The Ford F-150 XLT is what comes to mind when someone talks about a modern day affordable, yet a fun truck. It’s multi-utility truly offers the best of both worlds. Whether you want to transport a load of cargo across the UAE or have plans for an adventurous weekend in the Masafi Mountains, the F-150 XLT does both in great style.
Ford‘s F series of trucks were first introduced in the US in the year 1948. The classification of the vehicle is a light-truck and the F-150 (being its most popular truck) is currently in its 13th generation with the 14th generation starting from 2021.
The XLT truck we reviewed is a single cabin, two door vehicle. Equipped with a strong V8 engine and an optional sport mode, there is a lot of driving pleasure on and off the road. Built for confident off-roading, it has decent ground clearance of 9.3 inches, a protective skid plate under the chassis and 20 inch aluminum wheels.
F-150 XLT’s acceleration is heart racing, sport mode does justice to its name. I did try the 0-100 speed dash and clocked it at around 8 seconds. If you are a better driver and wind is behind you, it may come down a second. One can always drive the car in Eco mode and considerably save up on fuel. The performance on Eco mode is more than acceptable.
Once you get used to the dimensions and its size, the handling seems to be pretty decent. The truck rides high and offers the driver a clear, unobstructed view of the terrain ahead. Parking in malls and other indoor venues could be tricky to manage though.
There are quite a bit of safety features in the XLT. It offers a total of 6 airbags, advance traction control with roll stability, rear view camera, 4 wheel disc brakes and more.
Ford F-150 XLT Specs:
Engine: 5.0 Liter – 8 Cylinders Horsepower: 394 Bhp Torque: 555 Nm Drive System: 4×4 Transmission: 10 Speed Select Shift AutomaticExterior:
The 2020 Ford F-150 XLT has a high-strength, military-grade, aluminum-alloy body and a high-strength steel frame. Most prominent feature in the front is the double bar, black “billet style grille” with a black mesh insert. There is LED box lighting in the front and a cargo lamp in the rear, integrated with a center high-mounted stop lamp. You get body-color front and rear bumpers and an aluminum skid plate underneath the chassis to protect from any off-road damage. The Ford F-150 XLT has a ground clearance on 9.3 inches and gets 20 inch machined aluminum wheels with flash gray painted pockets. In the rear we have a single-tip chrome exhaust towards the right side of the truck. Since it is just a single cabin, there is plenty of storage space in the back. Should more space is needed, you can easily hook up a trailer at the back. Kind of ideal for caravan style camping if you ask me.Interior:
The cabin is spacious, very practical, built to last but looks basic. There is seating for two people but if you move the huge arm rest up, you could accommodate an additional skinny adult passenger. Long rides would get tough in this arrangement though! You wont feel a great deal of wind or road noise in the cabin. Its pretty quiet. Air conditioning is manual but works wonders in Dubai summers. The highlight is the leather-wrapped steering wheel that hosts cruise control, audio control and 5-way control buttons on it. The instrument cluster in a 4.2 inch TFT screen that displays every small detail you need to know about your vehicle and your journey. Gear shaft is the old school rod behind the steering wheel. This arrangement frees up quite a bit of space from the center console. XLT’s infotainment system is loaded with handy apps but is still basic and looks dated. The sound system has 4 speakers, that are enough for the single cabin set up. There is decent amount of cubby space in the car, but if you are planning to seat three people then this could change things. There are two 12V power points in the vehicle as well as standard USB charging slots. The driver gets a 8 way power lumber seat adjustment but the passenger gets a 4 way manual set up.2020 Ford F-150 XLT price in UAE: AED 188,427.75
Ford F-150 XLT Performance Ratings
-
Performance - 8/10
8/10
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Driving Pleasure - 7.7/10
7.7/10
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Look and Style - 8.4/10
8.4/10
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Fuel Economy - 7.1/10
7.1/10
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Value for Money - 7.8/10
7.8/10
7.8/10
Summary
Ford F-150 XLT is ideal for rough outdoor use. Suits someone who mostly travels either alone or with one passenger.
Pros
- Powerful Engine
- Huge Cargo Bed
- Fast Acceleration
- Good Looking
Cons
- Two Seater
- Parking Nightmare
- Basic Infotainment