Capable. Economical. Refined. F-150 nails all three.

2009 Ford F-150: Achieving multiple and conflicting goals<

Capable, economical, refined. These were often conflicting goals for the more than 1,000 people charged with designing, engineering and developing the 2009 Ford F-150. Achieving two would be an accomplishment, but Ford nailed all three with the new 2009 F-150.

The F-150's capability was easy to see while effortlessly towing a near four-ton trailer up and down a hilly road, slogging around an off-road course, dodging cones in accident-avoidance-type maneuvers with a load in the bed, and accelerating away from stoplights on public roads. Economy is simply measured: The F-150 is a lot of truck for the money with a starting price of just over $21,000 and popular trim levels available for less than $30,000. Also, with the SFE package,fuel economy reaches up to 21 miles per gallon on the highway, a number that can't be beat by F-150's competitors.

Refinement is more difficult to evaluate and describe: The object is to assess the lack of annoyances. Here's one example of how the F-150's refinement was revealed: While stopped at an intersection waiting for traffic to clear, I subconsciously sensed that the engine had died. As I instinctively reached to restart the truck, I glanced at the tachometer: The engine was still running but the idle speed was so much lower that the motionless F-150 felt like a hybrid that's automatically shut off its engine. After an intensive test drive, it's easy for me to say that the 2009 Ford F-150 is the most capable, economical and refined pickup truck ever produced.

The F-150 was dramatically redesigned and restyled inside and out for 2009. Exterior changes include a more upright and aggressive three-bar chrome grille. The nose also features two large "nostrils" beside the grille, a power domed hood and jeweled headlamps. There is a new, aerofriendly shape to the rear of the cab, while a lip on the top of the tailgate and front bumper shape also helps manage airflow, which improves fuel economy. Inside there is an all-new interior with more comfortable seats with more functions including optional heated and cooled 10-way power seats. Under-the-skin changes include a lighter but stronger frame due to the use of ultra high strength steel, a revised rear suspension that includes two-stage leaf springs that are six inches longer, and a boatload of tweaks that limits harshness and reduces noise.

Depending on trim level and equipment, the F-150 can handle a payload of up to 3,030 pounds. Properly equipped, it also boasts up to an 11,300-pound maximum towing capacity. The F-150 is available in seven unique trim levels, three cab styles and four box options: Ford says that makes for 35 distinct variations.

When the truck is moving, the steering offers excellent feel of the road and nice precision. Pickups have significantly increased in size, and some feel even bigger than they actually are. That's to say: Too big. In tight traffic or on winding two-lane roads, the F-150 feels nimble and controllable. Ford said a primary goal was to increase the F-150's capability without adding weight or reducing fuel economy or refinement. Here are a few ways—some optional—that was accomplished:

Full-length laser welds on the frame replace traditional spot welds to increase rigidity;
The SuperCrew is six inches longer and features a flat rear floor and one touch folding rear seats that fold up out of the way to provide best-in-class in-cab cargo capacity behind the front seats;
Available on FX4 is an electronic lockable rear differential that may make the difference between stuck or not in serious off-road situations;
The standard AdvancedTrac with Roll Stability Control system has been programmed to recognize when a trailer begins to sway and react to quell unwanted trailer motion by applying individual brakes or reducing acceleration;
The available in-dash trailer brake controller allows the driver to easily control the trailer's electronic brakes. The '09 F-150 is the only truck in its class that offers both trailer sway control and an integrated trailer brake controller
The stowable bed extender is made of rugged fiberglass-reinforced polypropylene (rather than the conventional aluminum) and splits in half to fold and stow out of the way;
To ease access to the bed, available class-exclusive box side steps pop out from under the sides with a touch of a foot, while the class-exclusive tailgate step folds down from the tailgate—just raise the grab bar and flip down the skid resistant step. This option stows right in the tailgate;
For descending steep hills with a trailer or heavy load, the standard tow/haul mode feature on F-150 equipped with a 6-speed transmission allows the truck to downshift and apply engine compression braking when the driver taps the brake;
The larger center console has space for handing file folders and a pair of laptop computers;
Available cargo management system includes two dual channel side rails and four cargosecuring cleats for handling and securing loads in the cargo bed.
The '09 F-150 offers three engines, all V-8s: a 320-horsepower 5.4-liter, a new-to-the-F-150 threevalve-per-cylinder 292-horsepower 4.6-liter, and a two-valve-per-cylinder 248-horsepower 4.6-liter. The first two come with a six-speed automatic that features both a very low first gear for strong acceleration and two overdrive gears for good highway fuel mileage. The 248-horse V-8 is mated to a four-speed automatic. Impressively, 4x2 F-150's with the 5.4-liter engine get the same 20 mpg highway mileage as the 4.6-liter three-valve engine. To help increase gas mileage the engine control system upgrades precisely manage fuel delivery to the combustion chamber and actively reduce fuel burned during deceleration. The available SFE Package sees a highway fuel economy increase to an unsurpassed 21 mpg/hwy.

For rigidity and durability, the F-150 has a fully boxed, ladder-style frame, which means its cross section is shaped like a rectangular tube. Cross bars are also fully boxed and are through-welded to create a highly rigid structure which contributes to a more comfortable and quiet ride.

While some other pickups employ coil springs in the rear, the '09 F-150 uses proven traditional leaf springs. Ford says leaf springs provide more capability and durability. To achieve ride and handling to match or exceed coil-spring suspensions, the leaf springs are six inches longer and three inches wide (the widest in the segment). The leaf springs feature two-stage action similar to that found on heavy trucks. Also, the shock absorbers are mounted outboard of the frame to reduce body learn.

Inside, the F-150 is loaded with storage areas. Controls for the sound system and climate control are easy to work. With the new seats and head restraints, it will take no time to adjust to a comfortable seating position with the available power recline, power adjustable lumbar functions. F-150s will be available with Ford's popular SYNC voice-activated control for mobile phones and sound system. The optional Sony 700-watt sound system comes with 10 speakers.

All F-150s feature standard electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, trailer sway control, and six air bags including the Safety Canopy® system. The F-150 has earned the highest crash test rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and expects top ratings from NHTSA once testing takes place.

The new F-150 offers some innovative technology including a suite of productivity tools aimed at truck owners, contractors and fleet managers called Ford Work Solutions. Options include an indash computer with wireless Internet, productivity software, printing capabilities and Garmin voice-activated navigation. Cable Lock by Master Lock offers a retractable cable with a heavy-duty locking shackle to keep gear secured in the bed. You can organize, scan and track tools, inventory and important items with Tool Link, which uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to make sure you have the right tools to get the job done. Crew Chief is a telematics service for the fleet manager to track truck locations, diagnostics and maintenance.

Price for the F-150 starts at just over $21,000 for an XL Regular Cab. The high-volume XLT SuperCab begins at a bit more than $29,000. The top-level Platinum version can reach almost $45,000. With the 2009 F-150, Ford has achieved conflicting goals to produce the best combination of capability, economy and refinement available in a pickup truck.