2008 Detroit Auto Show: 2009 Ford F-150

• Competes with: Chevrolet Silverado, Dodge Ram, Toyota Tundra
• Looks like: Ford truck designers have been playing with their blocks
• Drivetrain: 4.6-liter V-8, E85 capable 5.4-liter V-8, four-speed and six-speed automatic transmissions
• Hits dealerships: Fall 2008

First, we’re just going to come out and say it: We don’t know how much the 2009 Ford F-150 shown here tows. That’s one bit of information — along with horsepower and torque — that Ford didn’t release before Sunday’s public unveiling at the kickoff of the Detroit auto show.

We do know quite a bit, though. For one, the F-150 is significantly redesigned for 2009. Besides the new looks and a polarizing grille, the chassis has been revised and is lighter and stiffer. Ford says this helps make all variations of the 2009 F-150 the most capable in the segment, meaning that it should tow more than the current model’s 10,000+ lbs.

There are three engine choices: Two 4.6-liter V-8s, one for economy, one for power, and a top-of-the-line 5.4-liter Triton V-8. Ford doesn’t say if the engines are more powerful than before, but they are saying the trio gets 1 mpg better fuel economy than the previous models.

The biggest changes are perhaps to the interior, where many new corporate parts have been integrated. The center stack is busting with buttons. The 2009 F-150 also gets the new Sync system and upgraded voice activated navigation with Sirius TravelLink. The truck bed also comes with an available cargo system with custom made toolboxes. We’ll get more information in the morning, but for now check out the photos below.

Comments

Its nice, the center stack is crowded though. Also, the tailgate is weird, but could be a positive because all other trucks have mostly smooth tailgates.

The grille is awesome.

The headlights looks like sharing with the Expedition. Why is the interior looking like the old one?

yeah, i'm not a fan of the interior either. there's too many different surfaces and too many creases. not sure why they had to make it so busy. and the rediculously thick A-piller will ensure that whole groups of pedestrians in crosswalks go unseen...

They needed to wipe the chalkboard clean, and try again, instead of just "improving" which they obviously suck at...the side profile is the same, the camera is in a horrible place and is begging to be stolen and the front end is very cheap and just not right...bold moves turned into someone took my testicles...

yeah, the flanks look pretty much the same. the interior looks very similar to the new superduty (not the old f150), and yeah, the new superduty interior may have been an improvement compared to the old superduty interior (which was really cheap looking), but it's a step backward when applied to the f150.

V, what does Ford "obviously suck at"? Do they suck at building the toughest truck year after year which makes everyone else constantly play catch-up? Do they suck at building the best selling truck for the last 31 years which proves they know what people want in a truck?

I'm no Ford fan-boy but when it comes to their trucks you can't deny the facts. Ford is king of the hill when it comes to trucks. They need to keep the design fresh because there's a lot of competition out there trying to knock #1 off the top of the mountain. They're obviously trying to use the F-150s appeal to get a "halo" effect on the rest of their product line. There are obvious styling cues to the Explorer, Flex, Edge and even Focus on this vehicle. We'll have to see if it works in '09

I like the F-150 but, let's face it...

The F-150 is like an incandescent lightbulb. Pretty much found anywhere and everywhere. It's been the number one selling bulb for years because the competiton was nearly the same in style and capability. It boiled down to what dealership was nearest to the cuctomer and who offered the best price. Kinda like a gallon of milk. 3 grocery stores in your area sell a gallon of milk. You're most likely to buy the cheapest gallon from the closest store.

Now, we have CFL lights because times are changing. There are more trucks from other competitors that can do the same job as the F-150 and those CFLs are becomong more and more available in small towns and urban areas alike. The F-150 may not hold it's postion in the lightsocket for very much longer. Interior gadgets or not.

this truck is uglyyy. looks like a silverado if you look at the front lights in picture 5 it can't beat any truck out there, toyota tundra is the king this time.

ben ben ben, why wuld you say something like that. thats silly. You must know the tundra has such a weak frame for a truck they should have used the "Flex" name instead of Ford. ben ben ben. silly silly silly.

The one thing this truck does well is make General Motors Silverado and Sierra look better and better in comparison. Seems like Ford forgot how to design a nice looking vehicle. All they do anymore is taking an existing design, and make it look uglier with all the tacked on gimmicks. The Fusion and the Mustang look good now, but lets see how Ford "redesigns" them in the future......

i'm surprised by the absense of a 6-cylinder. 4.6L V8 for fuel economy? come on... these V8's haven't been known for fuel economy so far. i guess they didn't say "good" fuel economy.

One of my customers builds boxes for trucks, so I see a lot of Ford Super Duty cab units.

And they
are
UGLY!!

Especially in the low grade/black plastic commercial trim.

I see this as an improvement.

BTW I don't know why F-150's are considered #1 in sales, but Silverados and Sieras which are almost identical are not counted by combining sales numbers.

It's one of the few times Ford doesn't sell extra capacity as a Mercury version.