One of the most important product redesigns for 2020 is the 14th-generation Ford F-150. The 2021 pickup sports a similar exterior design compared with the outgoing model but now has a wider stance.
One of the biggest changes for the pickup is the addition of a 3.5-liter hybrid V-6, which Ford has named PowerBoost. The powertrain, mated to a 10-speed transmission, includes a 35-kilowatt-hour electric motor near the engine and a 1.5-kWh lithium ion battery in the rear.
We've compiled select F-150 PowerBoost reviews from the automotive media.
"Running on electrons definitely enhances the 2021 F-150 PowerBoost's sense of inner calm, but you needn't be in electric-only mode to understand that this new F-150 feels appreciably quieter than before. Wind and road noise are well controlled, and whether the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 is pumping its red-hot fists in the air or not, the cabin of this F-Series is a surprisingly serene place to be. I even made a point to drive my tester on greater Detroit's badly rutted dirt and gravel roads, and not only are body motions well controlled (even with an empty bed), the lack of noise when cinders ping-pong around in the F-150's specially lined wheel wells is impressive. Yes, the Ram 1500's available coil-spring setup is ultimately more compliant, but at least by truck standards, this new F-150 King Ranch rides very well, and it's quieter than a church mouse pissing on cotton.
"To be frank, I've never much cared for the way Ford's 3.5-liter EcoBoost sounds, and the fact that the PowerBoost tech silences its noise periodically while offering 30 more horsepower and 70 more pound-feet of torque is icing on the cake. It's not that the V6 itself sounds bad, exactly, it just isn't authoritative in the way you might want or expect for a full-size pickup."
— Chris Paukert, Roadshow by CNET