2021 Ford F-150 vs. the Competition

Major pickup truck manufacturers are all trying to one-up each other in 2021, with plenty of new truck models available for buyers. One prominent standout from the 2021 lineup is the new 2021 Ford F-150, which offers some impressive specs truck enthusiasts are sure to love. This latest F-150 iteration has some notable competitors, such as the 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500, the 2021 Ram 1500 and the 2021 Toyota Tundra.

To choose the right truck for your needs, find out more about the F-150's key specs and how the truck stacks up to the competition.

2021 Ford F-150 Essential Specs

The 2021 Ford F-150 offers some incredible metrics, making it a top choice for many truck buyers. Some of its highlights include its horsepower, towing capacity and payload capacity, all of which offer more to buyers than the competition. Learn more about the many impressive F-150 specs.

• Engine: The Ford F-150 has an incredible selection of engines. You can choose from some base V-6 engines, including the 3.3-liter with 290 horsepower, 2.7-liter with 325 horsepower and a 3.5-liter with 400 horsepower. It also has a V-8 engine with 400 horsepower. If you want a diesel engine, you can select the 3.0 V-6, which has 250 horsepower. A highlight is the 3.5-liter V-6 hybrid engine, featuring a 47-horsepower electric motor and a total of 430 horsepower.
• Payload capacity: Concerning payload, the Ford F-150 can carry some serious weight. With the 5.0-liter V8 engine, the F-150's payload capacity reaches 3,325 pounds.
• Towing capacity: The Ford F-150 has an impressive maximum towing capacity for a full-sized light-duty pickup. The pickup can tow a max of 14,000 pounds. 
• Pickup bed: In terms of its pickup bed space, the F-150's 5.5-foot bed has 53 cubic feet of space, and its 6.5-foot bed has 62 cubic feet of space. The longest pickup bed offered, an 8-foot bed, has 77 cubic feet of space.
• Fuel efficiency: The smallest Ford F-150 engine features a 20/26 mpg rating. This engine provides buyers with the best fuel economy on the pickup.

 

2021 Ford F-150 vs. 2021 Toyota Tundra

With only one engine offered and the lowest payload and towing capacity on the list, the Toyota Tundra doesn't meet the impressive performance standards set by the F-150. Check out the following Toyota Tundra specs to see how they compare.

• 2021 Ford F-150 vs. 2021 Toyota Tundra engine comparison: Unlike the other trucks listed previously, the 2021 Toyota Tundra only offers a single engine for all of their different trims. The Tundra's naturally aspirated 5.7-liter V8 engine offers 381 horsepower and 401 pound-foot of torque. This engine's performance doesn't quite reach the F-150's. 
• 2021 Ford F-150 vs. 2021 Toyota Tundra payload capacity: The Toyota Tundra has less payload capacity than all the other trucks. The Tundra only has a maximum payload capacity of 1,730 pounds, around 1,600 pounds less than the F-150.
• 2021 Ford F-150 vs. 2021 Toyota Tundra towing capacity: Like its payload capacity, the 2021 Toyota Tundra has a lower towing capacity than the other trucks. The truck comes with a maximum towing capacity of 10,200 pounds. 
• 2021 Ford F-150 vs. 2021 Toyota Tundra pickup bed comparison: While the Tundra doesn't currently offer information on the pickup bed's cubic feet, they have a few length options. Buyers can select from 5' 6", 6' 6" and 8' 1" bed options.
• 2021 Ford F-150 vs. 2021 Toyota Tundra mpg: The Toyota Tundra's miles-per-gallon rating doesn't hold a candle to any of the other vehicles on the list. It offers 13 mpg in the city and 17 mpg on the highway. If you want fuel efficiency, the Tundra isn't going to be your choice.

2021 Ford F-150 vs. 2020 Ford F-150

When you're deciding whether you should invest in the 2021 Ford F-150, you may want to know more about how it compares to the previous year's model. To begin, Ford has carried over many of the engines, such as the 3.3-liter V-V6, the 2.7-liter V6 EcoBoost and the 3.0-liter V-6 Turbodiesel, with each offering the same horsepower and torque as the previous year's model. 

While there are many similarities in the engine options between both models, the 2021 Ford F-150 doesn't include the powerful 2020 3.5-liter Raptor engine. In its place, the 2021 F-150 offers a hybrid engine, coming with 430 horsepower and 570 pound-foot of torque. The previous year also offered a six-speed automatic gearbox, but it didn't carry over to 2021. Instead, the 2021 F-150 has a 10-speed automatic transmission, with no other transmission options for buyers to select.

The 2020 F-150 came with two versions of the 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost engine, with one of them the now-dropped Raptor. The Raptor offered 450 horsepower and 510 pound-foot of torque, more power than any 2021 engine option. For the 2021 model, buyers can only select one 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost engine, which generates 400 horsepower and 500 pound-foot of torque. Additionally, the only V8 offered by the 2021 F-150 comes with five more horsepower and 10 more pound-foot of torque than the 2020 offering.

Overall, the new engine offerings offer a few improvements over the 2020 F-150, with the new hybrid option a notable draw for many buyers.

Across all engine offerings, the 2021 Ford F-150 sees significant upgrades in its towing capacity. Some standouts include the new 5.0 V8 engine receiving an extra 2,400 pounds of towing capacity compared to the previous year's engine, and the 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost engine maxes out at 14,000 pounds of towing capacity, 800 more than the 2020 version of the engine. 

The 2021 Ford F-150s don't offer much more payload capacity than the previous year's models. On these new models, you'll see payload differences ranging between 20 to 100 pounds. Due to the lack of major payload improvements, the F-150's notable draws are its improved towing capacity and a new hybrid engine.

Why Buy the 2021 Ford F-150?

Various 2021 Ford F-150 benefits make it many truck buyers' top choice. As you compare the 2021 Ford F-150 to the previous year's model or other trucks on the market, you may want to be aware of some of the truck's advantages. Below are some of the top reasons to purchase the 2021 Ford F-150.

• New hybrid engine: The new hybrid engine option is a major reason to purchase this F-150. This engine gives the truck an incredible range of 700 miles on a full fuel tank. Additionally, the hybrid system doesn't require plugging it in, as the lithium-ion battery pack recharges while driving. The 35-kilowatt electric motor also assists with the Pro Power Onboard generator and uses regenerative braking.
• Active Drive Assist: If you plan to drive long miles with your truck, the F-150's hands-free driving system is a plus. The Active Drive Assist uses radar sensors and a camera to drive the vehicle without driver input on over 100,000 miles of divided North American highways. It also features active lane control, traffic-sign recognition and adaptive cruise control. The software won't be available until the second half of 2021, but buyers can get the hardware before its official rollout. 
• Greater towing and payload capacity: Compared to its predecessor and the competition, the 2021 Ford F-150 gives drivers more towing and payload capacity. For drivers who need to handle the toughest jobs, the F-150 is the obvious choice. Its exceptional power means you can haul and carry around more heavy materials than its main competitors. 
• Impressive battery power: The new F-150 comes with multiple power outlets around the vehicle, allowing buyers to use it as a portable generator for a maximum of 64 hours. The pickup truck comes with a 30-amp 240-volt outlet and a few 20-amp 120-volt outlets in the bed, enabling you to run a metal or wood workshop from your truck.
• Optional 12-inch screen: Buyers can select a 12-inch landscape-oriented screen in the center of the F-150's front console. This infotainment screen features bright, easy-to-read graphics, and the backup camera delivers clear images to the drivers. The screen also allows you to split info on the screen, so you can have your navigation on one side and your music selections on the other.