Used 2020 Ford F150 Regular Cab

#2 In Best Pickup Trucks for 2020

Why is the Ford F-150 pickup such a perennially strong seller? Simple: The F-150 is a proven player with a supremely attractive blend of capability, value, and style. And although the 2020 F-150 has received only mild updates for 2020, we’re confident it will remain among the best-selling full-size pickups in the U.S.

Ford buyers are loyal. While the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra rivals are able to tow a bit more than this Ford, the F-150 wins people over with its better payload and high-tech features that pickup owners appreciate.

The 2020 Ford F-150 also is available in a dizzying number of trims and configurations. Engines range from a 3.3-liter V6 with 290 horsepower to a twin-turbo 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 with 450. As such, the F-150 shines in a variety of roles, in everything from a daily work truck or a mountain bike hauler to a luxurious people mover or a totally fun off-roader (Raptor).

Competitors such as the Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan are available with only one engine. The Ford F-150 has six.

Even with the base engine, a 3.3-liter V6 with 290 horsepower, the 2020 Ford F-150 has an acceptable amount of power for light-duty hauling and towing. This base F-150, equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission, gets good fuel economy, too – up to 25 mpg on the highway.

If you want an engine that enables the F-150 to climb mountain passes as if they weren’t there, choose the 5.0-liter V8, which also is stronger in towing. If there’s one downside to the V8, it’s the reduced fuel economy, even though it’s mated to the efficiency-enhancing 10-speed automatic transmission.

To KBB, the engine of choice in the F-150 may very well be the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6, which mates to the 10-speed and offers better towing, easier passing, and up to 30 mpg on the highway. While the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 and 3.0-liter Power Stroke V6 turbodiesel are stronger and also efficient, they’re pricier.

In ride and handling, the F-150’s impressive comfort and composure reveal a suspension that has been tuned with care. Loaded or unloaded, the 2020 F-150 exhibits a smooth and stable ride. It’s comfortable enough for personal everyday use. Depending on trim level, the F-150 interior can range from sparse work truck to a rich, leather-laden luxury machine. All 2020 Ford F-150s, though, benefit from standard Trailer Sway Control.

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There are numerous 2020 Ford F-150 models available, ranging from basic to uber-luxurious. The overall interior quality of the various F-150s we’ve seen has been excellent. The back seat of the SuperCab and SuperCrew models is very spacious, with plenty of room for three adults across the back bench.

The F-150 Lariat, a plush model in the middle of the range, impresses with its leather upholstery, leather-wrapped steering wheel, power-adjustable pedals, and power-sliding rear glass. The power front seats are heated and vented, with lumbar support. The Lariat also has Ford’s Sync3 infotainment system with an 8-inch touchscreen that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Moreover, the F-150 Lariat has ice-blue ambient interior lighting.

With the 2020 F-150, Ford has continued to use a body made of aluminum, which is lighter than steel. With its bold grille, the F-150 brings the Super Duty to mind — intentionally so, we feel – and various wheel designs help to differentiate the multiple trim levels.

There’s no doubt the F-150 truck is a Ford, and the tailgate is available with a pull-out step to make it easier for folks to climb into the bed, which is fairly high off the ground. Pop-out steps help access to the bed as well. The Regular Cab and SuperCab F-150 models are available with a 6.5- or an 8-ft bed. The F-150 SuperCrew comes with either a 5.5- or a 6.5-ft bed.

TURBOCHARGED 2.7-LITER V6
The F-150’s 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 may be small, but it packs a 325-horsepower punch and just as much torque as the 5.0-liter V8. An F-150 with the 2.7 can tow up to 9,000 pounds, and it’s still the most fuel-efficient model available.

PRO TRAILER BACKUP ASSIST
This system makes backing into a space with a trailer connected much, much easier. The driver makes right or left commands via a knob, and the F-150 handles all the braking and steering needs. It’s amazing how well this system works. Not available on the base XL.

As a base XL, the 2020 F-150 is a regular-cab 2-wheel-drive (2WD) XL pickup with a respectable level of standard equipment. It’s a decent truck at a fair price. It has the 3.3-liter V6 and a 6-speed automatic transmission, plus the rugged fully-boxed Ford frame. Also standard are air conditioning, 17-inch steel wheels, hill-start assist, and Trailer Sway Control.

If you want Ford’s comprehensive Co-Pilot360 safety suite, it becomes standard on the F-150 Lariat trim level and above.

Options abound on the 2020 Ford F-150. Two packages worthy of note are the FX4 off-road option and the 501A Equipment Group on the F-150 Lariat.

The $905 FX4 Package – available with the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6, 5.0-liter V8, 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, and 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel engines – includes a locking rear differential and off-road front shock absorbers, plus skid plate protection for the fuel tank, transfer case, and front differential.

The $1,300 501A Equipment Group on the F-150 Lariat includes a blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert (two very helpful safety technologies), plus trailer-tow monitoring, a remote tailgate release, LED side mirror spotlights, and power-folding sideview mirrors.

Also available: everything from heated seats and high-end Bang & Olufsen audio systems to adaptive cruise control, power running boards, and inflatable rear seatbelts. Our basic message here: The F-150 option book is a thick one.

The base engine in the 2020 F-150 is a 3.3-liter V6 that sends 290 horsepower to the rear wheels via a 6-speed automatic transmission.

Next up is the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6, an engine that impresses us with its power and efficiency. It puts out 325 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque while endowing the F-150 with excellent fuel economy, aided by a 10-speed automatic transmission.

The available 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6, with even more torque than the EcoBoost 2.7, returns an impressive 30 mpg on the highway (2WD).

The 5.0-liter V8 is unchanged for 2020, as are the two versions of the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 – the 375-hp version in the F-150 Limited and the 450-bp High Output version in the Raptor. Both of these F-150s, incidentally, can tow up to 13,200 pounds.

3.3-liter V6
290 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
265 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 19/25 mpg (2WD), 14/19 mpg (E85, 2WD), 18/23 mpg (4WD), 13/17 mpg (E85, 4WD)

2.7-liter twin-turbocharged V6
325 horsepower @ 5,000 rpm
400 lb-ft of torque @ 2,750 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/26 mpg (2WD), 19/24 mpg (4WD)

3.0-liter turbodiesel V6
250 horsepower @ 3,250 rpm
440 lb-ft of torque @ 1,750 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/30 mpg (2WD), 20/25 mpg (4WD)

3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6
375 horsepower @ 5,000 rpm
470 lb-ft of torque @ 3,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/25 mpg (2WD), 17/23 mpg (4WD)

5.0-liter V8
395 horsepower @ 5,750 rpm
400 lb-ft of torque @ 4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/23 mpg (2WD), 12/17 mpg (E85, 2WD), 16/22 mpg (4WD), 12/15 mpg (E85, 4WD)

3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 (Raptor & Limited)
450 horsepower @ 5,000 rpm
510 lb-ft of torque @ 3,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/18 mpg