Ford site weighs F-150 against rivals

Ford has launched a comparison Web site for the F-150 pickup that illustrates how its truck stacks up against the competition--packed with video footage, testimonials and data.

On the site, you can choose to dive into "torture test" footage of the F-150, or you can opt to complete the head-to-head pickup comparison test to find the F-150 engine that best suits your needs, and how it compares with rival trucks.

First, visitors are prompted to select whether the engine will be used for work or play, how much weight it will be required to haul (up to 2,860 pounds) and how many pounds it will need to tow (up to 11,300).

So, let's say we're hauling 2,860 pounds worth of cargo and towing 11,300 pounds along for the ride (typical day): Ford says the 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost is the right fit for that scenario. Right away, we're told that it gets 22 mpg on the highway and 16 mpg in the city, with the engine making 365 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. The Chevrolet Silverado 1500, the Ram 1500 and the Toyota Tundra are listed as competitors, along with a disclaimer that the towing or hauling weights we've selected exceed capacity for all three.

The torture test features the EcoBoost-equipped F-150 pulling ridiculous amounts of timber across vast stretches of rough terrain, enduring NASCAR track testing and performing a sprint up a hill pulling a 9,000-pound trailer (against the Silverado's 5.3-liter Vortec V8). Guess which one wins?

And if we still need convincing, there are more extensive comparison data and some fancy graphics in the head-to-head pickup section.

By Michelle Koueiter