2012 Ford F-150 – Powerful and fuel-efficient engine lineup
What is new in the 2012 model
Ford F-150 comes with some minor changes for the 2012 model. Fuel tank of 36 gallons is standard for all 4-wheel-drive F-150s along with V6 turbo charged engine. The other upgrades for drive train include new 2 speed automatic transfer case for the upper trim levels & electronic locking rear axle which replaces option of limited-slip for a lot of models. Also the all 4WD trucks come with now neutral tow capabilities now and this means that the customers can now flat-tow this F-150 behind motor homes. Also Sync system has more capabilities (AppLink) for smart phones.
Intro
Ford F-Series pick up is the best-selling automobile in U.S. for a long time courtesy of the wide models selection, impressive capabilities and features that are not always found in rival products. 2012 Ford F-150 has continued this trend; it offers about dozen levels of trim, special-edition versions, impressive fuel economy and towing numbers and new innovative technologies.
Diverse lineup of engine introduced in the last year reiterates the multifaceted approach of Ford for meeting the customer needs. Base V6 has more than 300 hp and yet the EPA is rated at 23 mpg on high way. Conventional enthusiasts of V8 get 360-hp 5.0-liter V8 which can tow up to 10,000 pounds max in a truck that is equipped properly. Most appealing feature here is new turbo charged V6 3.5-liter which is rated at 420 pound-feet stump-pulling peak torque. This is pretty quick and gives 18 mpg combined. It also hauls above 3,000 pounds of weight and tows maximum of 11,300 pounds.
2012 Ford F-150 still offers wide range of cargo bed and cab combos in 2 and 4 wheel drive. You get most in midlevel and base trims, and the spacious and versatile SuperCrew dominates special editions and luxury trims. The manufacturer is also offering plenty of useful and unique perks like rear flat floor which is a deployable step for easing access to Ford’s Sync multimedia voice command system and the cargo bed. For use of commercial-grade, the automaker is offering contractor-oriented line up options of “Work Solutions”.
Full sized truck market has more competition as compared to other segments as its capability gets easily compared along with tow rating, payload numbers, and horsepower. The Chevrolet Silverado, Toyota Tundra, and Ram 1500 are all formidable rivals for this manufacturer and all are continuing to push the other for offering more choices, power, and features. That said, the F-150 is still a best-seller as Ford has lent an ear to the criticisms and suggestions from both critics and consumers alike. Whether you want a basic truck for work, a luxurious family hauler, a vehicle that you can run Baja 1000 with or some thing having 4 wheels which announces your loyalty to Harley-Davidson proudly, there has to be 2012 Ford F-150 bearing your initials on it.
Trim Levels, Body Styles, and Options
2012 Ford F-150 full sized pick up truck is available in 3 styles of body – extended cab (or SuperCab), regular cab, and the crew cab (or SuperCrew). Choices of cargo box size too vary: the Regular cabs and the SuperCabs have six and half footed or eight footed cargo bed, except for the Raptor which has 5.5 footed bed. SuperCrew can either have the 5.5-foot or 6.5-foot bed. The rear reverse opening doors are all standard on the SuperCabs to give you easy access to the cab, and SuperCrews have 4 full sized doors.
2012 Ford F-150 comes in 9 levels of trim – base XL, XLT (popularly equipped), sporty STX, rugged FX4/FX2, luxurious Lariat, King Ranch which is inspired by leather saddle, blinged-out Platinum, Harley-Davidson bad-boy and the SVT Raptor which is extreme off-roader.
Geared for commercial use, bare-bones XL has 17 incher steel wheels, FM/AM radio, vinyl seating, AC and there isn’t not much of else. STX is equipped similarly but has body-color trim, full power accessories, cloth seating, cruise control and upgraded audio system with CD player and an aux audio jack. Volume leader XLT is quite similar but has exterior chrome trim and fog lamps.
The FX4 (4WD) and FX2 (2WD) comes with towing package, front bucket seats, 18-inch wheels, a 6-way power driver seat, rearview auto-dimming mirror, Sync voice-command multi function system (this includes Bluetooth and USB/iPod audio interface), trip computer, steering telescoping wheel, 110 volts power out let and also satellite radio. FX4 also comes with under body skid plates and retuned shock/springs absorbers.
Lariat has interior upscale trim, heated 8-way power driver & passenger seats along with lumbar which is power adjustable, leather upholstery, power slider rear window, power adjustable pedals, & automatic dual-zone climate control.
Lariat Limited, King Ranch, Harley-Davidson, and Platinum, are all quite similar to Lariat but has wheels, interior materials, exterior trim, and badging that are all unique to a specific interest or theme. There are some more features, also like the power-folding mirrors, ventilated/heated front seats and second-row heated seats. SVT Raptor is tailor made for using in off-road conditions along with the special tires and suspension which is heavily revised. Other features on Raptor include electronically locking rear differential, exclusive exterior and sport seats and the interior styling. Raptor version is either available in SuperCrew or SuperCab cabs along with 5.5 footed beds.
You can add most functional features that are found on upper trim levels to lower trims as the options. Aimed at the people are working out of the trucks, Work Solutions of Ford has options like in-dash computer having Internet access, Midbox system of storage (lockable compartment that is located between bed and cab) & Tool Link (it is a system which keeps the tabs on tools that are stored in the box of the truck through radio-frequency tracking). The other options include sunroof, rear view camera, system of cargo management, rear parking sensors, trailer brake controller, stowable bed extender, premium Sony sound system, navigation system that is hard-drive-based and has Sirius Travel Link & rear-seat system for entertainment.
Performance and Powertrains
Model wise, there are 4 options for engine on the 2012 Ford F-150. Each engine comes has 6-speed automatic transmission. Customers get to choose from 2- and 4-wheel drive for all the versions of F-150 except for Raptor, where in 4WD is offered as the standard equipment.
3.7-liter base V6 gives 302 hp and 278 lb-ft torque. In my testing for performance, the F-150 engine went from zero to sixty mph in 8.2 seconds. Fuel economy estimated by EPA is 17-23-19 mpg for city-highway-combined for the rear-wheel drive. If you opt for 4-wheel drive then the estimates are lowered by around two mpg.
After this, there is 5.0-liter V8 having 360 hp and torque of 380 lb-ft. With 4-wheel drive, F-150 having this engine can go from 0 to sixty mph in about 7.2 seconds. The fuel economy along with RWD stands is 15/21/17.
Available 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 has rating of 365 of hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. Rear-drive F-150 along with this engine can hit sixty in a pretty impressive six and half seconds in testing and returns estimated 16/22/18 (EPA numbers). Such combination of efficiency and acceleration is unparalleled in the world of trucks.
Final engine (which is standard on Raptor) is 6.2-liter V8 giving 411 of hp & 434 lb-ft torque. Raptor goes to sixty mph in about 7.1 seconds. The fuel economy is 13/18/14 mpg with 6.2-liter in rear-drive F-150. However, in Raptor, it drops to 11/16/13.
Tow ratings of F-150 range from about 6,100 pounds with 3.7-liter V6 to about 11,300 pounds for 6.2-liter V8 & turbo V6 (when equipped properly).
Safety
4-wheel anti lock disc brakes, trailer sway control stability control, and full airbags complement (including the front seat side and the side full-length curtain) are all standard on board. The manufacturer is offering Post-Crash SOS Alert System which helps in drawing assistance and attention to this truck if the air bags are deployed.
In the government crash tests, this 2012 Ford F-150 SuperCrew got an over all rating of 4 out of max 5 stars, with 3 stars for the frontal overall impact protection & 5 stars for side impact overall protection. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has given F-150 SuperCrew “Good” rating (which is the topmost) for the side-impact, frontal-offset, and the roof-strength tests.
During my brake testing, the regular F-150 models halted from sixty mph in some where between 125 & 132 feet. Heavier Raptor along with the off road oriented tires had stopped in longer 143 feet.
Special Features and Interior Design
2012 Ford F-150 SuperCrew is spacious for both passengers and cargo as cavernous Toyota CrewMax. You get superb comfort for backseat due to the abundant leg room, flat floor and seat back angle which is reclined pleasantly. SuperCab is still pretty roomy, but leg room isn’t as generous. The clam shell rear-hinged doors too are less useful than front-hinged traditional doors of rival Ram Quad Cab and Tundra Double Cab.
F-150 is suited well to life if you want to use it as work truck. You can equip it for performing different recreation and work related chores. There are also little details like tail gate steps, box side steps, trailer sway control and Work Solutions; such options will make life a lot easier for the owners.
All the F-150s have materials of good-quality and simple controls (by the full-sized standards of truck). There is instrument panel on the upper trims along with analog gauges that are easy to follow and an informative 4.2 inches LCD screen. Navigation system has an eight inches screen having impressive clarity. The lower trims come with 40/20/40 standard split bench seat having column shifter, and upper trims have chairs of captain’s and console shifter. The manufacturer has done a good job in differentiating interior design on the special models like Harley-Davidson and SVT Raptor.
My driving impressions
Courtesy of the powerful lineup engine and the rock-solid chassis, this 2012 Ford F-150 gives good handling dynamics and ride for full-sized truck. Its reputation for the low noise of cabin at high speeds has nearly become trademark of F-150. Pampering of passengers depends on trim level, but overall level of comfort is very high; even when bed of cargo is totally unloaded.
Unlike the other full-sized trucks, it is difficult to be wrong while selecting engines. Even base V6 gives you strong acceleration, and turbo charged V6 comes with combination of power, efficiency, and capability which is quite compelling. Old-fashioned V8s too are very strong.
Custom made SVT Raptor is halo truck which the off-road enthusiasts will dream about. It will easily tame the toughest terrains, but is also a bit trickier for driving around the town due to the higher ride height and wide body.
