Aside from the presence of a bed, this 2021 F-150 and 1965 F-100 don't have much in common.
Old vs New
Those that have driven both old Ford trucks and new ones already know that they've changed quite a bit over the last several decades. That's par for the course in the automotive industry as a whole, as technology has made a massive impact - whether good or bad - on the vehicles we own and drive. However, this comparison between a 1965 Ford F-100 and 2021 F-150 PowerBoost from
The Fast Lane Truck is still pretty interesting, regardless.
Spartan Yet Capable
The 2021 F-150 in this comparison is an XL, which means that it's fairly spartan by new truck standards, with rubber floor mats, steel wheels, and cloth seats. Regardless, it does pack Ford's most sophisticated drivetrain under the hood - the new 3.5-liter PowerBoost V6 full hybrid setup, which produces 430 horsepower and a stump-pulling 570 pound-feet of torque while delivering 25 mpg of combined city and highway driving.
>>Join the conversation about Ford trucks over the decades right here in the Ford-Trucks forum.
More Spartan
By comparison, the F-100 utilizes Ford's 300 cubic-inch inline-six for power and nothing much in the way of comfort features, which was the norm back then. This old pickup has everything you need and nothing you don't, including a bench seat, manual locking hubs, and a four-speed manual transmission with a granny gear.
>>Join the conversation about Ford trucks over the decades right here in the Ford-Trucks forum.
Towing Advantage
This particular 2021 F-150 is capable of towing up to 8,300 pounds, though it can be configured to tow as much as 12,700 pounds. Meanwhile, the '65 can pull up to 5,500 pounds, which is still decent. The real kicker is that pulling that much weight with the old truck will make it even slower than it already was, while new trucks are so good at towing that oftentimes you'll forget you're even pulling something.
>>Join the conversation about Ford trucks over the decades right here in the Ford-Trucks forum.
Long-Term Reliability
As most are already aware, however, sometimes all this technology and complexity can be a hindrance in terms of reliability. While we know the old '65 will run just about forever with only simple maintenance, the '21 has yet to prove itself over the long haul. And truthfully, we understand why some are hesitant given the sheer amount of tech Ford has packed into its latest F-150.
>>Join the conversation about Ford trucks over the decades right here in the Ford-Trucks forum.
Money Talks
Other stark contrasts to note here are the 2021 Ford truck's aluminum body versus the old one's steel panels, along with the insane amount of passenger space afforded by the new truck's SuperCrew body style. Then there's the price - the new PowerBoost cost over $50k when new, even in XL trim, while the old pickup originally started out at under $2k. Even with inflation factored in, that's still a huge difference.
>>Join the conversation about Ford trucks over the decades right here in the Ford-Trucks forum.
Power of Choice
Obviously, few are cross-shopping 1965 F-100s versus 2021 F-150s, but this is still a pretty cool comparison. Both the vintage and the modern Ford trucks will have their proponents and detractors, but luckily, we live in a world where we have the power to choose which one we'd rather own.
>>Join the conversation about Ford trucks over the decades right here in the Ford-Trucks forum.
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