The Ford F-150 has been America’s top-selling pickup for 46 straight years. As such, we won’t hold it against Ford for playing it safe with the 2024 F-150, which is entering the new model year with a light refresh that builds on practicality and technology, especially for consumers looking to do plenty of truck stuff out on the farm or the work site.
Ford Declares The Tailgate Wars Are Over With F-150’s Pro Access Tailgate
The tailgate wars between Ford, GM, and Ram over the past few years have made for some pretty captivating television, with GM and Ram trying to reinvent the venerable tailgate in some shape or form. GM had the Multi-Pro gate, and Ram brought barn-style doors to the mix. Ford was the notable absence, with the company not getting involved. That’s now changed with the company unveiling the new Pro Access Tailgate.
The elaborate moniker highlights a deceptively simple solution, with Ford incorporating a full-size swing door into the gate. The gate can swing out in three increments: 37 degrees, 70 degrees, and 100 degrees. Ford claims that this setup allows owners to have easier access to cargo and other items with the shallowest increment, allowing the piece to be used while the truck is hooked up to a trailer. A new storage box is also incorporated into the passenger side of the bed, with the driver’s side also getting one if the Pro Power generator system is not equipped.
As for the tailgate itself, it will appear as an optional extra and will form a $ 1,620 Bed Utility Package for Tremor and Lariat models, with the XL, XLT, and STX all missing out on the package for the 2024 model year. Meanwhile, the Limited model has been scrapped, and a newly available Platinum Plus model is the new range-topper in the lineup. Other exterior changes include a new front grille design that’s supposed to pay homage to the 1970s as well as a tweaked Blue Oval emblem front and rear. As a bonus, Tremor models come with a modular front bumper that allows for easier installation of factory-approved accessories, including a front-mounted winch that comes with a small camera attached to it to help preserve the F-150’s full camera coverage.
@carlmalek @Ford Motor Company made #improvements to the #2024f150 and now that better lighting has arrived, we can show you a glimpse into what’s new for the #iconic #fordf150 #pickuptruck #pickuptrucksoftiktok #detroitautoshow #autoshow #cartok #cardujour #carsoftiktok #cartok #ford #fordtrucks #builtfordtough
F-150 Still Has Impressive Engine Roster
The 2024 Ford F-150 still has a healthy number of engines to choose from versus last year, but the company did axe the 3.3-liter V6, with the smaller 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 now serving as the newly christened base engine. It also shares the roost with the 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 and the 5.0-liter V-8 while the Raptor and Raptor R carryover their engines from 2023. Ford teased that the R model is slated for a power increase, but it remains to be seen just how much power the company has managed to squeeze out of the 5.2-liter supercharged V8.
A 10-speed automatic will continue to be the lone transmission available, and the F-150 Lightning will continue to carry its electrified hardware unchanged. These minor revisions to the engine lineup will come at a crucial time, with its key rivals not only preparing to introduce electrification power to the Silverado and Ram 1500 but also preparing refreshes of their own for the aforementioned models.
A New Infotainment System Spearheads Tech and Security Gains
The 2024 Ford F-150 will come with an optional heads-up display system for the first time ever, while a new 12-inch infotainment system compliments the matching digital instrument cluster. LED headlights are also standard; the company is even debuting the Ford Stolen Vehicle Services program. This theft deterrent system can notify owners of nefarious activity through the Ford app and can contact the authorities within 30 seconds after it senses the truck is stolen.
In addition to helping customers recover their vehicles, it could also help provide a tool to the company itself. Ford is one of many companies that have fallen prey to brazen thieves who steal select vehicles from storage lots in recent years. Having this system could help provide an extra layer of protection and help find stolen vehicles quicker.
When Can I Buy a 2024 F-150?
The 2024 Ford F-150 lineup is slated to enter production later this year. Pricing will start at $38,565 for a base XL model, which is a $2,090 jump when compared to last year’s model. Meanwhile, the Raptor R will have a base price of $118,590, and while that too is a bump up in price from last year, you are getting some potent updates here with the Raptor variants getting some minor performance upgrades to help them handle better.
Ford is also simplifying the build process for consumers, slashing the available build configurations by nearly 90 percent. While this might not seem like a major change, it’s the latest example of automakers simplifying various aspects of their models with the reduction in configurations here by Ford being an attempt to help make the task of configuring an F-150 much less daunting for consumers.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.