Canadians Love the Ford F-150 PowerStroke. Cool, eh?

Only downsides in this F-150 review have nothing to do with the new diesel engine.

Canadian automotive journalist Justin Pritchard from The Chronicle Herald recently spent some time in the 2018 Ford F-150 with the new PowerStroke diesel V6. Like so many other members of the media (including this FTE writer) who have driven the half-ton truck powered by the new, small diesel engine, Pritchard loved everything about the diesel engine. Meanwhile, his only complaints about this F-150 are model-specific and don’t involve the new engine.

You can read the entire review on the Herald’s website, but we have summarized his review below. We have done so by splitting our piece up into the pros and cons, starting with the few negative points that Pritchard mentioned.

The Downsides

Since there are so few negative points about the 2018 Ford F-150 with the PowerStroke diesel, we are starting with the cons. Pritchard pointed out a few times in his review that the PowerStroke is an expensive option, adding $5,700 to the bottom line. He also pointed out that it costs more than the 3.5-liter EcoBoost gas engine that has more horsepower and more torque, but the diesel has advantages over the big twin turbo gas mill that we will discuss in the next section.

The other downsides of the 2018 Ford F-150 with the PowerStroke diesel don’t have anything to do with the engine. Pritchard feels that the steering is “too vague and uncommunicative for my taste at highway speed” and that at times, it “feels laborious to keep this big wide hauler centered between the lines”.

Finally, he points out that his F-150 tester is outfitted with the FX4 off-road package, leading to a stiffer, rougher ride on rough roads, although it handles off-road situations better than trucks that offer better on-road ride quality.

The Many Upsides

While Pritchard had those few negative things to say about the 2018 Ford F-150 with the PowerStroke diesel engine, his review was overwhelmingly positive. He praised the roomy, comfortable interior, the outward visibility and what he calls the “central command system”, presumably referring to the driver-centric infotainment system.

More importantly for the sake of this particular review, Pritchard raved about the new PowerStroke diesel engine. He pointed out the fact that this new diesel engine is the most-efficient in the lineup while also being the second strongest in terms of torque, trailing only the 3.5-liter EcoBoost. At the same time, the PowerStroke doesn’t work as hard when pulling or hauling a heavy load while also being more fuel-friendly when doing that work.

Prichard focuses on a few key aspects of the PowerStroke F-150 that concern many interested buyers. There is no smoke and it is quiet at idle and when accelerating, so there is no concern of the “noisy, stinky diesel engines” of yesteryear. While it shares the PowerStroke name, this diesel is far less noticeable than the engine in the Super Duty lineup, making this engine more user-friendly for the everyday driver.

Click here to head to the original post to read the full review of yet another reviewer who loves the PowerStroke diesel engine in the 2018 Ford F-150.

Also See: FTE First Drive: 2018 Ford F-150 with the New Power Stroke Diesel

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

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