When you find a new favorite thing, you tend to stick with it for ages, be it sneakers, laptops, or trucks. Sure, new iterations of these things evolve over time, but there’s usually a pleasing familiarity as new replaces old. In that vein, the 2024 Ford F-150 is a subtle evolution of a favorite that seems tweaked in all the right places. Not only is the hybrid powertrain now as cheap as the gas option, the overall level of equipment has been increased to make every model feel nicer, and a wild new available tailgate should significantly aid bed access. That’s all in a truck that starts at $35,570.
Glancing at the 2024 Ford F-150, it looks like not much has changed. New lights front and back look substantially sharper than the ones on the 2023 model, and grills on uplevel models have all been redesigned, but that’s about it. The new F-150 will feel like an old pair of jeans to anyone familiar with the outgoing model—comfortable in all the right places.
Pro Access Tailgate
Focusing in on the bed of the new F-150, a storage pocket appears in the bedside, while an available three-piece dual-function tailgate joins the party. Officially called the Pro Access Tailgate, it features a side-hinged middle panel for improved bed access, and three different stops to prevent the swing-out portion from contacting anything it shouldn’t.
We’re going to talk more about this in another post because it’s quite an interesting addition.
2024 F-150 Power Updates
Under the hood, the base 3.3-liter naturally-aspirated Cyclone V6 that few people bought is gone, making the standard engine on the 2024 Ford F-150 the 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged iron block Ecoboost V6. This surprisingly potent workhorse of an engine is a torque-rich gem, and although Ford hasn’t disclosed its output for 2024, most owners should be happy with this little V6.
The optional 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged Ecoboost V6, five-liter Coyote V8, and 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged Powerboost hybrid powertrain stick around for 2024, as does the hellacious 5.2-liter supercharged F-150 Raptor R. However, the hybrid powertrain now costs exactly the same as the 3.5-liter Ecoboost V6 on XLT and higher trims, making it a no-brainer for anyone not interested in an out-and-out muscle truck.
That’s a big deal for Ford, which currently has around 77% of the hybrid truck market in the United States (which may change as Toyota brings on more hybrid vehicles). Currently, the cost of the full hybrid V6 is $3,300 over the base Cyclone V6, compared to a $1,540 increase for the 3.5-liter Ecoboost V6. A Ford spokesperson told us that the price of the EcoBoost 3.5 V6 isn’t being raised but, instead, the Powerboost Hybrid is being discounted by $1,900.
“We’re making hybrid more accessible to our customers, giving them the power of choice by offering it as the same price as the 3.5-liter EcoBoost,” said Ford’s Andrew Frick in a press release. “This is the latest example of Ford democratizing technology for all truck customers. We did it with EcoBoost engines and with high-strength, military-grade aluminum alloy bodies for greater capability, and now we’re doing it with PowerBoost Hybrid.”
New for 2024 is an STX trim that sits between the base XL work truck and the XLT trim. Think of it as an XL plus, with appearance and creature comfort goodies that create a sweet truck without pushing your monthly payment to the moon. Granted, even the stripper model isn’t the barebones workhorse it used to be, since Ford has been busy upcontenting the F-150 for 2024.
A Lot Of New Niceties
All models now get a 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a 12-inch digital instrument cluster that spits out all kinds of important powertrain data. The extended-range 36-gallon fuel tank is also now standard, except on models with a 122-inch wheelbase, while the Class IV trailer hitch can now be found on every F-150. Ford claims to have reduced ordering complexity by 90 percent, and most of that seems to have been done by adding more good stuff truck owners want.
Owners of cowboy boots are sure to be chuffed to bits that the King Ranch trim is returning for 2024, although there’s something amusing about its new color scheme. I’ll let Ford do the talking here:
The new King Ranch® interior includes updates such as a bi-metallic color scheme on the interior and exterior, now with Sinister Bronze paired with chrome, and perfectly communicates the tough, yet refined design language of King Ranch.
I’ve never thought of bronze as a sinister color, but the Bronze Age is somewhat barbarian compared to modern times, so maybe it fits. Either way, it’s difficult to say Sinister Bronze with a straight face, so consider this an amusing bit of exceptionally nerdy car trivia.
Curiously, the range-topping Limited trim doesn’t reappear for 2024, as it’s been replaced by a Platinum Plus package that includes a rich brown interior. It didn’t make a ton of sense to have a distinct model above Platinum anyway, so we can be thankful that Ford’s attempted to reduce confusion. Speaking of luxury trucks, can you believe that the 2024 model will be the first F-150 available with a heads-up display? Hey, it’s better to arrive late to the party than never at all.
For 2024, the Ford F-150 Raptor gets Fox Dual Live Valve dampers, adding continuously-variable rebound damping to an already capable package. These new dampers should offer a higher level of control over everything from pockmarked Michigan roads to barren Californian deserts. Raptor models with 37-inch tires also gain an optional modular bumper with forged recovery hooks, while new graphics are available on all desert-blasting Raptors. Speaking of off-roady trims, the Tremor model also gets an optional modular bumper owners can mount a winch to.
The 2024 Ford F-150 isn’t a gamechanger, but it looks to improve on a truck that America knows and loves. With subtle tweaks, quality of life improvements, increased hybrid availability, and a simplified ordering scheme, I’d be surprised if it isn’t a roaring success.
(Photo credits: Ford)
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I bet that 3.3 cyclone would have out lived the 2.7 in regular long term use.
Heck yeah. we are due for a new truck soon at work hoping they spring for an xlt with the hybrid engine but an stx with a v8 would also be good!
I hate black plastic but the exposed lights in the lead photo make the truck 100% truckier looking.
Wow, surprised to see so much love for the grille in the top shot. I hate it, but then I think it my be triggering my tryphophobia because I find it deeply unsettling to look at.
Seems like the fairly substantial price increases should have been mentioned…
https://fordauthority.com/2023/09/2024-ford-f-150-pricing-revealed-lineup-gets-more-expensive/
No mention of an ecoboost 4 cylinder as a base motor, interesting. The Nano 2.7 Ecoboost has plenty of teething issues and considering all the Bronco recalls related tot hat exact engine, I am somewhat surprised, but I suppose with all the Coolant drinking #2/#3 cylinders in the automobile ecoboost 4’s it is probably a good thing to not bring over those reliability concerns.
So Ford raised the price of the Maverick hybrid by almost 7k, and dropped the F150 Hybrid by 2k- I’m not a math wiz but that puts the base hybrids for the two models 8k apart. wow. I guess it further diminishes the argument for the Maverick… SO does that mean that the Ranger will be updated to 32k? so 28k- 32k-36k..
Eh, wait til the strike is over and the Company does not eat the profit loss. it will come back price wise.
This doesn’t surprise me one bit. Towards the end of the original Ranger’s run, a fully loaded Ranger supercab would run very VERY close to the same price as a “basic” F150 XLT. Since they had roughly the same creature features and close enough fuel economy figures, our dealership had a REALLY hard time moving Ranger supercabs. People would just step up to the F150, which was probably Ford’s intent. When people started deciding they wanted their trucks to have all the bells and whistles of a family car, that spelled the end of the original Ranger just as much as the CAFE footprint rule did.
You can’t dangle a mid-size an a full-size model in front of US buyers with similar price tags. Our general car buying public too often throws out its pros/cons calculations of the bigger vehicle when you tempt them like that.
Ford does like to be their own biggest competitor and worst enemy, though.
This almost always happens, and it’s the real reason small trucks aren’t that popular here. They’re usually not priced that much below the full-sizes and you give up a lot of capability for that few thousand bucks. You have to really want the smaller truck for it to make sense.
Regular cab XL-only now, and only available with the V8. Makes you wonder how much longer a regular cab half ton will be around.
Also noticed no FX4 package until you get to the XLT, 4×4 is standard on all SuperCrews with the 6.5′ bed, and the 8′ bed is only available with the regular cab.
regular cab with a v8 just makes sense. i doubt the gas savings would be much on a truck that small plus the regular cab trucks are either fleet sales or hobbyists that turn them into offroaders anyway.
Looks like the single cab is only in XL trim and only comes with the V8 now.
Because that is the work truck and it needs an engine that works a bit more often.
The single cab came in multiple engine configurations until this model year. I have the 2018 XL with the 2.7. Great “little” F150. All that’s needed. I don’t use it as a work truck. It’s just a personal truck. I don’t need or want all the frillery of the higher trims.
OH, interesting. It’s only the XL with the short box. With the 8ft box, you can get the V8 and also the 2.7 and the 3.5.