The 2018 Ford F-150, the debuting edition of the iconic pickup and the best-selling vehicle in the United States, will feature two major firsts. It will offer a new diesel engine and a 10-speed transmission.
Unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show, the 2018 Ford F-150 will include a new 3.0-liter Power Stroke turbo diesel engine. A 3.3-liter engine also replaces the current 3.5-liter V6, both offering the same 282 horsepower engine.
The second-generation 2.7L EcoBoost also gets tweaked for better efficiency, more output, and better durability. It will feature the new 10-speed transmission. The 5.0L V8 trim also gets upgraded for higher output and will also have the new 10-speed transmission.
Ford also confirmed a hybrid F-150 will be offered for the first time in 2020.
The manufacturer hasn’t announced pricing for the new trucks. The base 2017 F-150 begins at about $26,000. The top-line starts at around $59,000.
The 2018 Ford F-150 will also an upgraded exterior. A new grille, new headlights, tail lights, and revised bumpers that combine to give the truck a wider, more planted stance. The tailgate also gets a new look and the truck gets six new wheel designs.
New also is available adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring optimized for trailering, a 360-degree camera and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection. A 4G LTE wifi hotspot that can connect up to 10 devices is also available, and SYNC and SYNC3 also enable Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
After its significant upgrade in 2015, the legacy of the F-150 keeps expanding. United States sales of the F-Series rose 5.2 percent in 2016 with 820,799 units sold. It’s now been the country’s top-selling truck for 40 consecutive years and the most popular light vehicle for 35 straight years. The diesel engine option aims to appeal to truck customers who tow and haul more than usual.
The 3.0-liter will be a variant of the Lion diesel engine that Ford builds for use in Land Rover and Jaguar vehicles. It will be produced in England.
The 2018 F-150 will be available to the public in the fall. Diesel engines won’t go on sale until summer 2018.
Article Last Updated: January 8, 2017.