Hybridizing the EcoBoost V6 in the F-150 was a masterstroke for the Ford Motor Company, which boasts class-leading figures for a gasoline-powered truck in the half-ton segment. The question is, how does the PowerBoost stack up against its most direct rival, the HEMI eTorque?
Andre Smirnov and Roman Mica pitted two $71,000 trucks against each other to find out, and the winner of the showdown is the Blue Oval pickup. The Fast Lane compared these luxed-up trucks in six areas: payload and towing ratings, the sticker price, MPG figures, acceleration to 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour), the cabin’s quietness, and tech features.
Although it features two fewer cylinders, the F-150 has the upper hand over the 1500 in terms of payload and towing (11,000 and 1,419 pounds or 4,990 and 644 kilograms). The V8-powered Ram, by comparison, makes do with 7,806 and 1,007 pounds (3,541 and 457 kilograms) because it features a fancier suspension layout for the rear end and a 3.21:1 ratio for the rear end.
In the automated parking test, the Ram and Ford took a little more than a minute to park themselves, but the F-150 didn’t park all the way in the spot for no apparent reason. At 55 miles per hour (89 kilometers per hour) on the motorway, the 1500 is an idea quieter in the cabin at 58 versus 60 decibels.
Fully loaded as these pickups are, the Ram is a mere $100 less than the $71,540 hybrid truck. Speaking of hybrid assistance, the Ford has the upper hand in the real-world combined economy test at 26 miles per gallon (9.0 liters per 100 kilometers) versus 22 miles per gallon (10.7 liters per 100 kilometers). Finally, care to guess which truck is quicker in a straight line?
In 4WD Auto and Sport Mode, the F-150 PowerBoost V6 needs 6.15 seconds to 60 miles per hour on the bone-stock tires on a public road. The mild-hybridized 1500 HEMI eTorque couldn’t do better than 8.52 seconds.
Although it features two fewer cylinders, the F-150 has the upper hand over the 1500 in terms of payload and towing (11,000 and 1,419 pounds or 4,990 and 644 kilograms). The V8-powered Ram, by comparison, makes do with 7,806 and 1,007 pounds (3,541 and 457 kilograms) because it features a fancier suspension layout for the rear end and a 3.21:1 ratio for the rear end.
In the automated parking test, the Ram and Ford took a little more than a minute to park themselves, but the F-150 didn’t park all the way in the spot for no apparent reason. At 55 miles per hour (89 kilometers per hour) on the motorway, the 1500 is an idea quieter in the cabin at 58 versus 60 decibels.
Fully loaded as these pickups are, the Ram is a mere $100 less than the $71,540 hybrid truck. Speaking of hybrid assistance, the Ford has the upper hand in the real-world combined economy test at 26 miles per gallon (9.0 liters per 100 kilometers) versus 22 miles per gallon (10.7 liters per 100 kilometers). Finally, care to guess which truck is quicker in a straight line?
In 4WD Auto and Sport Mode, the F-150 PowerBoost V6 needs 6.15 seconds to 60 miles per hour on the bone-stock tires on a public road. The mild-hybridized 1500 HEMI eTorque couldn’t do better than 8.52 seconds.