• Ford presents the updated 2024 F-150 pickup on the eve of the 2023 Detroit Auto Show.
Detroit, MI - Whenever Ford makes any kind of changes to its F-150 pickup, it's big news. This is, after all, the best-selling vehicles in North America, and has been for ages.
The current generation was introduced for 2021. Three short years later, the Blue Oval automaker is already giving it a series of upgrades, both in terms of equipment and styling. To stay ahead in this segment, this is just par for the course.
For the occasion, we took a short detour to Detroit for a preview of this revised 2024 F-150.
Design and conception
With an update, there are always aesthetic changes. This is the case this time, but Ford goes further with the addition of new conceptual features.
There's the optional Pro Access tailgate, for one. Since GMC launched its multi-function tailgate, Ram has taken its own approach, and even Ford has gone so far as to offer integrated rulers and surfaces to make it easier to work in the interior.
Here, Ford's innovation is that the tailgate can be opened from the side. Note, however, that we're not talking about a complete opening, but rather a portion cut out of the centre of the tailgate. Ford has integrated a door inside the assembly, allowing easy access to the body. And to prevent the door from flapping in the wind (and bumping into anything in the vicinity), the design features three stops. So it can open and remain stable at 37, 70 or 100 degrees. Of course, the tailgate can still be lowered in the conventional way.
Dividers can also be added to the body, and with the box lid, everything is designed to fit neatly together, so much so that a small trunk can be created in the rear of the bed.
Options, and more options, to offer consumers more. This is the very nature of a arms race between automaker. It's a merciless struggle in which, at the end of the day, the winner is generally the one offering the most, the one who innovates the most.
Note that this body still benefits from the functionalities of the Pro Power OnBoard system, which allows for connecting electrical appliances. This is one of the F-150's strengths. The base capacity is 2.0 kW. With the hybrid variant, it's 2.4 kW, with the option of boosting this to 7.2 kW.
At the front, the grille has been reworked, and each variant offers its own specific features. Ford talks of a "coast-to-coast" design, a way of saying that from one side to the other, the front grille is integrated within the same block. There's even been talk of a retro influence with this design. In a way, it recalls the treatment given to the model when it was redesigned for 1997.
Powertrains of the 2024 Ford F-150
Under the hood, the only change is the disappearance of the base engine, a 3.3L V6. This is simply replaced, where it was offered, by the 2.7L EcoBoost 4-cylinder, an engine that Ford simply describes as more powerful and more frugal.
The 3.5L EcoBoost V6 is also available, in both regular and hybrid configurations, not forgetting the high-performance version reserved for the Raptor model. The R variant of this model still benefits from its 5.2L supercharged V8, which Ford promises to be the most powerful in its class. We can therefore guess that it will offer more than the 702 hp of the Ram 1500 TRX.
And yes, the valiant 5.0L V8 is still on the menu, for those who want a more traditional pickup.
2024 Ford F-150 variants
The offering features virtually the same equipment as last year. The offer begins with the XL proposition, followed by the XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum and Platinum Plus, which replaces the Limited.
There's also a newcomer, the STX FX4, offering a more affordable off-road solution. And needless to say, the Tremor and Raptor models are obviously back, with ever-mightier capabilities.
The big news with the F-150 Tremor is the availability of a modular bumper that makes it easier to install accessories, for instance a light strip that can be grafted on for off-road driving. The cameras serving the vehicle's driving aids have also been relocated so that their operation is not impaired by the addition of front-mounted equipment. The winch, capable of pulling 12,000-lb loads, can still be installed by Ford at the front. The Tremor team is working on other accessories that will eventually be added to the catalog.
The Raptor model features new Fox Dual Live dual-valve shock absorbers. These also offer rebound control, which promises to keep the vehicle more planted and stable on the road, when riding becomes more aggressive off-road, and even on asphalt. More control is guaranteed with this position-responsive compression. It should be noted that these are present when 37-inch tires are selected (rather than the standard 35-inch units); they are optional with the Raptor, standard with the Raptor R.
Technology and safety
Onboard, all F-150s now feature two 12-inch screens: one for the instrument cluster, with graphics and animations unique to F-150 and its special features, and another for the multimedia system. The latter features the Sync4 system as standard.
For driving aids, ten functions come as standard, including a pre-collision system with automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, as well as blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alerts. Ford also adds an Exit Alert, where the driver is warned if a vehicle, cyclist or pedestrian is about to pass by.
Then, in an interesting addition thanks to the Ford Pass app, the owner of a 2024 F-150 will be notified if someone attempts to steal their vehicle when they are not present. It will of course be possible to immediately alert the authorities, but also to deactivate functions that will make life more difficult for criminals.
Otherwise, the F-150 continues to offer the functions that have helped build its reputation, such as hitch assist, reverse assist in towing situations, and the Blue Cruise semi-autonomous driving system. This too will benefit from upgrades for 2024.
In short, we could go on at length about each of the vehicle's variants and functions. No other type of product in the industry is so richly varied.
That said, Ford says it has simplified the model configuration process by 90 percent compared to 2023, without sacrificing the quality of the offering. A lot of standard features have been added. That said, some popular options can still be chosen individually, such as the panoramic roof, the driver's seat that can be converted into a bed, different axle ratios and mirrors designed for towing.
The 2024 Ford F-150 will be available to order as of tomorrow, and is expected to arrive in dealerships in early 2024.
