XLT vs Lariat Do not drive the same

[JExpedition07]

My employee noticed this phenomenon from my 2023 STX 5.0 to his buddies 2020 Lariat 5.0. He said he could not believe how much slower and sluggish his friends Lariat with the same engine was, and the lariat had 3.73 gears vs my 3.31. The older 2020 version of the 5.0 does make less torque under the curve and it redlines 1000 rpm lower so it seems to have slightly less power everywhere than the current iteration. Not being apples to apples the more powerful 4th gen motor might be some of the difference, but I’d imagine at part throttle it may be the curb weight making a lot of that difference. Both have 20’s so it’s not the wheels.

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[Magician]

Could also have something to do with how the different trucks are driven? Vehicles learn and adapt to how they are driven and different drivers drive differently. Three identical RAM 2500HD Service body work trucks drive completely different. So do all three Chevy Tahoe work vehicles. Lots can translate to different driving experiences in same or like vehicles. Just saying

 

[CAG61]

My employee noticed this phenomenon from my 2023 STX 5.0 to his buddies 2020 Lariat 5.0. He said he could not believe how much slower and sluggish his friends Lariat with the same engine was, and the lariat had 3.73 gears vs my 3.31. The older 2020 version of the 5.0 does make less torque under the curve and it redlines 1000 rpm lower so it seems to have slightly less power everywhere than the current iteration. Not being apples to apples the more powerful 4th gen motor might be some of the difference, but I’d imagine at part throttle it may be the curb weight making a lot of that difference. Both have 20’s so it’s not the wheels.

The mode can matter as would the driving patterns. Sport mode might be the best mode for comparing.

 

[dmac]

It's definitely primarily a wheel + tire difference. The 18" wheels are night and day on the same truck. There may be some options you have on your lariat like moonroof, power tailgate, Bedliner, steps that could potentially make it heavier too.

 

[DMuiser]

Could also have something to do with how the different trucks are driven? Vehicles learn and adapt to how they are driven and different drivers drive differently. Three identical RAM 2500HD Service body work trucks drive completely different. So do all three Chevy Tahoe work vehicles. Lots can translate to different driving experiences in same or like vehicles. Just saying

This would make sense in a fleet with different drivers in different vehicles but what about OP and myself who are driving the same everyday just two different trucks? In fact I’ve tried to drive for low mpg and still can’t match that of my ‘21

 

[Magician]

This would make sense in a fleet with different drivers in different vehicles but what about OP and myself who are driving the same everyday just two different trucks? In fact I’ve tried to drive for low mpg and still can’t match that of my ‘21

You said it yourself “two different trucks.”
I can’t speak to mileage issues among like vehicles with different drivers and different content including wheel and tire combos.
I also tend to not really count on a truck to get decent mileage. I’ve driven a truck since I bought my first one 1989 and not one has ever been thrifty with fuel in any way. I only managed 19.7mpg Average in my current F-150 on trip to Duluth Minnesota last summer.
One last thing I’ll say is, just bc these trucks all come from the same assembly line built by the same techs, they are not the same.

 

[wayfarer556]

Did they have the same gearing and engines? Were they both power-boost models? I didn’t think you could get an XLT as a power boost. There’s also 3.31 gears axle and 3.73 axle gears. Vehicles with smaller rims and more rubber tire between the rim and the road will always ride softer. The smaller wheel diameter will also lend itself to less rotational mass and therefore slightly snappier acceleration if everything else is the same. If the XLT is not a hybrid and yours is then that would explain the difference in brake pedal feel.

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[KingDavid]

Bigger wheels = more unsprung weight. Bigger rims will rob acceleration so if you go from 18 to 20 you’ll feel that. Lariat is also heavier truck so with the same power it will be slower.

Heavier wheels & tires = more unsprung weight. I went from the relatively heavy stock 18" chrome (plated?) rims to a much lighter, 20" Weld Lagunas (w/new stock tires from 20" BAP rims that I sold) and the trucks performance and handling improved a lot; comparable to when I tuned it. 18" Lagunas would be another boost, but I don't think it would improve by that much even with the smaller rotations since (iirc) it's only ~1lb lighter per corner.

 

[sean malone]

I just recently bought a 2024 F150 PowerBoost Lariat SuperCrew. I went to a dealer to compare problems I've been having with the truck to another truck just to validate if they are actually issues or not.

There was a few differences however one verify noticeable.

1. The XLT model drove much faster and did not feel sluggish compared to my lariat model. The XLT accelerated faster and just felt like it had more power.
   1. My Lariat drives kind of sluggish. Its quick but it definitely did not feel as quick as the XLT, it feels like it has to try harder to move as quick.
2. The suspension on the XLT is significantly smoother. The XLT did have 18" rims vs my lariat has 20" rims and the tires were not the same so there's that to factor in however I didn't think my lariat would be very jittery every bump it hits.
3. XLT had sharp brakes. My Lariat has spongy brakes.

Does anyone else have these issues? Anyone have any thoughts on why my lariat might be slower than the XLT? Just looking to validate if i might have an issue with my lariat or not.

my 2020 xlt sport blacked out package came with 275/55/20 and is wicked fast.

 

[Jerome10]

I'm gonna add that I think the extra Lariat weight and the rims likely would do what you describe.

I admit I love bigger rims for style purposes, but frankly feel it has KILLED ride quality on all cars. Tires generally cost more too. Yeah, it looks cool, but the entire time you own the car you're paying for it over every bump in the road.

I specifically ensured I got the 18" on my truck to avoid the ride problem and the tire-cost problem. I will admit on trucks, smaller wheels with more rubber (AT-style tires) I think looks good too. It looks a little funnier on sedans.

Regarding rental truck: Learned a long time ago to basically NEVER judge a car based on a rental experience. Those cars are utterly abused every single day of their life. Drivers don't care. Employees don't care. They get jumped, bumped, smashed into, potholes, curbed, spilled in, and just destroyed by basically every person who touches them. Probably have alignment problems etc. I've been amazed at how utterly used up some 20,000 mile rentals I've had have been. Life Pro Tip: wouldn't suggest buying a used one either

 

[HammaMan]

Yes, you can get XLT, XL both in PB. It's probably the weight difference in trim models.

All PBs are XLT+ and 4WD only now. XL is fleet only. Both are 24+ changes

Even so, IIRC the XLT ESOF still uses IWEs that disengage the front half shafts & shaft into the transfer case, where the Lariat TOD since ~2022 build 2 does not (that mass is always rotating even in 2WD modes).

IF correct, that might account for some of a difference in 'feel' in a side-by-side comparison.

I have EIWEs and TOD in my PB. I can't feel or hear any difference as the front axle clutches in. The 2 things that give it away is not losing traction and the 4a indicator always lit when on.

 

[Suns_PSD]

I’d be willing to bet there is close to a 15lb per wheel/tire weight difference between the 18” and 20” wheel and tire combo stock on the two trucks. That’s a lot of weight on all four corners requiring more effort(horsepower) to rotate them and more braking force to stop. Unsprung weight will translate to a noticeable decrease in performance. Added content between the two trucks could also decrease performance. Together all most assuredly can cause one to perform noticeably different.

I've been preaching this for years.

Motorsports always runs the smallest diameter wheel that they can that will clear the brakes and passes regulation, because it's a lot faster.

Although you can try and keep the weight as low as possible on a low-profile tire combo, when compared to an equivalent high-profile tire, the lo-pro set up will always: 1) weigh more, and 2) have more of that weight further from the axis/ center. This is because the bead and wheel have to be thick and go a bit horizontal where they meet, so you are locating that mass further from the center.

A good example is when you and your buddies as kids were spinning around on your old-man's barstool, and you learned that if your legs were out, you'd go slow, and if they were pulled in, you'd instantly speed up. That's with NO change in weight, just the location of the weight alone made that difference.

I know a guy that removed the stock 17" 'Vette C5 mag wheels and replaced them with 20s. Outer tire diameter was identical. On the dyno he lost 30 rwhp only changing the wheels, and on the dyno the increased weight of the front wheels wasn't even a factor as it would be on the road. So, you can double that hp loss on the road.

It also cost fuel to have big rims, which is why manufacturers use EPA mpg numbers with the base model with the small wheels. The upgraded models will get less mpg.

Another data point: Do the Shelby GT350R’s Carbon Fiber Wheels Help Performance?

My Limited looks absolutely dope on 22" wheels with 35" tires, but it would have another 80-100 hp at the rear wheels if I ran 18s with 32" street tires and gain 3-4 mpg.

 

[dmac]

I've been preaching this for years.

Motorsports always runs the smallest diameter wheel that they can that will clear the brakes and passes regulation, because it's a lot faster.

Although you can try and keep the weight as low as possible on a low-profile tire combo, when compared to an equivalent high-profile tire, the lo-pro set up will always: 1) weigh more, and 2) have more of that weight further from the axis/ center. This is because the bead and wheel have to be thick and go a bit horizontal where they meet, so you are locating that mass further from the center.

A good example is when you and your buddies as kids were spinning around on your old-man's barstool, and you learned that if your legs were out, you'd go slow, and if they were pulled in, you'd instantly speed up. That's with NO change in weight, just the location of the weight alone made that difference.

I know a guy that removed the stock 17" 'Vette C5 mag wheels and replaced them with 20s. Outer tire diameter was identical. On the dyno he lost 30 rwhp only changing the wheels, and on the dyno the increased weight of the front wheels wasn't even a factor as it would be on the road. So, you can double that hp loss on the road.

It also cost fuel to have big rims, which is why manufacturers use EPA mpg numbers with the base model with the small wheels. The upgraded models will get less mpg.

Another data point: Do the Shelby GT350R’s Carbon Fiber Wheels Help Performance?

My Limited looks absolutely dope on 22" wheels with 35" tires, but it would have another 80-100 hp at the rear wheels if I ran 18s with 32" street tires and gain 3-4 mpg.

This man speaks the truth.

Here are some wheel weights I put together for the 21-23 MY
18" KR/tremor/lariat 27.5 lb
18 chrome xlt - 28lb
18" sport xlt/lariat 30 lb
20" lariat sport 37 lb

A lariat sport 20" wheel with the 42 lb factory hankook tire is combined 79 lb/tire vs 66 lb/tire for an XLT 18" chrome package wheel with the factory Michelin.

Thats 13 lb per corner at a smaller diameter which makes a humongous difference when I drove the trucks. The 20s made the truck feel fat, wallopy and lazy.

I recently went from factory 275 45r21 to factory 255 55r20 rims on an explorer, which were only 5lbs lighter per tire. It made a huge positive difference in ride, steering, and power, especially in hybrid mode.

 

[Samson16]

Thank goodness I have 570 lb-ft forcing those big 20’s to propel my XLT. ?

Truthfully, something as simple as increasing the PSI from 35 to 40 can make a difference in how the truck handles and feels.

 

[tidefan1967]

My 3.5 Ecoboost powered 22 Lariat FX4 rides much better than the Coyote powered 23 XLT 2X4 that it replaced. Roughly 250 lbs difference between the two. I will admit though that replacing the rear factory shocks with Bilstein 4600s made a huge difference. It was way too bouncy with the factory shocks.

 

[Abraham5G]

My 2014 Tremor FX2 EcoBoost my 2023 Platinum FX4 EcoBoost feel very similar in drive comfort and acceleration.
2014 FX2 has 4.10 gears and 22" wheels, averages 18 mpg.
2023 FX4 has 3.31 gears 20" wheels, 4A, stiffer Bilstein suspension, averages 21 mpg.

 

[LunaRover]

I just recently bought a 2024 F150 PowerBoost Lariat SuperCrew. I went to a dealer to compare problems I've been having with the truck to another truck just to validate if they are actually issues or not.

There was a few differences however one verify noticeable.

1. The XLT model drove much faster and did not feel sluggish compared to my lariat model. The XLT accelerated faster and just felt like it had more power.
   1. My Lariat drives kind of sluggish. Its quick but it definitely did not feel as quick as the XLT, it feels like it has to try harder to move as quick.
2. The suspension on the XLT is significantly smoother. The XLT did have 18" rims vs my lariat has 20" rims and the tires were not the same so there's that to factor in however I didn't think my lariat would be very jittery every bump it hits.
3. XLT had sharp brakes. My Lariat has spongy brakes.

Does anyone else have these issues? Anyone have any thoughts on why my lariat might be slower than the XLT? Just looking to validate if i might have an issue with my lariat or not.

I just picked up my XLT PB and noticed some of what you are talking about. The XLT won me over as I was looking for a truck more than a Lexus. The main reason for the XLT was towing. Removing the gingerbread allows me to carry more stuff when I am on the road traveling.

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