Ford F-150 FX4 Just Got More Expensive And More Capable

Aug. 22, 2020 8:55 AM ET by Aaron Brzozowski Pricing / 2 Comments

Joining the 2021 FX4 package for 2021 is a new "Rock Crawl" mode.

Ford is bumping the price on its popular FX4 Off-Road Package for the light-duty F-150 pickup as the truck enters an all-new generation for 2021, and at the same time, enhancing its capabilities with a new terrain management mode borrowed from the 2020 Ford F-Series Super Duty Tremor.

The difference in price is minimal enough that we imagine most customers won't notice, let alone mind it: just $100, rising from $905 to $1,005. That's slightly less than the $195 price bump being applied to the F-150 XL Regular Cab - the lowest-priced model in the lineup.

For the extra $100, FX4 Off-Road Package buyers will get a new "Rock Crawl" driving mode, TFL Truck reports, which is brand new to the Ford F-150 range. Rock Crawl optimizes the truck's throttle calibration, transmission calibration, traction control, and other vehicle systems in 4-Low to deliver maximum traction over slippery, rocky terrain. It's one of eight 4x4 drive modes for 2021, along with Sport, Slippery, Deep Snow/Sand, and Mud & Ruts.

Otherwise, the 2021 Ford F-150's FX4 Off-Road Package ought to be more-or-less the same as what's currently offered, with a shorter electronic-locking rear axle, Hill Descent Control, off-road-tuned dampers, skid plates, high-traction all-terrain tires, and slick "FX4 Off-Road" decals on the body sides.

It's no F-150 Raptor, but it's an adequate match for the Chevrolet Silverado Z71, and more than enough for most off-roaders.

The full 2021 Ford F-150 pricing guide was leaked online earlier in the month, with Manufacturer Suggested Retail Pricing and dealer invoice with holdback for each and every Ford F-150 trim, body style, package, and optional extra. The new generation pickup has a wide pricing spread, from the $28,940 F-150 XL 4x2 Regular Cab, up to the top-of-the-line $75,945 Limited 4x4 SuperCrew - a truck thousands more expensive than its 2020 counterpart, with a price tag approaching the base MSRP of a Lincoln Navigator.

As trucks grow ever more popular in the US market and average transaction prices continue to rise, we expect to see even more of this.