2015 F150 Wins Best Buy Award Before It’s Even Been Sold
Jason Lancaster | Nov 18, 2014 | Comments 10
KBB.com decided to give the 2015 F-150 – which only recently began actual production – a “Best Buy” award. Considering that:
- The truck isn’t available for sale yet, which means the only trucks KBB could have tested were pre-production units (which are often built by hand), and
- The EPA fuel economy figures haven’t been released yet, thus we have no idea how fuel efficient the truck really is
This award seems a bit premature, doesn’t it?
2015 F-150 wins a KBB Best Buy Award…before we even know what the EPA fuel economy rating is. Amazing!
KBB LUVS The New F-150
Call it “aluminum bias,” but KBB.com just can’t get over the 2015 F-150:
“Our group of expert vehicle testers chose the Ford F-150 as the Overall Winner in our Best Buy Awards because of its breakthrough aluminum body structure, its smooth and fuel-efficient powertrains and its impressive collection of thoughtful features. Offered in a wide variety of body styles and with a wide variety of engines, it is a suitable vehicle for a broad cross-section of the public, and the final piece is the F-150 is available for about the same price as the previous generation truck, which was a bestseller.”
First, let’s point out the the F-150 has always been available in a “wide variety of body styles with a wide variety of engines.” Hopefully, KBB isn’t weighing that factor too heavily.
Second, it’s true that the 2015 F-150 has a cutting-edge aluminum design, and it’s true that some of the new features (like the new fob-activated tailgate drop, or the integrated LED bed lamps) are cool. But the fuel efficiency of the powertrains is TBD, and the early estimates (5-20% better fuel economy) generate more questions than answers.
- Is it 5-20% better overall fuel economy, or just highway?
- Why would the increase have such a range of variance? Isn’t this the truck that allegedly lost 700lbs and now features a 2.7L V6 that sips fuel?
- Ford is set to start selling the 2015 F-150 at dealerships in 60 days – why are we still wondering about fuel economy ratings?
It might come across as sour grapes, but handing out an award on the basis of test-driving pre-production trucks – without EPA testing figures announced – seems, ahem, premature. The 2015 F-150 might be the coolest truck that Ford has ever produced, but it’s also the first truck Ford has built using rivets and glue.
Maybe KBB.com could wait until the truck has a year under it’s belt before declaring it a “best buy?” Potenzmittel ohne Rezept
Filed Under: Auto News
Looking at the F150’s reflection in the picture above along the doors. Is that the result of going aluminum?
…yep, that flat slab side be wavy.
Sounds terrible to me, KBB is a used value source, and it is trying to be first with huge endorsement of a future product??? Wtf?
Ford’s already backpedaling the fuel economy refocusing marketing to other things, me thinks it is not as good as planned or originally claimed (probably to drum up publicity to help offset the radical change to aluminium).
Sadly, so many people think the only thing better than an F150 is a new F150. Marketing Department just has to keep these people armed with snappy comebacks to keep the gravy train running.
Only Ford could systematically remove V8 and steel bodies from trucks and still sell big volume and get respect for it.
I like everything you said here, but the bits about backpedaling on fuel economy due to less-than-expected improvements seem HIGHLY likely. Ford is going to have ONE truck that they milk 28mpg (highway) out of, perhaps a reg cab 4×2 with low rolling resistance tires, a worthless rear end gear ratio, etc. But the vast majority of their trucks are going to get 1-2mpg better fuel economy than the rest of the trucks available (real world).
IMHO, consumers would have to be stupid to buy an aluminum-steel amalgamation just to get an extra 1-2 mpg in fuel economy.
Ford deserves a lot of credit for paving the way for future aluminum body trucks, but they’re going to pay a hefty price doing so. I fully expect quality issues to plague these aluminum trucks for years.
These “awards” are sold to the highest bidder!!
Anyone who thinks otherwise is just dreaming!
Yes, positive press is often paid for be it under the table or behind closed doors.
Neighbors has an F350 power stroke. His son just purchased a used 3.7 ecoboost. Can’t wait to see what he thinks after the first 2 or 3 years of ownership.
The new 2.7 turbo is a complex engine, 2 piece block iron cylinders above the crank. Aluminum below the crank. Aluminum front chain covers. Plastic valve covers. Separate variable intake/exhaust valve timing. This could be an absolutely great engine if and only if it is durable. Time will tell. I will know it’s a great engine when it replaces big V8s because it’s built proof not because Motor Trend says it’s great.
I have a feeling we are not going to see this type of engine in industrial use. Why, because it won’t hold up which means it will increase not decrease capital spending.
Ford,,,,,, show me the money, not just an estimated MPG rating.
Honest, useful, unbiased information is thing of the past.
Ford makes the lowest quality trucks of any company today. Their warranties have less value than any in the business.
Their success over last few years has come primarily from the disdain for GM and Ford’s own marketing hype for the masses of the mindless.
Only Ford has experienced a completely flat growth rates over the last 14 months. All other truck makers have had significant positive gains.
The EcoBoost has been the primary single reason Ford has not increased their growth rates and the thousands of customers they have let down by failing to honor warranties.
I do not see the advent of “aluminum” helping Ford restore their growth rates. There is no sense or logic to add new significant problems to a truck that has significant problems that remain unresolved.
Obtain a few optioned 2014 F-150’s, weigh them, and compare their curb weights against similarly equipped 2015’s. Something is amiss.
No doubt, you guys will be doing your own comparison testing and we look forward to those numbers.
There is a new 5.2L DOHC engine in the Ford Mustang GT350 (500hp). IF an iteration of that engine gets into this lightened truck, it could stir up the segment.
However, a pick-up is already hampered by it’s onerous weight, a front biased weight percentage and a high center of gravity. A concerted effort to lighten such a vehicle, by just a few hundred pounds, can only be a good thing for any manufacturer. That weight could come off the front end where most of it is concentrated.
I wouldn’t worry about this partisan award, which has perhaps as little respect as the Nobel Peace Prize that was gaily bestowed on the POTUS by an obsequious committee before he took office.
This award is just as stupid as motor trend giving car of the year to the 99 300m LOL LOL LOL LOL………. Biggest POS ever built.
do any real people actually care about these awards? Do they impact any of your purchases?
When I buy a truck, the last thing I care about is someone else’s opinion or a stupid mag award.
Research, get in, drive it, like it, buy it…
not, buy it because some knuckle head at consumer reports or KBB thinks it’s the best.
maybe it’s just me.
and Ford is out anyway since they have no large rumbling V8 for me…
A fair point. Thanks for commenting.