Reviews
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With the popularity of full-size American pick-ups continuing to grow in Australia we wanted to take a closer look at what the attraction is, and what it would be like living with one in suburban Melbourne.
With that in mind we picked up this Ford F-150 which we’ll be driving over the next three months. This example is the base-spec XLT and we chose the short wheelbase variant thinking it would be a bit easier to park around town. The F-150 XLT SWB starts at around $107,000 plus ORC.
JUMP AHEAD
Part 1: F-150 in the 4X4 shed
While the plan is to see what the Effie is like around town, we admit that these full-size trucks do their best work out on the open roads and highways, and that’s what we did first up, hitting the highway for an interstate road trip and weekend camp.
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This might be the SWB model but that only limits the length of the cargo tub, leaving plenty of space in the cabin. With rear-seat passengers and the seat squab folded up, there’s a ton of flat floor space to carry your gear inside the cabin where it is secure.
I was able to fit a 40-litre fridge and a power pack to keep it running in the rear-seat area as well as my swag and kit pack. I used the seat mounts to secure the heavier gear with tie-down straps and with a bit more planning I could have used an elasticised cargo net as well. Some specific tie-down points here would be handy and the Ram 1500 has them for just this reason.
With my gear in the cabin, all I had left to load into the massive cargo tub was a couple of bags of firewood and some car parts I needed to drop off. The bed has a spray-in liner, plenty of tie-down points, and a handy fold-out step that makes it easy for fat old blokes to climb into the tray when loading.
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There are a few features in the F-150 XLT that I actually prefer over the higher-spec Lariat; the cloth seat coverings feel hard wearing without feeling cheap and harsh, and I think they will stand the test of time longer than the leather pews in the Lariat, and XLT’s column-mounted transmission shifter is easy to use and frees up the the centre console for storage. The console is huge compared to what you get in any midsize ute, and it’s nice to be able to make the most of it without a T-bar shifter taking up space.
The XLT’s multimedia screen is not as big as the one in the Lariat but it is still big enough and easy to use. Everything about living with the F-150 is easy, except parking it in town.
Out on the highway the Effie tours with ease, eating up the highway miles with an average fuel use in the low 12L/100km range. The 678Nm twin-turbo V6 petrol engine has plenty of poke for overtaking and the 10-speed auto kicks back the ratios accurately when you put your foot down to overtake.
These big trucks make interstate trips effortless, meaning less stress and fatigue for the driver, and the 136-litre fuel tank means that while you’re not stopping at every fuel station, you’ll be pulling up just enough to give yourself a break when you need it.
We did have one small niggle with the Effie from the start; each time we started the truck, the dash display would give a low battery voltage warning, and this continued after the road trip which should have well and truly had the battery charged. It wasn’t a problem and even after sitting in my driveway for a week the F-150 still started straight away when I hit the button. Ford chose to check it out and simply replaced the battery to avail any further problems.
We hope to put more miles on the F-150 over the coming months including the holiday break, loading it up and getting some dirt under the tyres. We’ll keep you posted.
Part 2: Is bigger better?
It’s been a month in the city for the big Ford and I’ve learned to pick the times when I need to go and buy groceries and where to find the best parking spots.
Yes, the F-150 fits width-wise in a standard supermarket parking spot but it can be a squeeze, and the folks parked on either side might not be able to get in their cars if they return before you do, but it does fit – even if the tray is hanging out a bit. Most of the locals just stare in horror that I would even park it there.
While many comment on how big the F-150 is they don’t realise that it’s really not that much bigger than a Ranger or Hilux, but its bigger than what they are used to. It’s that size that make the Effie so comfortable and such a pleasure to drive. Aside from the suburban parking, driving the F-150 is a dream and I can’t wait to get out of town with it.
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Even though most people only see the big size of the Ford, it’s the little things that are the only real negatives to it. Like the piddly little side mirrors. Big trucks need big mirrors and with the tiny mirrors that the F-150 comes with you can easily lose an SUV or family hatch in the blind spots down the sides. It means moving I your seat to get a proper look down the side iof the truck before you think about making a lane change or turn, just to make sure there’s not another car hidden there.
I’m sure that Ford offers the F-150 with bigger side mirrors in the USA so I can’t understand why Ford Australia wouldn’t have specified them for the Aussie trucks. Especially as many F-150 buyers will be making their purchase to tow a large caravan or other trailer. It leaves big opportunity for the aftermarket to come out with mirrors better suited to the truck and what it will be used for.
Something else that it totally inadequate on the F-150 XLT is the piss-poor performance of the halogen headlight. The XLT get halogen lamps while you have to step up to the Lariat to get LED lighting. In my opinion, the both should have LEDs standard.
The first time driving the Effie at night I was switching the lights on and off trying to determine if they were on or not. I could only see if they were on if they caught a reflective road marker and it wasn’t until I got out of town and away from streetlights that I could see the actual beam on the road. When other cars were overtaking me the difference between the beams from their lights compared to the Ford’s was remarkable. Something else for the aftermarket to come up with an upgrade.
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I mentioned last time how much I appreciated the large flat area in the back seat for stowing my 40-litre fridge, swag and other camping gear for a weekend trip; I found another use for it when I was able to put a full-size 26-inch Cruiser pushbike in the back without having to remove a wheel or loosen the handlebars. That’s something no mid-size ute can accommodate.
Yeah, I could have put it in the tray, but it would need to be secured there and it would be vulnerable to theft and be out in the weather. The back seat space it ideal.
- Kilometres this month: 223km
- Average fuel use: 13.4L/100km
