Car Reviews
Full Review of the 2013 Ford F-150 King Ranch EcoBoost 4×4
We’ve been lucky enough here to drive about every variant of the F-150, and there’s a lot. We’ve had our hands on the SVT Raptor and had a blast running that truck through open fields and mud. We’ve blasted down I-30 heading out of Dallas for a quick drive of the FX4. We’ve had our hands on a V6, an EcoBoost, a 5.0 V8, and even the 6.2 SuperDuty. Now we’re finally getting our hands on a trademark here in Texas, we’re driving the F-150 King Ranch.
The actual ranch here in Texas, founded in 1853, was named from its founder Captain Richard King. The ranch is located between Corpus Chrisi and Brownsville in South Texas and is one of the largest ranches in the world with 825,000 acres. Funny enough the largest ranch in the U.S. is another ranch in Vernon, Texas – the Waggoner Ranch. This is a huge ranch that needs real work done by some tough trucks. In 2001 Ford stepped in the picture partnering with the ranch and offering up a King Ranch edition F-150.
Don’t let the name fool you, though, today this is not your ordinary rancher’s truck. This is a full-on, luxury vehicle. You’ll see many cow-brandings on the inside and outside of this truck but there’s also much more leather and luxury packed into the cabin. The front and rear seats, steering wheel, the armrest, and the instrument cluster hood are all wrapped in Chaparral leather which is a unique feature of the King Ranch truck. These surfaces can hold their own to just about any luxury vehicle on the market and the seats are incredibly comfortable. The front seats are also heated or cooled and have a 20-way power adjustment.
Inside you’ll also find the latest iteration of MyFordTouch and Ford’s SYNC systems. This is a great package for any ride but the voice commands and app connectivity really help this truck shine. The truck also comes standard with dual-zone electronic automatic climate control to keep its passengers in comfort no matter if you’re in the blazing heat of South Texas or the bitter cold up north. The King Ranch also comes standard with a rear-view camera, remote keyless entry – although no proximity key or push-button start, ambient lighting that can change colors to suit your mood, power adjustable steering wheel, and a slew of other really nice features.
Outside the King Ranch is differentiated by its two-tone paint, some King Ranch cattle-branded logos, and as all variants of the F-150 have different style grilles, you get the King Ranch variant here. The F-150 has been and continues to be the most refined looking truck on the market. This plays perfectly into making luxury trucks. You now get HID headlamps, side mirrors that are telescoping and power folding, Pale Adobe platform running boards, and a tailgate step. All of these features add up making a handsome looking and optimally performing truck for work or play.
One of the newest features to hit the truck line is the addition of EcoBoost. Ford has been in the forefront in bringing new technology into their trucks to make them better performing and more fuel efficient and the addition of this engine setup is a great leap forward. Our tester model was equipped with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. This means a twin-turbocharged engine pushing 365-horsepower and 420-lb-ft of torque while returning some impressive mpg figures. The EPA rates the F-150 EcoBoost at 16-mpg city and 22-mpg highway. You don’t lose out when it comes to towing ability either. The King Ranch equipped with the EcoBoost has a rating of up to 15,200-lbs. compared to the 15,300-lbs of the V8.
So you have the luxury and fuel economy you want out of a day-to-day truck but what about when you need to actually work? Our tester was also optioned out with the 4×4 package which includes 3.15 to 3.31 axle ratio and adds $3,275 to the sticker. We were able to have a little fun in the mud with this truck and it’s definitely capable of taking on the average ranch terrain.
The base price for entering into ranching luxury is $43,805. Our tester with its EcoBoost engine, 4×4 drivetrain, and extra amenities tipped the scale to $54,955. That may seem like a lot of money for to spend on a truck but you really do feel like a king of the road with luxury and capability. Living in Texas I could definitely argue for spending $60k on a luxury truck over $60k on a luxury sedan.