2012 Ford F-150 Charlotte NC

The 2012 Ford F-150 delivers a strong combination of style, interior comfort, performance, ride and hauling ability. With multiple choices in trim, drivetrains and body styles, there's an F-150 for every type of pickup owner.  The Ford F-150 gets some minor changes for the 2012 model year. There are now four-high, four-low, full-time and all-wheel-drive auto modes on the four-wheel-drive models. Hill start assist is also a new feature, and so is an electronic locking rear axle for the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 and 5.0-liter V-8, all of which are supposed to help improve traction capabilities. A new, larger fuel tank is now standard on all four-wheel-drive EcoBoost F-150s. Also, the four-wheel drive system now has a two-speed automatic four-wheel-drive system for the Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum trim levels.

Handling of the '12 F-150

Two V8 and two V6 engines are offered, all with six-speed automatic transmissions. Standard on 2WD is a 302-hp 3.7-liter V6. Other choices include a 360-hp 5-liter V8 for all cab/bed configurations, a 411-hp 6.2-liter V8 on SuperCrew short beds, and a 365-hp twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 on all but regular cab/short beds. Several axle ratios are offered with each engine. The F-150 has a fully boxed frame, which is quite stiff and resistant to both bending and twist. The front suspension is a dual ball-joint design pioneered and still used by BMW and found on the Expedition sport-utility, while the rear suspension has long leaf springs and outboard shocks. Electric-assist steering is used on all F-150 except those with the 6.2 V8. It makes for lighter effort at low speeds, better weighting at road speeds, never loses assist in extensive maneuvering as when backing a trailer, and is programmed to reduce fatigue from crowned roads or crosswinds.

2012 Ford F-150  Exterior

With one of the deepest beds in the segment, the F-150 has generous cargo volume out back and a maximum payload rating of 3,060 pounds; most versions carry 1,600-2,100 pounds. The 2012 Ford F-150 comes in more than 50 configurations. Regular Cabs are offered in standard bed and long bed XL, STX, or XLT grades. SuperCab trucks add higher FX and Lariat trim to choices plus SVT's Raptor, and a short-bed option. A long-bed SuperCab is available only with the heavy-duty package. The SuperCrew F-150, available with either the short bed or standard bed, drops the STX grade and adds King Ranch and Platinum derivatives while Harley-Davidson and Lariat Limited are SuperCrew short bed only.

New Ford F-150  Cabin

Virtually everything you might need in a vehicle is either standard or available. The speaker grilles on high-line models that look like metal really are, and in some cases the trim is real brushed aluminum. The wood is faux but well done, perhaps to save trees. Front and rear-seat room is very good; the rear is a vast, spacious area for three adults with a flat floor all the way across and full roll-down windows. All models use the same basic dash layout, with tachometer to left, speedometer to right, and oil pressure, coolant temperature, fuel and transmission fluid temperature lined up between. The new central screen provides a wider array of information called up by a thumb-switch on the steering wheel, including but not limited to transmission fluid temperature, fuel economy/range, gear selected, trailer profiles, and tire pressures.

Lineup of the 2012 F-150

The F-150 XL is a standard bed, Regular Cab two-wheel drive. It comes with 3.7-liter V6, 17-inch steel wheels, black bumper/grille/mirrors, and vinyl upholstery and floor covering. XL includes air conditioning, split front bench (and rear on four-door cabs), locking tailgate, tilt steering wheel, stability control, capless fuel filler and a stereo radio.

F-150 STX models add body-color bumpers over a black grille, CD player, and cloth seats with driver lumbar. More equipment is available, including 18-inch wheels, Sirius radio, SYNC, cruise control, fog lamps and power mirrors.

F-150 XLT adds chrome for bumpers and trim, power mirrors, remote keyless entry, automatic headlamps, carpeting, cruise control, power windows and locks, and better cloth upholstery. All manner of options are available on the XLT, including three wheel diameters, tailgate step, cargo management and towing equipment. F-150 FX4 and FX2 come with a 5-liter V8, black grille and body-colored bumpers, trim and mirrors. Electric-shift 4WD is standard, as are fog lamps, a locking differential, towing package, 18-inch wheels, sporty cloth split bench seat, Sirius radio, and the 5.4-liter V8/6-speed automatic powertrain.

F-150 Lariat is the mainstream luxury F-150 and hence is four-door only with V8 or turbo V6 engines. Chrome trim and bumpers highlight monotone paint, and the Lariat adds heated mirrors with signal repeaters and auto-dimming on the driver's and inside, dual-zone climate control, heated power leather seats with driver memory, leather wheel with redundant audio controls, tow package, SYNC, trip computer, and power adjustable pedals. Options include 20-inch wheels, heated/cooled front seats, Sony sound and navigation, trailer brake controller, rear camera and park sensors, and moonroof.

F-150 King Ranch is like a Lariat with a different attitude. It adds two-tone paint and KR badges, unique wheels, mesh chrome grille, Chaparral leather heated and cooled power captain's chairs with driver memory, running boards, and power folding, heated, signal outside mirrors with chrome caps.

F-150 Platinum SuperCrew gets a unique satin chrome grille, body-color bumpers and wheel lip moldings, 20-inch wheels, power-deploy/retract running boards, satin chrome tailgate trim, tuxedo-stitched leather power captain's chairs, wood grain and brushed aluminum trim, rain-sensing wipers, power folding/heated mirrors, and unique console. A special F-150 Harley-Davidson edition is also 6.2 V8 only and decked out in colors and heavy chrome trim befitting the brand it's named after.

Ford's SVT division offers the Raptor, intended for serious, high-speed off-road use. It comes only with the 411-hp 6.2-liter V8. Unique long-travel high-performance suspension, wheels and tires, and aggressive bodywork set it apart from any other F-150.

Conclusions

Safety features that come standard include antilock brakes, stability control (AdvanceTrac RSC), trailer sway control, frontal airbags, front side airbags, and side curtain airbags. Safety-related options include an integrated trailer brake controller, rear-view camera, MyKey, and reverse park sensors. Smooth and quiet, the F-150 is comfortable on bumpy streets around town, over rugged terrain like construction sites, farms and utility roads, and on the open highway. Its steering is nicely weighted and requires little correction on the highway making it nice for long cross-country tows. The cabs are comfortable, whether ordered with leather or cloth. Visit the official Ford F-150 site for more on this model.

Some information for this review was obtained from NewCarTestDrive.com