2021 Ford F-150 King Ranch PowerBoost matches hybrid smarts with Western flair

This is the 2021 Ford F-150. Don't let the familiar appearance of this 14th-gen F-Series half-ton pickup fool you, there's a ton of new tech and power under its aluminum skin.

Packing available PowerBoost hybrid tech, an onboard generator and unique features like Max Recline lay-flat seats, the Blue Oval's favorite son is ready to do battle anew with the Chevy Silverado, Ram 1500, Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan.

That front end doesn't look much different, does it? Look closer, and you'll see new headlamps with C-clamp-shaped DRLs that blend into a redesigned bumper, as well as a new grille.

The new PowerBoost hybrid tech builds atop the F-150's most-powerful gas engine, the 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost, adding in a 35-kilowatt electric motor sandwiched into the 10-speed transmission's case. Ford says the powertrain is good for 430 horsepower and 570 pound-feet of torque. It's a monster.

Regardless of whether it's built in Dearborn, Michigan, or Kansas City, Missouri, each new F-150's track is wider by three-quarters of an inch.

The new F-150 rides well, even over rutted surfaces and gravel roads. It's also eerily quiet.

The rear end gets new C-clamp-shaped rear lamps and this King Ranch model features billboard-sized tailgate lettering.

You'll be surprised at how refined and quiet the new F-150 is inside, PowerBoost hybrid or no.

The cabin is perhaps the area where the outgoing F-150 had the most catching up to do, and at least in this King Ranch trim, it appears up to the task of competing with the Ram 1500.

These Max Recline front seats feature heating, ventilation, massage, and a lay-flat position for quick naps on the job site. (I'd promise not to tell your boss, but if you're driving a nearly $77,000 truck like this King Ranch, you probably are the boss.)

Most F-150s are available with a trick new foldable and lockable storage bin under the rear seats, but not PowerBoost models -- they need that space for the 1.5-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery.

This particular model features a 12-inch touchscreen running Sync 4 infotainment. It includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus SiriusXM 360L. Did we mention it's got the top-shelf 18-speaker B&O Unleashed audio system?

The F-150 PowerBoost's EPA fuel-economy estimates call for 24 miles per gallon city, 24 mpg highway and 24 mpg combined.

The F-150 King Ranch has all kinds of down-home chrome, ya'll.

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