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The 2023 Ford F-150 Hybrid offers some benefits over its ICE-powered siblings, but it's not perfect.
The Ford F-150 is the best-selling full-size pickup truck and has been considered one of the most capable trucks out there. Being part of the fourteenth generation, the F-150 comes with multiple powertrains with excellent towing capability, unmatched luxury and opulence for the higher trims, and decent cabin space and comfort for a pickup truck. The enticing looks with unmatched road presence also made it a favorite amongst the truck buyers.
With the launch of the 2023 Ford F-150 Hybrid for a base MSRP of $59,670, there are no major changes from the outgoing model year. The hybrid powertrain can be had with the top three trim configurations of the F-150. Multiple bed sizes, a long list of options, and excellent fuel efficiency are some of the other benefits of this truck. Competing with the Toyota Tundra Hybrid and RAM 1500 Hybrid, here are 10 things you need to know before buying the 2023 Ford F-150 Hybrid.
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Since the hybrid powertrain comes as an option only with the highest King Range, Platinum, and Limited, the cabin is appointed with mostly premium materials all-around. The dashboard and door cards get a heavy dose of leather with contrast stitching and brushed aluminum accents, making it feel very opulent for a pickup truck.
When compared to the RAM 1500 Hybrid, we found the cabin of the 2023 Ford F-150 Hybrid to be a bit more luxurious, too. The chunky leather-wrapped steering wheel, macho dashboard design with subtle aluminum accents, and beautiful infotainment and digital gauge cluster display stand out as well. We also liked the Java upholstery color and multiple interior options offered with the F-150 Hybrid.
This 2023 iteration of the F-150 Hybrid comes with the SYNC 4 infotainment with an enhanced voice recognition system. Being one of the most feature-packed infotainment out there due to the inclusion of Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM radio, navigation, and Wi-Fi hotspot connectivity, most of the buyers wouldn't need to opt for any options, like they would for some of the rivals.
The standard 8" infotainment screen is slick and intuitive, with no stutter and lag. The SYNC 4 interface is pretty easy too, with everything laid out neatly. You could also opt for a 12" optional infotainment system, which could easily compete with that of the RAM 1500 Hybrid. The standard Bang & Olufsen audio system is excellent too.
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One of the major perks of getting a hybrid full-size pickup truck has to be the superior gas mileage and tank range it offers when compared to the regular gasoline variants. The 2023 Ford F-150 Hybrid offered 25 MPG in the city and 26 MPG on the highways, equating to combined gas mileage of 25 MPG.
With a massive fuel tank capacity of 26 gallons, this pickup truck could do a combined range of 650 miles, which is far superior to all the rivals. Even the Ford F-150 with the base 3.3-liter naturally aspirated V6 motor has a lower combined gas mileage of 21 MPG and a mediocre combined range of 483 miles.
Ride quality is something that has never been the forte of the Ford F-150, even for the most expensive trim configurations. The double-wishbone front suspension and the leaf spring rear setup don't make the ride as enjoyable as that of the RAM 1500 Hybrid, and that could be a deal-breaker for the folks who want to use it as a family truck.
The 2023 Ford F-150 Hybrid does jostle the passengers more than the RAM 1500 Hybrid when met with bumps at slower speeds. The rear seat comfort is also significantly lower than the RAM due to the archaic leaf spring setup it has. However, the ride tends to get better as the speed rises.
With the EcoBoost V6 motor coupled with an electric motor with a 1.5-kWh battery pack on offer, the towing and payload capacities are as good as the gasoline EcoBoost variants of the F-150. The F-150 Hybrid has a maximum payload capacity of 2,120 lbs and a maximum towing capacity of 12,700 lbs, both of which are quite impressive for the segment.
Even when towing with a heavy load, the powertrain doesn't go out of breath and the well-spread-out 10-speed automatic transmission provides the right cog all the time. The capable 4WD drivetrain and the excellent torque from this twin-turbo motor make towing an effortless affair too.
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The 2023 Ford F-150 Hybrid is powered by the same 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 motor coupled with an electric motor with a 1.5-kWh battery pack. It offers a combined output of 430 hp and 570 lb-ft of torque, which is 30 hp and 70 lb-ft of torque more than the regular 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost motor equipped F-150.
The 0-60 MPH sprint is dealt with in just 5.4 seconds, and the transmission duties are handled by a 10-speed torque converter automatic transmission. Even though it doesn't get a V8 motor under the hood, the performance is impressive for the price, and you would never feel wanting for more. There is no major turbo lag, and the mid-range is where this truck shines the most. Towing and hauling stuff is a breeze too.
The lack of any major external noises filtering into the cabin of the 2023 Ford F-150 Hybrid is going to be appreciated by the folks who are going to use this truck as a daily driver. The sound deadening is perfectly done, and the acoustic glasses also do their work to make the passengers feel less fatigue.
In comparison, the Toyota Tundra Hybrid didn't offer the same level of cabin refinement, mainly due to the motor sounding a bit coarse higher up the rev range. The engine noise does filter into the cabin significantly, too. The low tire noise and wind noise of the F-150 Hybrid is much appreciated too.
Being a pickup truck, one area where Ford has cut corners is with the standard driver-assistance tech. Even though the features like automated emergency braking, pedestrian detection, evasive steering assist, intersection assist, 360-degree camera, and intelligent adaptive cruise control are part of the standard Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist 2.0, a lot more features are part of optional packages.
If you get the optional Ford Co-Pilot 360 Active 2.0, which is priced at $1,995, you would get a few more features like Ford BlueCruise, active park assist, forward sensing system, and blindspot monitoring. Even though the 2023 Ford F-150 Hybrid hasn't been crash-tested yet, the outgoing 2022 model received a 5-star rating in the NHTSA crash test.
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The braking of the 2023 Ford F-150 Hybrid is handled by the 4-wheel disc brake setup with many features like regenerative braking, ABS with EBD, brake assist, and ventilated rotors. The 13.8" front rotors and 13.2" rear rotors are fairly large too. All of these help the truck to do the 70-0 MPH braking in 203 feet.
The heavy curb weight of this truck does not pose much of a problem under hard braking, and the truck doesn't lose its stability like that of the General Motors models. The ventilated rotors help in dissipating heat very effectively too. The brake pedal offered great feedback and the initial bite was crisp.
Offered only in crew-cab form, the 2023 Ford F-150 Hybrid comes with great overall space. This makes it a comfortable option for those who want to accommodate 5 passengers without feeling claustrophobic. There are multiple storage spaces and cubbyholes inside the cabin. The long list of standard features is a plus point too.
The front row offers impressive headroom and legroom. The seats are supportive and leather upholstery coupled with all the seat features like heating, ventilation, and power support makes the drive very comfortable. The rear seat also turned out to be pretty spacious, with best-in-class headroom and legroom. The cargo capacity of 52.8 cu ft is adequate too.
Mohith is our in-house motorcycle mechanic and automotive geek. He loves riding and driving at the limits, and you would frequently notice him on racetracks at the weekends. Mohith is someone who would redline anything that comes with a motor - even our office lawnmower. He often does cross-country road trips in his trusted 300ZX and you could find him riding his CB750 quite often through the streets of Pasadena as well as on the Moore Motorsports racetrack.