Our most recent jaunt was a very easy, carlike drive and quiet ride in the new aluminum-bodied Ford pickup. The 2015 F-150 Lariat SuperCab 4X4 carried Jan and me to Redstone for her birthday.
The new truck, even in its less-than-spectacular gray metallic finish, looked good parked outside the old Redstone Inn.
The F-150, you know, showed up this year with aluminum body panels in place of steel, initiating a great amount of buzz among supporters and skeptics. Many weigh the benefits of the lighter structure against the potential added cost of repairing aluminum over steel.
The aluminum body, weighing 4,800 pounds, is 700 pounds lighter than a comparable F-150 from a year ago.
So, in the F-150 review model I drove, the lesser weight allowed Ford to equip it with a 2.7-liter V-6 EcoBoost engine; that is the smallest-displacement V-6 engine in any half-ton pickup in the country. And don’t assume the small size equates to low power – the 2.7 is a twin-turbo producing 325 horsepower and 375 lb.-ft. of torque, with towing capability of 7,600 pounds.
Mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission, it performed with plenty of power, maintaining highway speeds on the climbs to Eisenhower Tunnel and Vail Pass and maneuvered some sharp twists on narrower roads once we left I-70 at Glenwood Springs. Its road manners are excellent; its suspension of double-wishbone front and leaf springs rear soaked up the road imperfections, including the roughness on the eastbound descent of Vail Pass.
Redstone is on Colo. 133, 15 miles south of Carbondale. For the overall trip of 488 miles, the F-150 averaged 22.9 miles per gallon. The 4X4’s EPA estimate is 18/23; the two-wheel-drive version of the F-150 is rated at 26 mpg on the highway, topped only by a diesel.
For those pickup buyers who still like the feel and sound of V-8 power, the F-150 offers the 5.0-liter, as well as two other V-6s, the base 3.5 and a turboed 3.5 EcoBoost engine.
Our stay at the Redstone Inn lent opportunity to meet Bruce and Libby Yaple of Lakewood; Bruce is owner of Yaple Company Real Estate in Lakewood. He was reared in Michigan, so, of course, he has an interest in cars. Parked out front of their room at the Inn was a Lexus RX350.
Power lumbar front seats added comfort over the four-hour drive each day. Rear-seat access isn’t particularly handy with the SuperCab, as the doors are rear-hinged and can be opened only when a front door is open. An easy-drop tailgate can be lowered by double-clicking a button on the Ford’s key fob.
Among options on the F-150, which brought sticker price to $47,060, were remote start, 3.65-ratio rear axle, voice-activated navigation, 36-gallon fuel tank, integrated trailer-brake control, leather bucket seats and blind-spot detection.
The Ford F-150 is the runaway best seller among all cars and trucks in the U.S. For the past year, Ford has sold more V-6-powered F-150s than those with V-8s.
Here are the specifications for the 2015 Ford F-150 4X4 SuperCab:
- Capacity 5-passenger pickup
- Wheelbase 145 inches
- Length 231.9 inches
- Width 79.9 inches
- Height 77.2 inches
- Curb Weight 4,795 pounds
- Track 67.6 inches front, 67.6 rear
- Ground Clearance 9.4 inches
- Turn Circle 47.2 feet
- Drivetrain Four-wheel-drive
- Engine 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6
- Horsepower/Torque 325/375
- Transmission 6-speed automatic
- Steering electric power-assisted
- Suspension Double-wishbone front, leaf springs rear
- Fuel mileage estimate 18/23
- Fuel mileage average 22.9
- Fuel Tank 36 gallons, regular unleaded
- Wheels 18-inch
- Tires Goodyear Wrangler 275/65R18
- Cargo Volume 6-foot-6 bed
- Warranty 3years/36,000 miles basic, 5/60,000 powertrain
Competitors Chevrolet Silverado, Ram, GMC Sierra, Toyota Tundra
Assembly Plant Dearborn, Mich.
Parts Content N.A.
Base Price of Lowest Model $30,395; Base Price of Review Model $42,500; Destination Charge $1,195; Sticker Price $47,060.