Consumer Reports evaluates new Ford pickup truck

Ford recently made news when it announced that not only was its 2015 F-150 going to be all new, but the body was going to be made of aluminum.

The new aluminum body on the Ford F-150 brings a lot of benefits. The pickup is now 700 pounds lighter, which means it can carry and tow more. It allows Ford to use smaller engines, making for better fuel economy.

The F-150 has a 2.7-liter turbo V6 engine. That's the smallest engine you'll find in a full-sized pickup truck, and it gets the best fuel economy in its class -- 17 miles per gallon overall.

The smaller engine of the F-150 has plenty of power, accelerating faster than even the larger 3.5-liter turbocharged engine.

Both versions of the F-150 are good trucks, but Consumer Reports says they're not the best.

"Our tested F-150 scored below both the RAM 1500 and the Chevrolet Silverado," said Mike Quincy with Consumer Reports.

The Ford F-150 doesn't ride or handle as well.

"The RAM 1500 sets the benchmark for ride for a pickup truck. Plus the Chevrolet Silverado has really good handling," Quincy said.

Another consideration is price. The Ford F-150 2.7-liter Consumer Reports tested costs $46,000. That's more than the Silverado, which gets almost the same fuel economy -- 16 miles per gallon instead of 17.

As for the RAM 1500 Eco Diesel, it's Consumer Reports' top-rated full-sized pickup truck. It gets 20 miles per gallon and costs just over $49,000. Consumer Reports says it's the most comfortable-riding full-sized pickup on the market, yet it's also plenty capable of handling hard work.