2015 Ford F150: What's New
Vehicle Overview
This is the thirteenth generation of the F-Series pickup in a segment that has been gaining strength for several years. The F-150 is the number one selling in the segment and when it does even a small thing, the industry notices.
Chrylser, General Motors, and Toyota (Ford’s three main competitors) have either significantly refreshed or completely redesigned their half-ton models in the last 18 months. The F-150 was the heaviest and oldest truck in the segment but now offers advanced material choices and new engines.
New for 2015The new F-150 will be the first large-volume vehicle that will essentially offer a fully aluminum body. Every cab configuration and every inch of the inner and outer shell of the bed is made of military-grade aluminum. This is reported to offer about 700 pounds of weight savings in a Super Crew model.
Also, the new front grille and headlight design is more reminiscent of the 2013 Concept Altas with more angles and sharp lines than the half-ton has seen. The new F-150 will continue in the XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum trim packages, where either Sport or Chrome packages can be chosen as an option.
The new pickup will again offer four powertrains, with two carryover and two completely new engines to choose from.
The new F-150 offers many material and design changes to the interior with a new electricals acting as the foundation for the high-tech information center and new features and options available at almost all trim levels.
ExteriorThe new exterior look will be familiar to F-150 owners but each of the grilles at each trim level will have a different overall feel. XL and XLT grilles will have two open-mouth areas at each side of the grille with the standard three-bar Ford grille in the middle. Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum will have a more Super Duty-like three-bar grille.
Cab configurations remain unchanged (offering regular, Super Cab, Super Crew) but each offers slightly more cabin space and visibility this year due in large part to a wider frame and changed door and window designs.
Of note, all windows are larger, providing more visibility for driver and passengers, with door beltlines dropping and inch as well. Additionally, the exterior bed height has been dropped almost 2 inches to allow for side access.
Interior
Because an entirely new high-strength steel frame was designed for the new F-150, engineers were able to create more space inside. Door cutouts are larger and the sideview mirrors have been repositioned as well.
The center-stack has been reconfigured to allow for better use of buttons and dials, especially when combined with the new-generation of MyFord Touch. Ford offers new seat designs that save weight and are covered in new materials and designs. The center console is bigger at every level and new storage cubbies sit underneath both Super Cab and Super Crew models.
New F-150s have a new 8-inch information screen between the tachometer and speedometer that offers access to more engine and vehicle information, and allows you to track (among other things) maintenance and long- and short-term fuel economy.
Under the HoodFord will offer four engines in the new F-150; three V-6 engines and one V-8
The base-model engine will be a new naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6. The next available engine will also be a naturally aspirated gas engine, but will be the carryover Coyote 5.0-liter V-8. The V-8 will be offered as the standard engine on select models.
The two optional EcoBoost engines will include an all-new 2.7-liter twin-turbo V-6 (which will come standard with start/stop technology), as well as well as the familiar 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine. The 6.2-liter V-8 option has been discontinued.
SafetyThe new F-150 will have an entirely new frame, made from stronger high-strength steel and is likely to positively impact the resulting crash test results.
In addition, along with the standard front, side and head airbags for front-seat occupants, second row passengers will now be given inflatable seatbelts to better distribute the force of the crash over a wider area of the chest.
Other features on the 2015 F-150 will include both standard and available computer sensors that allow for smarter braking into a corners when it’s determined the vehicle is going too fast, adaptive cruise control, a lane-keep warning system, trailer sway control (and a system that can detect bulb outages), as well as providing blind spot information with cross-traffic warning.
