“Let It Breath!”

Photos By: Joe Acevedo Jr.

If you drive a 2016 Ford F-150 with the 5.0L Coyote, you know the truck has plenty of capability right from the factory. But like most naturally aspirated V8 engines, it has more to give when you improve the way it breathes. K&N’s NextGen Air Intake System is designed to do exactly that. Built for the 2015–2020 F-150, it gives the Coyote a cleaner, less restrictive path for airflow. The result is more horsepower, more torque, and an engine that feels freer at every RPM.

K&N has been in the intake business for over 50 years, and the NextGen series represents their latest thinking in design and testing. The system starts with a hybrid open-top airbox. This design works with a larger fresh air inlet to feed the engine more air than the stock system can provide. The path from the inlet to the throttle body has been smoothed and opened up, which reduces restriction and helps keep inlet air temperatures down.

On the dyno, those changes have made a measurable difference. The NextGen system delivers an average gain of 21 horsepower and 23 lb.-ft. of torque. In certain setups, the gains can reach as high as 41 horsepower and 67 lb.-ft. Those numbers are achieved without any tuning, meaning the system works with the trucks factory tune.

A key component of the system is K&N’s largest filter made for this application. The extra surface area allows more air to pass through while increasing the filter’s dirt-holding capacity. The filter also uses a redesigned radius entry, which smooths airflow into the oversized intake tube. Inside the tube, velocity channels help straighten and stabilize the incoming air before it reaches the throttle body. This improves efficiency and allows the engine to pull air more consistently through the rev range.

Installation is straightforward. K&N designed the filter with a Quick-Lock tapered mounting bead that snaps into the airbox without any extra hardware. That means no clamps or brackets to install for the filter itself. With basic hand tools, the entire system can be installed in a short amount of time, and there’s no need to cut or modify any factory parts.

The setup fits cleanly under the hood, maintaining an OEM-style layout while adding K&N’s signature race stripes on the filter element. Those stripes have become a visual hallmark of the brand, a subtle nod to its performance roots.

Every NextGen Air Intake is tested on the dyno, and K&N publishes the results for each specific application. This allows owners to see exactly what kind of performance increase they can expect before installing the system. For a 2016 F-150 with a 5.0L Coyote—or any 2015–2020 model in the same configuration—the NextGen Air Intake offers a proven way to increase power and torque, improve airflow efficiency, and get more from the truck’s V8 without opening the engine.

Specs Sidebar

• Product: K&N NextGen Air Intake System
• Vehicle Fitment: 2015–2020 Ford F-150, 5.0L Coyote
• Average Gains: 21 HP, 23 lb.-ft. torque
• Max Gains: 41 HP, 67 lb.-ft. torque
• Key Features: Enlarged fresh air inlet, oversized filter, oversized intake tube, Quick-Lock installation
• Installation: Basic hand tools, no tune required

For more info

K&N Filters www.knfilters.com/

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Devan Ence

Based in Idaho Falls, Devan is a visual storyteller whose work moves seamlessly between wild rivers and custom-built trucks. What started as snapping casual fishing photos with a point-and-shoot camer ...