2011 Ford F-150 - Web Chatter

The full-size truck market is very technologically advanced, incorporating a host of modern luxury, connectivity, safety, and tech features that weren't widely available in pickups just a couple of years ago—as well as more power and better fuel economy through next-gen powertrains.

Ford had been a little bit behind Chevy, GM, and Dodge in the powertrain front, but these updates for 2011 put Ford on top.

The base F-150 V-6 especially looks to trump base models from GM and Dodge, with more power and torque as well as better fuel economy, while the new 5.0-liter V-8 should prove popular and has a more burly character that finally matches the rest of the truck.

And that's before even considering the all-new EcoBoost V-6, which is expected to perform as well as the popular V-8 engines while turning out 20-percent better fuel economy.

Ever since its 2009 redesign, interior packaging has been a strength of the new F-150; the cab floors of competitive trucks are not flat (GM and Dodge) like the Ford or can't be accessed at all (Toyota).

When we reviewed the Dodge Ram, we praised its on-road handling (a benefit of a link-coil rear suspension).

The F-150 comes close to matching the Dodge's on-road ride but delivers greater payload and towing capabilities plus more steering feel, something we felt the Dodge could have used more of.

While introduced with much fanfare in 2007, Toyota's Tundra now lags well behind the domestics in terms of ride dynamics and features.

Another possibility is GM's hybrid pickups—the Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid and GMC Sierra Hybrid.

Both get better fuel economy than any other full-size pickup while still boasting decent towing and hauling capability.