Drumheller, AB – When you think trucks and throw Alberta in the mix I wanted to arrive to the Ford F-150 event with a mesh trucker hat and belt buckle for my first ever truck review. But the reality is this trip wasn’t about going cross country in a heavy tractor trailer, but learning and experiencing what the Ford F-150 can do. 

The Ford F-150 customer is not that made-up trucker you see in the movies. The F-150 caters to everyone and can be customized to your liking – a big reason why it’s the best-selling truck in Canada for 47 years strong. Ford’s F-Series is their line of full pick-up trucks that sold over 100,000 units in Canada last year and the F-150 is by far their most popular. 

The key test for me was to see whether I would enjoy driving the F-150 and whether I can picture myself owning one of these bad boys one day. You have to understand, I’m a type of guy that enjoys a compact car like the Volkswagen Golf much more than a Range Rover SuperCharged. OK maybe it would have to be the GTI version. This truck thing was a new venture, but you can always take some positives out of any new experience.

The people at Ford Canada set us up with a great roster of F-150 vehicles ranging from the XLT to the Platinum version with a top-of-the-line Limited on display. It’s tough to keep track of all the variations, as there are so many – 10 trim levels in total and that doesn’t include all the customizations that can be done. All of the F-150s that we saw were at an FX2 level or higher, so for this review I will only be covering those trucks. 

Drumheller, Alberta was a perfect setting for this event as it just represents country life in the heart of the badlands of east-central Alberta just 110 kilometres north of Calgary.  It’s also known as Dinosaur Valley from its history of dinosaur fossil findings and home to the Royal Tyrell Museum of Palaeontology, a museum that we were lucky enough to visit that holds Canada’s largest collection of dinosaur fossils. There isn’t a major intersection you pass in Drumheller where you don’t see a friendly sculptured dinosaur. The town is a scene right out of a movie between the Red Deer River, mountains, hoodoos and the non-operational and current tourist attraction – the Atlas Coal Mine.

Back to the F-150 we go…

Initial Glance

Most of the F-150s have a similar shape except for the SVT Raptor. When it comes to a feeling each F-150 provides – well there’s many to choose from that can range from a western-style King Ranch to a luxurious Limited version for the posh clientele. Yes posh! There’s not many, but apparently some are lurking around.

One thing each F-150 received is a new grille that provides a muscular feel featuring three chrome horizontal slabs with a perforated mesh inside in the Platinum, King Ranch and Limited versions; while the XLT gets a two-bar chrome version without the mesh. The SVT Raptor can easily be identified from its large black block lettering of Ford centered in the middle of the grille instead of the their typical blue oval logo and surrounded by a perforated brick wall emphasizing its toughness.

Starting at the FX2 level and above, the F-150s are given new HID headlight pods that put out two-and-a-half times more light than the standard halogen bulbs. In terms of styling, these headlights stand out with an F-150 badge situated inside of the cluster. A striking finishing touch!

As for that Limited version mentioned above – it’s for those few who are looking for luxury and have the money to pay for it. Just think luxury and it’s in there including sharp red leather interior, 22-inch aluminum wheels and a sportier suspension.

A Look Inside

As you enter the F-150 you’re greeted by a tailgate step that’s very handy for all especially if you’re vertically challenged. Once you’ve taken your step and hopped right in – you definitely don’t feel like you’re in a truck. Wow have we come along way! I was looking for the steel bench.

The bench is a complete exaggeration, but all of the F-150s tested came with leather seat and dash interiors, chrome or wooden accent options and an abundance of technology. Ford has modernized the F-150 at par with many of their touches found in their SUVs like the Edge and Explorer. Each model has their own interior touch and feel with the Lariat having a Steel grey interior and the King Ranch having a black interior, but as in all F-150s you can tailor your interior how you like it as if you were ordering takeout at Harvey’s.

Front and center you will find the MyFord Touch entertainment console with a 4.2-inch LCD productivity screen coming standard on the dash or choose the upgraded 8-inch screen that includes navigation. Don’t worry about those precious knobs and buttons – Ford has made sure to keep them positioned below the MyFord Touch with all of its capabilities.

The system is geared for truck drivers as the touch sensitive buttons can still be used with work gloves on. The technology is so advanced that you can set your trailer tow settings and brake settings with ease through the press of a few buttons found next to the speedometer.

Under the Hood

There are four different engine choices all fitted to a six-speed automatic transmission starting with the 3.7L V-6 that produces 302 hp and 278 lb.-ft. of torque; 5.0L V-8 producing 360 hp and 380 lb.-ft. of torque; a 3.5L 4-valve EcoBoost producing 365 hp and 420 lb.-ft. of torque; and finally the 6.2L V-8 producing 411 hp and 434 lb.-ft. of torque. 

As in the truck style choices, each engine choice can cater to what you’re looking for. If fuel economy is important to you – you might veer to the 3.7L V-6; if you’re in the hunt for truck payload, you would shift towards the 5.0L V-8; and if you do a lot of towing the 6.2L V-8 would be the answer. The variances are not large, so keep in mind your decision shouldn’t be as basic as I just pointed out. According to Darren Halabisky, Marketing Plans Manager for Trucks for Ford Canada, all dealerships are trained to thoroughly explain and customize the perfect F-150 to your needs. Just keep in mind that all engine choices are not offered for every trim level, so the dealership negotiation can be a complicated affair. I’m getting a headache just thinking about it, so I would make sure you do your research beforehand.

On The Road

We had the pleasure to drive these F-150s in a number of scenarios including towing, payload, fuel economy test and off-roading to show off its versatility.  It was well planned as on most cases there’s a designated driving loop that we follow, but in the end we just might not experience the vehicles full potential. But I guess we’re talking trucks here, so really figuring out what it can do becomes a necessity.

We will get to all the exciting activities later, but I first wanted to go through some regular driving under normal conditions. As we arrived to the Calgary airport, we we’re greeted by a number of F-150s. We chose the F-150 Platinum version and were ready to roll to Drumheller. The Platinum trim can be found at the top of the food chain, just below the Limited and Raptor versions starting at $51,849. For a truck, I was amazed by the smoothness of the ride. We travelled on the highway and through local traffic with just a little engine noise. The quick and direct steering was effortless and at no time did it feel like driving a truck. That’s what blew my mind the most.

Our first task was to take the 3.7L V-6 XLT (starts at $22,449) on a fuel economy test through the badlands. This drive was presented as a challenge between groups featuring a drive through some valley dips, the old Atlas coal mine and back up a steep hill. I took the first leg and reached an amazing 8.9L/100 km, but once we reached the mine and got distracted by the coal miner as well as plenty of photo opportunities – our numbers climbed to 9.8L/ 100 km, eventually ending at 9.6L/100 km. Impressive numbers to say the least for a 4X4 that weighs a smidge under 5,000 lbs.

Off-Road, Towing and Payload Capabilities

Now to the fun stuff – towing, payload and off-roading. 

We were back in the 3.7L V-6 XLT for some towing. It provided us with 10,800 lb. of towing capacity, so to test it out we loaded it with a trailer holding a Bobcat. This would be another first for me, but once again the driving route was a breeze. I utilized Ford’s advanced technology by setting the tow/haul transmission settings and was on my way. The weight was felt behind me, but it wasn’t too overwhelming. The XLT climbed those steep hills and directed the trailing Bobcat wherever I was going. The all-new power scope tow mirrors were a necessity in guiding the trailer and I got used to it immediately and more importantly became comfortable in the process. 

The next test was payload and our tester was the F-150 King Ranch (starts at $51,249) with its cowboy feel and rattlesnake touches throughout the truck. We hauled 1,000 lb. in the back and cruised throughout the town. It was incredible how easy it was going up these hills which isn’t a small feet for any vehicle that isn’t even carrying anything with them. These challenges showed off the F-150s talents and it showed the security and comfort it provides to truck drivers on a daily basis.

The pièce de résistance was saved for last – the off-road course with the SVT Raptor (starts at $56,599). It wasn’t the most challenging off-road course, but had various climbs, dips and some tricky tight corners. Once again technology was utilized with Ford’s hill descent control system that does most of the work on those wild descents. All of the work is basically done for you by the technology – you’re just a passenger with only maneuvering abilities. 

After a few rounds of hill descent control in four-wheel drive amateur hour was over and it was time for some fun. The hill descent control was deactivated and two-wheel drive was employed. The Raptor came to life in dinosaur country and tackled every obstacle in its sight. A big assist when climbing those hills is the new forward-looking camera that allows you to see what’s happening in front – an extremely useful tool as you’re driving blind.

In Summary

Ford did a nice job in showing off their F-150 lineup and its various capabilities. There were only a few changes made to the exterior and interior, but it was a nice refresher of why the F-150 is the best-selling truck in Canada for the past 47 years. Competition is on the rise from the Chevrolet Silverado, Dodge Ram, Toyota Tundra and GMC Sierra, so Ford has to keep one eye on the prize and the other eye on behind them. 

For my first truck test, I was amazed at how many different things a truck can accomplish while keeping great fuel efficiency numbers. If you’re thinking about getting a truck, but can’t see yourself as a truck driver, I would go to your local dealership and try it out. It’s amazing how far the trucking business has come and how much the ride feels like an SUV. 

If you make your decision to purchase an F-150 be prepared for which version you want, because that could be another hassle in itself, but I trust the sales people are very knowledgeable in their products. Starting prices vary considerably from the base XL at $17,499 all the way up to the SVT Raptor at $56,599. Keep in mind that the average customer falls in the XLT range that starts at $22,449 and the goodies like MyFord Touch and the HID headlamps among many other additions become standard at the FX2 level that starts at $30,649. The best part is you can customize it any way you like, so if you’re that unique individual that wants to stand out – you can have your F-150 your way!