MotorMouths

With the ability to sprint to 60 mph, tow a horse trailer and carry five oversized adults in comfort, the F-150 Ecoboost doesn’t fail to live up to its jack-of-all-trades billing. It is an eminently practical, utilitarian beast that lacks nothing in the way of creature comforts or performance.

Maybe truck makers could step back from the race to build ever-more-gargantuan pickups, and focus instead on making the best possible tool to helps truck buyers do what they need. The Ford F150 EcoBoost V-6 could be a start.

You actually get quite a lot for your money with the F-150 Platinum. From the high output engine to the decked out interior, this is more a high-performance luxury vehicle than a simple large work truck.

While it might be tempting to label the 2012 F-150 Harley-Davidson a poseur pickup, in reality this is a highly dependable truck that carries two of the most equitable nameplates in the American self-propelled universe.

The 2012 Ford F-150 offers so many models and useful features that customers should have no problem finding one that fits their needs.

To say we were impressed by Ford’s latest F-150 pickup powertrain packages would be an understatement. We are particularly keen on two of them: the base 3.7-liter V6 and the uplevel 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6.

Americans who need a truck should give the F-150 strong consideration. It is the most capable truck in the class, and is among the most refined. The 2011 changes to the engine lineup also make it the most powerful and fuel-efficient.

Six small-bore pistons teamed with 2 turbos and six transmission gears deliver nearly as much torque as the 6.2-liter V-8 with the F-150’s best gas mileage. If anything, the EcoBoost F-150 feels lighter and quicker on its feet than a comparable 6.2-liter V-8 pickup.

The F-150 toes a fine line between civility and functionality and does it in an attractive, masculine package. All hail the king.

The pick of the litter for mainstream users of the new Ford F-150 is certainly the surprising 3.7-liter V6. Simply put, it redefines the concept of pickup power. We’ve never said this about a full-size pickup before: Most buyers who qualify as light-duty users should buy the V6.

The Ford F-150 delivers a strong combination of style, interior comfort, performance, ride and hauling ability.

You might not expect much from a V6, but man, oh man, you’d be hard-pressed to find any wimpiness in the new F-150’s 365 HP Ecoboost V-6. Even the base 3.7-liter V6 was strong and surprisingly fun.