The F-150 Lobo Looks Like a Street Truck but Doesn’t Perform Like One
Car and Driver found a naturally aspirated V-8 and a lowered stance, but little added speed.
The F-150 Lobo wants to bring back the spirit of Ford’s old F-150 Lightning street trucks. Source of this artical is Car and Driver tested one and concluded that it gets the look right but not much else.
The Numbers
The test truck weighed 5,196 pounds. Car and Driver measured 0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds in four-wheel drive and the quarter-mile in 14.2 seconds at 100 mph. Skidpad grip was 0.78 g, and braking from 70 mph took 183 feet. The publication blamed the Bridgestone all-season tires for the weak grip and braking, and said summer tires would help, as they would on the Maverick Lobo. Fuel economy was 16 mpg observed, against EPA ratings of 16 city, 24 highway and 19 combined.
A Fair Comparison
The reviewers compared the Lobo with the 2001 SVT F-150 Lightning, a regular-cab, rear-drive truck with a supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 making 380 horsepower and 450 pound-feet. That truck weighed 4,702 pounds and reached 60 mph about half a second sooner than the Lobo. The new truck is larger and heavier, but the publication still didn’t count that as progress.
Tested: F-150 Lobo Looks Fast, Isn’t
Car and Driver also pointed to a 2022 F-150 with Ford Performance’s $12,350 FP700 kit. With 700 horsepower and a Whipple supercharger, that rear-drive single-cab hit 60 mph in 4.2 seconds, which shows what Ford could do with the Lobo’s platform.
Ride and Interior
The lowered rear end and leaf-spring rear suspension don’t handle broken pavement well, and Car and Driver called the ride stiff. Inside, the cabin is easy to use, with a 12-inch touchscreen, physical climate knobs and comfortable cloth seats. The rear seat has plenty of room. Material quality is a letdown at about $60,000, with hard plastics and a chintzy-feeling steering wheel.
Verdict
Car and Driver liked the looks and the V-8’s exhaust note. It was less impressed with the price and the lack of added performance, and called the Lobo half-baked. Motor1’s reviewer enjoyed the nostalgic cabin, but agreed the truck is a hard sell and may not last long in the lineup.
The Basics
- Type: Front-engine, rear- and four-wheel-drive, five-passenger, four-door pickup
- Engine: 5.0-liter V-8, 400 hp, 410 lb-ft
- Transmission: 10-speed automatic
- Wheelbase: 145.4 inches
- Length: 232.0 inches
- Curb weight: 5,196 pounds
- Base price: $59,860 (Car and Driver); $62,490 as tested
- Competitors: Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, Ram 1500
Note: Prices differ across sources: $59,860 (Car and Driver), $60,555 with destination (Motor1). A Boston Herald MSRP of $51,070 didn’t match the other sources and was left out.
