The Ford F-150 Hybrid or Powerboost pickup is a bit of an anachronism. Sure, it packs a punch as the most powerful Ford F-150 you can buy today. It also has several features that big truck buyers want. But their reliability scores are in the dumps. Is the Ford F-150 Hybrid worth the risk?
Is the Ford F-150 Hybrid unreliable?
Let’s start with the bad news for the Ford F-150 Hybrid; reliability-wise, it ranks low on Consumer Reports’ reliability list. In fact, it ranks lowest. Ford calls the hybrid powertrain PowerBoost, and it’s a combination of a 3.5-liter V6 with turbochargers and a hybrid battery pack. This new powertrain, which debuted in 2021, has had some teething problems.
cars.com Review of a first-year F-150 Hybrid showed several software glitches and a few other issues unexpected in a new truck. TruckBed.com did a survey that might be one of the least scientific surveys available, but it gives you an idea. He surveyed F-150 Hybrid owners on social media, and the vast majority of owners did not make any warranty claims.
Still, most of those issues are covered under Ford’s warranty. Overall, though, at JD Power, owners said the F-150 (which includes all models) gets an “excellent” reliability score of 86 out of 100. That puts the F-150 in a dead heat for second place. Only GM trucks, the Silverado and Sierra, ranked higher for reliability.
Is the Ford F-150 Hybrid powerful?
The Ford F-150 Hybrid is the most powerful F-150 you can buy, aside from the $110,000 Ford F-150 Raptor R. With 430 horsepower and 570 lb-ft of diesel-like torque, the Hybrid is hands down the better choice. numbers that most truck buyers want. That extra power comes from a 47-horsepower electric motor. And, because of its hybrid drive, it also gets the gas mileage that many truck buyers would envy: 24 mpg city and 24 mpg highway. For those keeping count, that’s a not-insignificant 20% increase over the regular Ford F-150.
Depending on which numbers you prefer, most of the Ford F-150 PowerBoosts that have been tested are also some of the fastest trucks you can buy. Most testers seem to achieve 0-60 times in under 5.5 seconds, which puts this truck in exceptional company. In fact, it’s almost as fast as the beloved light-up trucks of the early 2000s. Power is funneled through a new 10-speed automatic transmission.
How much can the Ford F-150 Hybrid tow?
The Ford F-150 Hybrid also has some impressive specs. It can tow up to 12,700 pounds. It can hold 2,120 pounds of cargo, which is a lot considering it has a heavy 1.5 kWh battery under the bed.
But that’s only part of this truck’s capability. PowerBoost trucks use that battery for Pro Power Onboard, which is Ford’s name for its in-bed electrical outlets. The system can pump out enough electricity to run most power tools. And PowerBoost trucks can be ordered with a four-wheel drive system.
Although the Hybrid does have a few issues, and they seem relegated to software glitches, the Ford app will catch most issues before they become a major problem. And visits to a dealer for warranty service can be a hassle. But, the convenience of more power and better fuel economy might be worth it.