2009 Ford F-150 Arrives, Places New Dodge Ram In Full Nelson

The New 2009 Ford F-150

Heavily redesigned for ‘09, the Ford F-150 is now the truck equivalent of that guy at the gym who can bench press double his body weight, graduated magna cum laude from Yale, and has a hot girlfriend. Undergoing a massive overhaul, the 2009 F-150 is bigger, faster, stronger, and - surprisingly - lighter, putting Ford squarely back on top as king of the pick-up trucks. On a corporate level, the new F-150 also represents Ford finally cashing in that reality check and realizing that knocking down your supporting column isn’t exactly the best business strategy, $4 a gallon for gas or not.

View Specs and Gallery After Jump Known for their power and durability, Ford has re-engineered the F-150 with a fully boxed frame and hydro-formed high strength steel side rails. With a sturdier, lighter chassis, the F-150 now boasts an estimated 1mpg boost in overall fuel efficiency, higher crash test ratings, and a significant increase in max towing and payload capacity. Realizing that 6-cylinders have no place beneath the hood of an F-150, new engine offerings include a 5.4L 3-valve Triton V8, 4.6L 3-valve V8, or a 4.6L 2-valve V8 - nary a V6 in site. Last year’s herd of V8’s averaged 300-hp, 275-hp, and 250-hp respectively, but this year’s body design is supposed to increase those offerings significantly, though official specs have yet to be released.

Externally, the most obvious change is its menacing grin with Ford’s chrome Super Duty grill becoming the new face for the F-150. An exercise in practicality, new retractable tailgate steps make mounting the beast a little less like an Olympic pole vaulting event while the fold-able bed extender has been upgraded from tubular aluminum to a durable plastic composite, making it stronger and more flexible. Overall bed length extends by about a foot, in part to accommodate the extra space taken up by Ford’s new dual bed organizers.  

On the inside, the ‘09 F-150 reveals a man whose personal pampering falls somewhere in between “Occasionally Showering” and ”Total Manscaping”. The key is moderation, and the F-150’s interior does a perfect job of blending the durability needed on the job site with the comfort and luxurious wanted for date night. Gaining 6-inches of total interior space [effectively become the first pick-up that isn't bullshitting when it says it can seat 4 adult men comfortably], the plastic and aluminum interior has been upgraded in favor of leather and wood-grain [or DuraTec and wood-grain "finish", if the first choice is a little too frou-frou for you].

2009 Ford F-150 Platinum

After several nasty, public break-ups between Ford and F-series, the ensuing steamy makeup session that bought the F-150 all its shiny new baubles also yielded another little miracle for 2009, a big bundle of Platinum joy. Set to replace the Lincoln Mark LT luxury pick-up, the 2009 Ford F-150 Platinum pick-up has all the rugged capability of its siblings as well as more bling than a gangster rap posse. Lauded by some of the more “sensitive” auto bloggers as an egregiously masculine, laughably compensatory truck, the F-150 Platinum comes standard with a Triton V8, satin chrome grill, and a tuxedo-stitched leather interior.

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Reader Review of the Week

Companies like GM and Ford may be abandoning the minivan, but it’s still a competitive segment, especially among import brands. Last year, Hyundai introduced its first minivan, the Entourage.

In his expert review of the Entourage last summer, Cars.com’s own Joe Wiesenfelder said it is “a model that impresses not only shoppers who are unfamiliar with the brand, but also those who have followed the South Korean brand’s improvements and growth.” That certainly seems the case in this week’s top consumer review by a Toyota Sienna owner going by the name of “Long Term Toyota Customer.” He or she was impressed by the Entourage during a four-day trial and pointed out many pros and cons compared to the Sienna.

Long Term Toyota Customer’s review is below. You can write your own car review right here.

"We drove the 2007 Entourage around town for four days while our 2005 Sienna was in the shop for body work. Although not apples to apples, I think the comparison is useful, since our 2005 Sienna shares most features of the 2007 Sienna, except for the engine (266 hp for 2007 vs. 215 hp for 2005). Hyundai engineers must have spent six months studying a room full of Siennas. There was striking duplication of features all the way down to the door handles.

The Hyundai (242 hp) felt light, nimble and powerful despite being 280 pounds heavier than the 2005 Sienna (but not an advantage over the 2007 Sienna, as noted above). Hyundai acceleration was a bit too sensitive for me (tended to jump forward with a slight push of the accelerator). Our Sienna, while amply powered, requires a stomp on the accelerator to move. Hyundai downshifting was more responsive than the Sienna, which has a disconcerting delay of seconds shifting.

Hyundai appeared to have more legroom space in the mid seating area, although perhaps related to differences in cars (our Sienna is an eight-seater, Hyundai has seven seats). It was easier to get kids in out and around second row baby seats in the Hyundai. Both cars were quiet. It was easier to hear other cars outside the Hyundai (maybe related to less wind noise). The Hyundai seemed to rattle a bit, but to be fair, our Sienna had a highly annoying left sliding door rattle (fixed under warranty).

Hyundai controls looked cheaper compared to the Sienna, and may not hold up. Speedometer was not prominent or as easy to read. In fairness, the Sienna has cheap plastic snap-together molding around the base and hinge areas of the seats that frequently comes apart or bends/breaks. The Hyundai headlights were brighter and vertically focused while giving great lateral illumination compared to the Sienna. Steering was tighter on the Hyundai, whereas Sienna steering feels over-assisted with just enough play to be annoying. The Sienna has stereo controls on the steering wheel; Hyundai does not.

Hyundai deserves a pat on the back for developing a great car. However, the Sienna is still clearly the better deal based on proven reliability and resale value."

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2007 Dodge Nitro: First Drive

Dodge’s first midsize SUV is a noticeable improvement over anything else in the Chrysler group’s portfolio in this segment. The Nitro features nice interior touches, a user-friendly cargo area and a tough look in a very crowded segment. After a short test around suburbia, I was impressed with the ride and handling, even if the brakes weren’t up to par. 

On the road, the R/T model was remarkably quiet and smothered bumps with ease. The ride was incredibly high, too. While many SUVs are aiming for a carlike ride and are even built on car platforms, the Nitro is based on a truck-like platform similar to — but not shared with — the Jeep Liberty.

Drivers will also note a large hood stretched out in front of them. It was hard to judge where the corners were, but the Nitro didn’t drive like it was much bigger than the Liberty; the Nitro is actually 4.5 inches longer and 1.5 inches wider.

Huge 20-inch wheels cap off the exterior, which looks cartoonishly macho. This is the vehicle Bluto would drive if he had to chase Popeye today. The high beltline and small windows add to this Hummer-like look, but also detract from the day-to-day chores you need a car to handle. In my short time with the Nitro I could barely talk to someone outside the SUV — let alone shake their hand — because of the small windows. I can’t imagine using a drive-through ATM in this thing with any success. Expect to park and go inside the bank unless you want to look like an idiot opening the door to get to your cash.

The interior is one of Chrysler’s nicest to date in a mainstream vehicle. The window switches actually come from the Mercedes-Benz side of the corporation, and they’re immediately noticeable as a huge upgrade. They were the first thing I noticed when I opened the door, and Joe Wiesenfelder immediately recognized their high-end origin as well. A huge shifter is yet another cartoonish feature, but the gauges and sturdy leather were more contemporary and, dare I say, handsome.

A new “Load ‘n Go” system allows the cargo floor to slide out for easier loading of said cargo. While it works perfectly and feels rock solid — it can hold up to 400 pounds — I found it a bit too high for everyday grocery runs. However, when you fold all the seats down the space looks enormous. According to Dodge it’s 65.2 cubic feet, putting it above the Mazda CX-7 and just below the Ford Edge’s capacity.   

With mileage rated at 17/21 mpg city/highway in the 260-hp R/T, there are more efficient car-based SUVs out there that are also slightly more practical, but I ended up liking the Nitro a lot more than I ever thought possible. Perhaps there’s a little Bluto in me after all. Damn, I always saw myself as more of a Popeye.

Related:
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