- Ford has announced the power, torque, payload, and towing specs for the 2021 F-150 pickup.
- The new PowerBoost hybrid powertrain makes the most power at 430 horses and 570 lb-ft of torque, and the 3.5-liter EcoBoost can tow the most at 14,000 pounds.
- The 2021 Ford F-150 will arrive in dealers this fall along with the new PowerBoost hybrid model.
The 2021 Ford F-150 has six powertrain options. Five have carried over from the previous generation, plus there's a new twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 hybrid dubbed PowerBoost. That new hybrid is the most powerful option, producing 430 horsepower, while the 5.0-liter V-8 and 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 see slight increases in power and torque compared to the 2020 model year, and there will also be an even more powerful electric F-150 coming in the next two years.
A 3.3-liter V-6 is the 2021 F-150's base engine, and it produces 290 horsepower and 265 lb-ft of torque—the same output as the 2020 trucks. It's good for a maximum payload of 1985 pounds and can tow up to 8200 pounds. The new truck's 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6 also makes the same power as the 2020 model, at 325 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque, and it can tow up to 10,100 pounds with a max payload of 2480 pounds.
Both the 5.0-liter V-8 and 3.5-liter EcoBoost see slight power increases. The 5.0-liter is good for an additional 5 horsepower and 10 lb-ft of torque over the 2020 model, at 400 horses and 410 lb-ft of torque, and has a max payload of 3325 pounds with a 13,000-pound towing capability. The 3.5-liter EcoBoost now produces 400 horsepower (up 25) and 500 lb-ft of torque (up 30) and can tow up to 14,000 pounds (the previous model year maxed out at 13,200 pounds) with a max payload of 3250 pounds.
The 3.0-liter Power Stroke V-6 diesel's output stays the same at 250 horsepower and 440 lb-ft of torque, and it can tow up to 12,100 pounds with a 1840-pound max payload. The new PowerBoost V-6, which is equipped with a 35-kW electric motor powered by a 1.5-kWh lithium-ion battery, is the most powerful 2021 F-150 so far (until the electric model, that is) at 430 horsepower and 570 lb-ft of torque, and it can tow up to 12,700 pounds with a 2120-pound maximum payload.
The 2021 Ford F-150 will arrive this fall, priced starting at $30,635 for the base XL model and topping out at $75,945 for the four-wheel-drive Limited SuperCrew. It'll be built at Ford's Dearborn, Michigan, and Kansas City, Missouri, plants.
Associate Technical Editor
Sitting on the floor of the library and poring over issues of Car and Driver is one of Connor Hoffman's earliest memories. Choosing to attend the nation's top-ranked journalism school at the University of Missouri and graduating with a magazine writing emphasis was all part of chasing his dream of writing for Car and Driver. When he's not bragging about Mizzou having the best journalism program in the country, he's probably on a rant about Toyota trucks.
