FamousTPerks
New member
After owning and living with the Lightning Lariat SR for about two weeks, I can attest to the truck being all that I was expecting and more. Instead of gushing about all of the things that most reviewers on social media have highlighted, I’ll provide a more pointed observation of the truck, it’s features and how they relate to everyday operating.
Before I get started, I’d like to state that this is not the truck I have an order in for (9/9/2022) and that I paid MSRP for it new, not used. Also, aside from being a Lariat, the only options this one has are spray-in bed liner and the bed step.
I’ll probably get chided for this, but I have yet to find anything, feature or otherwise, that I can say is bad about this truck. That being said, there are a couple of “learning curves”.
Start-up. It’s very fun to use FordPass to start, unlock, lock, etc. the truck. It does take about 10-15 seconds to relay the signal, but I’ve found that more than acceptable. Highly recommend setting the truck up to start and cool down/warm up on a schedule (done thru the infotainment screen). The digital displays at startup are always fun to watch and so vibrant.
The Infotainment. The BIG screen seemed like a lot, for about a minute. After you realize that it’s as easy as an iPad to operate, it comes naturally after that. Now here’s where the “learning curve” begins. Switching (swiping, if you will) between screens is relatively easy and even intuitive. The catch, though, is that until you spend some time getting familiar with the gestures you can accidentally press other selections, turn on/off or activate/inactivate features and that can get a little annoying. Also, for Apple CarPlay, I am still tinkering with it but can’t get it to turn off notifications from my iPhone which cause it to go from, say, the radio back to the CarPlay screen automatically every time a notification is received from an app on the phone. Other than that, it’s delightful to navigate the screens. The built-in navigation is great but needs a map update. I’ve lived in my built house for over three years and my street still doesn’t register/isn’t visible on Ford’s system. No real biggie though, as all of the charging stations and times register as expected.
Comfort. The seats and whole interior are super nice. The materials in the cabin are of very good quality. It’s still an F-150, not a Bentley, so keep your expectations tethered to the fact that it’s intended to be luxurious but practical in operation. The back seat is way more than enough room for my two kids and even for my wife to sit between them. Child seat restraints are a little tricky at first, with the rear restraint/tether a bit harder to configure the first time.
Frunk. Spend some time with it. It opens and closes a little slowly, but you can tell that’s for safety reasons. There’s a couple of ways to configure the inside to meet your stowage needs. I would suggest a grocery run to really understand how you need to secure the stuff inside better; a cargo net helps. The folks at the Walmart pick-up were very impressed.
Range. I have the standard-range battery. It’s about as advertised, I have consistently gotten 230-245 miles to the full 100% charge. I have charged it three times. First was from the dealership, they charged from 14% to 100%. Second was from 5% to 90%. Third was 55% to 95% (before a car show). I am using my Grizzl-e Level 2 charger at 40 amps. It about 8 hours from 5% to 90%, but I have it set on non-peak hours not immediate charge. I do have the mobile charger from Ford that came with the truck, but I have not used it. I can tell that the truck is still learning the way I drive it to best calculate economy.
Driving. It’s a blast! Of course it is with the 0-60 time. I’ve clocked 4.1 seconds. But that aside, driving takes a minute to adjust yourself to. It’s accelerator is super responsive, so you can easily be a leadfoot even if that’s not your usual. Braking is phenomenal considering the weight (8250 lbs). The electric assist braking with the motors is great too, even when not in one-pedal drive. Speaking of which, spend some real time getting to know this feature. It’s great but touchy at the beginning. And this brings a call-back to the infotainment section (where it’s turned on), and how you have to be careful not to accidentally switch it on or off while swiping.
Towing and Hauling. I haven’t done towing, so I won’t comment. I don’t have anything to tow, so this has never been a concern. However, I did go to Lowe’s and pile on several hundred pounds of mulch and topsoil. The range dropped only about 10%. That’s it, nothing more to tell except that it handled better with the load due to its center of gravity.
Overall, I would highly recommend this truck. Especially for weekenders, DIYers, light off-roading and commuters. Obviously your hardcore off-roading, consistently-towing, very-long-range driving folks should seek alternatives that meet there needs; I won’t sell you on EV if it is not conducive to your personal lifestyle.View attachment 4236
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Before I get started, I’d like to state that this is not the truck I have an order in for (9/9/2022) and that I paid MSRP for it new, not used. Also, aside from being a Lariat, the only options this one has are spray-in bed liner and the bed step.
I’ll probably get chided for this, but I have yet to find anything, feature or otherwise, that I can say is bad about this truck. That being said, there are a couple of “learning curves”.
Start-up. It’s very fun to use FordPass to start, unlock, lock, etc. the truck. It does take about 10-15 seconds to relay the signal, but I’ve found that more than acceptable. Highly recommend setting the truck up to start and cool down/warm up on a schedule (done thru the infotainment screen). The digital displays at startup are always fun to watch and so vibrant.
The Infotainment. The BIG screen seemed like a lot, for about a minute. After you realize that it’s as easy as an iPad to operate, it comes naturally after that. Now here’s where the “learning curve” begins. Switching (swiping, if you will) between screens is relatively easy and even intuitive. The catch, though, is that until you spend some time getting familiar with the gestures you can accidentally press other selections, turn on/off or activate/inactivate features and that can get a little annoying. Also, for Apple CarPlay, I am still tinkering with it but can’t get it to turn off notifications from my iPhone which cause it to go from, say, the radio back to the CarPlay screen automatically every time a notification is received from an app on the phone. Other than that, it’s delightful to navigate the screens. The built-in navigation is great but needs a map update. I’ve lived in my built house for over three years and my street still doesn’t register/isn’t visible on Ford’s system. No real biggie though, as all of the charging stations and times register as expected.
Comfort. The seats and whole interior are super nice. The materials in the cabin are of very good quality. It’s still an F-150, not a Bentley, so keep your expectations tethered to the fact that it’s intended to be luxurious but practical in operation. The back seat is way more than enough room for my two kids and even for my wife to sit between them. Child seat restraints are a little tricky at first, with the rear restraint/tether a bit harder to configure the first time.
Frunk. Spend some time with it. It opens and closes a little slowly, but you can tell that’s for safety reasons. There’s a couple of ways to configure the inside to meet your stowage needs. I would suggest a grocery run to really understand how you need to secure the stuff inside better; a cargo net helps. The folks at the Walmart pick-up were very impressed.
Range. I have the standard-range battery. It’s about as advertised, I have consistently gotten 230-245 miles to the full 100% charge. I have charged it three times. First was from the dealership, they charged from 14% to 100%. Second was from 5% to 90%. Third was 55% to 95% (before a car show). I am using my Grizzl-e Level 2 charger at 40 amps. It about 8 hours from 5% to 90%, but I have it set on non-peak hours not immediate charge. I do have the mobile charger from Ford that came with the truck, but I have not used it. I can tell that the truck is still learning the way I drive it to best calculate economy.
Driving. It’s a blast! Of course it is with the 0-60 time. I’ve clocked 4.1 seconds. But that aside, driving takes a minute to adjust yourself to. It’s accelerator is super responsive, so you can easily be a leadfoot even if that’s not your usual. Braking is phenomenal considering the weight (8250 lbs). The electric assist braking with the motors is great too, even when not in one-pedal drive. Speaking of which, spend some real time getting to know this feature. It’s great but touchy at the beginning. And this brings a call-back to the infotainment section (where it’s turned on), and how you have to be careful not to accidentally switch it on or off while swiping.
Towing and Hauling. I haven’t done towing, so I won’t comment. I don’t have anything to tow, so this has never been a concern. However, I did go to Lowe’s and pile on several hundred pounds of mulch and topsoil. The range dropped only about 10%. That’s it, nothing more to tell except that it handled better with the load due to its center of gravity.
Overall, I would highly recommend this truck. Especially for weekenders, DIYers, light off-roading and commuters. Obviously your hardcore off-roading, consistently-towing, very-long-range driving folks should seek alternatives that meet there needs; I won’t sell you on EV if it is not conducive to your personal lifestyle.View attachment 4236
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