Ford F-150 Lightning review

The F-150’s interior is vast. Wide comfy front seats – heated and cooled, with a massage function in the Platinum model – sit either side of a chucky centre console. Got some time to kill? Hit a button and the gear lever folds out the way, letting you unfurl the centre armrest into a massive flat space – for your laptop, lunch, a spot of tap dancing… whatever you fancy. There are cup holders and cubby holes everywhere, two gloveboxes, extra storage under the rear bench which is surrounded by acres of leg and head space. Basically, it’s the ultimate work truck/fun bus… and we haven’t even got to the frunk and the bed.

On the top two trim levels (Lariat and Platinum) you get the same 15.5-inch screen as the Mustang Mach-E – whereas on the lower two (Pro and XLT) you get a 12-inch landscape display mounted above physical controls for the audio and air-con. It’s actually the latter that’s more satisfying to use, although for wow factor the big screen walks it. Special mention to the 18-speaker B&O sound system standard on Platinum, it’s outrageous, but then the Platinum starts at $90k, although you can get the more workmanlike Pro for under $40k with the smaller battery, which is a bargain.

Now for the fun stuff. The Mega Power Frunk – yes that’s it’s real name, sigh – offers an extra 400-litres (more than a VW Golf’s boot) of locked storage where an engine would normally be and opens up on the click of a key fob like some giant oyster. Apparently, for such a simple idea it was a complete pain to engineer and meet safety standards ensuring it doesn’t fling open at the wrong moment.

Around the back, the tailgate lowers electrically, and raises again when you click the keyfob or lift it slightly. Keep it down and it’s littered with features – a step that pulls out of it and a slide-out bannister to hold onto, rulers moulded into the plastic, holes for woodwork clamps, a bottle opener… the list goes on. Round the front you can fill your frunk with ice cubes because it has a drain hole in the bottom. If you’ve ever been to a beer and beef-fuelled tailgating party in the US, you’ll realise that’s a fairly major selling point.

On top of that, the F-150 Lightning is a massive power brick on wheels. Order it with the Pro Power Onboard and you get six USB ports and no fewer than 11 proper plug sockets – four 120V sockets in the frunk, two more in the cabin, another four in the bed alongside a 240V outlet – enough to charge another electric car at 7kW. Drive an EV? Got a friend with an F-150 Lightning? You’ll never be stranded again.