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A blue 2021 Ford F-150 Lariat four-door pickup truck traveling on a two-lane highway past fields and trees

$70,000 2021 Ford F-150 Hybrid Has 1 Noisy Drawback

By now, you likely already know that the 2021 Ford F-150 is the best-selling truck currently on sale. As a result, when Ford decided to electrify this model with the Powerboost engine, it decided to do so with extensive performance. As you might imagine, no first-generation product is perfect. According to Consumer Reports, a recent …

By now, you likely already know that the 2021 Ford F-150 is the best-selling truck currently on sale. As a result, when Ford decided to electrify this model with the Powerboost engine, it decided to do so with extensive performance. As you might imagine, no first-generation product is perfect.

According to Consumer Reports, a recent test with the hybrid model revealed plenty of strengths and likable features. However, there is a noisy drawback that owners will likely notice rather quickly. Let’s find out if this is a fatal flaw or just a minor inconvenience.

What does the 2021 Ford F-150 Hybrid do well?

A black four-door 2021 Ford F-150 pickup truck travels on a dirt road between wooden fences
2021 Ford F-150 | Ford Motor Company

If you look at Consumer Reports’ review of the 2021 Ford F-150 Hybrid, you’ll note that it’s overwhelmingly positive. For starters, the Powerboost’s 430-hp 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 is definitely a highlight. Aside from raw power, you also get 570 lb-ft which gives this truck a towing capacity of up to 14,000 lb when equipped properly. As you’d imagine, this makes the Powerboost, the most powerful version of the F-150 you can currently buy.

Power aside, the 2021 Ford F-150 managed to impress Consumer Reports with its re-designed interior. This includes the brand-new 12-inch infotainment screen, a massive improvement over previous generations. Additionally, the truck Consumer Reports tested featured the configurable digital instrument cluster as well. As a result, this truck can not only be powerful but tech-filled as well.

In terms of usability, the Powerboost has plenty to offer for owners who want to use it as a work truck. The Pro Power Onboard feature reportedly can act as a mobile generator producing 2.4 kW with dual 120-volt 20-amp outlets, says Consumer Reports. However, as you’d imagine, no truck is perfect.

This is the only noisy drawback

A red 2021 Ford F-150 Turbo-Diesel pickup truck parked on pavement with trees in the background
The 2021 Ford F-150 Lariat on display | Ford

While the benefits of the 2021 Ford F-150 Hybrid’s powertrain are absolutely undeniable, it has one noisy drawback. According to Consumer Reports, once the Powerboost sits for a few minutes running accessories through the hybrid system, the gas engine fires up.

While this is completely normal, Consumer Reports found that it idles the engine at 1,500 rpm for several minutes. While this is necessary, Consumer Reports found that the engine’s noise while standing still was quite startling. Thankfully, this seems to happen primarily in colder weather.

Noise aside, this 2021 Ford F-150 powertrain has one more drawback. According to Consumer Reports, this truck also has a brake pedal which is difficult to modulate. While this isn’t dangerous by any means, Consumer Reports found the pedal to be quite touchy at slower speeds.

Should you buy this electrified Ford?

While these 2021 Ford F-150 Hybrid drawbacks are noteworthy, they don’t overshadow this truck’s benefits by any means. Additionally, you don’t have to opt for higher trim levels to get it. While the truck Consumer Reports tested was fully-loaded at $70,000, you can pay significantly less.

The cheapest version of the F-150 that will allow you to option this powertrain is the XL with the Super Crew cab. The engine itself is a $4,495 option. In total, the cheapest version of this electrified truck starts at $43,485.

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