Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged Ford
2004 Ford F150
01002 days
This may be the most important new truck in Ford’s history. The 2004 Ford F-150 faces more full-size truck competitors than ever, with Nissan’s all-new Titan due in a few months. More importantly, the personal truck market is tremendous. Ford’s long-time sales leadership in this segment is the source of much of the company’s profits. With the economy staggering, Ford certainly needs that sales success to continue.
The outgoing F-150 accounts for an astounding twenty-five percent of Ford’s sales volume. Each year, Ford builds more “Effies” than are produced by some companies’ entire lineups. It would seem like a good time for “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” tactics, but the current F-150 has been around since 1997 and it’s time to catch up with the technological times. The ’04 F-150 moves successfully in two directions at once; it’s more user-friendly and luxurious, and it’s got greater capacities and strength for hard work.
All-new or not, the F-150 has a familiar face. Fans of Ford’s Mighty Tonka F-150 show truck from last year will be happy to see that the big beast’s looks have made it onto the new F-150. The new truck is taller, bolder and brasher. The front end is more squared-off, with an angular look similar to Ford’s SUV lineup. The beltline dips at the rearview mirrors and raises for the length of the truck, like in Ford’s Super Duty heavy-duty pickups, and the bed sides have been raised 2″ or so. This increases cargo capacity for loose items, but makes it a bit more difficult to load the bed from the side as the box is now breastbone-high to a 6′ driver. Rear visibility is affected somewhat, too. That seems to be the only misstep in the redesigned truck, though. The F-150 is available in Regular, Super and SuperCrew cabs, with cargo boxes ranging from a “garageable” 5’5″ bed to a full 8′ hauler. The Regular and Super Cabs have been lengthened 6″ to create a handy storage space behind the seats that’s accessible through a half-door. A unique torsion-spring tailgate assist reduces the effort required to open and close the tailgate.
The new interiors will take your breath away, whether you’re a truck person or a car person. Taking a cue from upscale European manufacturers, Ford has designed four separate environments for the F-150′s interiors. All trucks have the new bold vertical console and materials that would look equally in place in a Lincoln. The XL, XLT and sporty STX have utilitarian themes. Step up to the FX4 and a large, flow-through console with a floor shifter is available, as well as black and silver trim accents and a unique, sporty instrument panel. Top of the line is the Lariat, which has grown into a true luxury truck with chrome and wood dash accents and another unique instrument panel with elegant cream-backed gauges. All F-150s feature improved sound deadening, and they’re quiet on the road. A modular overhead console system comes straight out of the show truck; its removable pods are mounted on tracks, and Ford plans to offer a variety of dealer-installed consoles so owners can customize their trucks with everything from first-aid kit holders to DVD players. In addition to the fantastic materials and user-friendly design, the boxier exterior means improved head and shoulder room inside. The longer cabs allow more comfortable rear seatback angles.
As much attention was lavished on the “truck” aspect of the F-150 as it was on the “human” side. The 5.4 liter, 300 horsepower V8 engine produces eighty percent of its 365 ft/lb of torque at just 1000 rpm, for excellent acceleration and towing response. All-new three-valve construction and variable cam timing improve throttle response and efficiency. Ford has also equipped the F-150 with electronic throttle control that modulates torque for smoother power delivery. The F-150 has a 2900-pound payload, and can tow up to 9500. Ford gave us the rare opportunity to hitch up the new F-150 to a 7000 lb trailer and drive it back-to-back with Chevy, Dodge and Toyota competitors hauling the same weight. The 5.4 V8 was more than up to the task, and it’s quiet even under acceleration. Shifting from the new four-speed automatic transmission is luxury-car smooth, even with a trailer. Compared to the competition the new Ford is without a doubt the quietest and the strongest.
Ford has made an interesting change to the suspension as well. It’s got double wishbones up front and a rear axle in the back, but the rear shocks are mounted outboard of the frame rails instead of inside them. This provides better control on rough roads by reducing the tendency for the rear axle to bounce back and forth. What you’ll notice from the driver’s seat is that the F-150 still has the tall-truck feeling that’s been common to Fords for years. It’s not tippy or unstable; Ford calls it a “commanding driving position.” Traction control is available, and anti-lock brakes are standard on all F-150s.
Ford will announce pricing on July 11, and the new F-150 goes on sale this fall. For those who just can’t give up the old truck, it will be sold alongside the new one as a “Heritage” edition. Given the standard-raising updates made to Ford’s perennial best-seller, however, we expect sales of the old “Effie” to drop off quickly.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2004 Ford F-150 FX4 SuperCab, which we tested.
Length: 229.8 in.
Width: 78.9 in.
Height: 75.3 in.
Wheelbase: 144.4 in.
Curb weight: 5495 lb.
Payload: 2900 lb.
Towing capacity: 9300 lb
Engine: 5.4 liter 24-valve V8
Drivetrain: four-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Horsepower: 300 @ 5000
Torque: 365 @ 3750
Fuel capacity: 27.0 gal.
2004 Ford F350 King Ranch Crew Cab
01002 days
Back in the 1960s, the initials “KR” meant King of the Road, as in Carroll Shelby’s high-powered Mustang GT500KR. These days, there’s another KR roaming the freeways, but this one’s a truck, and “KR” means “King Ranch.”
Ford’s King Ranch edition, introduced on its full-size pickups in 2001, is a marketing package produced with the help of Texas’ King Ranch. This giant ranch takes up a space approximately the size of Rhode Island in south Texas, and has been a fixture in the ranching industry for many years. The decision to link it with a tough pickup was a no-brainer.
Appended to the F-350 crew cab, the King Ranch package turns this Truck (with a capital T) into a large, unusually hard-working luxury sedan. The King Ranch’s Castano leather is serious cowboy-grade stuff, with coarse stitching and thick seams. The interior is draped with the stuff, for a look that’s at once rugged and comfortable. The King Ranch’s quad captain’s chairs, steering wheel and consoles are topped in Castano leather. Floormats are branded with the King Ranch logo. Beyond the allure of the King Ranch leather, Ford’s Super Duty series is our favorite among heavy-duty pickups, thanks in part to tall, comfortable seats (leather or not) and an upright, business-like dash. With the front console folded out of the way, it’s easy for a third front-seat passenger to slide out to either side. It can be equipped for play as well; options include a reverse-sensing parking aid and a power sliding rear window. The interior is so large it echoes, and if it were any bigger you’d expect a mounted deer or buffalo head hanging over the rear window. We’d happily pick a King Ranch F-350 if we had to do a day of towing.
The King Ranch is distinguished on the outside by beige wheel moldings, grille and bumpers and by body colored door handles and mirrors. Special wheels and a discreet King Ranch badge (that is, if you consider “big” and “chrome” to be elements of “discreet”) are also included. Otherwise, the look is all Ford Super Duty. That means a tall eggcrate grille with a brick-shaped hood and Ford’s signature “nostrils” on either side of the grille. The running boards on the King Ranch edition are lighted, which is handy for all but hard-core off-roaders. A choice of six foot, eight-inch or eight foot beds is available, and the F-350 can be had with single or dual rear wheels. The Super Duty is the squarest of the full-size pickups, as if it’s more interested in working hard than in style.
That just might be true. Ford doesn’t call it a Super Duty for nothing, after all. The 6.0 liter Power Stroke diesel cranks out 560 ft-lb torque at just 2000 rpm. The king of Ford’s heavy-duty engines produces 325 horsepower and has been retuned for improved emissions. With this powerplant under the hood, the F-350 will tow up to 13,700 pounds, and haul more than two tons of cargo. The Power Stroke diesel has been engineered for relatively quiet operation, but it still gurgles to life with a distinct big-truck sound. Despite the nice interior, you’ll never forget that this is a Truck, not for a moment. The 6.0 diesel comes with a five-speed automatic transmission that’s geared nicely to keep the revs down where they belong. The F-350 feels less overworked on the freeway than the competition.
The suspension is designed for work first, comfort second. The Super Duty F-Series still uses Ford’s twin I-beam front suspension in two-wheel drive configuration. This suspension dates to the 1960s. The twin I-beam design is known about equally for its strength and for a ride that isn’t exactly Lincoln-grade. A live rear axle can be equipped with a choice of 3.73, 4.10 or 4.30 rear ends. Anti-lock brakes are standard equipment, and the big discs at all four corners have no trouble stopping this truck. Thanks to its long wheelbase, our crew cab tester actually had a passable ride on-pavement. The F-350 was still happier when bumping through a pasture than rolling down the open road, however. Get it in a parking lot and the F-350′s way out of its element; the only good news is that you’re sitting up high enough to see over most of the other cars. Maneuvering in tight spaces is not this truck’s strong point.
The King Ranch package is offered on F-250 and F-350 models, and hits the street with a $36,165 bottom line. Our test truck was about as big a pickup as you can get; an F-350 Super Duty Crew Cab optioned up with four-wheel drive, the Power Stroke diesel and King Ranch package, and dual alternators for towing. It even had a backup alarm, like a piece of construction equipment. All this ability carries a price; almost $50,000, to be exact. F-350 Crew Cab prices start around $26,740, but for $48,115, a truck like this will tow or haul just about anything, and thanks to that “KR,” it’ll do it in high style.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2004 Ford F-350 King Ranch Crew Cab, which we tested.
Length: 262.0 in.
Width: 79.9 in.
Wheelbase: 172.4 in.
Curb weight: 6402 lb.
Cargo box length: 98.6 in.
Towing capacity: 13,700 lb.
Payload: 3425 lb. (up to 4710 with dual rear wheels)
Base price: $36,165
Price as tested: $48,115
Engine: 6.0 liter direct-injection diesel V8
Drivetrain: five-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Horsepower: 325 @ 3300
Torque: 560 @ 2000
Fuel capacity: 38 gal.
2003 Ford Explorer NBX
01002 days
As the best-selling SUV in its class, Ford’s Explorer is somewhat ubiquitous in the ‘burbs. Ford’s done its homework, and the Explorer is the perfect tool for many a family’s varied needs. So, for a change, we decided to get an Explorer dirty and treat it like a truck instead of a family station wagon.
Surprise! Ford was prepared for this possibility, and the Explorer NBX was more than up to the challenge. We shouldn’t have been surprised, of course; it’s worth noting that Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi all field two mid-size competitors each for the Explorer. Stablemates like the Toyota 4Runner and Highlander are intended to better serve the needs of customers who want a carlike SUV, and those who want a truck. The Explorer, on the other hand, is taking care of both groups all by itself, and doing a fine job of it.
NBX is Ford shorthand for No Boundaries, a moniker that’s applied to all of its sport-utes to indicate a more rugged package. NBX-badged Explorers benefit from an off-road package, special trim and a unique cloth interior that’s supposedly easier to clean after a rough weekend in the woods. The Explorer NBX can get rough and dirty with the best of them, too. The four-wheel independent suspension is tuned for rugged use, and skid plates protect the underside. Wheel travel is decent thanks to the independent rear suspension, which keeps all four wheels in contact with the ground whenever possible. We were able to take the Explorer over a tilt hill as well, a steep offset grade designed to twist the frame and test vehicle stability, and found the NBX to be confidently poised and free of body flex. On the road, the Explorer NBX rides just a touch more stiffly than a standard Explorer.
A 239-horsepower 4.6 liter V8 under the hood provides more than enough power for the Explorer NBX to claw through deep mud. We expected it to get stuck, mostly because of the soccer-mom friendly running boards and relatively low stance compared to the average Land Rover or Jeep, but the Explorer NBX had no problem getting through several inches of mud. Later we used the Explorer to pull a trailer out of a snowy field, and the truck had no problem tackling that task either. The standard five-speed automatic transmission is connected to a dual-range transfer case, and the power is nicely distributed when the going gets slippery. In four-low, we noticed some driveline binding at low speeds. Once back on the road, with a 3000-lb. trailer attached, the Explorer was still able to keep up with traffic, and the handling remained confident even through an Allegheny Mountains snowstorm. We’ve knocked the Explorer’s ride and handling in the past, but this latest version really impressed us. Properly equipped, the Explorer will tow up to 7140 pounds. The Explorer NBX also has front tow hooks, in the unlikely event that it gets stranded.
Another area of excellence is the interior. The Explorer feels somewhat claustrophobic inside thanks to a relatively small windshield and a large console that eats up floor space, but the NBX’ cloth interior is considerably nicer than the leather of other trucks. That console is worth the space it takes up, too; it’s big enough to hold hats, gloves, or tools, and contains an auxiliary power outlet and a handy rubber-lined storage tray that’s perfect for a handful of dirty lug nuts if you’re treating your Explorer like a truck, or for a napkin-wrapped bagel if you’re not. The Explorer NBX has comfortable seats, and with the optional third-row seat it makes a decent, easier-to-drive alternative to the $37,000 Chevrolet Tahoe. The NBX comes with dirt-resistant rubber floormats and a cargo area liner as well. Camping? Opt for the power moonroof and let the stars shine in. Rear-seat climate controls and adjustable pedals are on the menu for all Explorers.
The design is familiar, even more so now that the Explorer and big brother Expedition share a strong family resemblance. The squared-off face and eggcrate grille are Ford hallmarks. The Explorer NBX is differentiated by two-tone black bumpers front and rear, and by lots of black cladding where other Explorers have body-colored paint. A discreet “NBX” badge adorns the tailgate. With its demure roof rack and spare tire mounted out of sight below the body, the Explorer NBX cuts a very domesticated profile compared to the bars’n’wheels look of Jeeps and Land Rovers, but don’t be fooled.
Forget about the Firestone scandal that tainted the Explorer’s name a few years ago; not only is this SUV one of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s “Best Picks” in offset frontal crashes, but it’s available with tire pressure monitors and Ford’s “Safety Canopy” curtain airbag system. Four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes are standard, too—but as technology spreads from luxury cars to mainstream vehicles, it seems like we say that a lot. By contrast, AdvanceTrac stability control is a feature that you don’t find on every options list. AdvanceTrac monitors the vehicle’s speed and attitude on the road, and intervenes if it determines that a loss of control is imminent. It’s a seamless system that’s more useful on pavement than off—but it is a good way to avoid those unintended off-road excursions.
It’s refreshing to see that underneath all of the suburban trappings, the Explorer NBX has the heart of a tough Ford truck. Pricing is reasonable, too. The Explorer NBX starts at $32,425 for the V6 equipped model. Our test truck was a V8, with an out-the-door price of $33,870, and considering that you might need to buy a Mitsubishi Endeavor and a Montero Sport to match it, that’s not a bad deal at all.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Ford Explorer NBX, which we tested.
Length: 189.5 in.
Width: 72.1 in.
Height: 71.4 in.
Wheelbase: 113.8 in.
Curb weight: 4469 lb.
Cargo space: 13.8 cu.ft. (seats up); 81.7 cu.ft. (all seats folded)
Towing capacity: 7000 lb. (7140 for V8 4×2)
Base price: $32,425
Price as tested: $33,870
Engine: 4.6 liter SOHC V8
Drivetrain: five-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Horsepower: 239 @ 4000
Torque: 282 @ 4000
Fuel capacity: 22.5 gal.
Est. mileage: 15/19