Delayed, but already here: 2025 Ford F-150 spotted in Australia ahead of pushed-back launch for the Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado rival

Ford Australia has confirmed the updated F-150 full-size ute will arrive later than initially expected, while keen-eyed Australian fans of America’s darling have spotted an early example of the model already here.

The 2025 Ford F-150 was revealed for the United States late last year, with Ford Australia initially saying it expected to have the big ute touch down for Aussie customers in late 2024.

And, despite what seems to be the first example of updated F-150s already landing in Australia, Ford Australia says the local launch for the facelifted ute is now expected to come along in the early stages of 2025.

Spotted by a member of the Ford F-150 Owners Australia Facebook page, the updated F-150 currently in the country is an evaluation car for Ford Australia.

"As with the rest of our line-up, our team sometimes evaluates vehicles that don't necessarily reflect our local range,” a Ford Australia spokesperson told CarsGuide.

“We look forward to sharing more news regarding our plans for the updated F-150 in Australia in the coming months."

The delay for the new version of the big American ute isn’t a particularly long one, Ford Australia now saying the updated F-150 should arrive in Q1 2025, within a couple of months of previous expectations.

Ford F-150

Ford Australia told CarsGuide the delay comes thanks to supply chain challenges in getting vehicles from the US to Australia, though the spokesperson didn’t specify why.

Recently the F-150 was recalled for issues related to its lighting and autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system, with 2070 vehicles affected by disabled lights including ‘fog lamps’, ‘daytime running lamps’ and ‘indicators’ as well as an AEB function that “may not reactivate after an ignition cycle as per the requirements set out under ADR 98”.

Another event that has likely affected the supply of American vehicles in general was the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, which closed the city’s port and halted shipping for both Ford and GM for some time.

While details for Australia are yet to be locked in, the updated F-150 should bring with it a revised design with new LED headlights and a new grille, a new tailgate and new tech inside including a larger 12.0-inch driver display and a multimedia screen the same size.