For more than 47 years, Ford Motor Company’s iconic F-150 has been the sales leader in the large pickup truck segment, and for good reason. The F-150 has always been known for its hauling and towing capacity, reliability, innovation, and over recent years, high performance in the form of the Tremor and Raptor R variants.
Pursuitist was recently invited to Indian Wells, California to experience the trail and on-road prowess Tremor offers, and the Baja fury that’s imbued in the DNA of Raptor R, now in its third generation.
We also got an up-close look at features within the 2024 F-150 lineup, where good things abound no matter the trim level.
Consider the F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid, the best-selling full-size hybrid pickup. With 430 horsepower and 570 pound-feet of torque, the PowerBoost Hybrid features a 3.5-liter V6 mated to an electric motor with a 1.5 kWh lithium-ion battery. The powerful propulsion tandem yields an available 11,200-pound max towing rating and best in class 1,755-pound payload rating.
Need more towing and payload capacity? Then the 2024 F-150 SuperCrew EcoBoost trim is the ticket. With a 6.5-foot box, the SuperCrew delivers with a 13,500-pound max towing capacity. Need to outhaul competitors? Then opt for the F-150 Regular Cab with EcoBoost engine and 8-foot box. It’s rated at a whopping 2,445 max available payload.
Worksite Superiority
During our media drive, Ford had several impressive F-150 available technology features on display, including one feature extremely useful for contractors and campers – ProPower Onboard.
ProPower Onboard is available across several F-150 engine options:
- 2.0kW – Standard on Tremor trims with both the 5.0-liter V8 and 3.5-liter EcoBoost engines, and with the King Ranch and Platinum trims with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine.
Ford had a typical tailgate setup to display the 2.0kW option, and it easily powered gear plugged into the tailgate 115-volt receptacle including a television, heater, small refrigerator, blender, and Bluetooth speaker.
- 4kW-with a maximum of delivering 85 hours of power to a job site with a full tank of gasoline, the system is standard on all PowerBoost engine F-150s. You can even power a marathon backyard movie theater, which Ford also had on display.
- 7.2kW-This $750 option is available on all PowerBoost-equipped F-150s and is a no-brainer as it is a true worksite option delivering up to 32 hours of power for welders, carpenters, mobile auto repair, and more.
Additional technology includes Pro Trailer Hitch Assist and Pro Trailer Backup Assist.
Pro Trailer Hitch Assist uses Artificial Intelligence, computer vision, and machine learning to automatically control the truck’s speed, steering, and braking to back up and align the F-150’s hitch ball and trailer coupler with the push of an interior button. Multiple cameras help guide you in a wide variety of situations.
This industry-first system features 70 Ford technology patents.
Pro Trailer Backup Assist allows the rear cameras to track the trailer position while the driver backs up and guides the trailer via a console knob. The driver can rotate the knob left or right in the direction the trailer need to go, and the system automatically controls the steering wheel. It’s hard to describe how very useful both systems are. If you’ve ever witnessed the madness that ensues on boat ramps nationwide with novice towers jackknifing their trailers, then you’ll understand how versatile and impressive this system is.
The available Smart Hitch measures trailer hitch tongue weight to help reduce the possibility of trailer sway, and Onboard Scales can help estimate box payload weight. Actual weight measurements can be viewed in the center dash touchscreen, and even in a very cool LED display in the taillamps.
Impressive on-board Technology
Inside, a performance view screen in the instrument cluster and head-up display. 12″ digital productivity screen and a 12″ vertical touch screen with SYNC 4 standard, while A 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system delivers concert-hall-like ambiance.
Raptor R and Tremor Power
The F-150 Raptor R features a potent supercharged 5.2-liter V-8 delivering 720 horsepower and 640 pound-feet of torque. High-tech underpinnings include Fox internal-bypass dampers and a five-link rear coil-spring setup. Choose available 37-inch tires, and Fox Dual Live Valve shocks with continuously variable rebound control.
On a special course developed by Ford, we drove on a dry lake bed, and on rugged trails, even going airborne over a berm Baja-style to demonstrate just how nasty and capable the Raptor R is off-road. Key pieces of new technology include Trail Control, which is a slow-speed cruise control; 1-Pedal Drive, which allows the driver to focus more on the trail instead of acceleration and braking; and Trail Turn Assist, which uses computers and braking to lessen turn radius on trails dramatically.
Ford set up a demo of Trail Turn Assist, and we swung the big Fords around in circles that would have required several forward and reverse motions in regular pickups. On the road, it’s surprisingly docile and comfortable. What an impressive blending of performance and comfort!
Tremor is the perfect blend of power and utility as it can tow up to 12,000 pounds when equipped with the V8 and up to 13,500 pounds with the EcoBoost V6 with maximum payload capacities of 2,230 pounds (V8) and 2,445 pounds (V6).
On a rugged trail and on California highways, Tremor proved to be a worthy warrior in both environments. It’s powerful and comfortable, and we enjoyed using Ford’s precise “Blue Cruise” self-driving system. Additional safety and driver assistance features include 10 standard driver-assist features, including the latest versions of Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Keeping System, and Blind Spot Information System with Cross-Traffic Alert.
2024 Tremor models start at $66,145, while Raptor models start at $78,440 and Raptor R at $80,435.
