Reader Review: 2021 Ford F-150 4×4 Supercrew
Prairie travelling salesman sold on ‘Vette-like’ power of all-new PowerBoost hybrid system
He spent a week with the redesigned 2021 Ford F-150 4×4 SuperCrew equipped with the Lariat package and the new PowerBoost hybrid powertrain. Under the hood of this truck lurks a turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 engine mated to a 47-horsepower electric motor and an automatic 10-speed transmission. Combined, the PowerBoost system makes 430 hp and 570 pound-feet of torque.
“Unbelievable,” Pietryka says of the truck’s performance. “I’ve owned Corvettes, and this is almost ‘Vette like. The power available in any situation, from red lights to highway passing, is incredible. It just wants to go, and it’s very smooth, too. But, in city driving, with the 10-speed automatic I could sometimes detect a bit of searching for the right gear – not too often, just between accelerating and braking, it could take a second or two to figure it out.”
Now in its 14th generation, the F-150 has seen exterior and interior upgrades and is available in a number of configurations, from base XL to the off-road tuned Raptor. Pietryka’s Lariat truck, with the PowerBoost hybrid and 4×4 option in the SuperCrew cab, would drain a wallet of almost $84,000. His tester included several options, from 20-inch wheels to a twin-panel moonroof and active park assist.
“I did think this ’21 edition looked big,” Pietryka explains, “and I’m not sure Ford’s really upgraded the appearance that much from the previous generation. But it did look good with the hidden running boards (power deployable steps are a $1,300 option), and those worked well and helped the truck look clean and fresh.”
At six-foot three-inches tall, Pietryka says he was quickly able to get settled in the leather trimmed driver’s seat.
“There was so much room in the cabin,” he says. “If I put the seat all the way back, I couldn’t touch the pedals. Amazing. And the cabin was luxurious with a two-tone black and dark brown scheme, great seats, panoramic sunroof and well-padded steering wheel.”
Overall, gauges and controls were clear and well laid out. Nothing was hidden from view while behind the wheel, and Pietryka liked the heating and cooling system controls which employed switches and rotary dials. Pietryka’s only experienced one other alternative powertrain when he tested a ’21 Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid. That combines a turbocharged four-cylinder engine with two electric motors for a combined 375 hp.
“I just didn’t like that Jeep, it sounded and felt like a golf cart,” he says. “It was nothing compared to this F-150 hybrid. I’ve never towed, but I do haul payloads of 800 to 1,000 pounds. I carried about 500 pounds in this truck, and it never realized it was there.”
With the PowerBoost system the F-150’s payload capacity is 830 kilograms (1,829 lbs.) and with the Max Trailer Tow package is capable of towing 5,623 kilograms (12,401 lbs.). A two-speed transfer case moves power to the four wheels and there are four modes: two-wheel high, four-high, four-auto, and four-low. The suspension handled all bumps with aplomb, but Pietryka said the truck felt a little jittery on a rough range road at a higher speed – he adds that’s something he’s felt in every truck he’s driven. His tester was equipped with the FX4 off-road package that includes skid plates and tougher shocks
