2010 Ford F-150

After a full redesign last year, the big news for the 2010 Ford F-150 is the return of a Harley-Davidson trim level and the introduction of the high-performance SVT Raptor. Beyond that, the flareside body style has been phased out, and there are minor equipment adjustments for certain trim levels.

Introduction

Ford's F-Series has been America's best-selling vehicle for most of the past 30 years. The most popular model of this grouping, the F-150 has long been known for offering a cluster of core traits that appeal to full-size truck buyers. Among them are impressive towing and hauling capabilities, respectable reliability and a mind-boggling variety of body styles, trim levels and options. More recent F-150 iterations have also offered a smooth, quiet ride and an easy-to-drive demeanor, and to nobody's surprise, the 2010 F-150 continues this tradition.

The most significant news for this year is the introduction of the new F-150 SVT Raptor. It's been a while since Ford has built anything from its SVT (Special Vehicle Team) division, with the high-performance F-150 SVT Lightning last being produced for 2004. The new SVT Raptor is also about performance, but this time around it's for off-, not on-road applications. The Raptor boasts an optional 6.2-liter V8 (not available on early production models), special off-road tires, a revised suspension with wider front and rear tracks, enhanced wheel travel, specialized shock absorbers, an electronically locking rear differential, sport seats and exclusive exterior and interior styling.

2010 Ford F-150 seat covers | F-150 cover | dash covers | 2010 Ford wood dash kit & carbon fiber dash trim kits | 2010 F-150 interior accessories | Ford exterior accessories

For more mainstream use, the F-150 continues to have much to offer, including a pleasant interior, a smooth ride and numerous body styles. There are a number of desirable features as well, such as a flat rear floor and expansive rear-seat room in crew cab models, deployable steps to ease access to the bed, Ford's Sync multimedia voice command system and the contractor-oriented lineup of "Work Solutions" options. The F-150 is a perennial best-seller because Ford listens to truck people, and the 2010 F-150 epitomizes this philosophy.

The F-150 does have one weakness, though, and that's power. While competing models from Dodge, General Motors and Toyota offer formidably powerful V8 engines, the 2010 Ford F-150 soldiers on with the venerable 5.4-liter V8 being the top engine choice. We pitted the F-150 against the current Ram, Tundra and Silverado in a full-size pickup comparison test, and the F-150 came in last. Had the Ford been packing more power under its hood, the results would likely have been different. All said, though, the F-150 is still one of the most appealing trucks on the market thanks to its user-friendly features and pleasant driving dynamics. The question is whether you need or want more oomph than the Ford can provide.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2010 Ford F-150 full-size pickup truck is available in three body styles: regular cab, extended cab ("SuperCab") and crew cab ("SuperCrew"). Cargo box size choices vary as well: Regular cabs come with a 6.5-foot or 8-foot cargo bed, while SuperCabs can have either of those or a garage-friendly 5.5-footer. The SuperCrew can have either the 5.5-foot or 6.5-foot bed. Reverse-opening rear doors are standard on regular and SuperCabs for easier cab access, while SuperCrews have four full-size doors.

No fewer than nine trim levels are offered: base XL, sporty STX, popularly equipped XLT, rugged FX4, luxurious Lariat, leather-saddle-inspired King Ranch, blinged-out Platinum, bad-boy Harley-Davidson and gonzo off-road SVT Raptor.

Geared toward commercial use, the bare-bones XL comes with 17-inch steel wheels, vinyl seating, an AM/FM radio, air-conditioning and not much else. The STX is similarly equipped but adds sportier-looking trim and an upgraded sound system with a CD player and an auxiliary audio jack.

The volume leader XLT features an upgraded cloth interior, cruise control and full power accessories. The FX4 (4WD) features a towing package, 18-inch wheels, underbody skid plates, retuned springs and shock absorbers, front bucket seats, a six-way power driver seat and satellite radio.

The Lariat offers upscale interior trim, leather upholstery, 10-way power driver and passenger seats, heated front seats, power-adjustable pedals, a power-sliding rear window, the Sync multifunction voice-command system and automatic climate control. The King Ranch is similar to the Lariat but has western saddle-inspired leather upholstery, second-row heated seats, an in-dash six-CD changer and heated/cooled front seats. The top-line Platinum trim features 20-inch chrome wheels, special interior and exterior accents and heated/cooled front seats.

This year's new crew-cab Harley-Davidson model is similarly luxurious and also features 22-inch wheels and Harley-Davidson-themed trim. The off-road-ready SVT Raptor extended cab hits the trail with an optional 6.2-liter V8 (not available on early production models), specialized wheels and tires, a heavily modified suspension, sport seats and exclusive exterior and interior styling.

Key F-150 options include the SFE (superior fuel economy) package that's available on 2WD SuperCrew XL and XLTs with the 4.6-liter high-output V8. Other options include a premium Sony audio system, a hard-drive-based navigation system with Sirius Travel Link, a back-up camera, a cargo management system, a stowable bed extender, a trailer brake controller, reverse parking sensor, a rear-seat entertainment system and a sunroof.

Aimed at those who work out of their trucks, Ford's Work Solutions options include an in-dash computer with Internet access, a Midbox storage system (a lockable compartment located between the cab and bed) and a "Tool Link" system (which allows one to keep tabs on tools stored in the truck's box via radio-frequency tracking).

Powertrains and Performance

There are three main engine choices in the 2010 Ford F-150 lineup, all of them V8s: a 4.6-liter that makes 248 horsepower and 293 pound-feet of torque, a higher-output 4.6 with 292 hp and 320 lb-ft and a 5.4-liter V8 with 320 hp and 390 lb-ft. The base 4.6 is paired to a four-speed automatic transmission, while the high-output 4.6 and 5.4 are mated to a six-speed automatic. The SVT Raptor comes standard with the 5.4, and a 6.2-liter V8 good for about 400 hp is available later in the model year with the same six-speed auto as the 5.4. The last F-150 we tested with the 5.4 ran from zero to 60 mph in 8.4 seconds, well behind trucks like the Tundra and Silverado with their top-shelf V8s. The brakes have a soft feel about them, but stopping distances are very good for a big truck. In instrumented testing, we stopped a four-wheel-drive Super Crew from 60 mph in an impressive 127 feet.

As expected, buyers have a choice between two- and four-wheel drive on all versions of the F-150 except the Raptor, which has standard four-wheel drive. When it comes to technical working capacity, the F-150 can't be beat: Properly equipped, an F-150 with the 5.4-liter V8 can tow up to 11,300 pounds and carry a 3,030-pound payload. However, the lack of under-hood punch and hefty curb weight mean that the F-150 is seriously laboring at anything close to these capacities.

Fuel mileage can be as high as 15 mpg city/21 mpg highway and 17 mpg combined for an F-150 2WD SuperCrew with the SFE package. A more typical 4WD SuperCrew with the 5.4-liter V8 gets EPA estimates of 14/18/15 mpg.

Safety

Antilock disc brakes, stability control, trailer sway control and a full complement of airbags (including front seat side and full-length side curtain) are standard across the board. The F-150 has earned top marks in every crash test it's been subjected to, scoring five stars in government front- and side-impact tests and the top rating of "Good" from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety in its frontal-offset and side-impact tests.

Interior Design and Special Features

In SuperCrew form, the 2010 Ford F-150 can comfortably seat four people, and you can squeeze in up to six in a pinch. Backseat comfort is superb thanks to abundant legroom, a flat floor and a seatback angle that's pleasantly reclined. Cargo-carrying capacity in the SuperCrew's cab is also excellent. The SuperCab is still fairly roomy, but legroom is noticeably less generous.

All F-150s feature simple controls and good-quality materials (by full-size truck standards). The navigation system includes an 8-inch screen with impressive clarity. Lower trims have a standard 40/20/40-split bench seat with a column shifter, while the upper trims feature captain's chairs and a console shifter. Special models like the SVT Raptor and Harley-Davidson feature unique interior design elements.

Driving Impressions

The 2010 Ford F-150 delivers solid ride and handling dynamics for a full-size truck, and it's remarkably quiet at speed, a trademark of recent F-150s. It's still down on maximum power, though, to the tune of 60-80 hp compared to the big V8s in the Ram, Tundra and Silverado. Whether this is a deal-breaker depends on what you plan to use your truck for. Realistically, most people probably don't need that extra 60-80 hp, but a good number will probably want it anyway. The purpose-built SVT Raptor is expected to be a treat to drive off-road.