The 2027 Ford F-150 Just Took Away Chevy’s Biggest Bragging Right
Ford does not mess with the F-150 lightly, and for good reason. In fact, it has been America’s best-selling truck for 49 years straight. Moreover, it keeps that lead by listening to the people who use these trucks. The 2027 Ford F-150 is not a ground-up redesign. Even so, it lands updates right where buyers feel them. For starters, you get a bolder look and hands-free towing. In addition, there is a new standard engine, the return of a V8, and the first-ever F-150 Carhartt. In short, here is what changed for 2027, and what each update means when you shop.
A Familiar Face, Now With More Attitude
First, the most obvious change is up front. For 2027, the XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, and Platinum trims all get new grilles and fresh wheels. Notably, Ford says the update came from customer feedback. For example, owners wanted a modern take on a face they already trusted. They also wanted to keep the tough, work-ready look that sells these trucks.
For buyers, this is the easy part. For starters, the truck looks current again. The refresh also spreads across the trims most families buy. Best of all, it changes nothing about the practical, haul-anything nature of the F-150. So if you liked how it worked before, you still will.
Hands-Free Towing Is the Real Headline
Here is the update truck people will talk about. More than 75% of F-150 owners use their trucks to tow. So Ford built BlueCruise with Towing, and it debuts first on the 2027 Ford F-150. In short, it lets you drive hands-free on more than 130,000 miles of divided highways, called Blue Zones. In addition, you can do it while pulling a boat, a trailer, or a camper. When properly configured, it works with up to 10,000 pounds behind you. Notably, Ford says that is more hands-free towing than any other gas-powered pickup in the class.
Just as important, Ford is not locking this behind a luxury trim. Every BlueCruise-equipped 2027 F-150 can use it, from XLT and Tremor up to King Ranch and Platinum. Owners with an active BlueCruise plan also pay nothing extra for the towing feature. There are sensible guardrails, too. First, you set up a trailer profile. In addition, the system watches for sway. The top speed also drops to 75 mph. Finally, you still make your own lane changes while towing.
How It Compares to GM’s Super Cruise
This is where it gets interesting for anyone who follows the truck wars. For years, GM’s Super Cruise was the only hands-free system you could use with a trailer attached. Of course, it was a real bragging right. Chevrolet even flew me out to Fort Worth to test it myself, pulling a trailer through Fort Worth traffic. I came away impressed. Super Cruise had one catch while towing, though. It could not make automatic lane changes, because the sensors cannot see past the trailer. BlueCruise with Towing has that very same limit. So Ford is not leapfrogging GM here. Instead, Ford matches the feature and hands it to nearly every F-150 buyer. As a result, it quietly takes away one of Chevy’s best talking points.
A New Base Engine, and the V8 Comes Home
The 2027 powertrain lineup gets a real shake-up. The new standard engine is a 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6. Notably, it replaces the outgoing 2.7-liter EcoBoost. It shares the same core design and matches the old engine’s peak numbers. Even better, it makes roughly 10 to 11% more torque in the everyday driving range. As a result, it should feel stronger around town and when merging. Official output is 325 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque.
The bigger news for traditionalists is the 5.0-liter V8. It returns to the King Ranch and Platinum for the first time since 2023. That means the V8, rated at 400 horsepower and 410 lb-ft, is available across the whole lineup again. In other words, you can get it from the work-ready XL up to Platinum. Above that sit two familiar choices. First, the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 is good for 500 lb-ft and up to 13,500 pounds of towing. Meanwhile, the 3.5-liter PowerBoost hybrid makes 570 lb-ft and offers up to 7.2 kW of Pro Power Onboard.
Why the V8 Comeback Matters
The V8’s return is also smart business. For example, Ram recently brought back its HEMI for the same reason. In fact, Ram says 40% of buyers here will walk away from a brand entirely if it drops the V8. Notably, I dug into that number when I compared the 2026 Ram 1500 Laramie and BackCountry. So Ford keeping the 5.0-liter V8 available everywhere should help it hold onto those buyers.
Of course, the timing is not an accident. Crosstown, GM also leaned hard into V8 power and luxury for its own new trucks. In fact, I covered that in my first looks at the 2027 Chevy Silverado and the 2027 GMC Sierra. So Ford’s answer is simple. Therefore, it makes the V8 available everywhere again. As a result, no F-150 buyer has to move up a trim just to get eight cylinders.
The Full 2027 Ford F-150 Engine Lineup
In short, here is how every engine compares on paper.
| Engine | 3.0L EcoBoost V6 | 5.0L V8 | 3.5L EcoBoost V6 | 3.5L PowerBoost Hybrid | 3.5L EcoBoost HO | 5.2L Supercharged V8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horsepower | 325 @ 5,500 RPM | 400 @ 6,250 RPM | 400 @ 5,250 RPM | 430 @ 5,250 RPM | 450 @ 5,250 RPM | 720 @ 6,650 RPM |
| Torque (lb-ft) | 400 @ 2,250 RPM | 410 @ 4,250 RPM | 500 @ 3,500 RPM | 570 @ 3,500 RPM | 510 @ 3,500 RPM | 640 @ 4,300 RPM |
| Max Towing, lbs (4×2 / 4×4) | 8,400 / 8,200 | 12,800 / 12,800 | 13,300 / 13,500 | 12,400 / 11,600 | N/A / 8,200 | N/A / 8,700 |
| Max Payload, lbs (4×2 / 4×4) | 1,775 / 1,715 | 2,235 / 2,080 | 2,440 / 2,175 | 2,045 / 1,740 | N/A / 1,405 | N/A / 1,410 |
| Configuration | 60-degree V6, DOHC | 90-degree V8, DOHC | 60-degree V6, DOHC | 60-degree V6, DOHC | 60-degree V6, DOHC | 90-degree V8, DOHC |
| Induction | Twin-turbocharged, intercooled | Naturally aspirated | Twin-turbocharged, intercooled | Twin-turbocharged, intercooled | Twin-turbocharged, intercooled | Supercharged, intercooled |
| Block Material | Compacted graphite iron | Aluminum | Aluminum | Aluminum | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| Head Material | Aluminum | Aluminum | Aluminum | Aluminum | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| Fuel Delivery | Direct injection | PFDI | PFDI | PFDI | PFDI | Sequential multiport (PFI) |
| Recommended Fuel | Regular 87 octane | Regular 87 octane | Regular 87 octane | Regular 87 octane | Premium 91+ octane | Premium 91+ octane |
The First-Ever F-150 Carhartt
Ford is also bringing Carhartt to the F-150 for the first time. Notably, it is offered on the 4×4 XLT Crew Cab. Essentially, the F-150 Carhartt blends the workwear brand’s rugged look with the truck’s daily capability. Outside, it rolls on unique 20-inch wheels. In addition, it adds fender vents, Carhartt badging, and a lower rocker and tailgate graphic. Lobo headlamps, a Tremor hood, dual exhaust, and Tremor running boards also round out the look. Finally, a spray-in bedliner stamped with the Carhartt logo protects your cargo.
Inside, the theme continues. For example, you get work-ready seat covers and accent stitching on the doors, console, and steering wheel. All-weather floor mats also carry the Carhartt name. As for price, the Carhartt Package runs $4,195. The F-150 Carhartt then starts at $62,660 MSRP plus destination and delivery. You can order one now, and deliveries start in early 2027.
Entry-Level Tremor and Raptor Make Off-Road More Accessible
Ford is also making its off-road trucks easier to reach. For 2027, new entry-level Tremor and Raptor choices bring the same tough hardware and capability to a lower price tag. In short, you get the serious off-road ability without paying for every comfort feature.
The Tremor prioritizes work and recreation-ready off-road capability. The new entry point is STX-based, so it comes with an STX steering wheel and manual A/C in place of Dual Zone climate control. It also drops the heated front seats, swaps the 8-speaker B&O audio for a 6-speaker system, deletes the off-road running boards, and trades the power sliding rear window for fixed rear glass. As a result, the entry-level Tremor starts around $62.4k, roughly $5,300 less than last year’s entry point.
The Raptor goes the other way, putting high-performance off-road capability ahead of creature comforts. To bring the price down, this version removes the head-up display, fog lamps, 2kW Pro Power Onboard, the Mobile Office package, the power passenger seat, and the under-seat storage. In addition, it swaps the power-adjustable steering column for a manual tilt column and steps down from 14-speaker B&O audio to an 8-speaker setup. Even so, it keeps the high-performance off-road hardware that defines the Raptor. The entry-level Raptor starts around $77.8k, about $4,000 less than last year’s entry point.
For families who want real off-road capability on a tighter budget, this is welcome news. You no longer have to jump to a fully loaded truck to get the hardware that matters most.
What the 2027 Ford F-150 Updates Mean for Buyers
Add it all up, and the 2027 Ford F-150 is a smart round of updates. For one, the look is fresher. The base engine is also torquier. On top of that, the V8 is back on the menu everywhere. Best of all, the biggest new feature is hands-free towing. In the end, that is something a huge share of owners will actually use.
Ford is also making capability easier to reach. As covered above, the new entry-level Tremor and Raptor choices keep the same tough off-road hardware at a lower price. As a result, buyers who want the ability without the top-trim sticker finally have a way in.
If you are cross-shopping, the timing could not be better. For instance, the 2027 Chevy Silverado and 2027 GMC Sierra both went big on V8 power. Now Ford counters with a V8 across the board. It also adds a hands-free towing feature the GM trucks helped make famous. Ultimately, for families who tow, work, and road-trip in one truck, the 2027 Ford F-150 makes a strong case. As always, we will bring you the full family review here at GT: Garage Talk®. We will publish it once we get one in the driveway.
2027 Ford F-150 Lariat
2027 Ford F-150 XLT
