One of the most important product redesigns for 2020 is the 14th-generation Ford F-150. The 2021 pickup sports a similar exterior design compared with the outgoing model but now has a wider stance.

One of the biggest changes for the pickup is the addition of a 3.5-liter hybrid V-6, which Ford has named PowerBoost. The powertrain, mated to a 10-speed transmission, includes a 35-kilowatt-hour electric motor near the engine and a 1.5-kWh lithium ion battery in the rear.

We’ve compiled select F-150 PowerBoost reviews from the automotive media.

“Running on electrons definitely enhances the 2021 F-150 PowerBoost’s sense of inner calm, but you needn’t be in electric-only mode to understand that this new F-150 feels appreciably quieter than before. Wind and road noise are well controlled, and whether the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 is pumping its red-hot fists in the air or not, the cabin of this F-Series is a surprisingly serene place to be. I even made a point to drive my tester on greater Detroit’s badly rutted dirt and gravel roads, and not only are body motions well controlled (even with an empty bed), the lack of noise when cinders ping-pong around in the F-150’s specially lined wheel wells is impressive. Yes, the Ram 1500’s available coil-spring setup is ultimately more compliant, but at least by truck standards, this new F-150 King Ranch rides very well, and it’s quieter than a church mouse pissing on cotton.

“To be frank, I’ve never much cared for the way Ford’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost sounds, and the fact that the PowerBoost tech silences its noise periodically while offering 30 more horsepower and 70 more pound-feet of torque is icing on the cake. It’s not that the V6 itself sounds bad, exactly, it just isn’t authoritative in the way you might want or expect for a full-size pickup.”

— Chris Paukert, Roadshow by CNET

“The motor isn’t designed to provide meaningful acceleration on its own, but it does allow for short periods of electric cruising at low speeds. Transitions from gas to electric power are almost imperceptible, as is the changeover from regenerative to friction braking. The hybrid scores 24 mpg on the EPA’s combined cycle, 4 mpg more than a regular EcoBoost 3.5 F-150 manages.

“Minor tweaks to the truck’s chassis and suspension keep it quiet and composed, although rough pavement can elicit an occasional shudder from the leaf-spring rear axle. We particularly like the tight, direct action of the new variable-assist steering that’s standard on the fancy King Ranch model and above, but the standard rack on our Lariat model wasn’t as sharp and required more handwork at slower speeds.”

— Mike Sutton, Car and Driver

“We won’t mince words: The 2021 F-150 PowerBoost is the most impressive everyday pickup we’ve sampled, perhaps ever (putting extreme Raptors and Power Wagons aside). Despite making use of what is now fairly proven and conventional hybrid technology, the PowerBoost doesn’t make its hybridness obvious. There’s no awkward braking transition between regenerative and hydraulic operation; no fussy CVT or planetary gearbox producing undesirable vibration or pegging the revs in the stratosphere under hard acceleration. It just drives like a truck — a powerful truck.

“If anything, it’s a lot like piloting a half-ton pickup with a heavy-duty diesel powertrain, only without any of the nuisances associated with modern diesel ownership. And you get 24 mpg everywhere, as in both in the city and on the highway. That’s the same combined figure as the outgoing 3.0-liter Power Stroke diesel, which produces just 250 horsepower. Sure, that light-duty diesel will net you better highway fuel economy, but unless you [exclusively] drive on I-45, the hybrid will match it in the long term. Gasoline is also much cheaper than pump diesel in most states, so it’ll be cheaper to fill.”

— Byron Hurd, Autoblog

“Where the hybrid system really showed its advantage was while towing. I took out a hybrid F-150 with a 5,500-pound Airstream trailer, a burden with which I am familiar — at home I tow a two-horse trailer which is about the same weight when loaded. I have spent most of my career avoiding the cliché, ‘It drove like the trailer wasn’t even there!’ but, well, that’s what it felt like, particularly at low speeds. The 3.5 EcoBoost has always been a great towing engine (and so is the smaller 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6), but that low-end electric boost really makes the trailer disappear.”

— Aaron Gold, Automobile

“One beef I have with the PowerBoost engine is its sound. Somehow, this twin-turbo V-6 manages to moan like a five-cylinder diesel UPS truck. The genius(es) responsible for the 2.0-liter Bronco Sport’s faux-V-8 engine note needs to be reassigned to this team, stat.”

“As for handling, the F-150 ran around my favorite handling loop remarkably well for a tall, hefty truck wearing galoshes. Body control was surprisingly reasonable, and the steering generally felt good — slow but perfectly linear. I never felt myself micromanaging the helm mid-corner. Ride quality was also quite good for a truck with a 7,350-pound gross vehicle weight rating and 12,400-pound towing capacity.”

— Frank Markus, Motor Trend

“The F-150 PowerBoost 4WD hybrid I tested had a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6, electric motor and 10-speed automatic transmission. The combination of Ford’s beefy EcoBoost V-6 and immediate torque from the electric motor deliver smooth, powerful acceleration. Braking is sure and predictable thanks to effective blending of the conventional friction brakes and power regeneration to charge the battery. The engine’s fuel-saving auto-stop at traffic lights is unobtrusive.

“The ride is smooth even over rough surfaces and speed humps, a tribute to a new suspension that led engineers to widen the F-150’s front and rear wheel tracks, one of the few dimensional changes from the old model. The steering is responsive and nicely weighted. The optional 18-speaker B&O Unleashed sound system in the loaded F-150 I tested delivered excellent clarity and separation and featured speakers in the front headrests and headliner.

“There’s very little wind or road noise.”

— Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press