What are the best features of the 2021 Ford F-150? We review the new innovations that define the latest edition.
For the last 44 years, Ford has reigned as the undisputed king of the truck market, with Ford selling over 750,000 F-Series pickups every year since 2013. One key to Ford’s continued dominance in the truck market is that the MoCo. knows what drivers want.
Not only does the automaker strive to deliver on our wants and needs, it seamlessly evolves to stay ahead of the pack. The 2021 Ford F-150 marks the 14th-generation of the wildly-popular F-Series. While the new F-150 shares much in common with the 2020 Ford F-150, it still boasts several new features and options that truly set it apart.
One way to really understand how far the 2021 F-150 has come is to look at where it was a decade ago. The 2011 Ford F-150 is the first year that Ford offered the new 3.5L twin-turbo EcoBoost V6, which garnished a lot of attention for outperforming most V8s that were offered back then.
Care to see how Ford silenced the naysayers? Check out the “torture” testing they put it through. The 3.5 EcoBoost is actually still available in the 2021 F-150, albeit now packing an extra 35 horsepower and a two-mpg increase in fuel economy.
The price has also come a long way since 2011, with the base MSRP for an entry-level model increasing from $22,790 to $28,940 for a difference of $6,150. As for the top-end, the Ford Raptor is a great example, which, back in 2011, started at $45,290. Prices have since spiked to just shy of $55,000 (not counting dealer markup).
Should you skip the 2021 F-150 and find a pre-owned 2011 model instead? Not without reading the rest of the article first, but you might want to come back to the idea.
Most sources show that a properly maintained 3.5L EcoBoost will last 250,000 miles or more. With that in mind, with a budget of $15,000 or so, you can easily find a 2011 F-150 EcoBoost XLT with 150,000 miles or less, which ran roughly $36,000 when sold new.
Pro tip: to tell if an F-150 has an EcoBoost, look at the front license plate. If it’s offset to the right rather than centered, it’s an EcoBoost.
So yeah, you can save a pretty penny if that’s something that strikes your fancy. However, regardless of how much we love the 2011 model, there’s really no comparison with what you get by going with the latest 2021 F-150 in terms of — well — pretty much everything other than price.
Ford was smart in how it approached the 2021 F-150. The company changed very little in the truck’s design, because, frankly, there was no need. Except for some minor styling updates, the 2021 F-150 model retains much of the same design as the 2020 model.
But there are a few updates changes for the 2021 model year. From the powertrain to the onboard tech, we choose the best new features of the 2021 Ford F-150.
2021 Ford F-150: Interior Upgrades
As with any Ford truck, the 2021 F-150 offers a lot of configuration options. Ford offers six trims: XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, and Limited. From the base XL to the range-topping Limited, all offer cab and bed configurations, including Regular Cab, SuperCab, or SuperCrew.
Additionally, each truck offers different bed lengths. Regular and SuperCab models have 6.5-ft and 8.0-ft bed options, and the SuperCrew accommodates a 5.5-ft or a 6.5-ft bed.
Inside, the Ford F-150 has a refreshed and comfortable interior. The cabin is sleek and modern, and it offers a host of new tech and a range of capabilities. One of the most practical features is the fold-back seating or Max Recline Seats. This clever option lets you fold down the front seats, which makes life much easier if you need to pull over and catch a few zzzs during long road trips.
Max Recline Seats
“The all-new Max Recline Seats in F-150 were inspired by those adjustable beds you see on TV to help make our customers more comfortable while resting in the cab,” said Ben Kulhawik, Ford’s seat design engineer. “Our F-150 customers are constantly on the road or at a job site, and being able to nab a few minutes of rest really is a boon to daily productivity.”
As part of developing the new F-150 truck, Ford’s design team went into the field with customers to see how they use their pickups in normal daily living. The team took hundreds of hours of video and thousands of photos while observing how people use their vehicles and what product “pain points” they either endure or find workarounds to compensate for them.
To make the new seating system come to life, Ford engineers figured out the best and simplest user experience, then created mockups to quickly develop a proof of concept. After finding the most promising design, they developed a fully functional metal prototype to refine the motion and comfort of the seat; then production parts were created.
The end result: a seat that makes for a comfortable nap. The mechanism lifts the back half of the seat bottom 3.5 inches to make a flat surface to support the lower back. The upper seatback can also be moved forward for neck support. Ford’s all-new seats have been awarded five patents tied to the novel design and assembly process.
“There are no additional motors in these seats – just a simple mechanism that relies on the customer moving the seatback using the power recline function,” said Kulhawik. “It’s simple, it’s effective.”
Interior Work Surface
Ford has improved the F-150 as a multi-practical vehicle, and the automaker’s deep understanding of its truck customers inspired new features on the 2021 F-150, including an Interior Work Surface.
Creating the ultimate anywhere office, the truck’s new optional Interior Work Surface is ideal for signing documents, working on a laptop, or enjoying lunch when parked. It is available in both bench and captain’s chair seating configurations on XL to Limited.
For drivers that prefer a console shifter, Ford has created a stowable unit for the new Ford F-150, which conveniently folds into the center console with the push of a button and allows full access to the large work surface when in park.
Adding more cargo and storage space is never a bad idea. Ford added extra cabin storage solutions in the 2021 F-150. There are more areas to put your gear, with the lockable underseat storage an especially nice touch. All of this doesn’t take away from the spacious interior and ample legroom.
New Tech & Bigger Infotainment
The Ford F-150 got a bit more exciting with the 2021 model year. The interior was completely redesigned with comfort, utility, and technology in mind. Featuring enhanced materials (like soil-resistant two-tone seats for XL), new color choices, and more storage, including a new standard dual glovebox.
The 2021 Ford F-150 introduces an all-new 12-inch center screen – standard on XLT high series and above – that allows customers to split the screen and control multiple functions simultaneously, including navigation, music, or truck features.
An eight-inch touch screen is standard on XL and XLT standard and mid-series trucks. Both screens feature access to the new digital owner’s manual.
An all-new Sync 4 is standard and offers real-time mapping and customizable information on demand. The technology builds on more than 10 years of Sync innovation by helping minimize distractions with hands-free voice control as well as core features like making phone calls and selecting music.
With twice the computing power of the previous-generation system, the new Sync 4 can wirelessly connect smartphones without the USB cord for seamless integration of Apple CarPlay or Android Auto compatibility as well as Sync AppLink apps like Waze and Ford+Alexa.
Drivers can access more than 10,000 hours of on-demand content, and they can search for related content with available SiriusXM with 360L satellite and streaming service.
The new eight-speaker B&O Sound System by Bang & Olufsen is available starting on F-150 XLT, while the optional 18-speaker B&O Unleashed system with speakers in the headliner and front headrests is available on F-150 Lariat, King Ranch, and Platinum, and standard on Limited.
Ford offers complimentary technology, including 911 Assist that automatically alerts emergency responders in the event of an accident. It also includes integration with the FordPass app that allows owners to start or unlock their vehicle from a distance.
Safety & Driver-assist Technologies
New for 2021 is a host of safety and driver-assist features that improve on the F-150’s already solid IIHS safety rating. The 2021 F-150 offers 10 new driver-assist features, and more of them are now standard on XL, including Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking and Pedestrian Detection, rearview camera with dynamic hitch assist, auto high-beam headlamps, and auto on/off headlamps.
The Ford F-150 is the only pickup to offer Active Drive Assist, which allows for hands-free driving on more than 100,000 miles of divided highways in all 50 states and Canada.
Its advanced driver-facing camera tracks head position and driver eye gaze to enable hands-free driving when available. It allows owners on certain sections of pre-mapped, divided highways to drive with their hands off the steering wheel, offering an additional level of comfort during long drives.
Other new available features include Intersection Assist, which detects oncoming traffic while the driver is attempting a left turn. The F-150 is the only light-duty full-size pickup with available Active Park Assist 2.0, which handles all steering, shifting, braking, and accelerator controls during a parallel or perpendicular parking maneuver while the driver holds down a button.
New Tailgate
One area that Ford needed to address was the tailgate. Both General Motors and Ram have upped the tailgate game in recent years. Now the F-150 has increased options for versatility. Tailgates come with clamp pockets to secure down items. A brilliant option is the Tailgate Work Surface which turns the gate into a workbench. It includes integrated rulers, a mobile device holder, cupholder, and pencil holder.
Onboard Power
Normally when discussing the F-150’s power we’d be bringing up the pickup’s horsepower or torque. However, in this case, the new feature that has gotten a lot of attention is the Pro Power Onboard.
Available on the 2021 F-150 PowerBoost, Pro Power Onboard turns the truck into a generator, capable of powering just about anything. During the recent power outages in Texas, many turned to their Ford F-150 Hybrid as a means of electricity.
Outlet plugs are easily accessible, mounted on the side of the bed. A 2.4-kw generator is standard on the F-150 Hybrid, and can be upgraded to a 7.2 kw. A 2.0 kw option is available on trucks with a 2.7L EcoBoost V6, 3.5L EcoBoost V6, or 5.0L V8. This is definitely a game-changer for the industry, and a big win for Ford.
Hybrid Powertrain
Electrification is coming fast, whether we like it or not. And Ford has come to the market with a proper hybrid in the PowerBoost powertrain. Ford offers a full hybrid system giving drivers the option to run on gas, electricity, or a combination of the two. The system can change and switch automatically based on driving conditions.
The PowerBoost is a turbocharged 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine combined with a 3.5-kW electric motor paired to the ten-speed automatic transmission, and with a 1.5 kW-hr lithium ion battery. It recharges, so no need to plug it in. And unlike the mostly anemic hybrid pickup trucks, the F-150 still has all the performance.
Cranking out 430 horses and 570 lb.-ft. of torque, the 4×2 PowerBoost truck is rated at a maximum 12,700 pounds of conventional towing and a maximum payload of 2,120 pounds.
Consumer Reports raved about the PowerBoost; “we’ve been pretty impressed with the integration of the hybrid powertrain, especially considering that this is still a highly capable truck at its core. The best news is that the hybrid possesses what feels like an almost bottomless pit of power, delivered in an effortless and smooth fashion.”
Now, we realize that some folks will never be swayed from the thunderous F-150 internal combustion engine. And the F-150 offers a number of powertrain options.
But certainly, the PowerBoost is an exciting entry that delivers enough oomph to earn the Ford badge. It also is highly desirable for its fuel efficiency. Ford nabbed the best fuel economy rating for a gas-powered full-size, light-duty pickup with an EPA-estimated 25 mpg on 4×2 models.
2021 Ford F-150 Tremor: All-terrain Alternative
The 2021 Ford F-150 also got a tough Tremor trim in 2021, adding all-terrain upgrades and Ford’s latest off-road technologies. The differences between the new F-150 and the Tremor aren’t subtle and include a hood and front end redesigned for a more aggressive profile.
The unique grille features a blacked-out Ford oval highlighted by the signature Tremor color of Active Orange, which also accentuates two front recovery hooks, badging on the fenders, bedsides, tailgate, and interior details like the seat trim.
Raptor-inspired off-road fixed running boards are mounted close to the body to limit damage, while a cutout rear bumper features a high-flow dual exhaust flanking its two rear recovery hooks.
The 2021 Ford F-150 Tremor was engineered for more off-road capability than the available FX4 packages. Like other F-150s, Tremor has a high-strength steel frame and military-grade, aluminum-alloy body. It comes in SuperCrew configuration with a 5.5-foot box, 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, and 10-speed automatic transmission plus standard four-wheel drive.
The upgraded suspension has re-tuned front and rear springs for extra ground clearance. Tremor-specific monotube shocks at the front and twin-tube shocks at the rear are tuned for softer damping at low speeds, with additional damping and control for more severe off-road events.
New 33-inch General Grabber all-terrain tires mounted on 18-inch wheels offer additional ground clearance and a one-inch wider stance. A Raptor-style bash plate protects front-end components.
Standard running gear includes a locking rear differential and optional late-availability upgrade to a Torsen limited-slip front across all equipment levels. Tremor high series customers get a torque-on-demand transfer case that merges AWD and 4WD capabilities to handle virtually any off-road environment.
In addition to its off-road abilities, the 2021 Ford F-150 Tremor has a maximum conventional tow rating of 10,900 pounds, with a maximum payload rating of 1,885 pounds. Plus, like other F-150 models equipped with the 3.5L EcoBoost V6, Pro Power Onboard is available with 2.0 kilowatts of exportable power in the bed.
The 2021 Ford F-150 Tremor’s off-road hardware extends to its cabin, with a six-position auxiliary power switch pack mounted in the overhead console to add off-road winches.
The available 360-degree camera package provides an in-cabin view of obstacles around the truck and the front-view camera provides a real-time tire track overlay to dynamically show the path of the wheels ahead. 360-degree view and rearview cameras can be called up at higher speeds with a convenient dash-mounted hard button.
In addition to standard Hill Descent Control, Tremor also has available Trail Control, which operates like cruise control for off-road use. Drivers simply select a set speed and the truck manages throttle and braking to allow them to focus on steering through challenging off-road conditions.
Photos: Ford
