and 510lb-ft. Some may say a tune or a chip and you can achieve those numbers but of course at the cost of potentially voiding your warranty. But even with 375hp this truck hustles down the street and gives a decent engine note as well. Surely it’s not as muscular as the 5L v8 but this v6 can provide better economy. All in with the 10-speed you should get about 19MPG combined 1 better than the V8 on paper, we need some real-world test to prove this. 

On the road, the F-150 drives like a truck should, it tower over smaller vehicles but you get a deep sense of isolation. I love the divet by the side mirrors as it does help with visibility. Generally speaking, larger trucks have a hard time seeing smaller, lower vehicles. I didn’t have that problem while in the F-150.

All in all the F-150 is a great truck, it provides all the luxuries one would want from a 70k truck. Sure the Ram’s interior is arguably nicer but the F-150 is functional without giving up on too much. And with plenty of configuration, you can customize the truck in whichever way you want. Back in 2016, Consumers Guide found that there were about 25 million ways to build the truck before getting into stand-alone options. If you add those in, it could exceed a billion different ways.