The two sides of the Ford F-150

As far as trucks go, the Ford F-150 is arguably one of the largest vehicles in the segment. It disappeared from the Philippine automotive scene but resurfaced last year after a two-decade hiatus.

Surprisingly, Ford Philippines silently pulled the F-150 again from its local lineup. On its website, a variant of the Ford F-150 is listed as one of its future offerings alongside the all-new Explorer.

Details about the upcoming model have not yet been disclosed. So, while we’re waiting for the Blue Oval to once again bring a version of the nameplate back, let’s look at the pros and cons of the current-gen F-150.

Pros

Dominating road presence

As we’ve briefly covered above, the Ford F-150 is a pickup truck on steroids. It measures 5,890mm long, 2,029mm wide, and 1,961mm tall which means that kamote drivers would think twice before they overtake you on the highway or stick their bumpers up your rear during traffic.

Its imposing grille is flanked by large quad-beam LED headlamps with LED fog lamps in the front bumper. At the back are LED taillamps and a high-mount stop lamp with cargo lamp.

The Ford F-150 rides on 20-inch wheels.

Luxurious cabin

You’ll find that underneath that rough and rugged exterior is a plush and luxurious interior. The F-150 packs a suite of leather-wrapped interior amenities including its seats, steering wheel, shift knob, armrest, and center console.

The leather trims are matched with luxurious Black Ash wood accents, a center console aluminum applique, color-coordinated carpet flooring with premium floor mats, and metallic door sill inserts.

At the center is an eight-inch LCD capacitive touch screen with pinch-to-zoom function with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Applink functionalities.

Cons

Stiff ride quality

Supporting the Ford F-150 are suspensions designed and engineered to allow the pickup truck to haul heavy loads. That said, when driving with an empty cargo bed, the Ford F-150 could feel stiff and rigid.

In addition, its body and cargo box are fashioned from high-strength aluminum alloy which was hardened through heat treating. It sure can handle a beating but don’t expect it to be as smooth and pliable as a sedan.

Low fuel efficiency

It’s no secret that the Ford F-150 gulps gas, although the current version has improved on that disadvantage.

Photos from Ford

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Internal affairs: Find out what's inside the Ford F-150