2013 F-150 XL 5.0 Driving Impressions
08-09-2013, 11:36 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
2013 F-150 XL 5.0 Driving Impressions
I was able to spend a good day driving a new F-150 XL 5.0 regular cab long box. I put on 160km over a 6 hour period. It was given to me as a loaner while the dealership did some warranty work on my transfer case.
This was an entry level work truck with basic amenities like A/C, power windows and doorlocks, keyless entry and a radio. Nothing special about this truck at all.
I must say that despite being a regular cab, having a long box makes this truck a whole lot longer than what it would appear to be. At least to me. Coming from a crew cab short box to a regular cab long box is quite a difference. Also, there is a horrible blind spot on the driver side when changing lanes. Thankfully the driver-side mirror has a combination flat and convex mirror to help out with that. Unfortunately the passenger-side mirror is only flat.
The interior is decently appointed and since the truck is new the fitment of the panels is superb. But since this a basic XL the finish of the materials is poor, something that is even lower than my '03 Ram 1500. The gauge layout, something that I've always been critical about, is done nicely. Although I prefer the gauges on my '04 F-150 FX4 or even my Ram for that matter, these gauges abandon the voltmeter for a transmission temperature gauge. A tranny temp gauge is something all of our trucks should come with. The more information the better.
In regards to driving this truck, this is where I have to say I'm sadly disappointed. The steering is vague and far too light, regardless of the speed. It reminds me of an old Buick Regal that I had back in the '90s. Both of my trucks, which are about a decade old, steer far better than this brand new truck with only 2,000km.
The brakes are very sensitive, as any new vehicle would be. But driving up and down the Sea To Sky Highway and I could feel considerable brake fade. It wouldn't be fair to compare to my trucks since I have invested a lot on high end brake upgrades but for factory brakes I definitely would not recommend towing anything heavy up and down mountain passes.
The suspension is decent, although it doesn't seem to feel as planted as either of my trucks. It does a better job keeping the bumps out of the cabin, but it almost feels twitchy when taking a corner quickly. Having cheap 17 inch wheels with cheap 235/75R17 doesn't help. I'm sure with a proper wheel and tire upgrade the ride would feel so much better.
The biggest disappointment overall is the 5.0 Coyote motor. While I can't comment on things like maintenance, longevity, reliability and the only thing I can comment on is performance. And this motor stinks. While it lags considerably behind the 5.4 3V Triton, it is on the opposite end of the spectrum when compared to the 5.7 Hemi. While the Hemi produces transmission busting torque from idle to 4200RPM, the 5.0 Coyote has nothing until around 3200RPM and then finally building up some decent muscle upwards of 4500RPM. Why Ford decided to place a high winding engine with inadequate low end torque on a truck is anyone's guess. It isn't as responsive as my 200,000km 5.4 3V Triton and it doesn't have a fraction of the torque that my 210,000km 5.7 Hemi has. Although gearing could have changed the performance quite a bit, overall this new 5.0 Coyote doesn't cut it for me. I could see myself having a more difficult time trying to haul the same loads that I do with this truck as compared to my two decade old trucks. This truck had a 3.55:1 gears, my F-150 has 3.73:1 and my Ram has 3.92:1, but even with the gear ratios aside at any given gear this motor has nothing but V6 power below 4500RPM.
The one good thing about this motor is that it sounds fantastic. It doesn't have a clackety sound like the 5.4 3V Triton at all. It doesn't sound old school like the 5.7 Hemi. It actually sounds like it has a factory snarl, something that would entice a Mustang owner. Guess that's why they dropped this engine in there.
For those who think the 5.4 3V is underpowered, this 5.0 Coyote, despite having higher horsepower and torque figures, is even worse when it comes to low to mid RPM power. You would have to wind this b***h up like a Honda VTec motor if you wanted to see any of the advertised 360HP/380lb-ft of torque.
If there is one gem to this truck, it's the 6R80. What a fantastic gearbox. Silky smooth shifts. The last time I felt something this smooth was when I hooked up with this fat chick and she finally decided to groom herself. Damn. This transmission is eager to kick down once you step on the gas a little bit harder than normal, but it's never hard or abrupt. This is a far better selling point than the disappointing 5.0 Coyote.
Overall I must say I'm not really impressed by this truck. Far too many things, both big and little that I wouldn't be able to accept. Even with Ford's incentive to purchase at an employee cost, I don't see myself buying one of these. It would be a different story if I drove an XLT, XTR or FX4 with the Ecoboost or the 6.2 Boss.
This was an entry level work truck with basic amenities like A/C, power windows and doorlocks, keyless entry and a radio. Nothing special about this truck at all.
I must say that despite being a regular cab, having a long box makes this truck a whole lot longer than what it would appear to be. At least to me. Coming from a crew cab short box to a regular cab long box is quite a difference. Also, there is a horrible blind spot on the driver side when changing lanes. Thankfully the driver-side mirror has a combination flat and convex mirror to help out with that. Unfortunately the passenger-side mirror is only flat.
The interior is decently appointed and since the truck is new the fitment of the panels is superb. But since this a basic XL the finish of the materials is poor, something that is even lower than my '03 Ram 1500. The gauge layout, something that I've always been critical about, is done nicely. Although I prefer the gauges on my '04 F-150 FX4 or even my Ram for that matter, these gauges abandon the voltmeter for a transmission temperature gauge. A tranny temp gauge is something all of our trucks should come with. The more information the better.
In regards to driving this truck, this is where I have to say I'm sadly disappointed. The steering is vague and far too light, regardless of the speed. It reminds me of an old Buick Regal that I had back in the '90s. Both of my trucks, which are about a decade old, steer far better than this brand new truck with only 2,000km.
The brakes are very sensitive, as any new vehicle would be. But driving up and down the Sea To Sky Highway and I could feel considerable brake fade. It wouldn't be fair to compare to my trucks since I have invested a lot on high end brake upgrades but for factory brakes I definitely would not recommend towing anything heavy up and down mountain passes.
The suspension is decent, although it doesn't seem to feel as planted as either of my trucks. It does a better job keeping the bumps out of the cabin, but it almost feels twitchy when taking a corner quickly. Having cheap 17 inch wheels with cheap 235/75R17 doesn't help. I'm sure with a proper wheel and tire upgrade the ride would feel so much better.
The biggest disappointment overall is the 5.0 Coyote motor. While I can't comment on things like maintenance, longevity, reliability and the only thing I can comment on is performance. And this motor stinks. While it lags considerably behind the 5.4 3V Triton, it is on the opposite end of the spectrum when compared to the 5.7 Hemi. While the Hemi produces transmission busting torque from idle to 4200RPM, the 5.0 Coyote has nothing until around 3200RPM and then finally building up some decent muscle upwards of 4500RPM. Why Ford decided to place a high winding engine with inadequate low end torque on a truck is anyone's guess. It isn't as responsive as my 200,000km 5.4 3V Triton and it doesn't have a fraction of the torque that my 210,000km 5.7 Hemi has. Although gearing could have changed the performance quite a bit, overall this new 5.0 Coyote doesn't cut it for me. I could see myself having a more difficult time trying to haul the same loads that I do with this truck as compared to my two decade old trucks. This truck had a 3.55:1 gears, my F-150 has 3.73:1 and my Ram has 3.92:1, but even with the gear ratios aside at any given gear this motor has nothing but V6 power below 4500RPM.
The one good thing about this motor is that it sounds fantastic. It doesn't have a clackety sound like the 5.4 3V Triton at all. It doesn't sound old school like the 5.7 Hemi. It actually sounds like it has a factory snarl, something that would entice a Mustang owner. Guess that's why they dropped this engine in there.
For those who think the 5.4 3V is underpowered, this 5.0 Coyote, despite having higher horsepower and torque figures, is even worse when it comes to low to mid RPM power. You would have to wind this b***h up like a Honda VTec motor if you wanted to see any of the advertised 360HP/380lb-ft of torque.
If there is one gem to this truck, it's the 6R80. What a fantastic gearbox. Silky smooth shifts. The last time I felt something this smooth was when I hooked up with this fat chick and she finally decided to groom herself. Damn. This transmission is eager to kick down once you step on the gas a little bit harder than normal, but it's never hard or abrupt. This is a far better selling point than the disappointing 5.0 Coyote.
Overall I must say I'm not really impressed by this truck. Far too many things, both big and little that I wouldn't be able to accept. Even with Ford's incentive to purchase at an employee cost, I don't see myself buying one of these. It would be a different story if I drove an XLT, XTR or FX4 with the Ecoboost or the 6.2 Boss.
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08-09-2013, 11:48 PM
#2
Senior Member
Thread Starter
The rear end of the truck looks pretty much identical to our generation of trucks, although some of the mounting points and crossmembers are obviously different. (Pic 1)
Without the added benefit of an FX4 or at least a 4WD model this 2WD model sits far too low to the ground for me to feel safe about driving it in adverse weather conditions or taking it offroad. (Pic 2)
The 5.0 Coyote takes up a fraction of the room that the 5.4 3V takes. It's a nice, clean sheet design that utilizes space in a far better way than our trucks do. Too bad this little engine has such little power at low RPM. (Pic 3)
Without the added benefit of an FX4 or at least a 4WD model this 2WD model sits far too low to the ground for me to feel safe about driving it in adverse weather conditions or taking it offroad. (Pic 2)
The 5.0 Coyote takes up a fraction of the room that the 5.4 3V takes. It's a nice, clean sheet design that utilizes space in a far better way than our trucks do. Too bad this little engine has such little power at low RPM. (Pic 3)
The following users liked this post:
seannh (08-13-2013)
08-10-2013, 06:46 AM
#4
I actually enjoyed my test drive with the 5.0 quite a bit. I think it would have served me well and wow does it sound amazing. That said, the points you brought up are the exact reason I chose an ecoboost fx4. It does address these concerns. Nice write up.
08-10-2013, 10:09 AM
#7
With these trucks in order to "wind them out" there are other factors that need to be looked at. For example, the torque converter cannot spin at high revs reliably, drive shaft, etc.
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08-10-2013, 09:06 PM
#9
I was able to spend a good day driving a new F-150 XL 5.0 regular cab long box. I put on 160km over a 6 hour period. It was given to me as a loaner while the dealership did some warranty work on my transfer case.
This was an entry level work truck with basic amenities like A/C, power windows and doorlocks, keyless entry and a radio. Nothing special about this truck at all.
I must say that despite being a regular cab, having a long box makes this truck a whole lot longer than what it would appear to be. At least to me. Coming from a crew cab short box to a regular cab long box is quite a difference. Also, there is a horrible blind spot on the driver side when changing lanes. Thankfully the driver-side mirror has a combination flat and convex mirror to help out with that. Unfortunately the passenger-side mirror is only flat.
The interior is decently appointed and since the truck is new the fitment of the panels is superb. But since this a basic XL the finish of the materials is poor, something that is even lower than my '03 Ram 1500. The gauge layout, something that I've always been critical about, is done nicely. Although I prefer the gauges on my '04 F-150 FX4 or even my Ram for that matter, these gauges abandon the voltmeter for a transmission temperature gauge. A tranny temp gauge is something all of our trucks should come with. The more information the better.
In regards to driving this truck, this is where I have to say I'm sadly disappointed. The steering is vague and far too light, regardless of the speed. It reminds me of an old Buick Regal that I had back in the '90s. Both of my trucks, which are about a decade old, steer far better than this brand new truck with only 2,000km.
The brakes are very sensitive, as any new vehicle would be. But driving up and down the Sea To Sky Highway and I could feel considerable brake fade. It wouldn't be fair to compare to my trucks since I have invested a lot on high end brake upgrades but for factory brakes I definitely would not recommend towing anything heavy up and down mountain passes.
The suspension is decent, although it doesn't seem to feel as planted as either of my trucks. It does a better job keeping the bumps out of the cabin, but it almost feels twitchy when taking a corner quickly. Having cheap 17 inch wheels with cheap 235/75R17 doesn't help. I'm sure with a proper wheel and tire upgrade the ride would feel so much better.
The biggest disappointment overall is the 5.0 Coyote motor. While I can't comment on things like maintenance, longevity, reliability and the only thing I can comment on is performance. And this motor stinks. While it lags considerably behind the 5.4 3V Triton, it is on the opposite end of the spectrum when compared to the 5.7 Hemi. While the Hemi produces transmission busting torque from idle to 4200RPM, the 5.0 Coyote has nothing until around 3200RPM and then finally building up some decent muscle upwards of 4500RPM. Why Ford decided to place a high winding engine with inadequate low end torque on a truck is anyone's guess. It isn't as responsive as my 200,000km 5.4 3V Triton and it doesn't have a fraction of the torque that my 210,000km 5.7 Hemi has. Although gearing could have changed the performance quite a bit, overall this new 5.0 Coyote doesn't cut it for me. I could see myself having a more difficult time trying to haul the same loads that I do with this truck as compared to my two decade old trucks. This truck had a 3.55:1 gears, my F-150 has 3.73:1 and my Ram has 3.92:1, but even with the gear ratios aside at any given gear this motor has nothing but V6 power below 4500RPM.
The one good thing about this motor is that it sounds fantastic. It doesn't have a clackety sound like the 5.4 3V Triton at all. It doesn't sound old school like the 5.7 Hemi. It actually sounds like it has a factory snarl, something that would entice a Mustang owner. Guess that's why they dropped this engine in there.
For those who think the 5.4 3V is underpowered, this 5.0 Coyote, despite having higher horsepower and torque figures, is even worse when it comes to low to mid RPM power. You would have to wind this b***h up like a Honda VTec motor if you wanted to see any of the advertised 360HP/380lb-ft of torque.
If there is one gem to this truck, it's the 6R80. What a fantastic gearbox. Silky smooth shifts. The last time I felt something this smooth was when I hooked up with this fat chick and she finally decided to groom herself. Damn. This transmission is eager to kick down once you step on the gas a little bit harder than normal, but it's never hard or abrupt. This is a far better selling point than the disappointing 5.0 Coyote.
Overall I must say I'm not really impressed by this truck. Far too many things, both big and little that I wouldn't be able to accept. Even with Ford's incentive to purchase at an employee cost, I don't see myself buying one of these. It would be a different story if I drove an XLT, XTR or FX4 with the Ecoboost or the 6.2 Boss.
This was an entry level work truck with basic amenities like A/C, power windows and doorlocks, keyless entry and a radio. Nothing special about this truck at all.
I must say that despite being a regular cab, having a long box makes this truck a whole lot longer than what it would appear to be. At least to me. Coming from a crew cab short box to a regular cab long box is quite a difference. Also, there is a horrible blind spot on the driver side when changing lanes. Thankfully the driver-side mirror has a combination flat and convex mirror to help out with that. Unfortunately the passenger-side mirror is only flat.
The interior is decently appointed and since the truck is new the fitment of the panels is superb. But since this a basic XL the finish of the materials is poor, something that is even lower than my '03 Ram 1500. The gauge layout, something that I've always been critical about, is done nicely. Although I prefer the gauges on my '04 F-150 FX4 or even my Ram for that matter, these gauges abandon the voltmeter for a transmission temperature gauge. A tranny temp gauge is something all of our trucks should come with. The more information the better.
In regards to driving this truck, this is where I have to say I'm sadly disappointed. The steering is vague and far too light, regardless of the speed. It reminds me of an old Buick Regal that I had back in the '90s. Both of my trucks, which are about a decade old, steer far better than this brand new truck with only 2,000km.
The brakes are very sensitive, as any new vehicle would be. But driving up and down the Sea To Sky Highway and I could feel considerable brake fade. It wouldn't be fair to compare to my trucks since I have invested a lot on high end brake upgrades but for factory brakes I definitely would not recommend towing anything heavy up and down mountain passes.
The suspension is decent, although it doesn't seem to feel as planted as either of my trucks. It does a better job keeping the bumps out of the cabin, but it almost feels twitchy when taking a corner quickly. Having cheap 17 inch wheels with cheap 235/75R17 doesn't help. I'm sure with a proper wheel and tire upgrade the ride would feel so much better.
The biggest disappointment overall is the 5.0 Coyote motor. While I can't comment on things like maintenance, longevity, reliability and the only thing I can comment on is performance. And this motor stinks. While it lags considerably behind the 5.4 3V Triton, it is on the opposite end of the spectrum when compared to the 5.7 Hemi. While the Hemi produces transmission busting torque from idle to 4200RPM, the 5.0 Coyote has nothing until around 3200RPM and then finally building up some decent muscle upwards of 4500RPM. Why Ford decided to place a high winding engine with inadequate low end torque on a truck is anyone's guess. It isn't as responsive as my 200,000km 5.4 3V Triton and it doesn't have a fraction of the torque that my 210,000km 5.7 Hemi has. Although gearing could have changed the performance quite a bit, overall this new 5.0 Coyote doesn't cut it for me. I could see myself having a more difficult time trying to haul the same loads that I do with this truck as compared to my two decade old trucks. This truck had a 3.55:1 gears, my F-150 has 3.73:1 and my Ram has 3.92:1, but even with the gear ratios aside at any given gear this motor has nothing but V6 power below 4500RPM.
The one good thing about this motor is that it sounds fantastic. It doesn't have a clackety sound like the 5.4 3V Triton at all. It doesn't sound old school like the 5.7 Hemi. It actually sounds like it has a factory snarl, something that would entice a Mustang owner. Guess that's why they dropped this engine in there.
For those who think the 5.4 3V is underpowered, this 5.0 Coyote, despite having higher horsepower and torque figures, is even worse when it comes to low to mid RPM power. You would have to wind this b***h up like a Honda VTec motor if you wanted to see any of the advertised 360HP/380lb-ft of torque.
If there is one gem to this truck, it's the 6R80. What a fantastic gearbox. Silky smooth shifts. The last time I felt something this smooth was when I hooked up with this fat chick and she finally decided to groom herself. Damn. This transmission is eager to kick down once you step on the gas a little bit harder than normal, but it's never hard or abrupt. This is a far better selling point than the disappointing 5.0 Coyote.
Overall I must say I'm not really impressed by this truck. Far too many things, both big and little that I wouldn't be able to accept. Even with Ford's incentive to purchase at an employee cost, I don't see myself buying one of these. It would be a different story if I drove an XLT, XTR or FX4 with the Ecoboost or the 6.2 Boss.
The rear end of the truck looks pretty much identical to our generation of trucks, although some of the mounting points and crossmembers are obviously different. (Pic 1)
Without the added benefit of an FX4 or at least a 4WD model this 2WD model sits far too low to the ground for me to feel safe about driving it in adverse weather conditions or taking it offroad. (Pic 2)
The 5.0 Coyote takes up a fraction of the room that the 5.4 3V takes. It's a nice, clean sheet design that utilizes space in a far better way than our trucks do. Too bad this little engine has such little power at low RPM. (Pic 3)
Without the added benefit of an FX4 or at least a 4WD model this 2WD model sits far too low to the ground for me to feel safe about driving it in adverse weather conditions or taking it offroad. (Pic 2)
The 5.0 Coyote takes up a fraction of the room that the 5.4 3V takes. It's a nice, clean sheet design that utilizes space in a far better way than our trucks do. Too bad this little engine has such little power at low RPM. (Pic 3)
I don't know why people on here are saying that the ecoboost is a rocket because it's not. I felt the boost at 80km/h and that's about it. I only see the benefit of it if you are towing heavy loads, then it may perform well.
The trans temp gauge you mentioned by the way is a dummy gauge and will only move if the trans is already cooking. The truck underneath is pretty much the same that why the f150 provides so much profit for ford, they only truly redesign it every 10-15 years.
And ford only stuck in the 5.0 v8 for the die hard v8 guys, not even sure if any v8 will be available for 2015. Ford did state they are eventually going to drop the v8 from the f150.
08-10-2013, 11:28 PM
#10
Senior Member
I know they recently came out and adamantly denied that there will ever be a diesel available in the F150. If you're only choice becomes the EcoV6, the F150 will just become a toy for the tuner crowd and grocery getter for soccer Moms.
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F100Steve (08-14-2013)