Ford F-150 Named Motor Trend's 2012 Truck of the Year
It's official: The Ford F-150 is Motor Trend's 2012 Truck of the Year.
In making the announcement today at Ford Motor Co.'s world headquarters, Motor Trend Editor-in-Chief Ed Loh said, “The bottom line is that the F-150 simply excels at being … a truck. It mastered every task we subjected it to, acing our instrumented tests at the proving grounds and swaying opinions during our real-world road evaluations.
“In fact," Loh continued, "our judges actually preferred the ride and performance of the F-150 when it was loaded with thousands of pounds of payload or saddled with a heavy trailer. It seemed the more we pushed the F-150, the better it performed.”
Motor Trend's award is a little unusual in that it is not a test off all new trucks in a given year, but vehicles must be all-new or significantly revised to qualify. As you might imagine, that leaves plenty of room for interpretation, and this year seems to have plenty of that to fill out the field.
Other trucks considered for the award were the all-new Nissan NV box-nosed van, the Ram HD Laramie Longhorn with the newly rated Cummins HO turbo-diesel (it does have a new torque converter) and the Toyota Tacoma (new front fascia).
Motor Trend judges all its annual tests using the same six (quite subjective) criteria: advancement in design, engineering excellence, efficiency, safety, value and performance of intended function.
For your information, we've posted links to both press releases below.
Download Ford's TOTY Announcement
Comments
Nice job FORD. In before oxi complains that every test is corrupt. When you load the tacoma it falls apart. Talk about underwhelming.
Ford is doing a recall of a "man step" they installed it on the wrong end of the truck, for free of charge, your local dealer with reinstall/install your man step to the front of the truck to make it easier to work your truck.
Use the Tacoma as a truck and it will fall apart!
@Fred G,
GM does not make a "Man Work Step" because those sissy trucks are not even made for work.
Nice try though Bob!
Every manufacturer has taken this trophy and ran with it no matter how stacked the field happened to be. The Silverado can win next year when it competes against the Ford Transit and new Colorado
Oh, and I forgot to mention the Dodge Caravan work truck thing or whatever you wanna call it...
@toycrusher84
I wouldn't rule out Transit Van. The Silverado, yes! Not the Transit.
@Frank, How dare you use my name in Vain! I don't have to hide behind someone else's name and never have. I go by Michigan Bob because I am a huge Michigan Wolverine fan.
So ford wins the (half ton) and half man truck award for 2012. I say half man truck because we all know the HD'S are the real work trucks and GM currently owns Motor Trends truck of the year award for the 2011 Silverado HD.
Well, atleast Motor Trend didn't give Toyota or Nissan the award. GM and Chevy, the brand more champions trust.
I heard ford won the Motor Trend Truck of the Year award because of the innovative ford girly man step. Wow!
I've never been one to hold much regard for MotorTrend's Truck of the year award as it is rarely a subjective test against other comparable trucks.
"Motor Trend judges all its annual tests using the same six (quite subjective) criteria: advancement in design, engineering excellence, efficiency, safety, value and performance of intended function."
Ford's EB 3.5 does push truck engine design in a new direction. That would cover all of Motor Trend's criteria.
Hate to break it to you Bob, but the Silverado HD was DETHRONED by the Ford F150!
Hate to break it to you Bob, but the Silverado HD was DETHRONED by the Ford F-150!
LMFAO! Bob is a Wolverine Fan. I bet he wears his long nails like a girl!
@Michigan Bob - GMC didn't have a truck in the MT shootout this year.
No sense bragging about your horse when it wasn't in the race.
The Nissan is an obvious choice being "all new". Ford's new engines are an advancement in design. The Tacoma facelift and Sync system counted as an advancement in design. Ram's re-tune of the old tried and true Cummins also counted as an advancement in design.
What did GMC advance??
oh, I know.............. government debt!
and ......................... employment in Thailand!
Blah. MT truck of the year for an 8 year old truck with a new powertrain. Big hairy fricken deal. Next thing you know, Ford will try to keep the ancient Ranger around for another year or two. They will probably try to stick a man step on it and an ugly new grille, then call it all new so it will qualify to MT's competition. Maybe they should cut the trophy in half and give one half to Ford for their new powertrain (about all they deserve in my opinion) and give the other half to Dodge.
Not much to pick between. Looks like next year will be equally dull.
@kansas Bob - your post makes more sense than Michigan bob. I'm not a fan of Motor Trend either. Ford does have a knack lately of coming up with ugly grills.
The FX4 and Raptor are the only okay ones.
Maybe Ford should keep the Ranger and put a EB V6 in it and a Ford HD style grill on it.
That would kill GM's chance of winning next year. LOL
Congrats to Ford for a good win and a great new motor.
Hate to break it to you toycrusher84, ford won the 2012 award and GM owns the 2011 award. Of course there not going to give it to any truck two years in a row. Your post is totally without merit and reeks of ford girly man bias. Ford only won because there isn't anything new out there and they had to give the award to someone so they chose ford for 2012.
and if your going to talk about bailouts or tax payer money, Chrysler and Dodge took a bailout to. Why are you only picking on GM? I know why, you are totally biased against GM. Probably because GM has been kicking your favorite brands rear end for years or decades.
Nobody is jealous of GM, that will be childish. However, you Michigan Bob are jealous of FORD.
I am not jealous of GM, I am DISAPPOINTED!
Congrats Ford! I will definitely be looking at the EcoBoost F-150 for my next pickup truck. In 2007 I purchased a new GMC with the 5.3 and drum brakes, and was very disappointed. I had lots of problems with it. I have owned a 2011 Tundra for over a year now and it has been a far better truck. Sorry Bobs, no GM products for me.
@Lou
Your Ranger theory would not surprise me in the least.
no one here is jealous of ford, they are probably feel like it was a joke because their was virtually no competition. next thing you know frank will think we are jealous of his prehistoric f-250. wahahaha
"Sorry Bobs, no GM products for me."
Bwhahahahahahahahahahh!
that was creative frank. you never cease to amaze me with your whitty posts.
you do realize michigan bob and kansas bob are the same 12 year old kid right? way to go ford!
It is spelled "witty." You are a Dolt!
@beebe,
Of course they are the same Bob, they both can't spell for $hit!
like the pot calling the kettle back dipchit. i have seen plenty of misspelled words on your moronic posts.
Bob's name is now "Frank is a Troll."
I always knew he was a Troll, but does he have to use everyone's name.
What a loser!
While I think the Eco-boost is a good motor, its not any more efficient then the 5.0 with less moving parts and the sound of a V8, 1MPG if that. And really if the 5.0 had direct injection it would be more efficient.
No Michigan Bob and the person who goes by Kansas Bob are not the same. I am the ONLY MICHIGAN BOB. so don't confuse me with other people that use the name Bob.
Frank, you are the perfect example of childish behavior. and Yes, you are very jealous of GM. AND YOUR POSTS PROVE THAT EVERYDAY.
Feminine
Raptor Lover
Always
Needs
Kleenex
Ford won, big deal. Nothing about it appealed to me. I'd take my 1991 S-10 over that thing any day! And just wait for the next Silverado & Sierra...GM 'fo life!
@Michigan bob -don't worry. we won't confuse you with someone else. Maybe in 2014 when GMC releases the next generation of trucks, they could, perhaps, stand a chance of winning an award.
The award for the Best misuse of taxpayer funds goes to......
Honey, why don't you get off the computer and stop polluting this forum with your narrow minded views. It is about time you paid attention to me for a change. Your performance in the sack has been lacking lately, much like you beloved F-250.
haha frank p*&^(y whipped
Way to go Ford. I won't drive anything else.
for those who said they are tired of all of the ford news .This is going to be another sad sad day for the goverment motors crowd.
Face it ford is stomping anything a competitor has or will be coming out with any time soon.The 88 model looking chevy had better stay back in 1988 because it obviously can't compete in todays market truck or motor wise.
Chevy has brought nothing to the truck market in years in light duty trucks and even winning last yrs diesel shoot out has done nothing to help the goverment motors truck.
Face it ford is yrs ahead in technology and design and nothing comes remotely close to it in any class. The f250 still stomps anything chevy can bring to the table and real truck owners know that thats why ford is # 1 again and again yr after yr.
Remember chevy runs cheap while ford sticks it in deep.
GMC is better then furd because our old trucks with underpowered engines is still selling as many trucks as furd. Drum brakes aint hurtin us any. Loyal Chevy boys wood rather drive a turd then a furd. We doint need no men step cause we dont need to put stuff in our trucks. We have the rootin tootin best trucks. Just you wate until that caddi v6 is put in our cheep lite trucks. furd girls will cry to there mummys. Let it be ritten let it be dun
The only thing as lame as "of the year" awards are the handful of you that piss and moan and either troll or feed the trolls about an award as useless and meaningless as TOTY.
Like we don't already know what the 2013 and 2014 winners will be?
Grow up, men
@ Paul
"Remember chevy runs cheap while ford sticks it in deep."
I was about to agree with you Paul, but then you ended it with a pretty gay sounding remark lol
I'm not sure how Ford "sticks it in deep" with limp, old and outdated models like the Super Duty and Ranger. I guess they can sort of stick it in a little bit with the half erect F-150 courtesy of the Ego Boost.
O YAY Ford Beat A VAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!hook it up to that cummins see who wins ha ha realy do they even try anymore they got sticks for each vehical the stick pulled wins ha ha so dumb and anybody notice it goes ford one year toyota the next then dodge then chevy has that general patteren wow? its truck of the year not Eco Boost vs SEMI(RAM) vs VAN VS whatever else they wanna through in whats next for 2013 truck the year is moped! yAY like really thats like tryin to figure best gun to hunt bears with and take a knife in stead,like really doe anybody else think its dumb
“In fact," Loh continued, "our judges actually preferred the ride and performance of the F-150 when it was loaded with thousands of pounds of payload or saddled with a heavy trailer. It seemed the more we pushed the F-150, the better it performed.”
This is likely one of the dumbest comments I've read this year. Put something heavy in the back of a vehicle made to haul heavy objects and that vehicle will ride smoother. Go figure. Its safe to say that comment would be true for any of the vehicles eligible for Motor Trends award. Morons.
no corn holio around here. lol
These awards dont mean anything !
Journelists are biased,that is true !
Look at all media,they are leaning to the left,except a few.
Auto journelists are mostly the same,they pretty much copy the more popular journelists review,otherwise they will be ridiculed,and will not be hired by the more popular organizations.That is the truth,look how they praise Toyota for so-called reliability,they have the most problems out of any manufacturer..ever..engine sludge,bad cams,rust,loss of steering,loss of brakes,shattering side glass,door welds that come undone,yet they praise them for reliability,and Consumers reports said reliability doesnt mean that it wont break down,but the perception of it wont break down..They said reliability isnt that your vehicle will start all the time,but more importantly that the radio will work and the knobs feel good (I had the print out of the article they had a few years back will try to find it)
Furthermore,journelists are biased and rubbish comes out of their mouths,ask them what food they like and are you going to agree its the best ? A journelist loves raw pigs feet and all other food is subpar,would you agree ? Thats how it is with vehicles they use their own opinions,and most are biased and to appease the more popular journelists !!
My wife works with alot of journelists and this is true !!
I would consider to buy a Ford 150, if it has a rear coil suspension, AWD instead of part time 4x4, or at least AWD-auto, HEMI wit MDS or 5L V8, RamBox and better looking grill, like Tundra or RAM.
EEEEcccooooo Boooost doesn't cut it.
Motor trends award means absolutely nothing. Any1 notice how they alternate between auto manufactures? Its about sharing a hyped up useless award with every1, rather than any actual test. That being said the F150 is a great truck, but not the way MT says it is.
@ Paul, please don't tell us details of how ford sticks it deep into yo'all.
@Everyone,
It's only fair when your favorite brand wins, right?
I always thought the Motor Trend award was a good test. I didn't always agree with their selection every year buut I always thought was a very important award.
Some of the guys who say this award means nothing now were saying it meant something last year, that they LOVED it, this was more proof that GM has proven to be a great package etc when GM won last year and the year previously when Ram won and when Tacoma won in 05.
Now onto predictions for next year.
For 2013, I think the new Ford Transit van can beat the new Silverado.
For 2014, it will probably be the all new F-150.
Ford will win the MTTOY 3 years in a row. You heard it here first!
The comments to this entry are closed.