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 was hoping that by cheaper hybrid that they would be offering the NA 3.3 V6 Hybrid set up as seen in the Interceptor Utilitiy, that favors fuel economy over maximum power, and a lower price due to missing two turbos. Don’t get me wrong the lower price is nice, maybe this opens up room above it for a PHEV F-150.
Meant to mention that yes the hinge is on the correct side on the pro tail gate, curbside parking isn’t that common and when I’m getting stuff in and out of the bed I’m usually going to or coming from the driver’s side. My F250 has a workmaster canopy with dual swinging doors and the tailgate removed. It is much easier to access things in the bed and to get in and out of than my F-150 with its plain old single function tailgate. So yeah if I like it and would certainly consider it depending of course on price. It should cost less to make than GM and Ram’s so hopefully it comes in at a lower price point.
The new F-150 and Ram’s tailgates seem so gimmicky to me, and a distraction to cover up quality issues with the rest of the truck. Chevy almost got it right, but the flip panel hitting the trailer hitch seems like a real oversight.
The stupid power tailgate on my F-150 doesn’t distract me from quality issues. In fact, it’s the manifestation of most of the quality issues – it fails more often than it works! Almost everything else on the truck works great. It’s the the tack on features like the tailgate or running boards that let the truck down.
I’m with those wondering how valuable that tailgate really is and that it seems like the only unpatented option left. But, I can see them initially trying a full tailgate that swings out (like old wagons or the Ridgeline) and that being perhaps being a bit too long or unwieldy in certain parking situations, whereas this looks like about the space of a regular car door. Or at least, that’s how I’d pitch it to Mr. Customer.
Dutch doors like the Astro/Safari (or the Lincoln Blackwood…) might have made sense but seems like it would be more effort to engineer to also drop down conventionally.
The 3.3 V6 was an engine I always forgot they made until I looked at F150 specs for whatever reason.
“Pro access tailgate”. Coming soon to a sleazy video store near you.
In the “Bi-Metallic” section.
Reducing order complexity is marketing speak for “our factory managers can’t get enough literate workers to actually read the build sheets so we were shipping trucks without custom ordered features, making customers mad and having a logistical nightmare”. It’s harder to miss a feature when it’s part of the package that gets installed anyhow.
That’ll make it easier to retrofit the goodies later.
Are you sure? To me it seems like marketing speak for “If you want that common option we’re going to make you buy this other high margin option too!”
This. Ram has done the same thing. You can’t get some popular options anymore without one of the high-dollar option packages. All this option bundling is probably going to push me into a lower spec truck next time because no feature is worth $20k.
The base model is looking better and better these days
One thing that I noticed is that they really streamlined the ordering process per the configurator. They’ve included a lot of stuff that you had to add previously. Pretty neat.
Ok, they straight up lost me at “Sinister Bronze”. Not everything has to be 110% macho on a pickup truck. It’s metallic brown ffs.
Maybe it’s just left-handed bronze.
lmao touche’
My first thought was to check my model paint shelf… seems awfully close to Citadel’s *Sycorax* Bronze…
“Sinister Bronze” sounds the same as “Luxury Cloth”.
One question: does the new F-150 have the amber turn signal indicators in the taillamps?
Excuse me if the answers in there, all I need to know is if I can get a blue oval 4×4 V8 twin cab ute with a tray other than a ranger?
Ehhh. This only solidifies my satisfaction with our 2021 Lariat Sport.
-The interior is basically unchanged, nothing to see here if you already have the 12” screen.
-I have no use for the complicated swing tailgate. To be honest I actually love the fold-out step- Im aware it was an engineering afterthought, but it’s surprisingly practical, and doesn’t mess with the physical or visual integrity of the tailgate. I have long legs and can jog right up into the back to unload materials. I don’t care about extra waist clearance to reach forward into the bed- Groceries and other small items go in the cab, that’s why we be bought a 4 door truck in the first place.
Aesthetically, I think Ford kind of fumbled this one. I’m sure the look will grow on me as I see them everywhere, but the 2021-2023s just look so clean and handsome in comparison. The 2021 DRL signature follows the shape of the lamp housing, and fits very cohesively with the sheet metal of the truck. This new look is a bit disjointed, more out of the Toyota playbook.
I still think that F-150 design peaked (in recent times) with the pre-face lifted 13th generation. And it seems like with ever subsequent facelift and generation, that they move further and further from what the 13th generation brought as defining styling cues. I don’t think the face-lifted 13th gen, or the 14th gen trucks are ugly, but I think the Ram is better looking than both, and certain trims of the GM twins are better too.
Yeah I remember the 2015 F150 was supposed to look ‘Vertical’ and the Superduty was supposed to have more of a ‘Horizontal’ appearance. It seems Ford gave up on that pretty quickly.
Personally I think the refreshes have all been positive, especially the 14th that really cleaned up and simplified the lines- though that is subjective. This 2024 is the first one that has me scratching my head- Especially the black grill on the base model, which just looks angry (and cheap) to me.
Rams are definitely well done. The ~2016 era Chevy Z71 was one of my favourite looking trucks, it’s been downhill for them ever since.
I love that base model black grill. That is all.
The most righteous truck in the lineup is the absolute cheapest.
The ZERO-option, rear-wheel drive, regular cab, short bed XL. That s’umbitch now comes standard with the 5.0 V-8 and an e-locker.
It rings up at $38,565 *with* destination charges. The latest Mustang GT weighs in just a few hundred pounds shy, costs thousands more, and somehow isn’t as cool.
Fun fact: on several occasions I’ve contemplated not having more than one child to ensure that a regular cab truck could still serve my family’s day-to-day transportation needs. As of last month, that ship has sailed. But it’s okay. I think I was predestined to be a van man anyway.
Just FYI the 5.0 in the truck has a couple changes from the mustang that mean a little less power, if I remember correctly a little lower compression, and different cams. Not a bad motor at all, hell I put one in the cobra I’m building for my dad, it just doesn’t quite have the same top end but should be a bit better for the twin screw positive displacement sypercharger I’m eyeing to slap on it.
Vans rule dadbro!
Too many kids? That’s what the truck bed is for!
You laugh, but anyone who grew up in the 80s or earlier has been tossed into a truck bed by a parent or relative.
I was one of those kids.
Let’s have a Supercab cab chassis and then fit a proper drop side tray. No need for a fancy tail gate then!
Looks pretty underwhelming to me.
One thing hear about the Raptors is that their security is nonexistent and they’re super easy to break into and steal. I’m not in the market but I think it’s safe to say making sure your customer’s artificially limited production trucks don’t get stolen super easily due to piss poor design is of greater importance than a lot of the stuff in this refresh.
The at no cost additional vehicle tracking is useful perhaps if you’re in a small town but even with live tracking and visual confirmation of the vehicle’s location many police departments will outright refuse to grab it for you, so I think this won’t help many people who want the police to recover their stolen vehicle for them…
Made me think of this article from last week about car theft in Canada… once it’s gone, it’s gone [to Africa] in a matter of days. https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/auto-theft-canada-1.6953242
Thanks for that, very interesting read. And very interesting that Canada appears to be doing nothing to fix it.
I hate when the lighting design is too busy, that top photo looks like it may be FINALLY headed in the right direction!
I cant think of a single reason why I’d want only the middle of my tailgate to open, but I’m sure one exists.
To show that you can? That’s the best I got..
I think it’s so you can reach further in without the tailgate in the way, laying down between you and the bed. Being just the middle is a little odd though, but I would imagine it can be annoying to swing the full tailgate open for the ones hinged on one side, and be tricky when space is limited.
It’s for us short people that don’t want to have to climb up into the bed for every dang thing.
I appreciate the multi-function tailgate being symmetrical. The Ram’s 60/40 split triggers me.
No comment on the either tailgates’ functionality, but managing to have the badges and body lines symmetrical is visually pleasing.
See, I’m the opposite – I love the asymmetrical look, like the Maverick’s offset rear license plate holder or the placement of the Bronco’s Ford oval. Given the symmetry of the rest of a given vehicle, I find that a visually pleasing counterpoint.
Side-swinging tailgates are cool n’ all, but… I’d bet both my biscuits that the next truck bed feature battleground will be centered on the long-neglected truck bed cover (or tonneau cover if you must).
I’ve pitched it here before, and I’m not ashamed to do it again, because I have the best idea for a truck bed cover ever; and if you disagree, you’re most likely just wrong. I mean, seriously, check this out and tell me it ain’t the bee’s knees:
https://www.electricoffroaders.com/post/truck-bed-covers-are-about-to-change-forever
What we also need are aerodynamically correct bed caps to become more widely available.
https://www.motor1.com/news/304625/fastback-pickup-bed-cap/
I read that as “anatomically correct,” which was confusing and intriguing. I like the idea of an aero cover, but my ideal one would be lightweight and foldable for storage purposes when using the bed. (I know, using the bed of a pickup to haul things isn’t a major consideration for a bunch of pickup drivers, but those are also the ones least likely to be concerned about aerodynamics, probably.)
That’s great, as long as you can completely remove it. As pointed out in the article, it basically makes the pickup an open-side van, but one advantage of a pickup is hauling things that are taller. The big disadvantage of a hard shell is removal and storage, but that could just unbolt from the mechanism and be a flat sheet to lean against your garage wall or whatever, which would be great. If it can’t easily unbolt, then you basically may as well just have a van.
The concept is cool, and probably useful for a lot of people, but it wont work for the majority of my use cases. Can’t fit a motorcycle or ATV under it or anything taller than cab height, have to crouch to pull stuff from the front of the bed instead of just walking up there. Even if removal is simple, where do I put it? What if I want the cover back once I’m at my destination and the cargo is unloaded? That’s the beauty of the tonneau, easy roll up, compact when not needed, and it stays with the truck at all times.
You don’t need a tonneau cover if you have a frunk.
Covers are a pain in the balls. They’re always in the way, and it seems we put up with them as a sometimes necessary evil. Having a second covered cargo area in the front means you can leave the back open.
I paid a visit to the configurator. Th hybrid is only available on an XLT Crew Cab with 5.5ft bed. It’s incredibly lame you can’t spec an XL with the hybrid, much less any trim with the regular or extended cab. I don’t get the reasoning here.
In a single cab or extended cab where are you going to fit the massive battery pack that normally goes under the crew cab’s seats?
That’s how they designed it for better or for worse.
What actually doesn’t make sense mechanically in the slightest is why the F-150 Lightning is unavailable with a 6 seat interior and or a 6.5ft bed as the regular “Super Crew” Cab ICE F-150 has the option for a 6.5ft bed and or a 6 seat interior. Literally both should just bolt right in.
duh, that makes sense
For the bench seat you are correct, but it would require a new frame to offer a crew cab 6 3/4′ bed on the Lightning. The Lightning frame is unique to accept the battery pack, IRS and front drive unit. Now a Super Cab and 6 3/4′ bed could work on the Lightning Frame.
Also I notice you can’t get it as a 2WD anymore.
While that’s disappointing that you can’t get that as an option anymore, I am curious what the take rate for the hybrid 2WD actually was. It couldn’t have been more than single digit percentages for the hybrid
True, 2WD trucks aren’t as popular anymore since everyone is convinced they’ll instantly die in the snow lacking AWD/4WD. But along with requiring the XLT it means the PowerBoost starts way up at $58.5k when it used to be possible to barebones one out some $10k cheaper.
I am pleased to say that it isn’t ugly!
The Bronze Age has lately become a subject of fascination with the “hell yes I am a fascist” fringe of American political thought. Probably just a coincidence though!
I think in this context it’s merely that; a coincidence.
On a car related tangent, the dripping in black trend needs to be retired for some great accent colors. We had the ’90s Gold Era (see Badging on Toyota, et al. , Eddie Bauer edition Fords and Subaru lower cladding, etc.), 00s were the Gunmetal and Body-colored Era, followed by the Goth Twenty teens…we are due and I think Genesis is leading the way here. They are doing colored interiors (green and blue had been relegated to Porsche until they brought it back to something more attainable) and have done tasteful rose gold accents as well.
My guess is brass is going to make a comeback…100 years from something very Roaring ’20s. I see Greens, Purples, and Tans/Browns making a color comeback as paint options in the near future.I mean, the difference in any skateboard is the deck right? EVs are going to make customization the way of differentiation at some point
The “improved access” offered by that fancy tailgate just looks like an opportunity to bang your knee into that enormous hitch.
“Reducing order complexity” is a nice way to say “removed consumer choice”; that sounds like a disappointment. Trucks were one of the last places you could actually spec exactly what you wanted.
After having had a Ridgeline, this new tailgate is going to be easier to handle for people who will use it. But it really seems like an odd catch-up move to the other big 3 multi gates.
I guess I’m old school in that the fancy tailgates, steps, etc have always looked stupid to me and a regular old bumper and tailgate has worked fine for everything I’ve needed.
There must be buyers out there who like this stuff though, because everyone is doing it one way or another.
The thing with a regular ass bumper without 1000 sensors in it, is it actually functions to protect the mechanicals when used as a truck, so clearly that had to go
It’s gadget wars to show off to the neighbors in the cul-de-sac. I can see some use and function of the GMC gate, the Dodge one seems useless, and I think Ford found the only option that wasn’t patented.
This Ford gate is just sad, the patent thing makes sense
My brother in law is like 5’5″ and having a tailgate swing open so he doesn’t have to repeatedly drag himself up into the bed multiple times to get stuff is pretty nice. It’s one of the reasons we get him a 150 instead of a 250 at work.
I know the F150 configurator practically by heart after a couple years of window shopping. It seems like they rolled some obvious stuff into standard features (like the tow hitch). You can still get in the weeds with individual features, but some stuff got packaged like the flip out desk. And the engine choices are all over the place depending on what trim and cab you select.
You touched on a reason I partly credit for the rise of trucks as daily office commuter. Big, comfortable, often badass/outrageous styled cruiser cars with mile-long option lists were common and people liked them. Then, external forces pushed OEMs to downsize vehicles and severely reduce options so that the “badass” styling became more of a sick joke. Further CAFE and fuel-crises-induced demand for good mileage and the move of marketing to distance themselves from those embarrassments along with a desire to stop looking backwards demanded a toned down style and a wide reduction in choice for the customer. For trucks, those forces were greatly reduced, plus they needed a variety of ordering options and powerful engines to meet the wide range of demands, so they retained the characteristics that people liked about the big, extinct or near-extinct cars. Then Dodge cracked the code and really knocked it out of the park with the semi-truck/vintage inspired Ram design in the ’90s—a tough look reminiscent of what people missed with the muscle cars in a package with a long list of options and big engines that attracted people who didn’t formerly consider a truck—and that success made the OEMs realize they had the opportunity to tap into a larger customer base and put them in higher margin trucks. As the generations of light trucks since have progressed, sales have gone from, uh, picking up the people tired of uninspired FWD sedans to even grab some people tired of Nurburgring-inspired chassis tuning bullshit that rides like ass and blows tires out on potholes along with fragile mechanicals and exorbitant repair costs for comfort, the security many people feel with greater size, and the joy of lazy torque along with the capability they will never need, but are comforted to know is there.
If the OEMs start cutting back on options with trucks, I wonder where the point is that the cost savings from limiting options will be outdone by loss of sales, or if it will matter as many of the attributes that made them popular will remain, though I wonder if they’ve reached a point of being too much—too big, too expensive, too iphone like in that the improvements in powertrains and capabilities they charge ever more for with succeeding generations really don’t matter much as they were already plenty for most people. Are these gimmicky things like goofy tailgates going to be enough to stand out? That they keep trying it and doing different things without apparently sticking to any one of them too long indicates to me that they’re out of touch or out of ideas. I do believe the recent success and demand for smaller trucks is both marker of their achievement in marketing trucks for everyone and warning that their full sizers might have gotten too full sized for much of that market they pulled in from cars.
Eh, so many options were phrased as a la carte but were actually table d’hote that I doubt all that much has changed. A huge number of options also required selecting/deselecting multiple other options. They’ve probably just altered the phrasing from “Option A also requires Options X, Y, & Z” to just “Package A also includes X, Y, & Z”.
That was not my experience when ordering, although to be fair that was a Super Duty. Possibly the 150 is more restrictive.
I’m not a truck guy, but WOW the headlight/black grill combo in the top shot looks amazing, almost oldschool in its functional simplicity.
Am I right to assume that’s an XL base model that sadly almost nobody will buy?
Totally, first thing I thought. It’s great, it just looks like it wants to do truck shit, not rip my face off. It’ll never sell!
It’s like the front end equivalent of steelies. So refreshing.
I thought the same thing but based on another photo of it, it appears to be on the FX4 trim, which is super popular (and the best trim if you want nicer than base IMO).
Yay. I’ll be shopping for one like this in 10 years.
I did a double-take because they almost looked like pairs of standard 4×6″ headlights in that grille, which would have been awesome.
Just saw the configurator, this combo goes with XL, STX, XLT and Tremor.
Awesome.
For me the STX is the sweet spot.
Just wonderful – thank you (and to Julian Sammons)! While I’m a car guy so have been generally sad about Ford for awhile now, this really makes me happy, esp. that it’s fairly widely available across the range.
Glad you guys like it- To me it just looks like the cheap black ‘raptor grills’ people have been putting on base trucks for years- Now as a factory option!
I suppose I’ll reserve final judgement until I see one in the flesh.
That’s a fair point. I find the Lightning’s light-up wrap-around front trim strip looks way more plastic-y in person than on screen, so this may look exactly like that cheap OOO grill I see all the time.
Agreed, the the Lightning almost looks like someone forgot to remove a layer of blue grey protective film from the light bar.
Same, although I am bummed that It can’t be spec’d with the sunroof and a console shifter.
Do they still offer a standard cab?
Yes, the domestics all do although Ram makes you buy a Classic to get it.
Depends on the model.