Tough Love: An F-150 From Kansas City

By Larry Printz

The Virginian-Pilot

I felt like a traitor. Here I was, driving a 2007 Ford F-150 pick- up truck made not in Norfolk, but in Kansas City.

The numbers tell the sad story. Ford's best-selling vehicle found 939,511 buyers in 2004, but only 796,039 two years later, according to Automotive News. That's 143,472 fewer. By comparison, Ford sold 142,502 Fusion mid-sized sedans last year.

Maybe it's the competition. Both the Chevrolet Silverado and Toyota Tundra pick-ups are serious competitors for the first time in years. But don't count the Ford out. It's not ready for a lifetime of early-bird specials.

The F-150's 300 horsepower, single-overhead-cam V8 has enough moxie to get the job done. Power is ample, although the engine makes itself known when pushed. Towing is rated at 10,500 pounds when properly equipped. The test vehicle could tow 9,200 pounds.

The V8 engine mates to a responsive four-speed automatic, two gears less than the more-powerful Toyota Tundra's, yet returning identical fuel economy in local driving, a dismal 14.5 mpg. (The Silverado's fuel economy was better than either of them, thanks to a system that shuts down up to four cylinders under light loads.)

The F-150's ride is pretty good, with little bouncing or sway over bumps, and the cabin is fairly quiet. Its rugged, slab-sided look is purely American. It defines style for the entire Ford brand and, although styling is a purely personal choice, looks as good as the Chevy and better than the new Toyota.

Decked out in top-of-the-line King Ranch trim, the F-150 looked like it was ready for a night on the town.

Inside, the leather trim was soft, comfortable and looked like well-worn saddle bags. The switchgear was large and chunky.

But other aspects of the F-150 show its age.

The frame doesn't feel as stout as its rivals'. Hit a bump, and you can feel the truck tremble. Hit a bump in a corner, and the truck's back end can hop around, a trait tamed in newer pickups. The F-150 lacks stability control and side-mounted airbags, both essential safety features available in the Silverado and Tundra.

And the interior, while well-designed, wasn't as well-built as I've come to expect from Ford, especially from its Norfolk Assembly Plant. The dashboard was literally coming apart. One wonders: Would Norfolk's workers have let this one out the door?

In some ways, it doesn't matter.

While the F-150 is still the leader in the full-sized truck sales race, it is not the clear leader it once was. Its rivals are catching up.

But to the many who spent their lives assembling this vehicle, the F-150 is family. And like family, we can forgive its flaws and appreciate it for what it is, and what it represents.

(c) 2007 Virginian - Pilot. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.