Ford F150 vs Jeep Wrangler

What's the difference?

The Ford F-150 Lariat LWB is a big comfortable, purpose-built work and adventure machine – but it’s better suited to load-lugging, towing and touring, than it is to hard-core 4WDing.

Despite that – and its less-than-ideal payload – there’s a lot to like about the Lariat, especially its on-road performance, 4.5 tonne towing capacity and factory-backed warranty.

If you’re serious about buying a US ute the F-150 should be in your sights.

The changes to this updated Jeep Wrangler are small but meaningful. The inclusion of airbags, the updated media screen, and a feisty engine which suits the plucky nature of this off-roader make it a better Wrangler than ever.  

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

The long-wheelbase F-150 Lariat is 6184mm long (with a 3994mm wheelbase), 2030mm wide, 1995mm high and has a kerb weight of 2555kg.

With a stretched wheelbase and chunkified body everywhere you look, this F-150 looks and feels massive but, really, this is not a whole lot bigger than a Ranger, 300 Series LandCruiser, or a new-gen Patrol. It does, however, have an undeniably in-your-face presence.

For reference, the Ranger is 5370mm long, 1920mm wide, and 1880mm high; the LC300 (Sahara ZX) is 5015mm long, 1980mm wide, and 1950mm high; and the Patrol is 5165mm long (all variants), 1995mm wide (all variants) and 1940mm/1955mm high.

The Lariat’s 20-inch chrome-like alloys, shod with Pirelli Scorpion ATR all-terrain light truck tyres (275/60R20) cap off this US pick-up’s bulky style.

A lot of its notable design features are thoroughly functional rather than noteworthy because of their looks, so rather than include them in this section you'll find them in ‘Practicality’ (below).

The Jeep Wrangler looks like a cartoon of a four-wheel drive, that’s how familiar and well-known the design is. It’s almost generic, like the word Jeep.

You could say the design is iconic, given that the roots of this SUV stretch back to the little Willys off-roader built for the US army in World War II. And to this day the slotted grille, pronounced wheel guards, short and upright windscreen, even the removable doors are still with us in this latest incarnation.

That’s why each generation of the Wrangler only sees very subtle tweaks to famous shape and look, in much the same way a Porsche 911’s design changes at the rate of dripping water reshaping a rock.

Changing the styling completely would destroy the look which connects the Wrangler to its past and the nostalgic appeal would be over. 

So, this update sees more than subtle styling changes in the form of a tweak to the grille with the addition of a metallic-look trim around each of the slots while the mesh insert now has larger openings.   

Along with this there’s a new front bumper. The Wranglers we tested had the optional heavy duty steel front bumpers.

There’s also some interior changes in the form of a new dashboard trim, horizontal air vents and then there’s the 12.3-inch media display which goes a long way to making the cabin look more modern.

Still, the interior is busy with buttons and switches in a design that seems to mix the look of heavy machinery controls with a prestige car. The Nappa leather of the Rubicon grade lifts the quality feel higher.

All Wrangler interiors also have an internal roll-over cage which covers the entire cabin, for the fixed metal roof and removable roof body style which are standard on the Overland and Rubicon.

Only the Rubicon is offered in a two-door and a four-door, while the Overland and Sport S are four-door only.

The Rubicon two-door looks cute and fun to my eyes, while the four-door versions look a bit more serious and beefy, but both definitely still give off tough and adventurous vibes.

The wheelbase difference between the two is as giant as it looks. The Rubicon two-door’s wheelbase is 2459mm while the four-door Rubicon’s, along with the Sport S and Overland, is 3008mm.

The Wrangler ranges in length from 4334mm for the Rubicon two-door to 4882mm for the four-door Wranglers. Width is the same for all Wranglers at 1894mm and the height ranges from 1879mm in the Rubicon two-door to 1901mm in the four-door versions.

The interior of the F-150 is cavernous, but it’s functional and comfortable with a definite premium look and feel about it all.

From the front of the cabin to the rear, this space is geared towards being practical.

For one, the multi-media system is easy to pair to your phone and operate. Just allow yourself a few minutes before you set off in the Lariat for the first time so you can get your head around how to navigate your way through the system.

There’s ample storage space – including a deep centre console*, cupholders and bottle-holders for everyone, as well as the usual glove box (times two) and seat pockets for rear-seat passengers.

*In a stroke of Ford genius, the auto shifter power-folds forward into a recess, giving you room to unfold the lid of the centre console and turn that large surface into a picnic table or work desk.

Space is further maximised in the rear 60/40-split seat as it has a fold-out storage area underneath it, or the seat itself, if not in use, can be stowed away to free up even more room in the cabin.

The stretched Lariat’s tub is 2005mm long and 1656mm wide with 1285mm between the wheel-arches – so it will fit an Aussie pallet, or a quad bike, camping gear etc. 

This load space also has a 12-volt outlet, night lights, a tub camera (which I couldn’t get to work), a durable-looking spray-in tub liner, as well as fixed tie-down points at each corner and four sidewall-mounted tie-down points (two on each inner wall).

Remember I mentioned some design features that err on the side of practical rather than pretty? I’m talking about this F-150’s chunky side-steps, which serve an obvious practical function, and its remote-controlled and power-assisted tailgate (a nifty feature), its fold-out step (a real handy addition) and the accompanying slide-out guide pole for something secure to hold onto as you climb in and out of the tub – well, that’s what we used it for anyway, whether that’s its intended purpose or not.

Bonus usage points for the raised ruler markings on the inner wall of the tailgate and the two G-clamp fitting positions at each side of the tailgate’s top edge.

The Lariat even has a keyless entry system with a keypad on the exterior of the vehicle (front passenger door). Punch in your permanent access code and bingo, you're in!

When we review most SUVs practicality is scored on things like legroom, storage space and boot size. But in the case of a vehicle with removable doors and roof, and a cabin that has one-way drainage valves so you can hose the interior out, practicality takes on a different meaning.

The Wrangler’s practicality seems focussed on serving adventurous folks in search of a muddy off-road expedition and, so, while there is storage it’s mainly nets for door pockets, moulded wells on top of the dash, and smaller hidey holes to makes sure loose items don’t get flung around the cabin.

Given the roof can be removed there’s also a lockable glove box and centre console storage box.

When it comes to cabin space the Wrangler’s interior feels a bit cramped. The footwells up front don’t offer much space and headroom throughout is restricted by the roll cage which stretches from the front to the boot.

The four-door Wrangler has five seats and good legroom in the second row, even for me at 189cm tall. As mentioned above, headroom is limited in places because of the safety structure. Boot space behind those rear seats is 898 litres.

The two-door Rubicon has four seats. The back ones aren’t the most spacious and the boot behind them is almost too small to mention at 365L, Two pieces of carry-on luggage wouldn’t fit back there and we had to put our bags on the rear seats.

The rear tailgate for all Wranglers is side-hinged (opening left to right) and splits to allow just the window section or lower part to open separately.

For charging and powering devices all Wranglers have two USB ports up front (one -A and one -C) and four USB ports in the second row (two -A and two -C). There are also two 12V outlets on board (front and rear).  

There are two cupholders, seatback map nets and directional air vents for the second row.

The Wrangler sits high and climbing into the rear seats might be a challenge for smaller kids or even fully-grown humans, but there are chunky handholds at the pillars for extra help.

So, the Wrangler has excellent practicality, but this is geared more to its intended purpose of adventuring off-road rather than the city commute and school pick-up.

The Jeep Wrangler range comes in three grades. There’s the entry-grade Sport S which can only be had with four doors, the Overland which is also a four-door and the top-of-the-range Rubicon comes as a shorter wheelbase two-door and the four-door. 

The Sport S replaces the Night Eagle as the entry-point into the Wrangler range and with a list price of $75,950 it’s $5500 cheaper, too. 

Above this is the Overland for $84,950 and at the top of the line-up is the hardcore Rubicon which is $83,950 for the two-door and $90,450 for the four-door.

This update sees all Wranglers now coming with a (damage and scratch-resistant) 'Gorilla Glass' windscreen and a 12.3-inch media screen. But each grade also comes with its own new features. 

The Sport S has been given heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and ambient cabin lighting. Meanwhile, the Overland now has power front premium 'McKinley' seats and soft spare tyre cover.

And finally the range-topping Rubicon receives Nappa leather seats and a forward-facing 'Trailcam'.

There are mechanical upgrades across the range, too, especially for the Rubicon and we’ll get to those in the engine and driving sections of this review.

As for the rest of the features, coming standard on the Sport S are LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, proximity key and push button start, sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a nine-speaker Alpine sound system and dark tint windows.

Along with its new features the Overland also comes standard with all of the Sport S’s equipment plus a three-piece removable hardtop, 18-inch wheels and a leather-wrapped shifting knob and hand brake handle.

Then there’s the Rubicon which has all the Sport S features, but 17-inch wheels instead of the 18s and an enormous amount of engineering hardware that makes this grade the off-road king of the Wranglers, which we’ll get to.

The F-150 has a 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 producing 298kW at 6000rpm and 678Nm at 3100rpm, and that’s matched to a 10-speed automatic transmission.

This is an impressive set-up – the long wheelbase F-150 is punchy off the mark, smooth and refined at highway speeds – it just trucks along – and overall it offers a comfortable and controlled driving experience.

This top-spec F-150 – the Lariat – also has full-time 4WD and an electronic rear diff lock.

Its selectable driving modes include 'Sport', 'Eco', 'Tow/Haul', 'Normal', 'Slippery', 'Deep Snow/Sand' and 'Mud Ruts'.

One of the biggest changes Jeep could make to the Wrangler without causing complete mayhem for fans is to the engine and even then there will be folks who don’t like what they’re about to read.

Deep breaths, okay? Right, so, in this update the V6 petrol engine has been replaced by a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder. 

At 200kW the new four-cylinder makes a smidge less power than the V6 but more torque at 400Nm. An eight-speed automatic transmission shifts gears and sends the drive to all four wheels.

If you’re a Wrangler fan you’ll most likely know about this engine swap, but you’re wondering how this four-cylinder feels.

The answer is, really good. Jeep has got it right. It’s a torquey, responsive engine that feels energetic and suits the Wrangler's personality well.

In the short time I’ve spent on and off the road I’m convinced this turbo-four will be a good companion wherever you decide to go.

And go pretty much anywhere you can, with all Wranglers being ridiculously capable off-road thanks to their ladder frame chassis, high- and low-range gears, outstanding ground clearance (233mm-257mm, depending on variant ), excellent approach angle (41.4 to 44 degrees, depending on variant) and a departure angle to match (37 degrees for the both Rubicons; 36.1 for the Sport S and Overland).  

The Rubicon comes standard with Jeep’s 'Rock-Trac' on-demand four-wheel drive system and this update adds a full float rear axle. Sport S and Overland grades have Jeep’s 'Selec-Trac Active' on-demand 4WD set-up.

The Ford F-150 Lariat LWB has an official fuel consumption figure of 12.5L/100km (on a combined, urban/extra-urban, cycle).

I recorded 14.8L/100km on this test which included a lot of high- and low-range 4WDing although the F-150 was never working hard.

This F-150 has a 136L fuel tank, so, going by my on-test fuel-consumption figure, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 920km from a full tank. 

If you calculate driving range using the official fuel-consumption figure that number extends to 1088km from a full tank.

The new turbo-petrol, four-cylinder means better fuel economy than the V6 it replaces. We have yet to test Jeep’s claims that after a combination of open and urban roads the four cylinder uses 9.2L/100km in the sport S and Overland grades and 9.9L/100km in the Rubicon.

In comparison, Jeep says the previous V6 uses 10.1L/100km in the Rubicon and 9.9L/100km in the Overland. Our own testing saw consumption closer to 13L/100km.

We’ll have the new Wrangler in our garage soon and we’ll be able to put the fuel consumption claims to a real world test.

In terms of range, the two-door Rubicon has a 61-litre fuel tank and in theory a range of up to 680km. The Sport S and Overland have an 81-litre tank and can get up to 880km, while the four-door Rubicon’s 81-litre tank should manage 830km.

Of course if you’re off-roading you’ll use more fuel and the range will drop accordingly.

F-150s are imported to Australia from the USA as left-hand-drive vehicles and reengineered to right-hand-drive by Melbourne-based RMA Automotive, at the company’s production facility.

The utes undergo an exhaustive transformation including changes to steering, driver displays, air con, as well as software upgrades, to mention a few, all aimed at making them capable of excelling in Aussie conditions.

And RMA Automotive has done an impressive job.

The F-150 is, by its very nature, a big vehicle with a steel ladder-frame chassis and a lengthy wheelbase, but it suits Aussie conditions, especially with Aussie-tuned steering, great on-road ride and handling and that 4500kg towing capability built into it. 

It's well-controlled with a solid, planted feel on sealed surfaces, the steering has a nice weight to it in all conditions, acceleration is smooth (and punchy when needed) and the 10-speed auto offers clever management of this big vehicle. 

It’s also very comfortable and quiet in the cabin. You can just barely register the low-level rumble of the twin-turbo V6 as you truck along stretches of highway and rural backroads.

All in all, on-road this is an almost perfect open-road touring vehicle. The bonus is, as a Lariat driver, you have access to a whole suite of driver-assist tech which specifically includes stuff geared towards making the task of towing safer, more controlled and, as a result, more enjoyable than it otherwise may be.

However, when you get this big ute off road, you quickly discover it has limitations. Those limitations don’t come close to ruining the F-150’s potential as an adventure machine, but this is a substantial vehicle so it has to be driven with real consideration, real care, and you have to know the off-road parameters in which this ute works best.

If you drive anything more severe than light-to-medium-duty off-roading you're risking damage to this ute’s side steps or underbody. 

The F-150’s size is not a factor when the tracks are nice and wide, but when the tracks become narrower, more treed-in, it becomes more difficult to navigate through those routes. 

The Lariat’s suspension – IFS (twin wishbone) with coil springs at the front and live axle on leaf springs at the rear – is well set up to soak up lumps and bumps on sealed surfaces and even on gravel tracks, but it is less capable of doing the same job during low-range 4WDing.

It becomes very bouncy, when you’d be excused for expecting that longer wheelbase would offer a bit more stability and control through shallow to moderate ruts, but it really is a wild ride. 

Beyond that, though, visibility is great, the driving position is commanding, steering at low speeds is well-weighted and precise and throttle response is impressive.

While there’s little to nit-pick in terms of the four-wheel drive system onboard this ute, the traction control system is somewhat clunky.

When the terrain becomes more challenging, that off-road traction control system just seems to whirr and click and clunk away with lacklustre application – it’s not exactly smooth or seamless. 

The F-150 has the kind of off-road angles you’d expect for a vehicle this large: approach angle is listed as 24 degrees, departure angle is 26.3 and the ramp-over is 19 degrees.

Ground clearance is listed as 225mm and wading depth is 600mm.

The tyres – Pirelli Scorpion ATR all-terrain light truck tyres (275/60R20) – aren’t that good for off-roading, either, even though they’re marketed as all-season tyres.

Bigger tyres and an aftermarket suspension lift would go some of the way to help sort out the F-150’s issues with less-than-ideal rubber as well as poor ground clearance and off-road angles.

For such a big ute, payload is an underwhelming 710kg; for reference, the Ram 1500 (878kg) and Chevrolet Silverado (757kg) offer more, and even mainstream dual-cab utes, such as the Ford Ranger (966kg (kerb weight)/1010kg (min kerb weight) offer better payloads.

Towing capacity is 750kg (unbraked) and a noteworthy 4500kg (braked). GVM is 3265kg, and GCM is 7765kg.

Every one of the Jeep launches I’ve attended over the past 15 years has involved a pretty decent off-road component and it’s clear the company has a lot of faith in its product.

This Wrangler launch’s off-road test had been scaled back due to days of flooding rain beforehand, but the section that was passable was enough to remind us of what we already know and that is the Wrangler is formidable.

A Queensland bush off-road course full of steep, muddy hills, ruts, rocks, dirt and slippery descents was still all there for us to test the Wrangler Rubicon four-door.

Fun and comfortable are the first words that pop into my head when recalling how the Rubicon fares. This is a super-capable beastie that feels planted, secure and adept at all times.

We tested low- and high-range four-wheel drive, locked the rear differential and let the hill descent mode do its thing and get us down the sides of hills that felt so close to vertical all we could see through the windscreen was the ground.

What's also clear is the new turbo-petrol, four-cylinder feels well suited to the job, with plenty of torque along with a feisty and responsive nature that fits the Wrangler better than the old V6.

There was also plenty of time spent on the road in the four-door Rubicon and its smaller two-door sibling. And was here it was also super clear the Wrangler felt like we’d taken it out of its natural habitat.

At 110km/h on the motorway the two door Rubicon feels light and floaty in its suspension, with steering adjustments having to be made constantly, like actors pretending to drive cars in movies, as the Wrangler wanders around in its lane. The Wrangler wander is a known trait and isn’t specific to this updated car. 

And even though our launch drive took us on some great winding country roads which would have been perfect for a Mazda MX-5, the Wranglers found the fast tight turns difficult to handle.

I’m sure I heard a sigh of relief from our Rubicon as we pulled off the road and selected low-range four-wheel drive before bouncing up what looked to be a sheer cliff, with ease.  

Of course, our Adventure Expert Marcus 'Crafty' Craft will put the Wrangler though its paces once we have one in the CarsGuide garage.

The Jeep Wrangler has a three-out-of-five star ANCAP rating from testing in 2019. This isn’t an adequate safety score for a modern vehicle and the relatively modest advanced safety tech compared to other new SUVs and its structural integrity in crash tests caused ANCAP enough concern to award it lower scores.

Surprisingly the ANCAP report scored its child occupant protection at 80 per cent which is excellent.

This update to the Wrangler now adds curtain airbags which cover the front and second rows. Along with these there are dual front airbags plus safety tech which includes AEB (city and inter-urban) and blind spot warning. There’s also adaptive cruise control and front and rear parking sensors.

For child seats you’ll find two ISOFIX and three top tether mounts across the second row of the four-door variants.

The standard full-sized spare wheel is mounted on the tailgate. 

The F-150 has a five-year/unlimited km warranty and you may pick up roadside assistance for up to seven years but it's worth noting not all Ford Dealers participate in providing the latter.

Servicing is scheduled for every 12 months or 15,000km. Capped price servicing applies to the first four scheduled services and, at time of writing, was listed as $429 a pop which isn't outrageous for a vehicle of this magnitude.

The Wrangler is covered by Jeep's five-year/100,000km warranty, which is off the mainstream market standard of five years/unlimited km.

Service intervals are recommended every 12 months and 12,000km and service prices are capped at $399. Jeep also offers lifetime roadside assistance if you service your Wrangler though Jeep.