The 2019 Limited model has become the newest and strongest iteration of Ford-s F-150 pickup truck. It even outperforms the performance -engineered Raptor model.
This Limited is not for every man or woman who wants a work truck. Price is a factor as the manufacturer's asking price is $70,560. Toss in a few extras, such as exchanging 19- for 22-inch white platinum metallic polished aluminum wheels supporting wider Pirelli P275 tires, a trailer tow package, tailgate step, tray-style floor trim and spray-in bedliner, and the asking price can rise to $73,280.
Is this truck worth it? Depends on what one wants. If it is power, the Limited has that, racing from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 5.1 seconds. This performance is comparable to that of BMW sport sedan.
The Limited borrows the Raptor's powertrain, which is a 3.5-liter 450-horsepower, twin-turbocharged V6 engine mated to a shiftable 10-speed automatic transmission with tow mode. The only light-duty pickup truck that is quicker was the former Ram SRT-10 with the Viper engine. Ram has plans to build a comparable pickup truck, the Rebel TRX, which will hit the street or race tracks perhaps by model year 2022.
The Limited utilizes Ford's port-fuel and direct injection system which has two injectors per cylinder, one in the air intake port and another inside the cylinder. Two injectors increase performance. Twin intercooled turbos result in instant power with no lag.
The Limited shares the roominess and work habits of other F-150 models. Big and tall men or women can stretch their legs in either front or rear seats. A bed is long and wide enough to transport lots of cargo. The standard bed on a supercrew F-150 is a 5.5-foot-long bed. Four-by-four-foot skids easily fit onto the fully flat load floor. The tailgate, whether lowering or raising, is light to the touch.
Limited is loaded with luxury features as standard equipment including power for a twin-panel moonroof, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, running boards and sliding rear window. These are in addition to the more common amenities of heated steering wheel, heated and power exterior mirrors with integrated turn signals, power heated and ventilated front seats, door locks and express windows.
Second row seats are heated. Exterior mirrors fold by power. The brake and gas pedals adjust to accommodate the driver. Memory settings are for those pedals, exterior mirrors, steering wheel and driver's seat.
Standard are a 110-volt/400-watt power inverter, 360-degree camera with split-view display, voice-activated navigation system, Bang & Olufsen sound system, SYNC 3 and connection to WiFi hot spot. Trim is leather and real, not fake, wood.
More common inclusions are hill descent control, power rack and pinion steering, six drive modes, trailer brake and sway controls, two-speed automatic four-wheel drive system with neutral towing capacity and torque on demand transfer case. A spray-in bedliner is a $595 option. A tailgate step costs an extra $375.
As far as safety is concerned, the tested pickup truck received a rating of five stars when it came to front and side crash protection. One star is poor, two to four stars are so-so, five stars is best.
The Limited marquee is printed in huge block letters centered at the top of the hood. Light assemblies at the corners are recessed and edged.
The seven-inch wide cast aluminum running boards are easy to remove. With a socket wrench, the six bolts for each pair can be undone and the running board removed quickly. This makes it easier to plow forward if snowbanks are a challenge. The removal also makes the Raptor more nimble if off-roading in terrain with an abundance of impediments such as trees, rocks and bushes.
Prominent (four inches in diameter) at the rear are two alloy tailpipe extenders.
Ground clearance is 11.5 inches which is two to three inches more than the rest of the V6 and V8 F-150 models. The fully-boxed and ladder-frame F-150's suspension system includes double wishbone with coil over shocks and lower control arm in front and leaf springs on the solid axle at the rear.
Limited is in the same league as its F-150 brethren when it comes to work. Towing and payload capacity are 8,000 and 2,000 pounds respectively. Other F-150s and tow and haul more. Tow and haul capacities are determined in part by drive wheels, cab and cargo size and weight of vehicle.
Buyers can be intimated by the Limited's price. If so, remember that other models are priced less as F-150 pricing begins at, roughly, $28,000.
FAST FACTSVehicle: Limited Supercrew model of
2019 Ford F-150Type: four-wheel-drive, five-passenger, full-size pickup truck
Price: $70,560
Delivery: $1,495
Engine: 3.5-liter, 450-horsepower, twin turbocharged V6
Transmission: 10-speed shiftable automatic with tow-haul mode
Towing: 8,000 pounds
Payload: 2,000 pounds properly configured
Fuel tank: 26 gallons
Tires (P275), alloy wheels: 19-inch
Brakes: vented discs, 13.8-inch front, 13.2-inch rear
Ground clearance: 11.5 inches
Weight: 5,525 pounds
Wheelbase, length, width in inches: 146, 231.9, 86.3 if exterior mirrors folded
Width between wheel wells: 50.6 inches
Leg room: 43.9 inches front, 43.6 inches rear
Suspension: leaf spring solid axle rear, double wishbone with coil over shock and lower control arm front, leaf spring with solid axle rear
Warranty: three years or 36,000 miles, five years or 60,000 miles powertrain and roadside assistance
Assembly: Dearborn, MI
Information:
www.ford.com