The Ford Motor Company is without parallel in the pick-up
truck business. Pioneer's of the production line in the
early years of the industry, Ford continues to adhere to
a philosophy of innovation, value and durability. The 2005
Ford F-150 is a perfect example of that philosophy. Winner
of 30 awards in the last year, since introduction of their
all-new design, including North American Truck of the Year,
the F-150 sets new standards for toughness, strength, safety,
interior spaciousness, refinement, driving dynamics, stability,
functionality, cargo capacity, comfort and style.
Available Models
The 2005 Ford F-150 offers one of the widest selections
of body configurations in the industry and consequently,
are described here in several reviews. However, to summarize,
the 2005 Ford F-150 offers three cab choices, three box
lengths, two box styles and five unique trim levels: the
entry level F-150 XL, fun and athletic F-150 STX, all-purpose
F-150 XLT, powerful F-150 FX4, and the luxurious F-150 Lariat.
New for 2005 is the F-150 King Ranch. Additionally, all
cab configurations feature four doors for easy access.
The 2005 Ford F-150 XL, STX and XLT are described here.
Interior Features
The three cabs offered are the regular, extended SuperCab
and fully-four-door SuperCrew Cab. Designers created three
different instrument cluster designs, giving each series
a distinctive look. Now even the Regular cab has four-doors
with rearward-swinging access doors to make it easier to
reach a behind-seat cargo area. All models have more room
for cargo items, such as a tool-box or first-aid kit, that
need to stay out of the elements.
The 2005 Ford F-150 also offers an innovative modular overhead
rail system that allows owners to customize interior storage
options to suit their individual needs. With it, occupants
may easily snap in additional modules, such as first- aid
kits, toolboxes, flashlights and two-way radio holders.
The Ford F-150 offers a range of interior standards that
includes, on base XL models, air conditioning, cloth upholstery
on a front split bench seat, driver-seat lumbar adjustment,
a split folding rear seat (except regular Cab), rear-hinged
rear doors, AM/FM radio, intermittent wipers, digital clock
and tachometer (manual transmission). In addition, a Work
Truck Group package for entry-level, commercial applications
is available, allowing businesses to buy the F-150 without
spending money on unwanted extras.
Exterior Features
With an all-new design introduced last year, the F-150 exterior
hasn't changed much for 2005. Beds of 5.5-ft, 6.5-ft and
8-ft are available with either straight Styleside or flared-fender
Flareside walls.
The new look of the F-150 is very bold indeed. The front
and rear tracks have been widened more than 1.5 inches;
the tires and wheels are larger; and the front-end design
has new quad-circle-styled headlamps and a new wrap-around
fascia treatment.
Different series choices come with different exterior styles.
The XL includes Chrome front and rear bumpers, a black grille
and front fascia, interval wipers and 17-inch steel wheels.
The STX, in contrast, comes with body-color front and rear
bumpers and grille surround while the XLT has chrome front
and rear bumpers and a black honeycomb grille insert.
Performance
The most substantive change for 2005 is under the hood.
The 2005 Ford F-150 comes with a third engine option. The
4.2-liter V-6 engine produces 202 horsepower at 4,350 rpm
and 260 pound-feet of torque at 3,750 rpm, and is offered
with a manual transmission. This excellent engine will be
easier on gas and realistically, will still meet most consumer
needs for power and torque.
For those who want more strength, the F-150's still offers
the 4.6-liter V8 with 231 horsepower and 293 lb-ft of torque
and a 5.4-liter V8 with 300 horsepower and 365 lb-ft of
torque. A fully boxed frame is approximately nine times
stiffer torsionally than its predecessor. All this translates
to a maximum tow rating of 9,500 pounds and maximum payload
capacity of 2,900 pounds.
Safety and Security
Dual front airbags and antilock 4-wheel disc brakes are
standard on all 2005 models. A rear-obstacle detections
system is optional with F-150 XLT models. Ford also offers
occupant Position Sensing technology for the first-row passenger.
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Fast Stats
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Seats |
3 / 6
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MSRP
from |
$20,805
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Engine |
4.2L V8
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4.6L V8
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5.4L V8
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Horsepower |
202 @ 4350
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231 @ 4750
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300 @ 5000
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Transmission |
5-speed manual
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4-speed auto
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MPG:
City/Hwy |
4.2L 15 / 20
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4.6L 15 / 19
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5.4L 14 / 19
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