I have almost 88,000 miles on my 2011 GEN1, and since I bought it I have lived in both northern Alabama and northern Nevada. I rotate my tires every 5,000 to 6,000 miles, and there are no signs of the lug nuts swelling or seizing on the lugs. So I have to ask if Ford went to cheaper lug nuts on the GEN2 models.
No; in fact the newer models are better since the lugs are solid metal instead of a cap nut.
You’ve lived in areas where there is no road salt/rust and therefore you won’t have corrosion related issues.