Rich Stern
Well-Known Member
Went to my local dealer yesterday and took a 4x4 V8 limited out for a spin.
Gotta say I was wowwed with the ride, handling, quiet and overall comfort. The V8 makes nice sounds and has good giddyup, but the real star of the powertrain is the new tranny. The shifts are very smooth and subtle.
The fit and finish all around are a big step up from the first generation ST. Everything was tighter, better integrated, more thoughtfully put together.
I particularly like the rear hitch arrangement. It's very easy to damage the cladding on the old ST when hooking up a trailer. The new model has much more clearance area around the hitch position. The 7 pin trailer outlet will be good for the camper crowd.
I had some minor nitpicks: The rear view mirrors are smaller than the first gen, and don't give as good a view. The headrests are bigger; I'm sure that helps safety in a collision, but it obstructs viewing from back to front and vice versa. And the rear seats, when folded down, leave a six inch gap between the back edge of the seat and the rear of the cab. My dog will fall/step in there when riding in the back. Like I said, those are minor points.
The vehicle, as a package, is really well done. Great blend of functionality from the first generation, taken to a very high level of refinement.
Nice job, Ford.
P.S. Since original post, other things are occuring to me:
+ The new shape of the tie downs is much better. Smaller, still functional, won't tear shirts or snag car wash hoses as easily.
+ I like the new interior door handles.
+/- I like the clean look of the dash, but miss the extra gauges
Gotta say I was wowwed with the ride, handling, quiet and overall comfort. The V8 makes nice sounds and has good giddyup, but the real star of the powertrain is the new tranny. The shifts are very smooth and subtle.
The fit and finish all around are a big step up from the first generation ST. Everything was tighter, better integrated, more thoughtfully put together.
I particularly like the rear hitch arrangement. It's very easy to damage the cladding on the old ST when hooking up a trailer. The new model has much more clearance area around the hitch position. The 7 pin trailer outlet will be good for the camper crowd.
I had some minor nitpicks: The rear view mirrors are smaller than the first gen, and don't give as good a view. The headrests are bigger; I'm sure that helps safety in a collision, but it obstructs viewing from back to front and vice versa. And the rear seats, when folded down, leave a six inch gap between the back edge of the seat and the rear of the cab. My dog will fall/step in there when riding in the back. Like I said, those are minor points.
The vehicle, as a package, is really well done. Great blend of functionality from the first generation, taken to a very high level of refinement.
Nice job, Ford.
P.S. Since original post, other things are occuring to me:
+ The new shape of the tie downs is much better. Smaller, still functional, won't tear shirts or snag car wash hoses as easily.
+ I like the new interior door handles.
+/- I like the clean look of the dash, but miss the extra gauges
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