Abyss Grey vs. Leadfoot — The Battle Between the Two ‘Black Sheep’ of Ford

Ford has found a solution for the lack of choices in black and white trucks by introducing Abyss Grey and the Leadfoot exterior colors. They look similar at a glance, but when analyzed in detail, they are two very different truck paint colors.

To cut a long story short, the Abyss Grey possesses a gleaming and bright presence, while the Leadfoot Grey is more of a darker and low-profile truck.

Should you wish to dig deeper into the crucial details, keep focusing on the following well-round analysis of the Abyss Grey vs. Leadfoot comparison. 

abyss grey vs. leadfoot
The Abyss Grey possesses a gleaming and bright presence, while the Leadfoot Grey is more of a darker and low-profile truck

Abyss Grey vs. Leadfoot: What Are The Differences? 

The most critical part of the article is the apparent differences between the Abyss Grey and the Leadfoot. They are the catalyst for the best possible decision by Ford truck buyers.

Comparison Table

Abyss GreyLeadfoot
Paint CodeKL5EWHA/M7418A/MEJMTAWHA/JX/M7394A
Exterior LookLighter Darker
Heat AbsorptionLow capacityHigh capacity
Blending AbilityEfficientInefficient
Cleaning CapacityHiding dirt, but no dents or scuffsAbility to hide scuffs to the naked eye
Best Suited RegionsColder regionsWarmer regions
CostLess expensiveMore expensive

Detailed Comparison

Paint Code 

Starting with the paint code and how the two exterior colors are designed, their distinctions have to be made clear to answer the Abyss Grey vs. LeadFoot question. 

According to the specific models, the paint code for the Abyss Gray Metallic is KL5EWHA/M7418A/ME. For the Leadfoot Grey, the paint code is JMTAWHA/XJ/ M7394A.

abyss grey and leadfoot paint codes
Paint codes of Abyss Grey and Leadfoot

If seeing the models on the road or by far, it would be easily understood that they have a very similar color variation. Nonetheless, after some research and closer looks, Leadfoot has a darker color on the exterior compared to Abyss Grey, while it also gives the sense of an SUV.

How Does It Look? 

A strong X-factor to address the debate of Abyss Grey vs. Leadfoot is the question of “How does it look?”

Don’t let the metallic aspect of Abyss Grey get into your head. Amongst all Ford trucks series, this exterior color is a more handsome and moderate shade. It gives the truck another sense of humble uniqueness. It also adds value to the vehicle so that people demotivated by the surface’s shine continue to pay attention once again. 

abyss grey exterior
This is how Abyss Grey looks (A photo from an owner of a Ford Abyss Grey owner from F150forum)

What does it look like? It looks like a cool truck with a darker tone for the exterior, but still not so shiny and ‘too-extra.’ 

On the other hand, the Leadfoot Grey is another solution for the good-looking choice, which won’t disappoint you, even with the lighter version of the grey color. It beats the Lithium Grey color, and it (the Leadfoot exterior color) doesn’t cost anything for repairs. 

leadfoot exterior
And this is how Leadfoot looks (A photo from an owner of a Ford Abyss Grey owner from Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forum)

Heat Absorption

The Abyss Grey color protects the body from sunlight heat and does a great job resisting skin peel or exposure. This is mostly applied in the case of UV rays for the truck. When it comes to heat absorption in the Leadfoot model, the vehicle absorbs less heat, and it doesn’t keep the sunlight on the surface, which helps it stay cooler. 

If you don’t want sunlight exposure, but you want to have a high heat absorption, it’d be recommended to go with the Abyss Grey model. However, if you don’t care about the reflection or skin exposure to heat and want a cooler surface, the best choice would be to go with the Leadfoot truck. 

Color Blending Ability

The Abyss Grey isn’t only making the vibe cooler for the truck or the stylistic approach better. It also has a metallic or darker tone, making it easier to blend into other colors. The classy color makes it easier to hide flaws and other easy adjustments. 

The case isn’t the same with the Leadfoot model. It doesn’t possess that much of a blending quality and ability, which is since it has a bigger color lightness and doesn’t blend easily with other various shades. 

abyss grey metallic
The metallic exterior of Abyss Grey (A photo from an owner of a Ford Abyss Grey owner from F150forum)

Cleaning Ability

The exterior color of Abyss Grey does a great job of hiding out flaws when it comes to dirt and dust in such a way that they are not even obvious in the truck’s surface from afar. However, where it gets tricky, the metallic surface can hide flaws such as dirt but no scratches, scuffs, dents, and other marks. 

The model of Leadfoot, its competitor, isn’t only better in hiding all dirt, dust, scratches, and dents. However, its lack of vibrancy, along with its dullness, is what makes it one of the best Ford-colored trucks in this category of the cleaning capacity. 

The Leadfoot exterior color, nonetheless, is more expensive than the cost of the Abyss Grey, but whatever the case may be, it’s still a big advantage. 

What Similarities Do Abyss Grey and Leadfoot Share? 

The accurate comparison comes with differences for most of the readers. The similarities are there just to show the true colors of the two models — no pun intended. 

The Abyss Grey vs. Leadfoot Grey question doesn’t come up due to the same color and size they possess as trucks. They have the same aura. The owners show that they don’t want the futuristic and many times ‘demanding-of-attention’ metallic grey color. 

This plain grey is a noticeable color. However, it shows that the owner or the buyer doesn’t want the standard strong and ‘dominating’ black model and not the assertion-seeking and vivid white. They just want a simple solution, which cannot be seen as the in-between approach. 

Not only will you be getting a fantastic truck, but regardless of the color, Abyss Grey or Leadfoot, you will also get a good resale value. That’s because their unique color will secure a high level of need and a low level of competition in the automobile market 2-3 years later.

Abyss Grey vs. Leadfoot: What Should You Choose?

Abyss Grey – Give Your Truck A Sense of Humble Uniqueness

The Abyss Gray is a new gray shade that was first introduced in the 2019 Ford F-150. If you live in a state with high temperatures, it would be advisable to buy a truck in this color. It has a higher capacity to reflect the heat and not absorb it, keeping the vehicle in cooler temperatures. 

Below is a list of positive and negative points of Abyss Grey to consider:

Pros

✅ A handsome and moderate shade

✅ Protects the truck body from sunlight heat

✅ Easier to blend into other colors

✅ Easier to hide flaws

Cons

✖ Absorbs more heat

✖ Can’t hide scratches, scuffs, dents, and other marks

Leadfoot – It Won’t Disappoint You!

Leadfoot is a darker gray tone that is mostly found on Lariat F-150. Should scuffs, dents, and scratches be a common thing for you, it would be a better solution to go with the Leadfoot model.

To make your best final decision, weigh the pros and cons of this color below:

Pros

✅ A good-looking exterior color

✅ Doesn’t cost anything for repairs

✅ Absorbs less heat

✅ Better in hiding all dirt, dust, scratches and dents

Cons

✖ Doesn’t resist skin peel or exposure

✖ Doesn’t blend easily with other various shades

✖ Dull-looking

✖ More expensive


What Are People Saying About Abyss Grey vs. Leadfoot?

There are many different approaches and opinions regarding the debate over Abyss Grey and Leadfoot. People who want a lower profile might not be fans of the metallic Abyss Grey. Similarly, others who love such an engaging color might have expressed their dissatisfaction against the Leadfoot Grey trucks. 

A buyer of the Leadfoot states jokingly on a Ford-trucks.com threaded discussion, “I’m surprised Abyss has hung around. Leadfoot was a much nicer color. Abyss changes to a robin egg hue in certain light. Sometimes I think Fords color selector is blind in one eye and can’t see out the other,” while another truck enthusiast and probably a fan of the Abyss Grey said, “I wonder if the success of Leadfoot Gray Raptors is partly due to the cool name of the color.

How about you?


My Final Thoughts

I have constantly analyzed Ford trucks and the psychology behind the purchase of such a vehicle. It’s essential to understand that there are always some parameters that make a big difference and change the whole outcome of the decision. 

In my previous article, on the debate between F350 and F450, the big parameter and X-factor were the trucks’ engine and their own towing capacity. In this article, the crucial X-factor of the decision is the consumer’s feelings and emotional state. 

The aspects and the characteristics are very similar. The color of the two and the details that come with them are not. Now, the impact of the different paint codes and colors vary, it’s up to you to make a choice, but you have to keep in mind the aforementioned details and warnings.

Finally, pricing is an enormous catalyst for your choice, and I would strongly advise you to make the decision based on your own financial account and after consulting a professional.

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