Common side effects of the “Little Blue Oval” include:
- Excessive smiling
- Frequent laughter
- Long road trips
- Increased fuel economy
- Class leading comfort
- Advanced safety features
- The need to feed a little speed to your ride...Yo!
Okay, who'd a thunk it? Ford's all-new F-150 that's beautifully married to a glorious 3.0 Liter V6 Power Stroke Turbo-Diesel, is precisely the spice my life has been lacking. Don't get me wrong, "I'm cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs” and Ford's EcoBoost offerings, I currently have a 3.5 and have previously owned their 2.7, as well – they are efficient powerhouses. Hell, in the past ten years I have owned five new F-150’s and three of them were 5.0L V8's. However, I’ve found my days to be much brighter when Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) is involved. DEF is chicken noodle soup for my soul!
To the meat of the subject now: Ford’s revolutionary 3.0 Liter V6 Power Stroke Turbo Diesel and its performance. Before I stepped foot into this F-150 SuperCrew, I had previously interviewed Travis Calhoun. Travis is tall, he’s funny, has an awesome name, is a Washington Huskies fan (I cyber stalked him), and is the F-150 Consumer Marketing Manager for Ford Motor Company. Travis dished all the necessary dirt and hardcore facts about this new 3.0 Liter V6 Power Stroke Turbo-Diesel and it genuinely piqued my interest, much like Taco Tuesday does, every Tuesday. Then, stupidly, I hopped on Google and read some reviews. Alright, Googling truck reviews can be equated to self-diagnosing yourself on WebMD. I swear, most automotive writers are class act ninny’s that pride themselves in, and work harder at, finding what they don’t like, instead of focusing on the perks and ingenuity that went into designing, developing, manufacturing and marketing said truck. But I digress. Here is the unadulterated truth, Ford’s 3.0 Liter V6 Power Stroke Turbo-Diesel produces 250 horsepower and 440 lb-ft. of torque, is paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, has best-in-class towing at 11,400 pounds and a payload of 1,940 pounds. It is an asphalt crushing demon! It’s robust, has enough muscle to pull a barn over and let’s face it, chicks dig diesels. Secret time, the sheer sight and sound of this Ford F-150 diesel nearly led to the conception of what would have been my fifth child. That Little Blue Oval works wonders, in many ways!
Interesting fact, the F-150’s 3.0 Liter V6 Power Stroke Turbo-Diesel only has a 6.5 oil quart capacity. How does this concern you? Well, in regard to maintenance and oil changes, less oil means more savings. And since we’re haplessly discussing cost cutting measures, let’s dive headfirst into fuel economy. Other reviewers drive on designated off-road trails, have pristine scenic highways to pull their perfectly calculated, weighted and well balanced loads on – however, I drove this F-150 like it was my own, and it was fixing to be repoed. I synced the Bluetooth to my phone, cranked up Asking Alexandria on the Bang & Olufsen speakers, which are primo in clarity and sound, and took it coyote and deer hunting. Plus, I hauled hay in it, went grocery shopping, made a few quick trips to the liquor store, checked fences, cattle, took my dog to the vet (he picked a fight with a raccoon and lost :), took my daughter to a dance recital, and regularly had to use four-wheel drive. Four-wheel drive happens to be shift-on-the-fly, so high five for that! After it was all said and done, I averaged right at 22.3 miles per gallon, which was phenomenal. Surprisingly, aside from the initial startup, and when idling with the windows open, I couldn’t hear the diesel engine, whatsoever. Unless you open the hood or notice the Power Stroke badging on the driver and passenger doors, you’d most likely assume it was a well-mannered gasser. As with all F-150’s, noise within the cabin was nearly nonexistent and it furthered my driving/riding experience. When I stepped on the accelerator of this Turbo-Diesel, though, and the turbo kicked in, I could literally feel the brute harnessed power this diesel has. As it gains momentum the power rapidly keeps building and there is an underlying sense of confidence and capability because you know this diesel is up for any task you throw at it. Shoot, with 440 lb-ft of torque, available at just 1,750 rpms and is then transferred to a 3.55:1 rear-axle ratio, your towing/hauling needs are more than met, and even exceeded.
One option I can’t live without is the addition of the FX4 package, which this diesel had and my current Ecoboost has, too. The FX4 off-road package includes an electronic-locking rear differential that completely locks the rear axle for ultimate traction at both wheels – that’s a bonus for me. Plus, it has Hill Descent Control that can stay active up to twenty MPH, you just have to drop below 12 MPH before a speed can be set or maintained. Hill Descent Control controls downhill descent by using the Powertrain Control Module, the Antilock Brake System and Cruise Control. Furthermore, the FX4 upgrade has off-road tuned shock absorbers, skid plates, and the super cool “FX4 Off-Road” decal that’s located on both sides on the ass end of the bed. Speaking of rear ends, if your truck’s tailgate doesn’t have the soft/slow open feature like this diesel does, make sure your next new Ford truck does. This eliminates your tailgate from slamming open, plus, it has remote tailgate release. So, you can lock, unlock and even open the tailgate remotely with a switch in the truck or with the key fob. That’s like next level stuff there. You can also use this feature to freak your friends out big time. When you’re all standing around outside your house enjoying an adult beverage and showing off your snazzy new F-150, reach in your pocket, click your key fob to open the tailgate and then proceed to tell your friends your truck is possessed! Speaking from experience, it works. Just have them close the tailgate and repeat the process. After it opens three or four times on its own, they will be believers.
Alright, before we go on I have to warn you, we’re fixing to go deep space and no, I’m not intoxicated, nor am I exaggerating amenities. So, have you ever heard of Adaptive Cruise Control with stop-and-go technology? Secret time, you will love this feature more than you do your children. If you don’t have children, buy an F-150 that has it and you’ll be fulfilled. What Adaptive Cruise Control with stop-and-go technology does, is give you, the driver, the ability to not only set your cruise, but the distance you want to stay away from the vehicle in front of you. Then, if you’re zipping along at, of course, the speed limit and your cruise and distance is set, your F-150 will compensate for any vehicles breaking or reducing speed in front of you and will match it all the while keeping the distance you specifically set. No joke, Jay-Z doesn't even have this technology yet. The Queen Bee wants it and she’s jealous that I’ve experienced the future and she hasn’t. Adding insult to injury, when Beyoncé learned this F-150 I was testing had Trailer Backup Assist, she was infuriated. Like I mentioned earlier when discussing the all-new 2019 Raptor with Brandon Cameron (a Ford Product Development Engineer – he’s a million times smarter than me) here, Trailer Backup Assist is a knob that’s located directly to the right of the steering column and it allows you to back your trailer up by turning the knob. I know, it sounds too easy and it is. When you put your F-150 in reverse and your trailer is hooked up, the LCD screen center dash will give you a complete view of the trailer and where you want to go. Then, you can turn the knob in the direction you want to go, instead of turning your steering wheel right to go left. Yes, no more reciting “Righty tighty”, clenching your butt cheeks and trying to compensate for the wind speeds in Beijing to back up your trailer. If you think that’s insane, brace yourselves for Ford’s Lane-Keeping System. Check this out, if you engage the Lane-Keeping System, your F-150 will notify you if you’re drifting out of lane by vibrating the steering wheel, by giving you torque sensations, or both simultaneously, if you choose. You can also increase the intensity of the alerts it gives you. Trust me, Buzz Aldrin will be asking for your autograph and enquiring about your adventures, if you get an F-150 like this.
This 2018 Ford F-150 that is equipped with the 3.0 Liter V6 Power Stroke Turbo-Diesel, had more cameras than most Fake News outlets. It’s mind blowing, but it provides you with a 360-degree camera with split view display. For layman's like myself, Ford uses four cameras, one up front in the grille, one in the rear end, the tailgate, and one under each of the sideview mirrors. Once the cameras collect all the data, photography, they piece the images together and display them on the LCD screen, again in the center stack. This is especially helpful when navigating your way through precarious situations off-road, parking or on tight trails. Included, as well, is the Hitch Assist feature that provides an acute line of sight to help you backup and connect your trailer receiver to your trailer, using the 360-degree camera setup. It’s pretty slick. This F-150 was a Lariat and that meant luxurious leather seats that were heated and ventilated, a heated steering wheel, heated trailer towing mirrors that were electronically adjustable, a bed liner, a cargo carrying setup and much, much more.
To recap, if it were up to me, I would own nothing but this Ford F-150 SuperCrew 3.0 Liter V6 Power Stroke Turbo-Diesel. Its muscle, low-end torque, flawless cruising, increased miles per gallon, and high-end finishes were all sensational, it seriously floored me. Sure, if you’re constantly in tow or have a considerable payload often, this new 3.0 Liter V6 Power Stroke Turbo-Diesel from Ford is right up your alley. That being said, I would recommend this truck to everyone, though. It’s not going to hurt this truck or drivetrain if all it’s used for is a daily driver to run errands. Personally, being a truck guy, I consider this F-150 as an extremely smart investment and since the upgraded Power Stroke engine is only a few thousand dollars more over the 2.7 EcoBoost, it won’t take long for you to recoup that money in fuel savings, regular maintenance, and longevity. Lastly, since the “Little Blue Oval” mentioned above has magical powers to cure whatever is ailing you physically or mentally, as well, your overall savings will be astronomical and impossible to completely comprehend. Not to mention the possibility of having your sweet new ride catch the eye and attention of Beyoncé, like it did for me. Heyoo!
Big shout out to my brothas - Chad Callender, Brian Bell, Travis Calhoun, Brandon Cameron and Dan “The Man” Barbossa at Ford Motor Company. Not to mention the whole Truck Team, engineers, the talented/hard working assembly crew and everyone who puts up with me. I have loved Ford, its history, and unrelenting commitment to quality ever since I was old enough to remember. Keep killin’ it fellas, Americans, such as myself, depend on y’all!
Hugs, Handshakes & Built Ford Tough
Trav