2024 Ford F150

We don’t think full-size trucks get any better than an F-150. It’s our highest-rated full-size pickup, and the segment’s KBB Best Buy Award winner 10 years running. And it’s not just us — our consumer reviews are exceptionally positive, too.

This generation, which launched for the 2021 model year, has an aluminum-intensive construction. The less weight it has in its body, the more weight it can haul, resulting in class-leading towing and payload capacities.

Another reason why we like the F-150 so much is the array of choices. Such as several great engines, including a hybrid drivetrain, plus different cabs and beds, and trim levels that go from rough and ready to the leather-covered lap of luxury. Ford has revamped the F-150 this year, adding more standard equipment and providing an even greater number of smart features.

The Ford F-150 Lightning all-electric pickup is reviewed separately.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of full-size pickup trucks, including the Ford F-150.

Grab a coffee, this could take some time. Let’s start with the exterior styling where there’s nothing too drastic, just a sprucing up. The interior brings extra tech and offers more color schemes.

An STX trim comes in just above the base XL, and the erstwhile top Limited version is replaced by a Platinum Plus trim. The previous base engine is discontinued, making the turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 the new base unit, raising standard horsepower and torque levels.

A super-convenient multi-way tailgate becomes available, and the bed receives up to two lockable boxes. Ford has also reduced the F-150’s maximum payload and towing figures slightly, but they remain the best of this class.

Once buyers are ready to order a 2024 F-150, they’ll find a simplified process. Ford said it has reduced complexity by 90% over last year, offering bundles of popular option combinations. A few items like the extended-range fuel tank and Class IV trailer hitch are now standard.

Intense competition in the full-size truck class comes from the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, and Ram 1500 — all starting in the high 30s. The Toyota Tundra kicks off in the $40K region. And the Nissan Titan begins in the low 40s.

Before buying a new F-150 truck, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. The Tundra tends to have the strongest resale values, but the F-150’s are completely respectable.

The new base engine is a turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 with 325 horsepower and a meaty 400 lb-ft of torque (torque is arguably the more important factor, as it’s the force that gets things moving). The other V6 available is a 3.5-liter unit turbocharged to corral 400 horses and 500 lb-ft of torque. For those who still hanker after a big V8, there’s a 5.0-liter unit making 400 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque — available even in the lowest trim.

Ford doesn’t finish there, though. There’s also a hybrid drivetrain with 570 lb-ft of torque, which is the choice for anyone hoping to balance work duty with decent fuel economy in the absence of any turbodiesel option. In our experience with the hybrid, it was easy for us to forget we were driving a hybrid. That’s a good sign that it should satisfy most truck buyers.

The Raptor R comes with a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 making a mighty 720 horsepower, but this is a niche vehicle.

Back in the workaday world of regular F-150 trucks, we’ve found that they ride with a refinement and composure that makes the week more bearable and road trips more likely. Even the off-road-oriented Raptor and Tremor models are perfectly pleasant highway cruisers.

Payload and Towing

Maximum payload of the 2024 F-150 is 2,455 pounds, enabled by the naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 in a Regular Cab with rear-wheel drive, and deploying the optional Heavy Duty Payload Package.

Achieving the 13,500-pound tow rating is done with the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 in a Super Cab, plus rear-wheel drive and the Max Trailer Tow Package. Incidentally, the hybrid drivetrain can still handle 12,700 pounds.

Let’s compare those maximum figures with the Chevy Silverado 1500’s 2,260 and 13,300 pounds, as well as the Ram 1500’s 2,300 and 12,750 pounds.

Fuel Economy

The turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 returns 22 combined mpg (20 city, 26 highway) with rear-wheel drive (RWD) or 20 combined mpg (18 city, 24 highway) with 4-wheel drive (4WD). The twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 manages 21 combined mpg (18 city, 24 highway) with RWD. Versions with 4WD go one less mile per gallon on the highway.

The 5.0-liter V8 runs to 19 combined mpg (17 city, 24 highway) (RWD). Subtract 2 mpg from the highway figure for 4WD.

The rear-drive hybrid drivetrain achieves 25 mpg in all three cycles, dropping by 2 mpg across the board with 4WD.

With 4WD as standard, the Raptor’s 450-horsepower 3.5-liter turbo V6 is rated at 16 combined mpg (15 city, 18 highway), while the Raptor R manages 12 combined mpg (10 city, 15 highway)

All F-150 engines are fine with regular gasoline.

Following the usual pickup playbook, trims range from work-truck basic to status-symbol plush. Things do improve this year, though. A 12-inch digital driver information display becomes standard, along with a 12-inch infotainment touchscreen. And for the first time in an F-150, a head-up display is available.

Ford is offering a wider range of color schemes than last year, and a flat load floor (where there’s a second row) enables plenty of cargo-carrying versatility. If there’s going to be a full complement of passengers, choose the SuperCrew for its generous rear legroom.

Cab choices are Regular, Super Cab (like a typical double cab) and SuperCrew (like a typical crew cab). Bed lengths are 5.5 feet, 6.5 feet, or 8 feet. Not every bed is available with every cab, or in all trims.

A lockable bed storage box is newly standard this year, just behind the rear right-side wheel well. If there isn’t a generator on board, a second box goes behind the other wheel well.

Two new wheel designs for each trim level. The optional Black Appearance Package is available with the STX, XLT, and Lariat. The Platinum gains blacked-out exterior (and interior) elements as standard.

Pro Access Tailgate
Newly available this year (on all trims expect the base XL), this tailgate has an inner section that opens to the side. It can open out a full 100 degrees, but there are also detents at 37 and 70 degrees. In our testing, we can confirm that this trick tailgate makes it easier to load and unload items from the bed while a trailer is hooked up.

Pro Trailer Back Up Assist
Reversing a trailer is so much easier with this optional feature. Just turn the relevant knob in the desired direction, and the system works everything out.

Pro Power Onboard
An onboard generator is available across the range. The most powerful version, with 7.2 kilowatts (offered with the hybrid drivetrain — known as PowerBoost), can run a refrigerator or a space heater, or even save a wedding during a power outage. The other two “strengths” are 2.0 kilowatts (available with gas-powered variants) and 2.4 kilowatts. This latter item is standard on the hybrids.

Infotainment system
In our opinion, Ford’s infotainment system is easy to use and keeps improving. Now it has advanced voice recognition, over-the-air updates, 5G Wi-Fi, and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto phone integration. The entire 2024 F-150 lineup also gains a 12-inch touchscreen.

Raptor
Admittedly, this isn’t going to fulfill the needs of every F-150 buyer, but as an off-road specialist model with all the extra hardware and ground clearance, the Raptor is an amazing machine. It gains an upgraded suspension this year. The supercharged V8-powered Raptor R is downright silly, but we love it.

BlueCruise
This is a hands-free/feet-free partial self-driving feature for certain highways — 130,000 miles of them and counting. The driver’s eyes must remain engaged and alert, though. It’s been updated this year to change lanes with a tap of the turn indicator and also to nudge a little within the lane if a vehicle alongside veers too close for comfort. We got to test the updated BlueCruise system, and these little changes go a long way in making hands-free driving feel more natural. This is standard in the Platinum Plus, optional in the other trims — except for the base XL.

The two turbocharged V6 units in the 2024 F-150 are 2.7-liter and 3.5-liter units. The 2.7 develops 325 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque, while the twin-turbocharged 3.5 generates 400 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque — unless it’s in the Raptor, in which case it’s boosted to 450 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque.

The naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 option produces 400 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque. And the supercharged 5.2-liter V8 in the Raptor R makes 720 horsepower and 640 lb-ft of torque.

A rarity in full-size trucks, the optional hybrid drivetrain augments the twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 with an electric motor to create a total of 430 horsepower and 570 lb-ft of torque.

All variants have a 10-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is the default configuration, with 4-wheel drive available as an option or fitted as standard in the Raptor and Raptor R.

3-Year/36,000-Mile Warranty

Ford’s new-vehicle warranty lasts three years or 36,000 miles, whichever happens first. Powertrains are covered for five years or 60,000 miles and that includes roadside assistance. These terms are typical among mainstream manufacturers, although General Motors and Toyota also include some form of free scheduled maintenance. Hybrid batteries are protected for eight years or 100,000 miles.

Safety Ratings

This generation of F-150 was named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), using its old testing protocol, with the proviso that the truck is fitted with LED headlights, which become standard across the line for 2024. But it also scored well in crashworthiness categories. However, the 2024 model didn’t make the TSP cut using the new IIHS testing protocol. The F-150 also took the maximum 5-Star overall from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Standout safety features include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, plus (new for 2024) blind-spot monitoring.