2009 Ford F-150 Flareside

The new 2009 Ford F-150 Flareside full-sized pickup truck is spinning heads like Regan in the Exorcist. It's a sharp-looking, tough and ready truck that wants to play even after a hard day's work. Where the Styleside F-150s have more cargo space, the Flaresides have more flash and visual appeal. Ford has an approach to truck making that can actually be a bit perplexing, but in a good way. There are over 75 different permutations that you can build your new Ford F-150 from.

The fresh boxed frame of the 2009 Flareside sits on a stiffer platform than did its predecessor. The suspension system is noticeably firmer and handles better, especially when towing and hauling. Also, electronic trailer sway control has been added to all F-150s for 2009 as a standard feature. Quick cornering with little lean and responsive steering make for an impressive driving experience. It's quick too. 0 to 60 times were measured in just about 8 seconds. Now, remember, this is a full-sized pickup truck we are discussing here. That's pretty fast.

There are three engines and 2 transmissions to select from as well: the 4.2L V6, 4.6L V8 and 5.4L V8. The 5.4L cranks out 365 lb-ft of torque and 310hp. It is one of the heavier trucks in its class though - and you can feel the weight. That also has a bit to do with the fact that the 2009 F-150 is the lowest rated in its class for fuel economy. It rates at 14/19 mpg city/highway. However, the others are certainly not very far ahead of those numbers.

The Ford F-150 does a very nice job towing heavy loads - better than most of its competitors. With wide leaf springs and electronic stability control (as well as the aforementioned trailer sway control), the Flareside pulls like a locomotive and hardly even acts like it is trying. The highest rating for all trims concerning towing is a whopping 11,300 pounds while the base trim is rated for 5400.

MSRPs for the 2009 Ford F-150 Flareside pickup range from the mid-20s to the high-30s. Like the company says: "There is a Ford F-150 for every application." Anything that you have in mind concerning the features of your new truck can be delivered to you. One note of interest is the navigation systems. People absolutely love them. They are simplistic and feature-filled. The screen may be a little small, but otherwise they are selling like hotcakes. The Ford F-150 for 2009 remains as one of the most popular trucks on the planet - like it does every year. There are a lot of solid reasons behind those sales numbers. Explore Ford trucks further today!

SHORT STINT: 2009 Ford F-150 XLT

The new Ford F-150 is Lexus-like quiet at freeway speeds.

In fleet: Nov. 21-Dec. 4
As-tested price: $37,065
Drivetrain: 5.4-liter V8; 4WD, six-speed automatic
Output: 310 hp @ 5,000 rpm, 365 lb-ft @ 3,500 rpm
Curb weight: 5,493 lb
Fuel economy (EPA/AW): 16/13.3 mpg
Options: XLT chrome package including all-terrain tires, chrome step bar, 18-inch chrome wheels ($1,420); XLT convenience package including power adjustable pedals, power signal heated mirrors, fog lamps, power driver's seat ($495); rearview camera ($450); SYNC ($395); trailer tow package ($350); tailgate step ($350); premium cloth captain's chairs ($300); six-disc CD changer ($300); power-sliding rear window ($250); reverse sensing system ($245); trailer-brake control ($230); driver's group ($225); satellite radio ($195); electronic shift-on-the-fly ($160); rubber floor mats ($95); XLT SYNC, Chrome and Tow package discount (-$1,000)

OUR TAKE: It's hard to beat a good 4WD extended-cab, full-size pickup for most of your everyday needs. But it gets even better if your needs include any hauling or towing or you're driving through snow. The Ford's big bed, with the flexibility of the standard bed extender, makes the space highly functional; the backup camera eases hitching up the trailer (not to mention avoiding hitting anything while backing up in this big boy), and the 4WD proves priceless when the snow starts to fly and added traction is needed. At $37,000, this XLT is the real meat of the F-150 market, with all the bells and whistles but none of the superfluous stuff like leather seats.

While we should all question whether we really need all of that capability in an everyday vehicle that we got a depressing 13.3 mpg in real-world city/suburban driving, it's nice to know that in America, you still have that choice. What you do with that choice, now that you've been to the school of $4-per-gallon gasoline, is up to you. Sales show most folks seem to be erring on the side of caution.

For those still in the truck market, however, this is a fine piece. It is arguably the quietest truck we've ever driven--close to Lexus-quiet on the highway. Even doing 70 mph on the interstate, there's barely a hint of wind noise, and what is heard in the cabin is mostly tire noise.

The interior design is terrific for any type of vehicle, let alone what you would expect in a pickup. The layout is pleasing to look at and the controls are intuitive, plus the materials look and feel good.

It handles superbly on the road, too. The steering is quick and direct, with a nice, solid feel. There's no mushiness, no sloppiness, just a feeling of being in complete control--hardly the stuff of pickup trucks past.

Driving over rough roads, there's the barest hint of truckiness, and that's the way it's supposed to be. Above all else, this is a tool, a heavy-duty utensil. That Ford made it so comfortable, so quiet, so capable of being so many different things, is a plus.

2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost V-6

True truck owners, those who need to buy pickups for towing and hauling, need the practicality of a truck, but like everyone else, would like to use less fuel. Unlike the commuters who haul air in their trucks, true truck users don't have the option of swapping their pickups for economy cars.

The obvious solution has been for manufacturers to start putting diesel engines into their light-duty pickup trucks, but the large price difference between regular unleaded and diesel, often about a dollar per gallon, has caused a rethink of that plan. Ford says it has put off (at least for a couple years) its previously announced plan to offer a diesel in the F-150 in 2010.

Instead, the company is developing a V-6 EcoBoost engine for the F-150 which employs turbocharging and direct-injection -- a design that Ford says will deliver similar power to a V-8 engine -- all while using less gas.

Such engines are cheaper to build than diesels -- less than $1000 more costly than a conventional V-8 in comparison to the $4000 or $5000 price tag of a diesel engine, according to Ford. That thousand bucks buys you more power, expected to top the targets of 340 horsepower and 340 pound-feet of torque from the 3.5-liter turbo V-6, compared with the 320 and 390 for today's 5.4-liter Triton V-8.

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It will also return 15-20 percent better mileage, Ford engineers predict. That extrapolates to 16 mpg city/23 highway for the EcoBoost engine, compared with 13 and 18 for the V-8 today.

Towing and other hard work won't tax the EcoBoost engine, even though conventional wisdom would suggest that a smaller-displacement engine would have to work harder and that a turbocharged engine could be stressed by heavy loads. The direct injection of gasoline has the effect of cooling the combustion chamber, as the fuel absorbs heat when it evaporates. According to an engineer who is developing the EcoBoost F-150, "cooling has not been an issue."

One challenge will be the sound characteristics of a turbo six-cylinder, which will be different from the familiar mellow rumble of a V-8. The company is looking at solutions, including a simplified active sound-cancellation system that will mold the sound waves that emerge from the exhaust pipe, but without a complex closed-loop system using microphones to monitor and adapt to the sounds being produced. The system would instead use a simple data map to know what it should do under different circumstances.

EcoBoost-powered F-150s will arrive in showrooms in 2010 for the 2011 model year.

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