The Ford F-150 has been one of the nation’s most popular and dependable trucks for decades, but that doesn’t mean it can’t benefit from a few cool new features. The 2021 F-150 is decked out with a plethora of updates to both the body of the truck and the cabin. Here are some of the best features, according to Car and Driver’s review of the Platinum Crew Cab trim.

The Ford F-150’s upgraded body

Perhaps two of the most practical features on the 2021 Ford F-150 are the clamps and rulers located on the truck’s tailgate. For drivers who frequently need to cut wood, this eliminates the need to set up a workbench. There are two clamp holes, as well as rulers in metric and imperial measurements.

As the higher trims of the F-150 are designed to provide a quieter, more luxurious driving experience, they make use of passenger-car tires with thicker sidewalls. These tires are still all-terrain and highly capable — they just also provide a slightly plusher ride.

Finally, the upper trims offer an optional stacked LED headlight assembly. The running light is now shaped like an L, and the low and high beams are no longer split.

New and improved tech

While the Ford F-150 features several changes to its exterior, it is within the cabin that you’ll find the biggest array of fun additions. In a move that Car and Driver describes as “gimmicky, but cool,” Ford designed the gear shift as a PRNDL stick that can fold entirely flat. This allows the driver to lay a center tray down over the shifter in order to create a mobile workspace.

A slightly more utilitarian addition is the F-150’s two 3.6 kW generators, which make it possible for the truck to transform into a portable generator for 64 hours. The cab contains two 120-volt outlets and one 12-volt socket, while the bed contains four 120-volt outlets and one 240-volt outlet.

You can also listen to music in a whole new way thanks to this truck’s headrests, which contain speakers. The result is a surround sound that is “subtle and enveloping.”

The F-150 features a 12-inch touchscreen with swiping capabilities that allow the driver to easily display two menus and switch between them as desired. For added convenience, there are also additional shortcut buttons just under the display screen. These connect to some of the most frequently accessed pages, such as settings and audio tuning.

A digital instrument panel now provides important information as soon as the driver switches into tow mode. You’ll have immediate feedback on the incline angle and the steering angle, as well as the trailer braking gain setting.

What else we know about the F-150

The 2021 Ford F-150 has a starting price of approximately $30,635. It comes with several engine options, ranging from the base 290-hp 3.3-liter V6 to a 400-hp 5.8-liter V8. This is also the first year that a hybrid option will be available. The EPA has not yet released its fuel economy estimates for this truck.

With the base engine, the F-150 has a maximum towing capacity of 8,200 pounds. However, if you opt for the 400 hp 3.5-liter V6 engine option, this towing capacity is increased to 14,000 pounds.

The newest Ford F-150 is packed to the brim with unique features. Some significantly add to the truck’s functionality, while others — like the many American flag accents hidden around the cabin — are just fun. Ford may have given this iconic truck a makeover, but there’s no doubt that underneath it all, it’s the same trustworthy pickup people have been loving for 42 years.