Ford Gets It Right with the First-Ever 2018 F-150 Power Stroke Diesel

This week I bring you the much-anticipated 2018 Ford F-150 Power Stroke diesel.  People have been asking me about this truck for several years, and they will start to arrive at dealerships in mid-July of 2018.

2018 Ford F-150 Power Stroke Diesel

My review truck is the full four-door SuperCrew and it is a 4×4. At this time, you can only purchase the F-150 diesel in the Lariat, Platinum, King Ranch, and Limited editions, but Ford says it may add the XLT if the engine sells well. My review vehicle is the Platinum package, and like all F-150s, it has an all-aluminum body.

The F-150 Power Stroke is a 3-liter V6, mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission.  Together they produce 250-horses, but it puts out a very strong 440 pound-feet of torque.  For comparison purposes, the other half-ton diesel available is the Ram Ecodiesel, and it offers up 240-horses and 420 pound-feet of torque.  The big difference is towing capacity…the F-150 will tow 11,400 pounds versus the Ram’s max of 9200 pounds.

Platinum Edition

The Platinum edition comes with an extensive list of standard features, including power-deployable running boards, 2nd row heated seats, driver and passenger heated and cooled leather seats, power tilt steering wheel with controls, navigation system, rearview camera, remote tailgate release operated from the key fob, power sliding rear window, and push-button start.

It also has blind spot warning, I love that the tailgate locks when you lock the rest of the truck, and it has start/stop that can be disabled.  You also get the reverse sensing system and remote start.    

Everything operates from an 8” color touchscreen, including the Sync Connect system that operates all the radio functions, navigation system, Bluetooth, and climate from there, along with apps and settings. It is quick and easy to use. 

In the center of the dash is the configurable productivity screen, which gives you all the information about the truck you could possibly need.  The center console is large and the shifter for the transmission is located there.  You can change drive modes from the shifter, including tow mode and sport mode.

Back seat room is incredible, and when you fold the bottom of the backseat up, you have a ton of interior space to hold cargo you don’t want in the bed, or your 4-legged friends can bunk down there. Interior quietness of this truck is fantastic and you’d never know it was a diesel.

It has a 400-watt, 110-volt power inverter on the dash that allows you to plug anything in for instant power, like charging your cell phone, computer, or running a blender to make your favorite beverages.

Lights, Camera, Towing

F-150 comes well lit.  It comes with quad beam LED headlights, and there are built-in spotlights on the sides of the mirrors.  There are lights on both sides inside the pickup box near the tailgate, and another one that is mounted high on the back of the cab. There is even a light in the tailgate that shines on your trailer hitch for hooking up a trailer at night. 

To make visibility even better, my tester has a 360-degree camera. Cameras are mounted in the front, under each outside mirror, and in 4 other places around the truck.  It has an overhead view and you do not need any help at all hooking up a trailer; it is now a one-person job.

Another great feature is the Ford Pro Trailer Backup Assist.  You can back your trailer with just a knob.  All you do is align the trailer using the rearview camera, and the steering wheel turns itself for a perfect parking job.  If towing, the blind spot monitoring system takes the length of the trailer into consideration before giving you the all clear to change lanes.  

Options on this one include trailer tow package, Ford’s terrific tailgate step, active park assist, a spray-in bed liner, and 20” wheels.   

Fuel Economy Comparisons

The Power Stroke upcharge is $3000, $2400 more than the gas 3.5-liter Ecoboost, which will tow 1800 more pounds.  So, does the diesel make sense in this truck?

Although not certified by the EPA yet, Ford says the 2-wheel drive version of the diesel will get 30 miles per gallon on the highway.  The 3.5 Ecoboost gets 22 on the highway.  Assuming a 15,000-mile per year highway driver, using $2.50 per gallon for gas and $2.75 per gallon for diesel, your fuel savings with the diesel is $330 per year.  That means under these circumstances, it will take 7.5 years to break even. One intangible is the increased reliability of the diesel.  Typically they’ll go twice as far as a gas engine, so factor that into your equation.

I tested the fuel economy on a straight stretch of highway.  I reset the fuel monitor, set the cruise control at 70-miles per hour, then drove it for 18.5 miles.

You can see the results below at 28.2 miles per gallon.  Remember, this is a four-wheel drive truck and typically diesels don’t break-in until about 10,000 miles:

A couple of other things you should know.  The Power Stroke comes with a 5-year/100,000 mile power train warranty.  Also, this engine is not new, it’s been around for about a decade in Jaguars and Land Rovers and has been really reliable.

What You'll Pay

MSRP on this truck as equipped is $67,000.  If a diesel is for you, the torque on this truck is strong, it drives great, rides great, and is extremely functional. It’s pretty easy to see why Ford trucks have been the #1 selling truck in America for 41 straight years.