If the Ranger isn’t intimidating enough for you and the Ranger Raptor is a bit too gnarly, well, Ford Philippines just brought in a couple of new flavors.
The Ford F-150 made its official return in the Philippines and it comes in two variants – the 4×2 Lariat SuperCrew at P2,698,000 and the 4×4 Platinum SuperCrew at P2,998,000.
With only two models to choose from and a relatively slim P300k difference, let’s look at what makes the Platinum more premium than the other and if it’s worth the difference.
At first glance, it’s easy to see the difference in grille. The Lariat has a body-colored grille with additional horizontal slats while the Platinum is rolling with satin aluminum grille with silver mesh and front skid plate. Personally, I like the bulkier look of the Lariat’s grille but I understand the appeal of the Platinum’s held-back design.
Both models are rolling on 20-inch wheels but the Lariat has a “dark alloy-painted aluminum” while the Platinum has polished aluminum. I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve been used to it but the slightly darker rims of the Lariat appeal to me more than the Platinum’s.
The narrative changes at the rear because it’s where the Platinum flaunts the most. It has an aluminum-ish tailgate applique where the word “Platinum” is stamped in all caps, across the width of the panel. No way the driver behind you will miss it. It also helps that it has tailgate step and tailgate lift assist. Meanwhile, the Lariat model had to make do with a ‘Sport’ decal at the rear quarter right panel and “F-150” stamped on the tailgate itself.
Open the F-150 Platinum’s doors and the powered stepboard will make going in a lot easier. Inside, the F-150 models look almost the same until you take a closer look at the details. The Platinum has leather-wrapped shift knob and center console lid, aluminum accents all over, black ash wood trim and even the floor mats are more premium.
There’s also a significant advantage for the front passengers if they go Platinum. The front seats have an ‘Active Motion’ function which basically massages either your back or butt (not both at the same time) if you turn it on. It might be a premium gimmick but that is very helpful during long drives or slow crawling traffic.
Being a 4×4, the F-150 Platinum has an Electronic Shift-on-the-Fly system which allows you to shift from 2H to 4H or 4A, and vice-versa, at any speed. Shifting in and out of 4L still requires you to slow down to a crawl and shift to neutral.
As for the similarities, both trucks have a 3.5L V6 EcoBoost with 380ps and 637Nm of torque, coupled to a 10-speed automatic with SelectShift. They also have the same array of driver assists from Ford Co-Pilot 360 and safety features like AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control among others.
So which one should you get? The F-150 Lariat might look lacking based on the razzle dazzle the Platinum has. If you look at the essentials, the 4×2 only came up short by not having tailgate step and assist.
The 3.5L V6 is more than enough to let you haul heavy loads in style. Active Motion on the front seats? Well, if you’re moving from another premium car that might be a cause for concern but if you’re, let’s say, coming from a Ranger, that can be easily forgiven.
Weighing the price difference against the additional features you get, I’d say you’re getting your money’s worth by going with the higher variant. If you want to play on rough roads during weekends and feel premium while doing so, then don’t hold back and put an F-150 4×4 Platinum inside your garage.
