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DannyboyUpstate

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I FINALLY got to test drive a PowerBoost last night with a buddy of mine. It was a very oddly equipped truck for a dealer stock order.

Ford F-150 Test drove a PowerBoost last night! First Impressions: 2021XL


2021 F150 XL Iconic Silver with 145" wheelbase
Equipment group 101A
-Power windows/Locks
-Cruise Control
-Reverse sensing
PowerBoost Engine
Black Carpet
Co-Pilot 360 2.0
ProPower On-board 7.2KW
Bench seat with the folding Interior work surface
Trailer Hitch
Power Mirrors
Rear Window Defroster
Dual climate zones
Trailer Brake Controller
XL Chrome Appearance Package
-Chrome Bumpers
-Fog lights
-17" Painted wheels
Tinted rear windows
Spray-in Bedliner

I originally went to this dealer because Ford's website said they had a PowerBoost in-stock. Of course, when I arrived, it was actually still in-transit and not in-stock. There was a nice saleswoman there who I could tell was green. She leapt out of her chair to come talk to me and told me she would let me know when it came in and I could take that truck for a drive. She emailed me once to let me know it was STILL in-transit. Then she called me yesterday to tell me it finally came in. I told her I didn't want to waste her time, because I wasn't going to buy that truck or order one that day. She insisted I come up and take it for a drive so she could see how the hybrid worked and what I thought of it. I really did want to drive the hybrid before I made an order to make sure everything behaved the way that I like. I have only driven a few hybrid vehicles in the past, and that was quite awhile ago. The braking and the switching between electric and gas wasn't super smooth in those vehicles.

We "started" up the truck which on the XL means putting the key in the ignition switch, turning it and then having nothing happen because it automatically goes into electric drive mode. While still in park, the engine snapped on because I turned the heat on in the truck. I turned the heat back off and the engine turned back off. You can just BARELY feel the engine turning on and off. I drove out of the parking lot and down the access road to the dealer, up to 25mph in full electric. I made a couple of stops and turns. The engine turns on and off as necessary and it's completely seamless. If I wasn't explicitly thinking about being in a hybrid, I probably wouldn't notice it at all.

I merged onto a highway, and forgot to put it in "Sport Mode" before I hammered on it for the merge. Even without "Sport Mode" the 570 lb-ft of torque is INSANE compared to the measly 387 lb-ft of my 2016 F150 5.0L. I drove up one exit and back towards the dealer switching lanes and really seeing how it felt passing and downshifting. The 10-speed is super smooth and didn't seem to hunt even though I was jerking around in the truck.

We exited the highway, I switched it in to "ECO Mode" and drove around some City blocks. The truck does WAY more electric driving than I thought it would. Especially with three passengers, and in the 30degF winter weather. When you let off the throttle it immediately goes into regeneration mode, and when you hit the brakes it tells you its doing regenerative braking. The brake pedal definitely feels different than my current truck, but feels still feels great. I didn't get the impression that the braking was anything but any other new pickup truck. Very satisfied. The steering of the truck also feels much lighter and smoother than my 2016.

I brought the truck back to the dealership and parked it. The XL now comes with the 8" screen, which compared to my truck with the low-end radio, is super nice. The backup camera was excellent and the SYNC 3 works exactly as it should. Obviously it doesn't hold a candle to the new 12" SYNC 4, but on an XL, it's an excellent setup.

When I parked the truck automatically gave me a trip report in the center section of the gauge cluster. 16.5 miles, with 3.4 miles of electric-only driving. I think that's really excellent for how much we were jerking around with the truck!

Overall, I ABSOLUTELY MUST HAVE a 2021 PowerBoost! I'm unbelievably impressed with how Ford merged the hybrid with the F150 and how effortless it is. I live in a City, and think I'm going to get a MASSIVE benefit from the hybrid system. (I get like 14-15 MPG around town with my 5.0L, if I can do 24MPG around town in the PowerBoost, we're looking at an almost 70% increase in fuel economy around town!!!) PLUS, get the backup generator AND the ludicrous 570 lb-ft of torque! I require a 6.5' bed, which will probably have me ordering a truck and not picking anything off the lot, but I'll search a bit before making a special order.

I don't think I'll be choosing a similarly equipped XL truck. Although this truck was plenty comfortable for me (I think some of these super high-end trucks are pretty ridiculous, though I know I'm in the minority on these forums), I think Ford just dings you too much for every little thing on the XL packages. Take for instance the Powerboost engine alone. It's $4500 on an XL and only $2500 on an XLT with the 302a package. This truck MSRPs for $51,000. For less than 10% more money, you get way more than 10% more value in an XLT 302a package. Especially with the SYNC 4 12" screen! Above that it's diminishing returns, in my opinion.

Of course my favorite color is Guard, and it's not available with the PowerBoost... who made that dumb decision? The "green" truck isn't available in green?!


That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!!
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Ford4Life

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I FINALLY got to test drive a PowerBoost last night with a buddy of mine. It was a very oddly equipped truck for a dealer stock order.

2021XL.jpg


2021 F150 XL Iconic Silver with 145" wheelbase
Equipment group 101A
-Power windows/Locks
-Cruise Control
-Reverse sensing
PowerBoost Engine
Black Carpet
Co-Pilot 360 2.0
ProPower On-board 7.2KW
Bench seat with the folding Interior work surface
Trailer Hitch
Power Mirrors
Rear Window Defroster
Dual climate zones
Trailer Brake Controller
XL Chrome Appearance Package
-Chrome Bumpers
-Fog lights
-17" Painted wheels
Tinted rear windows
Spray-in Bedliner

I originally went to this dealer because Ford's website said they had a PowerBoost in-stock. Of course, when I arrived, it was actually still in-transit and not in-stock. There was a nice saleswoman there who I could tell was green. She leapt out of her chair to come talk to me and told me she would let me know when it came in and I could take that truck for a drive. She emailed me once to let me know it was STILL in-transit. Then she called me yesterday to tell me it finally came in. I told her I didn't want to waste her time, because I wasn't going to buy that truck or order one that day. She insisted I come up and take it for a drive so she could see how the hybrid worked and what I thought of it. I really did want to drive the hybrid before I made an order to make sure everything behaved the way that I like. I have only driven a few hybrid vehicles in the past, and that was quite awhile ago. The braking and the switching between electric and gas wasn't super smooth in those vehicles.

We "started" up the truck which on the XL means putting the key in the ignition switch, turning it and then having nothing happen because it automatically goes into electric drive mode. While still in park, the engine snapped on because I turned the heat on in the truck. I turned the heat back off and the engine turned back off. You can just BARELY feel the engine turning on and off. I drove out of the parking lot and down the access road to the dealer, up to 25mph in full electric. I made a couple of stops and turns. The engine turns on and off as necessary and it's completely seamless. If I wasn't explicitly thinking about being in a hybrid, I probably wouldn't notice it at all.

I merged onto a highway, and forgot to put it in "Sport Mode" before I hammered on it for the merge. Even without "Sport Mode" the 570 lb-ft of torque is INSANE compared to the measly 387 lb-ft of my 2016 F150 5.0L. I drove up one exit and back towards the dealer switching lanes and really seeing how it felt passing and downshifting. The 10-speed is super smooth and didn't seem to hunt even though I was jerking around in the truck.

We exited the highway, I switched it in to "ECO Mode" and drove around some City blocks. The truck does WAY more electric driving than I thought it would. Especially with three passengers, and in the 30degF winter weather. When you let off the throttle it immediately goes into regeneration mode, and when you hit the brakes it tells you its doing regenerative braking. The brake pedal definitely feels different than my current truck, but feels still feels great. I didn't get the impression that the braking was anything but any other new pickup truck. Very satisfied. The steering of the truck also feels much lighter and smoother than my 2016.

I brought the truck back to the dealership and parked it. The XL now comes with the 8" screen, which compared to my truck with the low-end radio, is super nice. The backup camera was excellent and the SYNC 3 works exactly as it should. Obviously it doesn't hold a candle to the new 12" SYNC 4, but on an XL, it's an excellent setup.

When I parked the truck automatically gave me a trip report in the center section of the gauge cluster. 16.5 miles, with 3.4 miles of electric-only driving. I think that's really excellent for how much we were jerking around with the truck!

Overall, I ABSOLUTELY MUST HAVE a 2021 PowerBoost! I'm unbelievably impressed with how Ford merged the hybrid with the F150 and how effortless it is. I live in a City, and think I'm going to get a MASSIVE benefit from the hybrid system. (I get like 14-15 MPG around town with my 5.0L, if I can do 24MPG around town in the PowerBoost, we're looking at an almost 70% increase in fuel economy around town!!!) PLUS, get the backup generator AND the ludicrous 570 lb-ft of torque! I require a 6.5' bed, which will probably have me ordering a truck and not picking anything off the lot, but I'll search a bit before making a special order.

I don't think I'll be choosing a similarly equipped XL truck. Although this truck was plenty comfortable for me (I think some of these super high-end trucks are pretty ridiculous, though I know I'm in the minority on these forums), I think Ford just dings you too much for every little thing on the XL packages. Take for instance the Powerboost engine alone. It's $4500 on an XL and only $2500 on an XLT with the 302a package. This truck MSRPs for $51,000. For less than 10% more money, you get way more than 10% more value in an XLT 302a package. Especially with the SYNC 4 12" screen! Above that it's diminishing returns, in my opinion.

Of course my favorite color is Guard, and it's not available with the PowerBoost... who made that dumb decision? The "green" truck isn't available in green?!


That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!!
Great write up. It really is perplexing why a color option wouldn't be available with a specific engine. Just doesn't make any sense to me, it is a paint color not a mechanical or functionality feature.
 
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DannyboyUpstate

DannyboyUpstate

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Great write up. It really is perplexing why a color option wouldn't be available with a specific engine. Just doesn't make any sense to me, it is a paint color not a mechanical or functionality feature.
I completely agree. The best I can gather from all the reading and videos I've watched on these trucks, I think it has to do with the PowerBoost driveline only being assembled in Michigan and Guard green only being sprayed in KC. I'm not 100% sure though. On the configuration tool you also can't select Kodiak Brown either.
 

daemonic3

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I completely agree. The best I can gather from all the reading and videos I've watched on these trucks, I think it has to do with the PowerBoost driveline only being assembled in Michigan and Guard green only being sprayed in KC. I'm not 100% sure though. On the configuration tool you also can't select Kodiak Brown either.
You are 100% right that those are plant specific.

Also, FINALLY a hybrid XL in existence! I had always thought it was kind of odd to keep selling the tailgate work surface and propower as a construction site type of thing, but as a work truck I think an XL would be more appropriate. I would not want my Limited constantly coated in sawdust or risk getting bashed by a 2x4 but that's just me.

Did this one have the tailgate work surface? Otherwise I agree it is a VERY odd build...
 

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Knickell

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That’s the most base PowerBoost we’ve seen so far. Nice find! Correct me if I’m wrong, but dual zone climate control isn't available on an XL.
 

05RubiconLJ

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That is very specifically optioned. If that was not a customer order that didn't materialize, I would not be surprised if the dealer ordered it to show some of their bigger commercial customers. If I owned a business that specialized in on-site work, I would add that to my fleet in a minute.
 
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DannyboyUpstate

DannyboyUpstate

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Yeah the window sticker turned orange when I downloaded it as a PDF from Ford, and then saved it as a JPG for the forum. Beats me?
 

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DannyboyUpstate

DannyboyUpstate

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That’s the most base PowerBoost we’ve seen so far. Nice find! Correct me if I’m wrong, but dual zone climate control isn't available on an XL.
I didn't think so either. It's on the window sticker though, but it doesn't have a price with it. It definitely did have dual climate zones because both my buddy and I were surprised by it! The Dual zone is very nice.
 

Knickell

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I didn't think so either. It's on the window sticker though, but it doesn't have a price with it. It definitely did have dual climate zones because both my buddy and I were surprised by it! The Dual zone is very nice.
I wonder how they did that? It’s not doable on the build and price.
 

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I wonder if it has anything to do with the rear window defrost.
The button for that is on the dual zone, but I haven’t noticed it on the base controls
 

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I completely agree. The best I can gather from all the reading and videos I've watched on these trucks, I think it has to do with the PowerBoost driveline only being assembled in Michigan and Guard green only being sprayed in KC. I'm not 100% sure though. On the configuration tool you also can't select Kodiak Brown either.
Well done write up and very informative!
 

Bryan Simon

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I wonder if it has anything to do with the rear window defrost.
The button for that is on the dual zone, but I haven’t noticed it on the base controls
Went back and looked at pics from the Test Drive Event.
There is, in fact, a button on the XL AC controls for the rear window defrost
(STX pic)
Don’t know how a dual zone got into an XL because it does not show up until XLT 301a
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