2027 Ford F-150 Makes Towing Hands-Free and Carhartt
The 2027 Ford F-150 adds BlueCruise with Towing, a stronger standard EcoBoost engine, cheaper Tremor and Raptor configurations, and the first F-150 Carhartt.
Ford has resisted the automotive industry’s temptation to “reinvent” something that was already working perfectly well.
The 2027 Ford F-150 is not an entirely new truck. It is a carefully calculated update to a vehicle family Ford says has led American truck sales for 49 consecutive years. That is nearly half a century of convincing people that whatever problem they have can probably be solved with a pickup truck.
For 2027, Ford is concentrating on how owners actually use their trucks. The F-150 receives hands-free highway driving while towing, a new standard 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6, wider availability of the 5.0-liter V8 and lower-cost versions of the Tremor and Raptor.
There is also a new Carhartt edition that starts at $62,660 before destination and delivery. Apparently, rugged workwear has completed the traditional American journey from the construction site to the fashion district and back into a rather expensive truck.
Why BlueCruise with Towing matters
The biggest 2027 F-150 story is not the grille, the Carhartt badge or even the larger standard engine. It is the arrival of BlueCruise with Towing.
Ford says more than 75% of F-150 customers use their trucks to tow. That figure is based on the 2025 Ipsos New Vehicle Customer Satisfaction Study of American customers who purchased an F-150 equipped with BlueCruise.
The new system allows a driver to operate the truck hands-free on approved divided highways while towing a compatible boat, camper or trailer. The 2027 F-150 will be the first Ford vehicle to offer the feature.
Ford BlueCruise operates on more than 130,000 miles of prequalified divided highways known as Blue Zones. The driver can remove their hands from the steering wheel, but must continue watching the road and remain ready to intervene.
This distinction matters: hands-free does not mean driver-free.
BlueCruise monitors the driver, road markings and surrounding traffic. The towing version must also account for the weight and behavior of whatever is attached to the truck. A trailer adds length, changes braking distances and can move independently as wind, road surfaces and passing vehicles disturb it.
Ford says it tested thousands of miles on American roads and used its Dynamic Driving Simulator to evaluate multiple trailer combinations and conditions.
Every BlueCruise-equipped 2027 F-150 will be eligible, including XLT, Tremor, Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum models. Customers with an active BlueCruise subscription or trial will not need to purchase a separate towing subscription.
That broader availability deserves credit. Driver-assistance technology is often reserved for expensive luxury trims, even when it would be particularly valuable to people using more affordable trucks for work or recreation.
There are limitations. Trailer compatibility depends on its type, size and weight. Some BlueCruise functions may be unavailable while towing, and the driver remains responsible for loading and attaching the trailer properly.
In other words, the truck may help steer, but it will not stop you from discovering three states later that you forgot the trailer’s electrical connector.
2027 Ford F-150 Lariat 2027 Ford F-150 Makes Towing Hands-Free
A 3.0-liter EcoBoost becomes standard
The outgoing 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 is being replaced by a new 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 as the standard F-150 engine.
The two engines share the same basic architecture and, according to Ford, deliver the same peak capability. The important change is where the new engine produces its torque.
Ford says the 3.0-liter provides approximately 10% to 11% more torque in the range used during ordinary driving. That should mean less effort when pulling away, climbing a grade, merging with traffic or moving a loaded truck.
Ford has not provided final horsepower and peak-torque numbers for the new engine. It has confirmed maximum towing of 8,400 pounds and maximum payload of 1,755 pounds in a properly equipped regular-cab, 6.5-foot-bed, rear-wheel-drive F-150.
Remember that those are highly specific maximums. Cab style, four-wheel drive, axle selection, options, passengers and cargo can all reduce the amount an individual truck is legally and safely able to carry or tow. Always check the payload label on the driver’s doorjamb and Ford’s applicable towing guide.
Available feature on BlueCruise-equipped vehicles for use in a hands-free Blue Zone. Requires an active plan or trial.BlueCruise is a driver-assist feature and does not replace safe driving. A fully alert, attentive driver is always required to monitor the environment and control the vehicle.BlueCruise with Towing available only on 2027 F-150; limited by trailer type, size, and weight. Not all BlueCruise functions operate while towing. Driver must verify proper trailer attachment, loading, and configuration. Failure to do so may result in trailer separation, loss of vehicle control, personal injury, or death.
The F-150 V8 returns to King Ranch and Platinum
Some buyers still want their full-size truck to sound like a full-size truck. For them, Ford is returning the 5.0-liter V8 to King Ranch and Platinum models for the first time since 2023.
The naturally aspirated V8 produces 400 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque on premium fuel. Its return makes the engine available from the work-oriented XL all the way to the luxury-focused Platinum.
The larger 3.5-liter EcoBoost remains available with 500 pound-feet of torque and a maximum towing rating of 13,500 pounds when properly equipped.
The 3.5-liter PowerBoost hybrid produces 570 pound-feet and can be equipped with Ford’s 7.2-kilowatt Pro Power Onboard system. That turns the truck into a rolling power supply capable of running tools, campsite equipment or selected household necessities during an outage.
You can read more truck and ownership coverage in the Test Miles Ford section, our explanation of how higher diesel prices change truck-buying costs, and our report on Ford’s $1 billion Kentucky paint-shop investment.
2027 Ford F150 Carhartt logo
Tremor Low removes luxuries, not capability
Ford is adding a Tremor Low equipment group intended to make meaningful off-road capability less expensive.
The name may create the impression that Ford has lowered the suspension and created a Tremor for people who consider the supermarket parking lot a challenging trail. It has not.
“Low” describes the equipment group. Ford retains the important off-road hardware but removes features that are not essential to crossing dirt, mud or rocks.
The new model begins with STX equipment and includes an STX steering wheel, manual air conditioning, six-speaker audio and fixed rear glass.
Deleted features include heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, the eight-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system, off-road running boards and the power-sliding rear window.
This is a sensible strategy if Ford delivers a meaningful price reduction. A proper off-road suspension has considerable value on a trail. A premium speaker system is less useful when the tires, stones and unsecured camping equipment are producing their own soundtrack.
Preproduction model shown. Actual production model may vary. Available early 2027.
Raptor Low keeps the hardware
The same principle is being applied to the F-150 Raptor.
The Raptor Low loses its head-up display, fog lamps, 2-kilowatt Pro Power Onboard system, Mobile Office package, power passenger seat and under-seat storage.
Ford also replaces the power-adjustable steering column with a manual tilt column and substitutes an eight-speaker audio system for the 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen setup.
Crucially, Ford says the high-performance off-road hardware that defines the Raptor remains intact.
This could become one of the most appealing Raptor configurations for buyers who want the truck’s mechanical ability without paying for every luxury feature. The unanswered question is price. Ford has not yet said how much less the Raptor Low or Tremor Low will cost.
2027 Ford F-150 Lariat
What does the F-150 Carhartt include?
The first F-150 Carhartt expands a partnership previously seen on the heavier-duty Super Duty.
It is offered on four-wheel-drive XLT Crew Cab models and combines Carhartt-inspired styling with several protective features.
Unique 20-inch wheels
Carhartt-branded fender vents and exterior badging
Lower-rocker and tailgate graphics
Signature headlamps and a cowl hood
Modified grille and dual exhaust
Off-road running boards
Carhartt-branded spray-in bedliner
Two-tone Carhartt-themed seat covers
Accent stitching on the doors, console and steering wheel
Carhartt-branded all-weather floor mats
The Carhartt package adds $4,195. Ford lists a starting MSRP of $62,660 before destination, delivery, taxes and fees.
That makes this a lifestyle truck rather than an inexpensive work truck. The practical bedliner, floor mats and durable seat material may be useful, but most of the additional cost pays for exclusivity and appearance.
There is nothing inherently wrong with that. Pickup trucks are now family vehicles, commuter vehicles, luxury vehicles and personal statements. The Carhartt edition simply makes the statement more explicit, preferably in brown with a pencil behind its ear.
2027 Ford F-150 and Super Duty Carhartt
Does the 2027 F-150 look different?
XLT, Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum models receive distinctive redesigned grilles and new wheel choices.
The changes give the truck a slightly more modern face without disguising it as something unfamiliar. That is probably wise.
Ford says F-Series has led American truck sales for 49 years, based on industry-reported total sales from 1977 through 2025. You do not retain that position by frightening loyal buyers every time someone in the design department discovers a new shape.
Is the 2027 Ford F-150 worth waiting for?
Buyers who tow regularly should seriously consider waiting until BlueCruise with Towing can be tested in real-world conditions. Reducing the physical and mental workload on long highway journeys could be a meaningful advantage.
The new 3.0-liter base engine may also improve everyday response without forcing buyers into a costly engine upgrade. V8 loyalists gain more choice, while Tremor and Raptor shoppers may finally be able to prioritize mechanical capability over luxury equipment.
The Carhartt is the least essential but most visible addition. It is handsome, distinctive and rather expensive for something inspired by clothing designed to survive concrete dust.
The 2027 F-150 Carhartt is available to order now and is expected to reach customers in early 2027. Complete pricing, fuel-economy estimates and pricing for the Tremor Low and Raptor Low have not yet been announced.
Ford has not transformed the F-150. It has concentrated on towing, usable torque, engine choice and more attainable off-road capability. For a mature truck with 49 years at the top, that may be precisely the right kind of progress.
