CarTold

2020 vs. 2021 Ford F-150: What Changed

Our records for the 2020 and 2021 Ford F-150 show 8 differences in the specifications and ratings tracked below.

A hybrid appears in the 2021 listing for the first time in this range.

NHTSA's overall rating goes from 4 and 5 stars in 2020 to 5 stars in 2021.

The 6-speed automatic listed for 2020 is not in the 2021 listing.

The best combined rating for the 3.0-litre six-cylinder falls from 24 to 23 mpg.

Two campaigns cover both years. Nine campaigns (back over prevention, electrical system, exterior lighting and others) cover the 2020 and not the 2021, while 27 campaigns (air bags, back over prevention, electrical system and others) cover the 2021 and not the 2020.

Fewer campaigns do not establish better reliability. Confirm each car's coverage and repair status by VIN.

The campaigns that separate them

Imported NHTSA recall campaigns that name one of these two model years but not the other, with their component labels. Campaigns covering both years are left out of this list.

Only the 2020

  • 19V633000 seats
  • 19V805000 electrical system
  • 19V903000 tires
  • 20V097000 exterior lighting
  • 20V197000 power train
  • 20V467000 electrical system
  • 20V575000 back over prevention
  • 25V442000 back over prevention
  • 26V373000 exterior lighting

Only the 2021

  • 21V090000 visibility
  • 21V381000 power train
  • 21V407000 steering
  • 21V533000 service brakes
  • 21V653000 seat belts
  • 21V805000 air bags
  • 21V986000 power train
  • 22V142000 visibility
  • 22V188000 power train
  • 22V193000 electrical system
  • 22V414000 fuel system
  • 22V623000 power train
  • 22V842000 visibility
  • 23V163000 visibility
  • 23V509000 parking brake
  • 23V896000 power train
  • 24V443000 electrical system
  • 24V635000 engine and engine cooling
  • 25V132000 electrical system
  • 25V169000 power train
  • 25V315000 back over prevention
  • 25V348000 exterior lighting
  • 25V455000 fuel system
  • 25V729000 visibility
  • 26V104000 electrical system
  • 26V402000 power train
  • 26V489000 back over prevention
A campaign may cover only part of a model year's production. Use the campaign number to ask an authorized dealer whether the car's VIN is included and what work remains. Our recall tool finds model-year campaigns; this guide explains the vehicle-specific check.

Side by side

2020 2021
Engines listed 2.7L V6, 3.0L V6, 3.3L V6, 3.5L V6, 5.0L V8 2.7L V6, 3.0L V6, 3.3L V6, 3.5L V6, 5.0L V8
Drive types Rear-Wheel Drive, Part-time 4-Wheel Drive Rear-Wheel Drive, Part-time 4-Wheel Drive
Fuel types Diesel, Regular Gasoline Regular Gasoline, Diesel
Combined MPG 16–24 15–25
Recall campaigns 11 29
Complaints on file 543 1253
Investigations 1 1
Complaint totals reflect different time on the road, sales and reporting. They cannot rank these years for reliability. The categories below identify symptoms to read about, not failure odds. How reporting time affects the comparison.

What owners reported, by system

2020

Drivetrain 229 (42%)
Other 96 (18%)
Engine 75 (14%)

2021

Drivetrain 423 (34%)
Other 245 (20%)
Visibility & lighting 225 (18%)

Full reports

Open each year's report to read the recall, investigation, manufacturer communication and EPA variant records on file:

2020 F-150 full report 2021 F-150 full report Every F-150 year compared

Sources and methodology