2019 Ford F-150 SuperCrew: Review

2019 Ford F-150 SuperCrew Lariat FX4
Tow test
Victoria

Large American pickups are an increasingly common sight on Australian roads but, in the half-ton sub-class at least, the segment is largely dominated by high-power petrol engines. Not so for this Ford F-150, however, which adopts a 3.0-litre Power Stroke V6 turbo-diesel. So, does the diesel deliver all of the load-lugging ability for which the class is renowned, along with better economy and lower running costs? With a heavy caravan in tow, we set in search of some answers…

This Ford F-150 SuperCrew Lariat 4x4 may look like your typical big-buck American pickup, but lurking under that bonnet lies an engine that represents a departure from the norm.

Ford's F-Truck range – encompassing the F-150 but also the bigger 'Super Duty' models, such as the F-250 and F-350 – is American's best-selling vehicle range, period, with 2018 alone seeing an incredible 909,330 units flying off showroom floors.

American pickups are gaining momentum here too, with a variety of models from RAM and Chevrolet in particular selling in increasing numbers. Nearly 2600 new RAM trucks have been registered in 2019 to the end of November – there's clearly local demand for bigger rigs with bigger towing capacities.

However, buyers of this class of ute usually favour petrol engines for their higher power and refinement. Given the inherent load-lugging appeal of high-torque, low-revving and generally more economical diesel power, this may seem an odd choice, but it makes more sense when you consider the lower cost of petrol in the US, and how many Americans view these big rigs as everyday transport.

Flying in the face of convention then is this particular Ford F-150 in a SuperCrew Lariat 4x4 format, imported by Melbourne's Harrison F-Trucks and converted to right-hand drive by a local conversion specialist.

Ford's 3.0-litre Power Stroke V6 turbo-diesel is a recent addition to the F-150 line-up and an alternative to the five petrol engines already available in the US. Harrison F-Trucks sells the model here with a 4500kg braked towing limit and a maximum payload of 750kg.

On face value, the diesel might seem like an obvious path for Australian buyers. The inherent economy and longevity benefits of diesel power, combined with the diesel format's torquey nature, seemingly make it a superior choice for Australians who need more than the 3500kg braked towing limits on offer from our 'compact' utes and other popular tow tugs, like Toyota's Landcruiser or Nissan's Patrol.

Then there's the relatively stable price of diesel in this country – the fuel has largely been immune to the rollercoaster ride of petrol pricing in recent years.

However, the bottom line is far from clear-cut. Opting for the diesel adds an extra $10,000 to the F-150's purchase price, says Harrison F-Trucks, while service costs are also marginally higher – to the tune of $946 over the first 80,000km – although the same 10,000km service intervals are maintained.

So, will the diesel prove cheaper to run? The number crunching is best left to prospective owners with fresh batteries in their calculators and a clear idea of their intended usage, but to gain an insight into how the Ford F-150 diesel performs on the road, we hitched up with a monster caravan in search of some clarity.

Australians have several large American pickups from which they can choose these days. However, in diesel and with its 4500kg braked towing limit, this Ford F-150 finds itself in a bit of a sweet spot, as the RAM 1500 Laramie with V6 EcoDiesel can 'only' manage 3500kg, and the smallest Chevrolet Silverado available through HSV is the 2500HD, which is in a heavier class and is actually more a rival for Ford's F-250 Super Duty. Local conversion specialists import other models too, like Toyota's Tundra, Nissan's Titan and GMC's Sierra.

This Ford F-150 also features a number of factory options packs that really put it closer to the next grade trim up the F-Truck ladder, the Platinum, and it's Lariat and Platinum models that comprise the bulk of Harrison F-Truck's business. Our test vehicle is a short-wheelbase (3683mm) model with a 5.5-foot 'styleside' cargo box, and is priced at $149,990 plus on-road costs. A lower-spec XLT trim grade without the options (but with this V6 turbo-diesel) would be $15k less.

Most of these F-Truck imports are 4x4s and our test vehicle has Ford's FX4 off-road pack, with dual-range transfer case, electronic locking rear diff, hill descent control, an off-road suspension tune, underbody skid plates and FX4 decals.

Harrison F-Trucks also says that if a customer can't find the right truck among their current stock of over 50 F-Truck models, bespoke vehicle can be built on special order, with a typical delivery time of six to eight months.

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We spent the day hauling a caravan with a 3600kg tare weight over a variety of roads that included some appreciable gradients, and found the V6 Power Stroke turbo-diesel to be a very smooth, refined and capable unit.

All the Ford F-150s brought to Australia by Harrison F-Trucks now come with Ford's 10-speed automatic transmission. It's a slick and effective affair that shifts with reasonable speed and precision.

This diesel pumps out a claimed 186kW at 3250rpm and a hefty 597Nm at just 1750rpm, and on the road it lopes along at 100km/h in 10th gear at 1500rpm. Redline is indicated at 4600rpm but there's no need to rev it – it feels at its best between 1500-3500rpm.

In comparison, the 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V8 petrol engine produces 295kW/542Nm and the 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6 petrol engine churns out 280kW/637Nm.

The Ford F-150 also comes with a choice of drive modes – Rain, Standard, Sport and Tow – with tow/haul mode holding a given gear for longer when accelerating or tackling a climb.

In Canada, where Harrison F-Trucks usually sources its vehicles, an F-150 diesel is listed with a combined fuel economy figure of 10.7L/100km, which we suspect would surprise most, but this was backed up by our test vehicle's trip computer, which after 2500km was showing an average for that distance of 10.6L/100km.

With a GVM of 3198kg, a GCM of 7675kg and an overall length of 5890mm, this is no city runabout, and even with electric power-assisted steering it's a big old beast to guide around town.

Of course, most buyers want an F-Truck to tow a large caravan, boat or horse float, and it's here the Ford F-150 keeps hauling long after Australia's official imports sign off.

With the caravan out back we achieved between 20-21L/100km, which seems pretty healthy given the weight of the rig, the stop-start nature of our drive, and the undulating terrain.

We've previously driven a Ford F-350 Super Duty with 6.7-litre Power Stroke V8 turbo-diesel with the exact same caravan. With 335kW/1228Nm, the heavier Super Duty barely noticed the load and managed 25.6L/100km.

So this Ford F-150 was using appreciably less juice, but it still handled the load with little fuss. Sure, the V6 was working harder than the F-350's higher-output V8, but it hauled the van up hill and down dale without complaint, while rarely dipping below the posted 100km/h limit.

Most impressive, however, was just how quiet and refined the 3.0-litre V6 Power Stroke was while doing so. NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) has been reduced to an absolute minimum, with little but the the low and muted rumble of the diesel encroaching upon the serenity of the well-appointed cabin.

The coil-spring front suspension and leaf-spring rear deliver a nicely compliant ride when towing, but even so the Ford F-150 isn't as harsh as you might expect when unladen. It's still firm, as you'd expect of an LCV, but with some of the initial sting of road imperfections ironed out nicely.

It rolls a bit on tip-in but soon stabilises, offering a reasonably flat trajectory through the bends. It only really meets the limitations of its bulk when pushing on through tighter going – it's no sports car, after all.

Ford's F-Trucks (and their rivals) bring a level of luxury and amenity our smaller utes struggle to match. Between the Lariat trim grade and the many factory options, the list of features in our test vehicle runs to over six A4 pages…

The spacious cabin is lavishly upholstered comes with a panoramic sun roof, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, numerous charging options and a luxurious finish in general, a wealth of information conveyed by the comprehensive TFT instrumentation and 8.0-inch multimedia touchscreen (with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto).

Outside, that big and bold American front end is accentuated by imposing quad-beam LED headlights and LED daytime running lights, while the truck rolls on 20-inch alloy rims.

Safety is well addressed. All the staples are there, plus autonomous emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, dynamic lane keeping, tyre pressure monitoring, rollover mitigation, adaptive cruise control and cross traffic alert, among others.

And then there are all the towing features. In addition to truck's tow/haul drive mode the F-150 also benefits from trailer sway control and a blind spot monitoring system that can be tailored to encompass the length of a trailer. There's a 360-degree camera setup and a 'Pro Trailer Backup Assist' feature, which helps you reverse your trailer exactly where you want it. In short, it's built to tow.

The quality of the conversion is excellent. Aside from tell-tale items like the dead pedal and glove box opener being on the wrong side, the smaller driver (previously front passenger) foot well and some reversed centre stack controls, it's difficult to pick that this truck began life as a left-hand drive model.

After spending a day in the Ford F-150, it's clear this 3.0-litre Power Stroke V6 turbo-diesel is a wonderfully refined and capable unit – it's a willing partner when towing and, based on this test at least, impressively frugal (for this class, at least!).

Is it better than petrol? That's not an easy question to answer. Ford America actually quotes higher maximum towing capacities for both its 5.0-litre V8 and 3.5-litre V6 petrol engines, with the latter EcoBoost unit producing not only a heap more power, but a chunk more torque too.

Of course, the more you use it the faster your potential to recoup the diesel's $10k premium, but it's all of course dependent on the cost of petrol relative to diesel. And those who purchase the vehicle through a business will be able to write down more of the added expense.

It seems the diesel versus petrol debate will rage on, but this V6 Power Stroke is at the very least another worthy alternative for buyers of one of the world's most enduring half-ton pickups.

Price: $149,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel
Output: 186kW/597Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 20-21L/100km (as tested, with caravan)
CO2: 288g/km
Safety Rating: N/A